Voters in this Colorado town go against Topgolf, pass ban on high fences

FT. COLLINS, Colo. — Timnath, Colorado, voters overwhelmingly passed a ban on permanent fences taller than 65 feet that will essentially keep a Topgolf entertainment center from opening in town.

The citizen-led initiative passed 2,321 to 1,026, with 55 percent of Timnath registered voters casting ballots. Timnath has 6,107 registered voters.

“For a single-issue election, that (turnout) sends a pretty strong message,” said William Jenkins, spokesperson for Guide Our Growth, Timnath!, which collected more than the required 651 petition signatures to force the special election.

The vote essentially prevents Topgolf, and its tall netting designed to keep golf balls from straying outside its boundaries, from opening.

Since it was first hinted that Topgolf was part of its intended project, a group of vocal Timnath residents banded together to organize as Guide Our Growth, Timnath! to force the special election, saying prohibiting fences of more than 65 feet will protect avian flight paths and migration patterns, help conserve open spaces and views and help preserve Timnath’s small-town character and aesthetics.

“We are pleased the citizens of Timnath have spoken and have determined that development in the town … needs to be aligned with the existing land use code and adopted 2020 comprehensive plan,” Jenkins said, reading from a written statement.

“The comprehensive plan’s goals include a well-planned community with a balance of thoughtful commercial and residential growth that reflects the town’s history and ambience. While the plan is pro-business, it also emphasizes the integrated system of parks, trails, open space and protected natural areas,” he said.

A statement from the Ladera team Tuesday night said, “Timnath voters have spoken … the Ladera team will abide by the vote and proceed with developing this unique project. Our belief in this project has not changed.”

The statement encouraged residents to understand development procedures outlined in the citizen’s role in development review. “The team at Ladera will continue to work to bring a best-in-class development to Timnath.”

Connell LLC has said plans to reclaim the current gravel pit and asphalt batch plant will go on with or without Topgolf, which represents 5 percent of the overall 240-acre project, which includes 107 acres of open space.

“We are committed to thoughtfully developing this piece of land that has been in our family for many years,” members of the Connell family said in a statement. “We are also committed to designing a project that is in accordance with the town’s comprehensive plan.”

Jenkins said concerns expressed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife about the impact on wildlife “was clearly an important factor” that helped sway public opinion. “We are not anti-growth … the property is part of Timnath, it’s already zoned regional commercial, and something will go in there that’s commercial and will generate tax revenue and hopefully something the citizens of Timnath will use and enjoy and won’t have the kind of off-site impacts TopGolf would have had.”

Initially, Guide Our Growth filed a petition for a proposed ballot initiative that would have required the town to get voter approval for every new development taller than 60 feet, or five to six stories. Town Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the petition.

The group then changed its approach, deciding instead to force a vote to amend the town’s charter to prohibit construction of permanent fences of more than 65 feet tall.

The special election is expected to cost the town between $25,000 and $30,000, which will be paid for through the town’s general fund.

Guide Our Growth, Timnath! collected more than $68,800 to support the ballot initiative, including $28,500 from Advancing Northern Colorado, a nonprofit that lists Thomas Lucero of Loveland as the principal officer; $30,000 from retired banker Harry Deveraux; and dozens of individual contributions for as little as $20.