Public Comments

Thank you to the Commission staff for your efforts on this hard work. My husband, Brian and I live in Indian Hills, CO, an unincorporated area near Mount Falcon Park, currently in House District 25 in Jefferson County. I strongly believe unincorporated portions of Jefferson County should be separate from Home Rule Municipalities, as the state legislature has a greater impact on unincorporated parts of Colorado. Semi-rural communities like Dakota Ridge and Morrison face issues more similar to the unincorporated foothills communities that the suburban areas of Golden and Ken Caryl. Of particular interest to the foothills area is the issue of wildfire mitigation. It would be difficult for one representative to give this issue the attention we so desperately need, while also advocating for suburban issues. I urge you to include Morrison and Dakota Ridge in with unincorporated JeffCo, currently HD25. Thank you-Diane Conaway

Comments regarding House District 59 (historically Archuleta, LaPlata & eastern Montezuma & San Juan Counties) with the cities and towns of Pagosa Springs, Ignacio, Bayfield, Durango, Mancos & Silverton. In western Colorado, watersheds, mountain passes and state highway access impact communities of interest. The 2011 redistricting of HD-59 ignored geography, mountain passes and communities of interest, including the need for the House representative to have to leave the district boundaries to drive from the northern (Gunnison) reaches of HD-59 to southern areas (Durango & Pagosa). With 10,000+ foot Colorado mountain passes to navigate, the HD-59 failed to consider communities of interest in SW Colorado, but rather took an Eastern plains or urban perspective to draw boundaries. The community of interest (based on the local trade areas, water resources and supplies, highway access and health care delivery) for HD 59 should include Pagosa, Bayfield, Ignacio, Durango, Silverton and Mancos. Jasper Welch, former Mayor and City Councilor, City of Durango (La Plata County)

To whom it may concern, I would like to submit a comment regarding the legislative redistricting process, currently underway. I live in Eagle, in Eagle County. I am writing to express my support for Eagle County to remain in the same district as Routt County. Eagle and Routt are a good “fit” for a number of reasons, including having common health insurance options and school district needs. We are more rural than Summit County and share fundamental challenges more in common with Routt, like infrastructure, housing, workforce and transportation issues. We also share an easily navigable county line. Summit may as well be on the other side of the state, considering the frequent delays on Vail Pass. A state representative should be able to easily travel within his/her district. Thank you very much for serving on this important committee and for considering my comments. Sincerely, Joy Harrison Eagle, CO 81631

To the Redistricting Commission of Colorado: Ladies and Gentlemen: I urge you to drive to Greeley. Take a look at way that whole corridor has exploded in two ways. First, that whole stretch is a series of suburbs, some for Denver and some for Greeley. But the expansion of residential development into what used to be farmland is just amazing. You can’t call those portions of Adams and Weld rural any more. They’re growing into a stretch of growing cities that have nothing to do with the rural lands east of there. Second, that area has become the most intensive place in Colorado for oil and gas development. Don’t believe me? Well, you can believe another state commission – the Oil and Gas Commission. Just look at its map of permitted oil and gas wells in the state: https://cogccmap.state.co.us/cogcc_gis_online/ (You’ll need to check the “Pending Well” and “Approved Well” boxes.) There are other areas in the state that have oil and gas development – there’d have to be since oil fields are often far-ranging. But there is no area in the state where the permitting is so intense. This industry and the affected neighborhoods may be at odds over certain issues. But that’s exactly why they could use a congressman or congresswoman who would commit themselves to being a bridge for discussion and solution. If you want to see how to draw this district, and I think you should, you can use the map that’s included in this article: https://www.coloradopolitics.com/colorado-in-dc/hispanic-business-group-calls-for-new-congressional-district-north-of-denver/article_b7f5a43c-c960-11eb-9701-430145d1eb54.html I think you should seriously consider using this map. Thank you. Kendra Villarreal

To the Redistricting Commission of Colorado: Ladies and Gentlemen: I urge you to drive to Greeley. Take a look at way that whole corridor has exploded in two ways. First, that whole stretch is a series of suburbs, some for Denver and some for Greeley. But the expansion of residential development into what used to be farmland is just amazing. You can’t call those portions of Adams and Weld rural any more. They’re growing into a stretch of growing cities that have nothing to do with the rural lands east of there. Second, that area has become the most intensive place in Colorado for oil and gas development. Don’t believe me? Well, you can believe another state commission – the Oil and Gas Commission. Just look at its map of permitted oil and gas wells in the state: https://cogccmap.state.co.us/cogcc_gis_online/ (You’ll need to check the “Pending Well” and “Approved Well” boxes.) There are other areas in the state that have oil and gas development – there’d have to be since oil fields are often far-ranging. But there is no area in the state where the permitting is so intense. This industry and the affected neighborhoods may be at odds over certain issues. But that’s exactly why they could use a congressman or congresswoman who would commit themselves to being a bridge for discussion and solution. If you want to see how to draw this district, and I think you should, you can use the map that’s included in this article: https://www.coloradopolitics.com/colorado-in-dc/hispanic-business-group-calls-for-new-congressional-district-north-of-denver/article_b7f5a43c-c960-11eb-9701-430145d1eb54.html I think you should seriously consider using this map. Sincerely, Steve Villarreal Resident of Greeley President of the SVVEA

Population wise, Routt County at risk of getting moved in with Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties and away from Eagle County. Our issues have a lot more in common with Eagle County and we need to continue to align with them, in my opinion. We share the drought. We share tourism. We share doctors, health care workers, mountains. We share public lands. PLEASE, keep us aligned with Eagle County. Thank you for your good work.

Dear Commissioners, June 18, 2021 Good Morning. My name is Therese Gilbert and I have been a resident and teacher in Greeley for 28 years. I love my city and my profession and know well the community in which I live. As you may know, the boundaries of my school district incorporate both Greeley and Evans, as it says right in our logo. I am truly District 6 Greeley-Evans! Because our district allows parents to choose a school outside their boundaries as long as there is room, I teach many students that live in Evans and ride the public bus to get to my school, Heath Middle School. There are many families who do this for a variety of reasons. One need only look at the demographic data on the CDE website to see how closely the Greeley/Evans communities mirror each other. Half the population of all four middle schools in Greeley/Evans have a combined factor of students that are English language learners and those on individualized education plans. All four middle schools - Heath, Franklin, Prairie Heights, and Brentwood - are located in East Greeley (east of 35th Ave) and in Evans. I live in the older, once central neighborhood of Greeley that is now considered “East Greeley.” It is a seamless transition to move between Greeley, Evans, and Garden City - few would even be able to point out the boundaries. I would just hate to see our communities broken apart arbitrarily when we share so much in common! Thank you Commissioners for all you are doing. This is certainly not an easy task, and I know how you must carefully consider all the communication you receive. I appreciate your efforts and thank you for your consideration of my concerns as a long time resident and educator in the Greeley/Evans School District! Sincerely, Therese Gilbert 1715 14th Avenue, Greeley 80631 Teacher at Heath Middle School 2223 16th St, Greeley 80631 P.S. I am District 6! 💗

Jefferson County Westminster and Adams County Westminster Should Not Be Drawn Together ● The K-12 communities of interest differ widely between the Jeffco side and the Adams side of Westminster. The Westminster Public Schools district boundaries extend only to the county line between Adams and Jefferson. Education funding is allocated to school districts, not to the municipality(-ies) which lie within the school district boundaries. School funding is based on a variety of factors unique to each school district's demographic and operational needs. A school district is therefore a community of interest in itself, one that is separate from the municipal community that needs representation to specifically address the interests of that community at large. ● Adams County is part of Tri-County health, whereas JeffCo has its own health department. ● As Westminster is a home rule city, using strict City of Westminster jurisdictional boundaries to establish a legislative district makes less sense than using communities of interest that connect Westminster to the broader regional interest.

I live in the portion of northern Aurora that is in Adams County, in the sliver of the Central Park neighborhood that sits in Aurora. Because most of our Central Park neighbors live in the city and county of Denver and are part of other state assembly and senate districts, it is important to me that our districts continue to include our neighbors in Commerce City and Reunion. We need to continue to be connected around the economic drivers of our community including DIA and the Anschutz medical complex. The Denver International Airport is an enormous economic driver for the state of Colorado. The economic development and housing growth have spilled over the Denver boundary into neighboring Adams County. Residents in the Reunion Community of Commerce City and the portion of Aurora that is in Adams county are communities with many people whose livelihood is connected to the airport as well as the medical complex. Future developments such as the aerotropolis and spaceport create a significant community of interest. Also, Adams County is in regular negotiations and lawsuits with Denver over airport-related issues. Wide-ranging legislation (such as the creation of the space port, housing, K12 funding for districts like 27J that are navigating a population explosion) make up a key community of interest.

My name is Michael Farrington, and I live near and work at Denver International Airport (DEN), where I serve as a TSA officer. The airport and the surrounding community represent an increasingly important community of interest for many reasons. DEN is a massive driver of jobs and an economic force in Colorado, being the largest employer in the state, leading to immense growth in both Denver and its surrounding communities as it has spilled over into nearby Adams County. In addition to this, the airport community has rapidly invested in expansion and construction into the surrounding community, including the construction of more than a thousand new homes and dozens of apartment buildings in the surrounding communities. Also, the region warrants a significant community of interest considering the plans for developments such as the aerotropolis and spaceport. Finally, Adams County is frequently in debate, negotiations, and lawsuits with Denver over airport-related issues. As DEN and its surrounding developments experience many legislative and policy changes each year, it is critically important to have a voice in the Colorado House of Representatives that understands the fight and issues important to our community and its future. I am proud to help keep Coloradans flying safely and protecting our country every day, and I need a representative who will appreciate that service and will fight for everyone who calls my community home every day in the Colorado Assembly.