Quiet no more: New development arrives in LaPorte

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Things are starting to happen in LaPorte. Like Sleeping Beauty, the unincorporated community has been dozing away for more than 100 years, ever since the county seat was yanked out from under her in the 1860s. However, the prince has finally arrived. Development stands ready to cross the threshold and wake the little burg with a kiss or a rude shake, depending upon one's point of view.

A paintball facility and two housing developments in the LaPorte area are currently seeking approval from Larimer County. One subdivision is planned for north of LaPorte on former Holcim Inc. property, while the second is proposed for the east edge of town, next to Kintzley Plaza on County Road 54G.

Plans move ahead

Jax Thunderdome, a paintball facility to be located on former Holcim property, received the county commissioners' approval in early April. Securing a building permit is next. Jim Quinlan, president of Jax Outdoor Gear and Jax Farm & Ranch, said the building permit process could take several months, but he hopes to have the facility up and running by this fall.

Residential development is also on the horizon for the former Holcim property. Mile Hi Investments president Mark Goldstein, representing several landowners, has submitted a sketch plan to the county planning department for a housing development. The preliminary plan calls for 44 building lots on a total of 458 acres. The proposed lots are about two acres each, on or near Curtis Lake. Property owners are proposing a conservation development, with homes clustered on 20 percent of the property and the remaining land undeveloped.

County planner Rob Helmick said there are some differences to work out between the county and the developers. "Many soils in the area are very unsuitable for septic systems because of tight clays and wet conditions," he said. The developers may have to move some lots away from the lake because of those issues, Helmick added. There are also questions about the type of clustering proposed.

Helmick said the Northern Colorado Water Association has made a preliminary commitment to serve the subdivision with domestic water.

Grove faces delays

The parcel on the east edge of LaPorte, a proposed subdivision called The Grove, has been plagued by numerous delays. To the frustration of its owners, Chris Kaul and Charlie Meserlian, The Grove has been in the planning stages for five years now. The project, on a 68-acre site just east of Kintzley Plaza, would include 260 residences plus commercial lots and open space.

Noting that the project has faced "one huge hurdle after another," Kaul said he would never again undertake a project in unincorporated Larimer County. The first big challenge for The Grove was sewer service. This dilemma was resolved when Fort Collins agreed to treat sewage from property within the LaPorte Area Plan. Current obstacles for The Grove involve water service, stormwater drainage and a traffic study. The West Fort Collins Water District has agreed to provide water to the project, but the exact price for tap fees has not been determined. Before that can happen, the district and Fort Collins must draw up contract modifications related to new LaPorte developments, since the city provides treated water to the district. Jim Hibbard of Fort Collins Utilities said the legal process could take several months, since the new documents will also deal with other matters.

Water district manager Doug Bigge said he's waiting on the city. The Grove developers, in turn, have been waiting for more than two years for tap fee figures, according to Kaul.

As for the stormwater issue, the challenges involve location, location, location. The LaPorte master drainage plan dictates that drainage water must flow to the Cache la Poudre River. However, developers whose land does not border the river, such as Kaul and Meserlian, must find other property owners willing to sell easements for this purpose. That has been difficult, Kaul said. An additional frustration in the drainage issue, Kaul said, is that Larimer County wants the partners to install a stormwater line larger than what their subdivision needs.

Recently, Kaul and Meserlian were required by the county to do a second traffic study for their project, and they are still waiting for final approval of that document.

Kaul said he hopes the housing project will be ready to take to the county's planning commission in June.

Gravel waiver granted

Development will now be easier on a 105-acre parcel near LaPorte, south and east of the intersection of County Road 54G and North Taft Hill Road. On April 2, the county commissioners approved a waiver for the property regarding the extraction of mineral deposits such as sand and gravel. State statute dictates that property owners sitting on mineral deposits must mine the deposits before any development can occur, but property owners Ray and Ken Stegner received an exemption from that requirement. The property is a key piece for extending sewer service to other areas within the LaPorte Area Plan, according to county planner Rob Helmick.

At this point, the Stegners are undecided about development plans for the parcel. Everitt Companies was interested in buying the property, Ray Stegner said, but discussions are on hold because of infrastructure issues at the site.

Commissioners Karen Wagner and Glenn Gibson supported removing the gravel restriction. Commissioner Kathay Rennels recused herself from the vote because she owns property near the Stegner parcel.

Wagner said the decision will help development on the east edge of LaPorte and is in line with what citizens of that area want. "I think people in the area would choose development over more gravel mining," she said. Wagner also noted that the gravel deposit on the Stegner property is not of high quality and is landlocked by property with other types of zoning, making it difficult to extract.