COLORADO SPRINGS — City Council members voted against annexing 3,200 acres of land into the city. This comes after initial approval on July 23rd.
Colorado Springs City Council to vote on Amara annexation
During a city council meeting Tuesday, councilmembers denied the project by a 5-4 vote.
The proposed 'Amara' development sat on 3,200 acres of land east of Fountain, southeast of Colorado Springs. It would have added around 9,500 additional housing units to the city.
Councilmember Dave Donelson said he initially voted yes for more housing options.
News5 Lindsey Jensen asked what changed his mind.
"I always try to vote in alignment with what I believe the citizens of Colorado Springs want," said Donelson.
He said it really came down to what he heard during public comment.
"I was struck by the farmers and ranchers that came up from the lower Arkansas Valley and their presentation, just them speaking about their situation in the Valley, I take it seriously."
Donelson said the testimony at the meeting as well as people reaching out to him with traffic and emergency response times concerns after the first vote ultimately swayed his vote.
The developer, La Plata Communities, told me as of now, they don't plan on moving forward with 'Amara.'
"I would be interested to see if this would have gone to the ballot, what would have happened. I think it would fail by a large margin," said Donelson.
Mark Parker said he expressed concerns to Fountain City Council, Colorado Springs City Council and county commissioners.
"It feels like they are listening to the people that are affected by this," said Parker, who lives near the proposed project.
News5's Peter Choi spoke with farmers in Crowley County about what the annexation would have meant had it gone through.
Southern Colorado Farmers Worried About Amara Annexation
Some farmers in the lower Arkansas Valley wanted to know how the city would source water.
"When springs sneezes, the rest of us catch a bad cold. We get Pneumonia," said Matt Heimerich, a farmer in Olney Springs.
Heimerich has been farming in the Arkansas Valley for more than 30 years.
He says when the Amara Annexation was brought up, one big question came to his mind.
"Where does the water have to come from?
Based on his experience in the past, the farm has constantly been facing some form of drought. He says the Amara Annexation could potentially impact his daily irrigation.
Heimerich and other farmers decided to express their concerns about the growth of Colorado Springs and where the water will come from.
"It's not going to come from Pikes Peak and Fountain Creek or Monument Creek," Heimerich said. "It's going to come from Arkansas River. That system is under stress."
Heimerich says he does support the growth. However, considering possible consequences is a must.
"I think it threatens every irrigator's livelihood that wants to stay in the farming business," Heimerich said.
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