Colorado Springs west side neighbors oppose plan for new apartments, hotel

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Loyoung

While listening to the objections 99% stemmed from concerns about evacuation if another waldo canyon size event occurred again. Interesting enough no one pointed out and event of that magnitude could not happen again at least not in our lifetime.

Like the Pentagon often does, we prepare to fight the last war . . .

[otowi]

Originally Posted by Loyoung

While listening to the objections 99% stemmed from concerns about evacuation if another waldo canyon size event occurred again. Interesting enough no one pointed out and event of that magnitude could not happen again at least not in our lifetime.

Why would you say it could not happen again in our lifetime? I think it could still happen, even this year. For example, a fire on Cheyenne Mountain in just the right scenario, Broadmoor Bluffs with a single point of access/egress, extremely treed and steep slopes - it is almost not a matter of if, but when.....

[Loyoung]

Originally Posted by otowi

Why would you say it could not happen again in our lifetime? I think it could still happen, even this year. For example, a fire on Cheyenne Mountain in just the right scenario, Broadmoor Bluffs with a single point of access/egress, extremely treed and steep slopes - it is almost not a matter of if, but when.....

Their concern was for the mountain shadows area though. I agree in other parts of the city its inevitable a fire will occur, but if you were looking at pre-suppression an event would happen every 30ish years. Currently fuel loads are not high enough (absence of trees and needle litter) to replicate that size disturbance anytime soon. A number of ecological factors, like the shift from forest stands to shrub land also factor in. A low intensity fire, something similar to the Bear Creek last year is more likely.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by Loyoung

Their concern was for the mountain shadows area though. I agree in other parts of the city its inevitable a fire will occur, but if you were looking at pre-suppression an event would happen every 30ish years. Currently fuel loads are not high enough (absence of trees and needle litter) to replicate that size disturbance anytime soon. A number of ecological factors, like the shift from forest stands to shrub land also factor in. A low intensity fire, something similar to the Bear Creek last year is more likely.

Just so I follow, are you saying that the fire itself burned up the fuel, making another fire of similar magnitude in the somewhat near future very unlikely?

[Loyoung]

I wouldn't say if burned all available fuel, but yes the combination of a lower fuel load and shifted vegetation community make a high intensity/severity fire in the Mountain Shadows area unlikely. Again I can see Other areas being at much much higher risk.

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by TCHP

5-4 for and then 4-5 against. Tight margins.

Curiously, neighbors had not objections to the approval for Red Leg Brewing's new complex in the area that hold 800+ people inside with 1000+ outside. Similarly, no consideration seems to have been given the Premiere Global's Corp. removal of their many hundred person staff in a building in the campus where these underutilized parking lots are and the apartments were seeking to build. Of course that space is still there and some other business(es) could occupy it.

Oh well, this is how development is done here.

Beer here.