The Boulder County Planning Commission will decide Wednesday whether to terminate a conservation easement and open the door to annexation and development of a large neighborhood on a parcel just outside of Longmont.
The easement in question sits southwest of Longmont, on unincorporated Boulder County land, about a half mile north of the Colo. 119 and Airport Road intersection. The applicant and owner of Kanemoto Estates, Lefthand Ranch LLC, is proposing to annex the 40 acres into the city of Longmont.
The development would be a mixed residential community that is being called Somerset Village, which as planned includes single family and paired homes, four-plexes and flats along with community amenities.
The Kanemoto Estates subdivision was approved by the county in 1982, creating two parcels of 3.9 and 5.6 acres, each with one house, and a 29-acre outlot that was granted a conservation easement, according to county documents.
The outlot was placed into a conservation easement, which typically designates an area to be open space in perpetuity. However, this easement included language to allow for termination should the county later decide that future development of the property would be appropriate with the comprehensive plan, according to county documents.
To proceed with the development as proposed, the conservation easement must be terminated. Lefthand Ranch wants to develop the property within Longmont’s jurisdiction, so the property would have to be annexed by the city.
Decisions on the annexation, zoning and redevelopment of the site would be made by the city once a decision on the conservation easement termination has been made by the county.
County staff noted that the Kanemoto Estates has been identified as a future development site since 1996 and is considered part of a municipal influence area due to its proximity to Longmont. Staff recommended approval of the termination.
However, opposition has already surfaced with neighbors raising the alarm over the loss of open space and worries about the consequences of development. Randall Weiner, an attorney representing a coalition of Longmont citizens residing near the area known as Keep Airport Road Environmental and Safe, or KARES, sent a letter to the Boulder County Planning Commission arguing against the termination.
In his letter, Weiner argues that the termination would not be consistent with the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan and that ending the conservation easement would be an invitation to terminate other conservation easements in Boulder County.
“Known for its natural beauty, Boulder County should not sacrifice its scenic open spaces for commercial development,” the letter said. “The clearing of vegetation, followed by the construction of a mini-city on the outskirts of Longmont with increased traffic, density and sprawl will of course create significant environmental impacts.”
Weiner also held that identifying the Kanemoto Conservation Easement as a future development sight in 1996 was itself unlawful and in violation of Boulder County’s comprehensive plan.
The planning commission’s public hearings will start at 1:30 p.m. March 15, though the Kanemoto Estates topic is the fourth item on the commission’s agenda that day. View the livestream or register to provide public comment at bouldercounty.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/planning-commission/.
