November 21, 2014, Tippet Rise Colorado Foundation applied for a Special Use Permit to construct a music educational facility and performance venue in deep West Lake Creek. February 4, 2015, Eagle County Planning Commission approved the special use permit with conditions.
Why Stop Tippet Rise
- It will be a major disruption of habitat for wildlife, plant life in a pristine area.
- Thousands of guests will be bussed to the site, creating negative environmental impact on that site, adjacent land and the entire Lake Creek Valley.
- The roads to the site are not maintained by the county and are inadequate for that volume of traffic.
- The plan proposes to change the existing water well permit to a commercial grade well, which violates existing restrictions for residential use without a zoning change, and will seriously tax precious water resources.
- Activities on the site will create noise, light and visual intrusion to adjacent neighbors.
- Affected neighbors were not notified of the project until shortly before the scheduled hearing on Feb. 4. They learned of it through a magazine article.
- Documentation by planners for the project is inadequate, i. e., no traffic studies; no official wildlife impact study; no road evaluation and study; no details on how road maintenance cost would be allocated; no sound and light impact studies; no detailed plan drawings or elevations.
- The resulting congestion of Tippet Rise will greatly diminish value of
neighboring properties. - The same generous educational opportunities could happen in existing venues.
- Once this project opens commercial development, Lake Creek will lose its open spaces.
- Traffic will pose a hazard to residents, joggers, bikers, horseback riders, who enjoy access to those country roads.
- There is no apparent long range plan outlining growth, development or administration of the project.
- There is no existing method of enforcement of rules by Eagle County except through complaints. This puts an unfair burden of policing on neighbors.
Most importantly, a Special Land Use Permit circumvents a proper Zoning Change process, which requires more stringent documentation. This sets a dangerous precedent that developers could apply to projects in any neighborhood. It could happen to your neighborhood!
