Project needs more time

Dear Editor:

If you are concerned about your property taxes going up in Basalt/Eagle County, then you need to be concerned about the approval of 319 homes and 96,375 square feet of commercial space at the El Jebel Tree Farm off Highway 82. The project is marketed as environmentally progressive and to include 169 deed-restricted units starting at $210,000 for a studio, but ultimately the project is being built for a profit.

Basalt will be responsible for providing schools, teachers and other infrastructure for this development. The developer estimates that this development will add over 60 elementary school children alone to Basalt.

There are already 400-600 residential units and commercial space in the area that have been approved but not built. There is plenty of empty commercial space and idle foundations around this proposed project.

Rather than complain a few years down the road about the traffic congestion around El Jebel/Willits and tax increases, voice your objections now to the Eagle County commissioners at http://www.eaglecounty.us. Go to contact under commissioners (Sara Fisher Peter Runyon and Jon Stavney) or call them at 970 328-8605. Let’s wait until the approved units are built and occupied at Willits, Shadowrock, etc. and see if there is more demand.

We also have to think ahead to when our valley is built out and the major source of employment, building, is substantially reduced.

Cathleen Krahe

Missouri Heights