| LovelandPolitics.com |
| City Council Passes A Cornucopia Of Amendments, Annexations and Rezoning For McWhinney Enterprises |
Loveland - June 24, 2008
The Cornucopia Vote
The Loveland City Council adopted on a 7-2 vote stretched over 6 separate resolutions the annexation of
five McWhinney owned parcels into the City of Loveland called the Grange Addition, changes in zoning
for the "Savanna Addition" and other changes to the Millennium Addition PUD.
One adjacent property owner who spoke to the council, Kelly Jo Bonser, asked, "Is this normal - to do
so many in one evening...?
Especially eerie was the lack of discussion over so many complex and consequential items. Of course,
many of these items were already discussed with the City Council in advance via secret meetings at
McWhinney headquarters where the public was unable to attend. see story.
Annexations - Prelude To Future Blight Designations and Further Public Subsidies
Grange addition is an application by McWhinney to annex and zone 5 distinct parcels of land (some
surrounding Centerra) that constitute approximately 294 acres and includes the former Cloverleaf dog
racing track. One parcel, south of highway 34, stands out alone and was added to the master Centerra
plan without discussion even though none of the adjacent parcels were annexed.
Off-the-record, one former McWhinney employee informed LovelandPolitics the method being used is to
get the City Council "a little bit pregnant." This refers to a tactic of getting agreement first on the
annexation and zoning before including the properties in the Urban Renewal Authority zone by arguing the
properties logically belong in the URA since they are now a part of the same overall Centerra project.
City staff stated emphatically,“Nothing in the Grange Addition has anything to do with the post Centerra
URA” flexibility request which they said council will consider on August 19. This is the item requesting
the City Council surrender authority to the URA (Urban Renewal Authority) when adding or removing
land qualifying for special 25 year sales tax rebates and TIF's (tax increment financing) for McWhinney
owned properties.
Curiously, Mayor Pielin and other members of the council who argued the city subsidize annexations near
I-25 and 402 to increase the amount of E (Employment) zoned properties available in Loveland to bring
jobs to Loveland, voted to rezone current E (employment zones) instead for more residential
developments.
The Cornucopia Vote
The Loveland City Council adopted on a 7-2 vote stretched over 6 separate resolutions the annexation of
five McWhinney owned parcels into the City of Loveland called the Grange Addition, changes in zoning
for the "Savanna Addition" and other changes to the Millennium Addition PUD.
One adjacent property owner who spoke to the council, Kelly Jo Bonser, asked, "Is this normal - to do
so many in one evening...?
Especially eerie was the lack of discussion over so many complex and consequential items. Of course,
many of these items were already discussed with the City Council in advance via secret meetings at
McWhinney headquarters where the public was unable to attend. see story.
Annexations - Prelude To Future Blight Designations and Further Public Subsidies
Grange addition is an application by McWhinney to annex and zone 5 distinct parcels of land (some
surrounding Centerra) that constitute approximately 294 acres and includes the former Cloverleaf dog
racing track. One parcel, south of highway 34, stands out alone and was added to the master Centerra
plan without discussion even though none of the adjacent parcels were annexed.
Off-the-record, one former McWhinney employee informed LovelandPolitics the method being used is to
get the City Council "a little bit pregnant." This refers to a tactic of getting agreement first on the
annexation and zoning before including the properties in the Urban Renewal Authority zone by arguing the
properties logically belong in the URA since they are now a part of the same overall Centerra project.
City staff stated emphatically,“Nothing in the Grange Addition has anything to do with the post Centerra
URA” flexibility request which they said council will consider on August 19. This is the item requesting
the City Council surrender authority to the URA (Urban Renewal Authority) when adding or removing
land qualifying for special 25 year sales tax rebates and TIF's (tax increment financing) for McWhinney
owned properties.
Curiously, Mayor Pielin and other members of the council who argued the city subsidize annexations near
I-25 and 402 to increase the amount of E (Employment) zoned properties available in Loveland to bring
jobs to Loveland, voted to rezone current E (employment zones) instead for more residential
developments.
| A. A RESOLUTION #R-70-2008 AMENDING THE LOVELAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION APPLICABLE TO THE GRANGE CENTRAL PARCEL FROM E - EMPLOYMENT TO CAC - COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTER; B. A RESOLUTION #R-71-2008 AMENDING THE LOVELAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION APPLICABLE TO THE GRANGE EAST PARCEL FROM E - EMPLOYMENT TO HRD - HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND LDR - LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL; C. A RESOLUTION #R-72-2008 MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT REGARDING THE ANNEXATION OF THE GRANGE ADDITION D. AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING ANNEXING THE GRANGE ADDITION, GRANTING CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS TO THE LOVELAND MUNICIPAL CODE, AND APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED ANNEXATION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT; E. AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING ZONING THE GRANGE ADDITION AND MILLENNIUM ADDITION PUD 6TH AMENDMENT TO MILLENNIUM ADDITION PUD 7TH AMENDMENT AND APPROVING THE AMENDED GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE MILLENNIUM ADDITION PUD; F. A RESOLUTION #R-73-2008 APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FEES |
| Adjacent property owner Kelly Jo Bonser (above) asked Council "Is this normal?" in reference to the volume of complicated items being voted upon in one meeting. |
The former home of Davidson Chevrolet is now real blight along with the former
Chrysler dealer lot (below). These dealers were lured to McWhinney's AutoPlex in
east Loveland. McWhinney is coming back to Council in August to request
permission for designating addition farm land as "blight" to qualify for special tax
incentives. Some residents have begun referring to the vacant lots of companies
lured out of central Loveland to Centerra as "the real McWhinney blight."
Chrysler dealer lot (below). These dealers were lured to McWhinney's AutoPlex in
east Loveland. McWhinney is coming back to Council in August to request
permission for designating addition farm land as "blight" to qualify for special tax
incentives. Some residents have begun referring to the vacant lots of companies
lured out of central Loveland to Centerra as "the real McWhinney blight."
