Rezoning property or creating a planned unit development will be a lot harder to accomplish in Estes Park following Tuesday’s election, after 54% of those casting ballots agreed that neighbors should have a more direct say in the decision.
At the same time, 59.3% of the voters rejected an initiative that would have repealed a portion of the town’s development code that provides incentives for developing workforce and attainable housing.
Ballot Question 300, which passed 1,107 to 946, requires written approval for rezoning requests and planned unit developments from the property owner(s) applying and two-thirds of owners within 500 feet of the site.
Defeated 1,222 to 837 was Ballot Question 301 that proposed the repeal of Section 11.4 of the Estes Park Development Code, which grants density bonuses in RM Multi-Family zones for attainable & workforce housing and sets related building height limits in residential zoning.
Larimer County and State ballot measures
Defeated in the Nov. 4 election were two Larimer County requests to increase sales taxes to provide funding for County roads and affordable childcare and preschool programs. Local voters also approved funding for school meals, as did the rest of the state, according to unofficial results.
County Ballot Issue 1A would have increased sales and use tax by 0.15% to provide funding dedicated to County roads, bridges, and intersections. Unofficial results show that measure being defeated 53.3% (51,444 votes) to 46.7% (45,064 votes).
County Ballot Issue 1B, would have increased sales and use taxes by 0.25% to increase the availability and affordability of childcare and preschool programs. The measure narrowly failed, 50.5% (48,894 votes) to 49.5% (47,839 votes).
Late Tuesday night, unofficial results showed that statewide Proposition LL and Proposition MM, both providing universal school meals programs, were approved. County voters contributed to the passage of those measures.
With passage of Proposition LL, the state is allowed to use $12.4 million in excess tax revenue collected under Proposition FF for the Healthy School Meals for All Program, instead of refunding it to households earning more than $300,000 a year while Proposition MMincreases state income taxes for households with more than $300,000 a year to fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
In Larimer County, Proposition LL received 67.6% (65,055 votes) yes votes to 32.4% (31,179 votes) of those who voted against the proposition. Proposition MM was approved by 60.7% of those voting in Larimer County, with 58,871 votes; 39.3% of ballots cast (38,052 votes) opposed the proposition.
Junior Elections
The League of Women Voters of Estes Park coordinated with the Estes Park Middle School and the High School for the Junior Elections.
Ballots for students were also available at the Learning Place, the Community Center, and the Estes Valley Library.
Middle School students only voted on the State Proposition MM;121 middle school students voted yes, and 27 students voted no, for a total of 148 votes.
High School students voted on the same ballot as Estes Park citizens.
On ballot issue LL, 130 yes votes, 27 no votes, 4 who did not vote on that issue.
On ballot issue MM, 109 yes votes, 49 no votes, 3 who did not vote on that issue.
On ballot issue 1A, 74 yes votes, 85 no votes, 2 who did not vote on that issue.
On ballot issue 1B, 104 yes votes, 52 no votes, 5 who did not vote on that issue.
On ballot issue 300, 100 yes votes, 42 no votes, 19 who did not vote on that issue.
On ballot issue 301, 73 yes votes, 68 votes, 20 who did not vote on that issue.
I would like to see 300 tried in the courts. I think it may actually be unconstitutional. It’s a clear over reach and an unreasonable burden on private ownership. No private individuals should have this much authority over the use of the neighbors private property.