MONUMENT — A planned public hearing for the Conexus Commercial Metropolitan District between Old Denver Highway and Interstate 25 in Monument was put on hold Monday night as more than 250 people showed up to voice their opinion on the development.
The number of community members exceeded capacity limits at Town Hall. The Board of Trustees has now pushed the meeting two weeks to August 16.
Neighbors tell News 5 they were notified in writing from the town that six warehouse buildings are planned by Becknell Industrial for the area. Locals say the plan has changed since September of last year when they were told the land would be used as multi-use property.
According to town documents, the Board of Trustees approved a rezoning that states "allowed uses include commercial, civic, office, light industry, multi-family residential" back in 2020. Right now, the plan calls for 6 large industrial buildings with docks and trailer parking. The buildings range in size from 69,120 square feet to 334,800 square feet.
Several people in opposition to this project note it places the New Santa Fe Regional Trail between Old Denver Highway and the industrial park.
People told News5 it would be reckless and premature for the trustees to pass it without conversations involving the public. That conversation will still happen but on a later date.
"We understand there is going to be development here, development is inevitable, it will happen. What our hope is that the town of Monument, Board of Trustees, the Planning Commission, is to recognize that this land can be put to use to benefit the entire community, not like an out-of-state developer like Bucknell," said Matt Brunk, concerned citizen.
According to the Town of Monument Trustees agenda, the Conexus Commercial Metropolitan District "would provide property tax-based public improvement financing and services for the Connexus Commercial project located east of Old Denver Highway."
The documents state the creation of this district would require $22 million in public improvement costs "such as water, sanitation, storm drainage, detention ponds, streets, park and recreation, traffic and safety control, fire protection, mosquito control, television relay and translator, signage, and transportation facilities and improvement along with ongoing maintenance of any installed and financed public improvements, as required through the future land development process."
"The proposed debt mill levy is twenty-eight (28) mills and the proposed O&M (Operation and Maintenance) mill levy is five (5) mills; making the proposed maximum mill levy thirty-three (33) mills," according to the memorandum for the a resolution approving the service plan for Conexus Commercial Metropolitan District.
Documents state the total construction time for all of the proposed commercial structures is over a 9-year span.
Timeline for the project development, per Town of Monument presentation:
- 1987 - Property zoned PID (Planned Industrial Development) as part of Regency Park
- Sept 2020 - Board of Trustees approved rezoning to Planned Development (now Planned Unit Development)
- Sept 2020 - Sketch Plan approved with rezoning; allowed uses include commercial, civic, office, light industry, multi-family residential
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