FAQ

How does the Ladera project align with the Town of Timnath’s Comprehensive Plan?

Dating back to 2013, Ladera is entirely consistent with the Town’s comprehensive plans. It designates the Ladera property as Employment/Regional Commercial. Ladera is planned in the right location, along I-25 near Costco and Walmart. It will be an economic generator while maintaining the Town’s character by focusing growth along the highway and away from Main Street.

The group supporting the ballot initiative of annexation restrictions claims they are not against growth. Yet, everything they have done to date is designed to stop or slow Ladera.

Who will reclaim the portion of Ladera currently being mined for gravel?

Connell Resources, Inc. has been operating the gravel pit since 2000.  Connell Resources has been in the gravel mining and reclamation business for over 50 years throughout Northern Colorado.  It is in the final stages of mining gravel on a small portion of the property. As the operator of the gravel pit, Connell Resources will be responsible for completing all reclamation of the property.

Connell Resources has successfully reclaimed over 20 gravel pits, including two on the east side of I-25.  There have been no instances of contaminated soils on any of these gravel pits.

What reclamation experience does Connell Resources have?

Connell Resources has successfully reclaimed over 20 gravel mines and has NEVER had a single site with contaminated soil!

Connell Resources has been reclaiming this gravel pit during its operation of the mine for the last 20+ years.  Early on, it constructed necessary recharge ponds that will remain permanently.  It also has already lined approximately 40% of the ultimate lake.  The east side of Weitzel Street has been filled and graded to its ultimate elevation.  Reclamation consists of importing enough fill to the final lake configuration. And, reclamation of the gravel pit will continue while the final reserves are mined. The lake will be lined with clay material so that it holds water.  The final steps will be the removal of Connell Resources operations and final grading and erosion control.

There is no need to fully reclaim the land before beginning preliminary redevelopment or annexation.

Who is responsible for overseeing reclamation of the gravel mining site?

Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) is responsible for ensuring that all mining sites for which it issued permits complete all reclamation per the state permit. As the mine operator, Connell Resources has posted a $500,000 reclamation surety bond to guarantee completion of reclamation operations. Annexing the property by the town will not transfer reclamation responsibility or reclamation cost to the town. Similarly, the annexation of the property by the town will not transfer jurisdiction over the mining permit to the town.

Does annexing to Town burden Timnath with supervising the gravel pit as a heavy industrial use?

No. Connell Resources mining operations and reclamation is overseen by the DRMS. Annexing to the Town does not change anything.  Connell Resources operates aggregate processing and an asphalt mixing plant on the site.  Several environmental permits govern these activities. The permits would continue to be regulated under the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment CDPHE (CDPHE). Larimer County Health Department would continue inspections as agents for the CDPHE.

The Town of Timnath would NEVER have responsibility for overseeing reclamation!

Why annex into the Town of Timnath now?

Annexation now is in the best interests of the Town and its residents. As the development and construction of the north end of the property has shown, it takes several years to undertake the annexation, zoning and platting processes to deliver completed lots to end users. It takes significant time to market and contract with buyers. And, this includes the need for each end user to secure approvals from the Town of their ultimate site plans.

Why not wait until all the reclamation has been completed to annex Ladera into Timnath?

Ladera cannot market to end users until the land is annexed, zoned and platted. If we are to capitalize on the current interest in Ladera, we need to annex now so that the exciting users – the residents deserve – choose Timnath and not other areas, such as Johnstown. 

If we don’t annex Ladera soon, there is a good chance that Timnath residents will lose out on desirable options for shopping, restaurants, retail and many other types of goods and services that would be close to their homes, and not require them to cross I-25!

What are the risks of annexing now?

Annexing Ladera now puts NO ONE at risk. Ladera is bordered by I-25 to the west, Costco and existing retail to the north, Colorado Youth Outdoors to the south, and a few residences in mostly unincorporated Larimer County – not the Town of Timnath – to the east.

Annexing Ladera while completing the gravel pit reclamation does not put anyone at risk. On the contrary, NOT annexing at this time puts the entire Ladera project – and the economic future of the Town – at risk.

What are the potential costs of not annexing Ladera into Timnath?

If Ladera is not developed, the residents of Timnath may lose the opportunity for goods and services and critical traffic improvements for the foreseeable future.  Without Ladera, improvements to Kechter and Main Street (LCR5) are not triggered.

How can the Town of Timnath help expedite the site reclamation?

The best incentive the Town can provide for quickly reclaiming the property is to annex Ladera into Timnath now.  If the land is planned for commercial use, there is more financial incentive to accelerate reclamation.

How will Ladera impact traffic in the area?

If Ladera is annexed into Timnath, the development will be able to contribute to traffic improvements on Main Street (LCR5) and Kechter Road.  Ladera in Timnath will contribute significant sales taxes and fees that will help the town generate funds. But, Ladera can only contribute if it is developed and annexed into Timnath.

Our professional traffic study shows that levels of service will remain consistent despite the addition of Ladera’s amenities for residents. Connell LLC recently paid for and completed the extension of Weitzel Street to Main Street (LCR5), thus serving as another point of ingress/egress to Ladera and Costco to ease traffic congestion. After Ladera is annexed into Timnath, Connell LLC will make additional on- and off-site traffic improvements to account for future development as the development unfolds.

How does Ladera contribute to the character of Timnath?

Of the 240-acre mixed-use development, there are over 100 acres of open space including paths, natural areas, and lakes.  In addition, each developed lot will have its own site-specific landscaping.

The property has been zoned Employment/Regional Commercial. It is slated for development in Timnath’s growth management plan for over 20 years and Timnath never planned for the property to be a natural area.  Ladera means “shift in perspective.” Ladera in Timnath is proud to embrace the physical beauty of Northern Colorado by replacing a gravel property with a thriving development that includes a lake, welcoming greenspace, and a place for people to call home.  

How much are existing/proposed Ladera projects separated from the Poudre River?

Existing non-Ladera projects include Phase I of the Timnath Trails Apartments, a 3-story, 40-foot-tall development is approximately 550 feet from the Poudre, while Phase II of Timnath Trails is approximately 225 feet away.

Ladera’s proposed hospitality use is approximately 1,370 feet from the Poudre River. The proposed 4-story hotel, two stories shorter than the Embassy Suites at The Ranch, would top out at 65 feet and be comparable to similar projects in the region. To put that in perspective, the asphalt plant on the site today is 75 feet tall while the cell tower near Costco is approximately 97 feet high.

Will Ladera have an impact on wildlife and birds in the area?

Studies indicate Ladera will have minimal impact on wildlife/birds in the area. Previous studies conducted for Floor & Décor, Costco, and the North I-25 Express Lane Project showed those developments would not adversely impact wildlife in the area. With that said, our team has hired specialists to complete additional in-depth studies to understand the overall project’s impact on wildlife. The team will incorporate appropriate mitigation measures suggested in those studies.

What approvals is Ladera seeking from the Town of Timnath?

Ladera is envisioned in two primary phases. The first phase is approximately 60 acres. This property has been annexed into the Town and is zoned Regional Commercial with a Planned Development Overlay.

The next annexation, which the ballot initiative seeks to delay, is approximately 184 acres. Ladera is seeking approval of: (1) annexation of the property for future commercial and residential development; (2) zoning of the annexed property as Regional Commercial; and (3) a Planned Development Overlay to modify certain dimensional criteria from Timnath’s land use code.

Please protect Timnath’s future and allow the Town’s comprehensive annexation and development processes to review Ladera.

TO MANY OF THE TOWN OF TIMNATH’S CHALLENGES – LADERA IS THE SOLUTION – NOT THE PROBLEM