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Hull development not amended
By Nicole Chillino
An attempt to amend a sketch plan for the Hull Subdivision failed when it came before the Monument Board of Trustees meeting July 6.
Jamie Hull, the developer of the subdivision located off Adams Street across from Grace Best Elementary School, wanted to amend his prototype for a mixed use development consisting of retail, office space and residential units to include a 60-room hotel.
Although some of the trustees were in favor of the hotel in the transitional area just outside of downtown, some of them were concerned about the amount of water the site would need, up to 27 acre feet.
The developers provided more information than is typically given during the sketch plan phase of planning to see if the board would be in favor of them proceeding with plans for a hotel, said town manager Cathy Green.
Green informed the developer the hotel use might result in the board’s review of the water they had been offered to purchase from the town.
The trustees had agreed to sell the developer 19 acre feet of water, to add to the 8 acre feet already brought to the table to start construction of a prototype of a multi-story, multi-use building, she said. However, since the proposed amendment would no longer give the town the downtown element it was looking for, water for the site would have to be rethought by the trustees since the water purchase offer was given for the formerly approved sketch plan.
“This is the process we were directed to take,” said Tim Siebert with NES Inc., a consultant for the project. The developers used the water criteria given in the initial approval and allocated it to the uses given in the proposed amended sketch plan to create a vitality and density of people that would add to downtown.
“At this hearing is the first time we’ve heard that that water needs to be reconsidered,” Siebert said.
Hull said he has been trying to hit a moving target and what he has done so far has not produced a project he can build after having presented four different versions of the development to the town. He added that he understands some of the reasons for the issues with the project are probably due to the developers, but they need some flexibility with what they can do.
“I do appreciate your work in hitting a moving target,” said mayor Travis Easton. “I agree it would be a benefit to downtown [to have a hotel].”
Mayor Travis Easton said he agrees the hotel could benefit Monument’s downtown by drawing more people there, but ultimately voted against the changes to the sketch plan because the town would not be able to guarantee the site would be able to keep its water.
Trustee Tim Miller said he was in favor of the changes because the hotel would add vitality to the town by adding people.
Trustee Raphael Dominguez countered that the town’s character should be enough to attract people into downtown Monument and that if it takes a hotel to draw people in, the town has a problem with its vision. He urged the board to be careful about its decision.
Dominguez, trustee Tommie Plank and Easton voted against the amended plans and trustees Miller and Rick Squires voted in favor of it.
Jamie Hull, the developer of the subdivision located off Adams Street across from Grace Best Elementary School, wanted to amend his prototype for a mixed use development consisting of retail, office space and residential units to include a 60-room hotel.
Although some of the trustees were in favor of the hotel in the transitional area just outside of downtown, some of them were concerned about the amount of water the site would need, up to 27 acre feet.
The developers provided more information than is typically given during the sketch plan phase of planning to see if the board would be in favor of them proceeding with plans for a hotel, said town manager Cathy Green.
Green informed the developer the hotel use might result in the board’s review of the water they had been offered to purchase from the town.
The trustees had agreed to sell the developer 19 acre feet of water, to add to the 8 acre feet already brought to the table to start construction of a prototype of a multi-story, multi-use building, she said. However, since the proposed amendment would no longer give the town the downtown element it was looking for, water for the site would have to be rethought by the trustees since the water purchase offer was given for the formerly approved sketch plan.
“This is the process we were directed to take,” said Tim Siebert with NES Inc., a consultant for the project. The developers used the water criteria given in the initial approval and allocated it to the uses given in the proposed amended sketch plan to create a vitality and density of people that would add to downtown.
“At this hearing is the first time we’ve heard that that water needs to be reconsidered,” Siebert said.
Hull said he has been trying to hit a moving target and what he has done so far has not produced a project he can build after having presented four different versions of the development to the town. He added that he understands some of the reasons for the issues with the project are probably due to the developers, but they need some flexibility with what they can do.
“I do appreciate your work in hitting a moving target,” said mayor Travis Easton. “I agree it would be a benefit to downtown [to have a hotel].”
Mayor Travis Easton said he agrees the hotel could benefit Monument’s downtown by drawing more people there, but ultimately voted against the changes to the sketch plan because the town would not be able to guarantee the site would be able to keep its water.
Trustee Tim Miller said he was in favor of the changes because the hotel would add vitality to the town by adding people.
Trustee Raphael Dominguez countered that the town’s character should be enough to attract people into downtown Monument and that if it takes a hotel to draw people in, the town has a problem with its vision. He urged the board to be careful about its decision.
Dominguez, trustee Tommie Plank and Easton voted against the amended plans and trustees Miller and Rick Squires voted in favor of it.
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