Hi Erie,
I hope you had a great holiday break and an easy transition into the New Year. I took some much-needed downtime from both my Mayor and CIO roles, giving me time to be with family and reflect on all that is on my plate. And we adopted Moxie, a 2-year-old yellow lab, who was “career changed” from Guide Dogs for the Blind. It happens quite often, and we are happy to have her join our family!
The time off has allowed me to refocus on what is most important to Erie, starting with a special Council meeting on Tuesday, January 6, at 6:00 pm to give direction to staff on several topics. Maybe most importantly, item “2026-13 Comprehensive Plan & Implementation” involves a review of the density levels in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan.
Erie’s growth from our current ~42,000 residents to ~85,000+ residents has been approved or planned for by previous Town leadership. However, there are 3 key areas yet to be decided that can reduce that planned growth:
SW corner of 111th/Arapahoe
The property between 119th and County Line Road, with the Compass community on the south and the Velodrone on the north. This property was once annexed, then litigated, and deannexed. Some may know it as the Golden Run project.
I-25 Gateway at the NW corner of Erie Parkway and I-25.
We’ll be looking at these properties and possibly others to understand the residential and commercial densities approved in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan. Density definitions changed versus previous Comp Plans, increasing the units-per-acre ranges. For example, the upper end of the “Medium Density” range now extends well into what was previously reserved for “High Density”, a change that some argue was not well communicated until late in the plan’s development. We need to balance what’s in the Comp Plan against the 2025 survey results, which showed that a majority of residents do not want to urbanize Erie.
The 2024 Comprehensive plan was partially based upon the idea that higher densities would lead to lower individual taxes. The 2025 survey countered that line of thinking, with the majority preferring lower densities and comparatively higher taxes. The survey also ranked mitigating increased traffic as a high priority, which would be worsened by high-density development. This will play into the discussion.
All are welcome at the special meeting. Please stay involved by sharing your thoughts with the council and me. Let's work together to shape the future of our town.
You can share your feedback with me directly at amo...@erieco.gov or send me a direct message on Facebook or Nextdoor.
Andrew
Mayor, Town of Erie
