AURORA | Aurora lawmakers allowed a proposed apartment complex to move forward Monday over objections from residents who heckled project supporters throughout the meeting.
The council rejected calls to halt the Echelon at Eagle Bend project, with Mayor Mike Coffman voting “no” along with council members Francoise Bergan, whose ward includes the property, and Angela Lawson.
Aurora’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the site plan sponsored by The Garrett Companies, which included requests for two variances related to street frontage. City staffers also endorsed the plan.
The 260-unit complex would include 10 housing buildings up to four stories tall along with a clubhouse, pool and maintenance building. It would be built on about 14.7 vacant acres next to E-470, at the southeast corner of Aurora Parkway and Quemoy Way.
Members of the public living in the adjacent Heritage Eagle Bend neighborhood showed up in force Monday to express their displeasure with the project, with representatives arguing that the height of the tallest buildings exceeded regulatory limits, that the project improperly counted detention ponds and other unusable space toward open space requirements and that it would be incompatible with nearby single-family homes.
James Folk, who said he was speaking on behalf of several hundred Auroran residents living in that area, insisted the objections were not rooted in concerns about their mountain views being obstructed and pushed back against the characterization of appellants as NIMBYs.
“Never did any of these 825 residents say ‘not in my backyard,’” Folk said. “We say planning is allowing Garrett to pack too much in too little space.”
He said local residents weren’t necessarily opposed to the land being developed into apartment homes, talking favorably about the Springs at Eagle Bend complex, where buildings were no taller than two stories.
City staffers and Ashley Bedell, vice president of development for Garrett Companies, said the buildings were acceptably tall if measured using the process described in the Unified Development Ordinance for structures with slanted roofs.
Bedell stressed that multifamily was a use-by-right on the parcel and that detention ponds and landscaping were fair game to count toward the requirement that 45% of the development consist of “usable” open space. She also said the taller buildings were set farther back from nearby homes than was required.
“We’ve developed in Aurora before and look forward to the opportunity to build here again,” Bedell said. “Since our initial filing in May 2022, we have worked with staff to confirm our project complies with the Eagle Bend (General Development Plan) and the UDO. This was validated by the approval we received from the Planning Commission on March 8. The approval came after the careful consideration of the same issues raised on appeal by neighbors.”
Council members questioned the developer about the process of creating the site plan, though most ultimately voted in favor. Bergan specifically said she was worried about the density of the complex, both in terms of the height of the buildings and the potential traffic impacts. She also criticized the lack of a park and space where children at the complex could play.
“I will get the complaints that kids have no place to play and that they’re going into the detention pond,” she said. “I know it’s in our code that staff is allowed to take money in lieu of requiring a park, but it causes a lot of problems.”
Councilmember Juan Marcano, who voted in support of the project, said he believed the project was consistent with nearby development, citing similar architectural features.
“You have similar slopes. You have similar eaves, materials, reveals, glazing, muntons, framing et cetera. It’s virtually identical, especially when you get into the townhomes. So, from my perspective, and maybe we just have a point of disagreement here, but I think this is actually very much in harmony with what’s already built around here,” he said, and was booed and hissed at by the crowd.
Another developer bamboozling the city council and the dumbass planning and zoning commission as to why this is an acceptable project.
For those at large candidates that voted for this project,take your heads out of your asses and start working for the people who voted you in. Oh yeah, remember to “beg for our votes”, when you are up for reelection. . Remember we vote and show up in masse.
Make sure you tell us the campaign contributions you took from these developers, their lobbyists, and slick attorneys. I’m not saying this is illegal, but tell us who gave you these, contributions, how much, and who these folks represent. Because it is not “illegal” to ask you those questions and expect to get your answers. I will promise you, these questions will be asked when you bring your sorry asses out here to campaign with your puppy dog eyes. WE WILL NOT FORGET!!
I found it interesting that the folks living behind their fenced and very private “resort” homes in Eagle Bend, came up with the denial of NIMBY and the possible loss of view. Why? Because in a number of posts in social media sites these points were specifically mentioned.
No, this is not about lack of playgrounds, or converted retention ponds, or too much traffic, or any other excuse except for NIMBY.
You are quite ignorant of the issues. But that’s ok. You can continue to wallow in your ignorance, and be “too stupid to know you are stupid”
This is pretty simple the owners that live in this area have made a decision they wanted to live in an area that was not polluted with high density. They were willing to commute the distances, pay the extra money for the satisfaction to be away from what’s become a unhealthy density problem. Regrettably, the city of Aurora council has a hard time accepting their planning dept is flawed with their credibility markers to refer this project as proper and well thought out. Not so long ago, a similar issue bought to the city for housing by Westside Investment. This also was a land use item involving the zoning change incentive thus offering more houses close to the airport. This time Aurora stepped on the city of Denver’s toes, as too close to DIA. The only way this city council got the message was Denver was serious, they sued Aurora in Adams County, and made their point. Aurora backed down along with Westside Partners. For some odd reason, three council members, Marcano, Combs, Murillo were named in that case. These three asked no relevant questions before the vote, other than how public transit fits in. Bergan, was also sued in that same case and unlike the other three, was all over the applicant and she voted no. I’m pretty well convinced the homeowners where this new project is planned are every bit as serious as Denver was. The homeowners can see through the astonishing obfuscation how the developer has twisted the rules of even the retention ponds, the professional planning dept (ours) can’t seem to recognize. They also have the financial horsepower to launch a lawsuit as Denver did to stop this high-density nightmare in their backyard. It would be interesting if Bergan would join in if a lawsuit would be filed.
I think if I read this article correctly, it appears that multi-family housing was a use by right at this vacant parcel of land. To believe that anything else would be developed there is rather disingenuous. If you purchase a home near/next to a vacant piece of land with multi-family zoning in place, I would assume that you have been notified of this potential. The zoning code in Aurora is readily available or you could reach out to your elected official or city staffer to get the details before you buy near any vacant land parcel. Buyer beware. In the metro area, if it’s vacant, it will be developed.
Another person, who doesn’t know the issue. But at least in your case I’m going to educate you. People are NOT saying they don’t want the development in the area. They are saying it needs to comply to fit in and follow the GDP. Plain and simple. Unfortunately Clay was too stupid to understand that and instead went down the rabbit hole of NIMBY.
So April 5, a lawsuit is filed against the city and the planning department on this project. Does anyone at the city know they are being sued? Watching this council meeting the council despite the lawsuit and very easily could have tabled the motion to wait for a court decision, blunders full steam ahead . No one brought up this lawsuit that was out there moving ahead. I have to assume city council if they knew doesn’t feel its important. Below is the Denver Post story, a couple weeks old. The Sentinel either was unaware or intentionally leaving out the lawsuit, who knows. https://www.denverpost.com/2023/04/10/echelon-at-eagle-bend-aurora-lawsuit-housing-development/
Aurora residents sue to stop apartments next to gated communityThe 260-unit Echelon at Eagle Bend complex is planned on a 15-acre empty lot at East Aurora Parkway, South Quemoy WaySixteen residents in Aurora have sued the city’s mayor and city council in an attempt to stop the construction of an apartment complex near their gated golf course community.
The lawsuit, filed April 5 in Arapahoe County District Court, asks a judge there to overturn a unanimous vote by the city’s planning commission that approved the project.
Robert Holtschlag, another neighbor who joined last week’s lawsuit, testified March 8 that Heritage Eagle Bend is an age-restricted and gated community with “low-profile, single-family” homes that are much different than Echelon’s proposed “urban-scale” buildings.
“This seems to be an attempt to establish a new normal for residential construction in Aurora,” Holtschlag told the commission. “That is, the placement of residential structures typically found in an urban setting immediately adjacent to a single-family home
I see that the Sentinel has been too scared or cowardly to post comments on the above story. So much for transparency.
Nope. I see comments. I’m guessing you’re against the development.
Wow, you figured that out all by yourself? You’re a genius!! Somehow you just have a knack for the obvious!