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Eagle approves 837-unit Haymeadow development

The Haymaker Trail, constructed last year, hosted the 2013 Colorado Cycling League State Tournament.
Special to the Enterprise |

Eagle is poised to add 800-plus households during the next couple of decades with this week’s approval of the Haymeadow development.

Abrika Properties — a partnership of Ric Newman and Alan Cohen — has proposed Haymeadow as a 837-residential unit development planned at the 660-acre property south of the Eagle Pool and Ice Rink. The proposal includes single family, duplex and multi-family units and although the price point of this housing has not yet been determined, Newman said Haymeadow is envisioned as a local residents housing project, not a second homeowner development. The plan includes 385 acres of natural open space, developed parks and trail corridors along with a new school site.

“My partner Alan Cohen and I are very pleased with the Eagle Town Board vote to approve the Haymeadow plan,” said Newman Wednesday morning, following the Tuesday night decision. “It’s been nine years of careful planning and collaboration between our team, town staff and the town board to arrive at this point.



“ It was extremely important to us to carefully listen to the citizens of Eagle and incorporate their feedback into the plan,” Newman continued. “That collaborative process will continue to inform our decisions as the project comes to fruition over the next 15 to 20 years.”

“I am not in favor of putting a referendum up for the town’s side. We were elected to sit up here and make a decision and that is what we have done.”
Mikel “Pappy” Kerst
Eagle Town Board

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Newman added that along with providing parks, open space, a fire station, school site and 15 miles of trails, the Haymeadow project will help provide solutions to many issues facing Eagle.



“Examples include helping fund a new water treatment plant, providing funding for a Highway 6 traffic study and constructing the Brush Creek Road Extension, which diverts traffic from Capital Street and Sylvan Lake Road,” said Newman. “We believe that the plan approved Tuesday night is good for Haymeadow and the town of Eagle and helps to pave the way for Eagle’s future.”

Final comment

At Tuesday’s public hearing for the Haymeadow, members of the town board heard final public comment regarding the plan and then launched deliberations. A number of community members voiced support for the proposal, complimenting the board for the negotiated deal. Others questioned whether traffic and other issues have been adequately addressed.

Town board members responded that they have extensively studied the traffic concerns and believe that the deal does provide workable solutions.

Town board member Scot Webster noted there have been nine public hearings concerning the Haymeadow and countless hours of individual research forming the board decision.

“This is not an uninformed decision. We don’t just come in here and wing it,” he said.

The “R” word’

During public comment, resident Brian Woodrich suggested the town board take the Haymeadow plan to a public vote. In response, the town board members stated they do not support a Haymeadow referendum.

“I am not in favor of putting a referendum up for the town’s side,” said town board member Mikel “Pappy” Kerst. “We were elected to sit up here and make a decision and that is what we have done.”

Opponents of the Haymeadow proposal now have 30 days after April 3, the official publication date for the various Haymeadow actions, to collect signatures from 5 percent of the registered voters in town calling for an election to nullify the town board’s approval. If that deadline passes, the ordinances and resolutions passed Tuesday night go into effect.

In the end, six of the seven members of the board voted in favor of 12 separate resolutions and ordinances required to annex the Haymeadow property and approved the proposed development plan. Town board member Brandi Resa cast the sole dissenting vote on 11 of the 12 motions.

Resa said she believed the Haymeadow review schedule was too aggressive. Although she did not vote to approve the Haymeadow plan, Resa also noted she did not favor a referendum. “It’s the board’s decision to make.”

Mayor Yuri Kostick said he believed that the Haymeadow plan passed three important tests — it meets the town’s goals, the negotiated agreement protects Eagle and Haymeadow promises to be a good deal for both the town and the developer.

“I am extremely proud of the deal we worked out with the developer. I believe it is a win/win,” said town board member Scott Turnipseed.


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