Local officials, citizens, and business owners are voicing strong concerns about two citizen-initiated ordinances on the November ballot, citing risks to community cohesion,
governance, and housing.
The Estes Valley Board of REALTORS® Board of Directors voted to oppose both initiatives on the November ballot.
Ballot Issue 300
The Rezoning/PUD Initiative requires written approval from property
owners and two-thirds of neighbors within 500 feet of any rezoning or Planned Unit
Development.
Our Concerns:
- Invites confusion and conflict – Neighbors should be neighbors, not zoning officials.
- Violate constitutional principles by improperly delegating legislative authority.
- Puts the Town at risk for ongoing legal disputes.
- Requirements and processes are too vague.
- Adds significant costs and inefficiencies to the community.
- Stalls beneficial planning and economic growth.
Ballot Issue 301
The Attainable Housing Initiative seeks to repeal Section 11.4 of the
Estes Park Development Code, eliminating density bonuses and height allowances for
attainable and workforce housing.
Our Concerns:
- Risks noncompliance with federal Fair Housing Act standards.
- Jeopardizes efforts to meet the needs of workforce and attainable housing.
- Conflicts directly with the Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan, which prioritizes addressing housing shortages.
Taken together, these initiatives would slow progress, create unnecessary conflict, and uncertainty for future generations.
Voters are encouraged to carefully study the measures, consider their long-term consequences, and join us in voting NO this November.
What a shock. Who benefits from doubling, tripling houses around you, in single family neighborhoods. Wonder why the Realtors and Chamber of Commerce opposes this? Vote Yes if you don’t want your neighborhoods rezoned. (no you don’t need neighbor approvals to build a guest house.. that is in your zoning. Or building a deck. This is just against RE-zoning unless you want it.