Open Space, Campus Drive extension, and Avista’s future home at stake
Louisville, Colo. (Feb. 21, 2022) — A coalition of Louisville’s civic and business leaders today launched Yes For Louisville (https://yesforlouisville.com/), an issue committee supporting a “yes” vote in the April 19 special election to determine which version of development takes place at Redtail Ridge. Yes For Louisville supports City Council’s September 2021 decision to replace the outdated ConocoPhillips redevelopment plan with one that requires more Open Space, has higher environmental standards, and finally expands Campus Drive for safer and more efficient access to Monarch and Avista.
Beginning March 28, each registered voter in Louisville will receive a mail-in ballot with a single question: “Shall Louisville Ordinance No. 1811, Series 2021, An Ordinance Approving the First Amendment to ConocoPhillips Campus General Development Plan (Redtail Ridge Master Plan), be approved?”
Voting “no” won’t stop the redevelopment of this privately owned land, and it wouldn’t require the developer to start over — something the developer has explicitly said it would not do (https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/02/20/competing-visions-louisville-voters-to-decide-fate-of-redtail-ridge/) . Supporting the Conoco plan with a “no” would force our community to settle for less. For example, the Conoco plan requires just 38 acres of new Open Space, and would eliminate any requirements for public parks or public access. The Conoco plan is not, and will not be, zoned for a new hospital, contains no energy efficiency or solar power requirements, and includes no priority expansion of Campus Drive.
“It’s time for Louisville to return to the values that made us a ‘Best Place to Live,’ and to use this special election to get the best possible deal for Louisville that we can,” said Terre Rushton, a co-founder of Yes For Louisville. “Saying no to everything new doesn’t preserve Louisville’s past, but it does prevent a better future. We urge our citizens to vote YES for Louisville’s bright future.”
As a condition of the City Council’s 2021 approval of the Redtail Ridge plan, a number of concessions and conditions were added that the developer would be required to meet. These include 93 acres of new Open Space, including 15 acres of new public parks, 6.2 miles of trails, LEED certification or higher for every building, at least 3 megawatts of on-site solar generation, and zoning for the hospital. And, construction of the Campus Drive extension, which would create safer and more efficient access for Monarch and Avista, could be completed as early as Summer 2023.
For more information on the election, please visit www.yesforlouisville.com (http://www.yesforlouisville.com/)
About Yes For Louisville
Our mission is to ensure a healthier balance between the past, the present, and our future. We advocate for sensible governance and policies that help — not punish — our residents and local businesses, and for a return to civility and honest discourse. It’s time to stop saying “no” to everything, and say YES to help shape the future of Louisville.
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