Longmont Residents for Responsible Development

We are committed to preserving and enhancing our unique community.

Consensus from August 6th meeting

At the Aug. 6th community meeting we came to the consensus that we should attend all City Council meetings and speak during the "public invited to be heard" time, up through September 11th, the date that Planning and Zoning will refer Wal-Mart's annexation proposal to Council. Rebutting the arguments Wal-Mart has made in favor of the super center will be critical, as well as bringing up other points where the super center transgresses specifics in the Longmont Area Comprehensive Plan.

The public is invited to be heard, typically at the beginning of council meetings. You must arrive at around 6:45 p.m. and sign up for the session that begins at 7:00 p.m. Council chambers are downstairs in the Civic Center, 350 Kimbark and council meetings are every Tuesday. Speakers are allotted five minutes.

Speaking out against the Wal is good, but citing specific goals, policies or strategies in the Longmont Area Comprehensive Plan that are in contradiction to the super center is even better. While the Comprehensive Plan is not a legal document, it is still an expression of the public will. It is only as effective as citizens make it, by using it, citing it, and expecting our public officials to follow it. Citing it during the "public invited to be heard" time puts our comments in the public record.

The Longmont Area Comprehensive Plan is available in the Planning and Zoning office. I paid $5.00 for mine. You can also download it: Longmont Area Comprehensive Plan Upon cursory reading, I've found about 45 instances where a super center runs in direct opposition to the will of the community as delineated by this public document. We need to cite these points.

If you haven't already, pick up Wal-Mart's proposal along with the exceptional benefit document from the Planning and Zoning office (350 Kimbark). Look over the "benefits" Wal-Mart says it will bring both referencing the exceptional benefits sheet and the comprehensive plan. Decide which topic you would like to rebut.

Also, someone needs to follow up on the gas station, and the proposal to put in another traffic light, extend the road, etc. AND someone needs to bring Council's attention to Strategy 23.13 in the Comprehensive Plan that states: "Require a comprehensive environmental assessment and disclosure statement for property proposed for annexation."

Someone from the group will be calling everyone who signed up, just to coordinate our speaking points in the coming weeks.

If you are a newcomers who would like to get involved, please e-mail Longmont Residents for Responsible Development (link at bottom of main web page), or call 303-678-1801.

If you don't want to speak at council meetings, show up anyway! We may get buttons so you will be seen and your opinion registered. If you do want to speak, but not following our organization's plan of rebuttal, that is fine too! Anyone is allowed to speak, and the more people who care enough to come out and do so, the better.