Frederick brings Coal Creek into municipal fold

FREDERICK — The town of Frederick is getting a little larger this year.
    The town board of trustees unanimously approved  the annexation of a little more than two acres on the west side of Interstate 25 Dec. 11, 2012. The annexed property, known as Coal Creek, sits at the intersection of Weld County roads 7 and 20 ½.
    Before the vote, the board of trustees heard from Heather Hollingsworth, who has resided on a property adjacent to Coal Creek for 15 years.
    “Me and another individual who live in the area did voice concerns about the annexation but they fell on deaf ears,” Hollingsworth said. “I was told basically that whether they approved it or not, it didn’t matter, it really comes down to what happens here.”
    Hollingsworth said her concern was that the area could become commercialized too quickly.
    “There’s people who have lived there over 40 years, and everybody’s a little concerned,” Hollingsworth said. “As far as I’m concerned ... nobody I know is very happy about this annexation.”
    Hollingsworth said Frederick’s town hall is six miles from the annexation.
    “So I don’t really see how the commercial annexation is contiguous with [State Highway] 52 and Colorado Boulevard, which is way over by the truck stop, to go way over to my neck of the woods, which is three and a half miles from 52 to the north,” Hollingsworth said. “That does not make any sense to me whatsoever.”
    To address these concerns, Mayor Tony Carey asked Planning Director Jennifer Simmons to clarify how the annexation fits into the town’s plans for arterial development in the area.
    “First of all, the requested zone is community commercial. This does fit with our comprehensive plan, which identifies commercial uses, not only at the intersections of arterials, which are four-lane roads, but also at the half-section, which would be one half mile between those four-lane roads,” Simmons said. “And so the community commercial zoning seemed appropriate.”
    Simmons said there is not any development planned for the annexed property.
    “The existing residence may stay there as long as the property owner sees fit,” Simmons said.