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Tri-Lakes
Comprehensive
Plan Update
DRAFT
In
Appreciation
Map - Overview of the Planning
Area
Table
of Contents
Overview
and Plan Summary
Introduction
The
Vision - The Mission
Topical
Sections:
Plan
Overlays:
Sub-Area
Plan Sections:
Maps:
- Concept
Plan
- Transportation
-
Parks, Trails and Visual Resources
- Development
Status
- Zoning
Implementation
Plan:
- Introduction
- Approach
- Implementation
Program
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THE
TOWN OF MONUMENT AND JACKSON CREEK
SUBAREA #4
PERSPECTIVE
Founded in 1879, the Town of Monument is one of Colorado's
oldest established communities. Then, as now, Monument
fulfilled the roll of commercial center for the Tri-Lakes
area. Then, as now, Monument possessed a strong sense
of itself and its people. Then, as now, Monument was the
de-facto-hub for northern El Paso County.
In
2004, Monument will celebrate its 125th Anniversary. The
past century and a quarter have seen the Tri-lakes Area
grow up around Monument. The Town views it's future roll
as continuing as a center of commercial activities for
northern El Paso County and envisions attracting new businesses
to create local employment opportunities. It currently
is concentrating on quality of life issues that are essential
to the long-term success of the community. Effective management
of growth is a fundamental principle that is necessary
to maintain a balance in the Town's limited resources.
Monument's economic vitality will depend largely on economic
diversification and an expanding base of ideas for it's
future.
Another
vital tool positioning Monument as an economic force in
the Tri-lakes area is Jackson Creek. Annexed to the Town
in 1988, this 1,600-acre parcel has been master-planned
for residential, commercial and industrial uses.
Collectively,
Monument and Jackson Creek are actively creating the framework
for growth and development for the 21rst century. The
following is a compilation of the opportunities and constraints
within Monument and Jackson Creek.
OPPORTUNITIES
Monument/Jackson Creek has a pro-business orientation.
This comes from a long history of fulfilling the roll
of commercial center in the Tri-Lakes region. That emphasis
has also become one which encompasses growth in basic
industry (the creation of jobs where the resources to
support those jobs originate from outside the local economy.)
Monument cites the following as evidence for this pro-business
position:
- Monument/Jackson
Creek straddles Interstate 25, and has two interchanges
within its jurisdiction. This kind of freeway visibility
attracts quality businesses needed quick and convenient
access to transportation.
- Monument/Jackson
Creek lies at the point where the economic sphere of
influence for both the Colorado Springs area and the
Greater Denver Region overlap. While this creates tremendous
opportunities for growth in the residential sector,
it also creates need in the retail and service sectors.
Monument will be the community which addresses those
needs.
- Monument's
expanding planning sphere of influence means that development
happening in and around Monument will develop to more
contemporary, suburban standards rather than the rural
standards promoted by the County. Businesses typically
want to develop in areas where municipal services can
be assured.
Monument/Jackson
Creek has a positive political structure in place. This
is important because, as growth in the commercial and
industrial sectors of the local economy occur, quality
of life must be addressed. Consider the following:
- Lewis
Palmer School District 38, whose administrative offices
are located in Monument, is rated as one of the best
academic environments in the State of Colorado.
- Monument
has recently brought on-line its newest deep-aquifer
well, capable of meeting the communities needs for the
near future. Monument has also adopted the financial
mechanisms for funding new wells as they are needed.
- Monument/Jackson
Creek has adopted a system for drainage management which
requires everything above historic undeveloped flows
across a property to be held on site and released at
historic flows.
- Monument's
Planning & Public Works have developed a system
which prevents the over-development of property by identifying
the available water to serve a project, given the valuable
resource that water is in this region.
Monument/Jackson
Creek offer in abundance all the intangibles which make
up a high quality of life, and continue to drive the reason
why this area is such a popular location for residential
growth.
- Framed
to the west by the front range of the Rocky Mountains
and to the north by Monument Hill, the vistas in Monument/Jackson
Creek abound.
- Monument/Jackson
Creek is currently the only major provider of active
use recreational parks for the general public in the
Tri-Lakes area. Couple this with the Sante Fe Trail
and Monument Lake, and Monument/Jackson Creek is a haven
for outdoor activity enthusiasts.
- The
planned improvements to the dam at Monument Lake include
upgrades to the lake itself, and a network of trails
around the lake.
- Within
the Jackson Creek Master Plan there are provisions for
the development of a community recreation center, including
swimming, soccer, baseball and volleyball facilities.
Monument/Jackson
Creek has adopted a forward thinking approach to examining
its needs and planning for the future. Like every community,
Monument has constraints to preventing development. Lack
of Infrastructure, necessary improvements to roads, water
availability- these are common among communities along
the front range of Colorado, particularly when a municipality
begins incorporating formerly rural areas. Monument has
identified these, and has put in place a framework for
dealing with them. These are exciting times for the Town.
- The
interchange at Highway 105 & I-25 is scheduled for
reconstruction and enhancement beginning in the summer
of 2000. When complete, it will smooth congestion now
experienced along Highway 105 and in particular the
bridge overpass. The Town supports CDOT's efforts to
connect Second Street (between Highway 105 and Beacon
Lite Road) and examination of a modern roundabout to
integrate existing and planned roadways to the east
of the interstate.
-
Baptist Road, which the Town identifies as having the
potential to eclipse Highway 105 as a commercial corridor,
must be widened, leveled and improved at the Baptist/I-25
interchange. With this in mind, the Town participated
in the formation of the Baptist Road Rural Transportation
Authority, the first RTA created in Colorado under the
1997 Rural Transportation Authority Act. Under the BRRTA,
the Town will participate with El Paso County in putting
in place a framework for the improvements necessary
to Baptist Road and a mechanism to secure the financial
resources to begin construction.
- The
development of north/south corridors has historically
been at issue. Monument has recently enacted a policy
intended to help new residential development along the
Old Denver corridor contribute to the cost of connecting
Beacon Lite Road and Old Denver. Additionally, work
has recently begun on Jackson Creek Parkway (the I-25
frontage road to the east of the interstate), and the
Town supports the County's efforts to connect Mitchell
Avenue north to Highway 105 and south to Baptist Road.
- Comprehensive
Planning is a priority for Monument/Jackson Creek. The
reason for this is that there are a number of issues
which the Town must resolve which include:
1.
Multiple Railroad crossings, especially grade separated.
2.
Integration of trails to provide connectivity to recreational
facilities.
3.
Improvements necessary to the dam at Monument Lake.
4.
Interconnection of utility lines with special districts
serving Monument (Triview Metropolitan District, Forest
Lakes Metropolitan District.)
5.
Master planning for Office/Industrial Parks (beyond
physical facilities to service the site) along the
Interstate 25 corridor.
6.
Advocacy for the development of entertainment facilities.
7.
Adoption of strategies for the preservation and enhancement
of the character and quality of downtown Monument.
8.
Annexations must be considered only when they can
contribute the Town's quality of life, aesthetics/sense
of place and fiscal environment of Monument/Jackson
Creek.
9.
Solidification of surface water rights and water storage
capabilities for the Town.
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