Letter: A vicious midvalley cycle

Well, just when you thought the midvalley was safe for the time being, here we go again.

The proposed Fields development across from Blue Lake is a threat to the quality of life for many in the area.

Grand Junction resident Keith Ethers and his carpetbagger financial backers from out of state want to build 100 homes in the middle of what is now a peaceful, quiet neighborhood. They must have been sleeping when scores of residents voiced their opposition to the Tree Farm project just down the road. Oh, but I almost forgot — Keith promises he’ll pay for the cost of a brand-new traffic light on Highway 82 if his project gets approved. Gee, Keith, we all can’t wait!

Sure, I can hear the rebuttal to this letter already about the housing shortage in the valley. The problem with that argument is you keep adding more units and those people who buy them then need more classrooms, grocery stores, restaurants, etc., and now you’ve created a never-ending, vicious cycle of out-of-control growth.

Hopefully the Roaring Fork Valley Regional Planning Commission will tell Ethers and all others that the train has left the station and they missed it.

There is a meeting today at 4 p.m. in El Jebel at the Eagle County Building. Of course, most of us will be at work. Please email comdev@eaglecounty.us and ask them to nip this in the bud immediately.

Tom O’Keefe

El Jebel