Glenwood annexation not the right move

The People of Glenwood Springs should vote “yes“ (Question B) on May 3 to reverse the City Council’s approval to annex yet more development to our town. Recently, Councilwoman Shelley Kaup wrote a column in the Post Independent (“No on Question B will preserve opportunities for affordable housing…” March 24) supporting annexation/growth. She is misinformed.

480 Donegan is a massive project that would fundamentally change the West Glenwood neighborhood where it is proposed while adversely affecting the entire community. It is too big, it is not safe, and it creates impacts that Glenwood cannot easily adjust to, pay for, or absorb.

Glenwood’s infrastructure needs to be fixed before hundreds of extra cars take to our streets. Schools are full. We have one major grocery store. More residents mean more police and other costly services. Glenwood has three exits. One of those is Glenwood Canyon. A fire would create gridlock and no means of escape. The more people and vehicles we add, the greater the burden.

This project creates no “affordable” housing. Is “affordable” housing monthly rents in the thousands of dollars? Is it new condos everywhere? Affordable for whom? Workforce housing — built to house teachers, police officers, essential workers, and medical personnel — is appropriate. More housing for Aspen’s workforce is not. Three hundred units, 60 of which are “affordable,” is a burden, not a benefit. It is not Glenwood’s responsibility to fix Aspen’s housing shortage.

There is little or no support for the Donegan project beyond the walls of City Hall. Kaup and others are attempting to overdevelop Glenwood, destroying the reasons why we live here. If we wanted to live in Aurora, we can move there. Let’s not destroy our town to save it from an imagined lack of “affordable” housing that we don’t need. Remember a vote of “yes“ on “B” means “no“ to development. Vote ”yes” to reject the annexation. Vote “yes“ to preserve Glenwood.

Tony Hershey

Glenwood Springs