A.C.C.O.R.D., unincorporated Arapahoe County

City of Centennial Issue

Posted in: Cherry Creek Vista South
Thank You For Your Support

Dear John,

At long last, someone taking part in our webpage discussion. Thank you for your words of support.

Rest assured that your board is continuiNgtO pursue all avenues available to enhance our neighborhoods' relationships with Greenwood Village. It is difficult for people to take promises on faith when insecurity reigns. However the issues that bond our areas to Greenwood Village are truly inseparable, while those same issues divide us from the other areas of the proposed City of Centennial. It would be social suicide for us to allow those negative issues to be thrust upon us by a simple zoning ordinance, rather than help Greenwood Village to continue to solve those issues for themslves as well as for us. We don't (nor does proposed Centennial) have the kind of money or political clout to address the big regional issues--Greenwood Village has the money, and is using it for the common good of our neighborhoods.

Again, thank you and please stay involved.

Sincerely,

Ed Cohen
Co-President
Cherry Creek Vista South Home Owners Assoc.


By Ed Cohen; Co-President CCVHOA
Centennial vs. GV

This is a great vehicle for communications. I hope more people use it.
I have watched both recent meetings on this subject evolve. It is a unique time in the neighborhood's history.
Ed is correct in that we have more in common with GV than the 106,000 others in Centennial.
However I think it is too early to take sides. Build political capital and try to get a negotiating point with Centennial. I think the door is still open to get an early bargaining chip on the most important point, the airport.
The truth is that a judge will make the call and once that is done the winner will make life uncomfortable for his enemies.
I don't think GV will ever annex us unless it is part of the judge's ruling.
They do have our interests in mind though since we are so close in location.
In short, play both sides and build capital with Centennnial. We may need it .

By Larry Martel
Thanks, Larry!

How right you are about this being an excellent communications vehicle. We on the board appreciate your input--we represent you!

It is absolutely true that a judge will now decide which has precedence--the Greenwood Village annexation proposal, or the incorporation effort on behalf of the proposed City of Centennial. However, a judge cannot control who Greenwood Village must annex--that is a function of the GV Annexation Committee, the GV City Council, and ultimately the voters of Greenwood Village.

Since we have had two very clear statements of preference from our neighborhood in petition drives to be annexed by Greenwood Village we have a clear mandate to pursue that goal. Greenwood Village is continuing to spend great effort and large sums of money to solve issues common to us as well as to them. While we have no guarantees that Greenwood Village will come back later and annex us, indications are that it will happen as the current proposed commercial sites become developed and start to produce revenue.

Remaining Unincorporated Arapahoe County until it is practical for Greenwood Village to come back and annex us is a perfectly acceptable option. However, the backers of Centennial have chosen to give self determination to all but our area. We should be able to opt out with a request, but it seems they are determined to save us from ourselves.
I would feel much more comfortable if we were allowed our own binding vote to opt in or out before any full scale incorporation vote occured--our voice in that election as a percentage of the electorate would be laughable.

By the way, in reading their Pro Forma Budget, it seems they do not plan on providing any of the normal city services such as trash collection or any other public works services. They would also impose their sales tax on automobile purchases, which is specifically excluded by Greenwood Village ( and certainly excluded as unincorporated residents).

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Ed Cohen
Co-President
Cherry Creek Vista South Home Owners Assoc.


By Ed Cohen
A question of limbo status.

First of all, I'd like to state that this site has helped me gain a little better idea of the issues at hand with regard to the GV vs. Centennial issue, thanks for your work on it.
Is our neighborhood realistically a target for future annexation by GV, or would they just take the commercial property and raise another brick wall with us on the ouitside?
-The possibility of being neither GV or Centennial - with the potential "down the road" annexation by either would seem to be a dangerous gamble with our neighborhood being left in a sort of limbo, that could be a difficult thing to explain in trying to sell a home here. "Well, we might be in GV, or maybe Centennial, or neither.."
- I do think that GV's strength and organization would better serve us in regard to the ongoing airport issue - which is of great concern to me.
- If I had assurance that we would be part of the new GV through an annexation of contigous land that included us and commercial property, I would be in favor of being annexed, however if the current plan of "cherry picking" commercial property by GV without substantial residential property is the only option with a promise to be considered for annexation later - I'd be opposed because of how GV has tried to sneak this issue in under our noses.
- Any additional information you could share would be helpful.

Thanks for the opportunity,

Patrick Crocker

By Patrick Crocker
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