Welcome to Manitou Springs, Colorado
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MS Forward Public Comment
After a year-long process, the citizen's initiative, Manitou Springs Forward, delivered the Vision and Planning Guide, an update of the Rainbow Vision Plan at the May 8th City Council work session. The City Council has released the draft plan for public comment and would like all citizens and business owners to participate in the public comment process. This is your opportunity to review the plan prior to the adoption and provide comments on the proposed key vision areas and actions statements. Your comments will provide guidance on revisions that may need to be considered to improve the Vision Plan and its representation of community goals moving forward.
A draft copy of the Manitou Springs Foward-A Vision and Planning Guide 2012 can be found on the City of Manitou Springs website here. To view a draft copy of the Vision Plan, click here.
Public comment will be received until May 29, 2012 and can be emailed to Dan Folke, Planning Director at dfolke@comsgov.com or dropped off at the Planning office in City Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue.
Small Business Liaison at Regional Building Department
In an effort to promote small businesses in the Pikes Peak Region, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department has established a liaison to assist small businesses to comply with local building codes. Mr. Jim Vernon is that liaison and has been given the title of Deputy Building Official for Small Business Development. Mr. Vernon will help small businesses who desire to locate in the region and construct facilities or modify existing facilities, to identify Code related issues that could stall progress. Mr. Vernon will assist with planning, permitting and inspections. Mr. Vernon can be reached at:
Jim Vernon
Deputy Building Official
Small Business Development
Pikes Peak Regional Building Development
2880 International Circle
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
719-327-2943
jimv@pprbd.org
Request for Proposals
The City of Manitou Springs Public Works Department is seeking Proposals for Asphalt Mill and Overlay. Interested parties should respond no later than 5:00 p.m. May 25, 2012. Click here to view the Request for Proposals.
City's Streets Dedicated Mill Levy Expired
It has recently come to the attention of City Council that the City has been collecting on a dedicated streets repair mill levy (the Public Works Fund) that expired in 2000. This was a 0.8 of mill earmarked specifically in a 1995 ballot question for roadway improvements. After a thorough search and review of all city ballot questions subsequent to 2000, no evidence was found to indicate this mill levy was ever reauthorized. As your elected body, Council wants to assure all of you that this money has been dedicated as a restricted mill levy and used for its intended purpose. Good intentions aside, the law is very clear in these situations, a refund is required-four years worth, plus 10 percent simple interest. Click here to view the entire press release regarding this dedicated mill levy.
Crystal Valley Cemetery Clean Up
May and November are Crystal Valley Cemetery clean up months. Please help City crews maintain our cemetery grounds. Clean up is scheduled between May 1 and May 15, 2012. All broken or damaged urns, vases and other like containers, along with flowers which have faded, become damaged or unsightly, will be removed and destroyed. All flowers should be contained in vases on the headstone base, or they will be removed.
New Police Chief Hired
The City of Manitou Springs appointed Joseph Ribeiro as their new Police Chief at their April 3rd Council meeting. Mr. Ribeiro competed amongst a pool of 54 applicants and became one of four finalists for the position. All of the finalists were well qualified and seasoned law enforcement professionals and in the end, Mr. Ribeiro came out on top as the best fit for Manitou Springs. Mayor Marc Snyder stated that “ Even with so many highly qualified applicants, Joe Ribeiro was the City Council’s unanimous choice to be our next Police Chief. His experience, compassion and dedication to community make him a truly great fit for Manitou Springs.”
Chief Ribeiro stated in his introduction letter that he brings 28 years of experience, with a “…diverse level of command experience in both the large metropolitan police department of Norfolk, Virginia and the small, innovative department serving the resort town of Vail, Colorado.” When offered the Job, Chief Ribeiro stated “ I am thrilled about being selected to lead the team at Manitou Springs PD. I look forward to actively engaging with the Community and the City’s leadership team. We have some great opportunities ahead of us and together we will keep Manitou Springs on a path of positive growth.”
City Administrator Jack Benson also stated that “…the City has been exceptionally fortunate to have had Chief Myers on board as their interim Police Chief. These last three months have offered us the expertise to evaluate our department, maintain organizational stability, and keep our forward momentum. It is clear to me that Chief Myers is destined for continued success. He has been a wonderful influence on all those around him, and I am personally glad to have shared this time with him; we all wish him well.”
Chief Ribeiro will start his new position officially on May 15th and will use the intervening period to make new living arrangements and transition from his old position to his new post in Manitou Springs.
Manitou Springs Celebrates Earth Month With Green Awards
A new tradition was initiated April 3rd during Manitou Springs City Council’s first-ever “Green” Agenda.
Citizen activist Teri Christman was recognized for her efforts in successfully coordinating Manitou Springs’ Single Hauler Waste & Recycle Program. It is estimated that this program results in a reduction of 950 tons of Green House Gas Reduction per year. A single Residential Hauler also results in less road damage, noise and intrusion into neighborhoods, and less Truck mileage.
Blue Planet Earthscapes, owned by Becky Elder won First Place for Best Sustainable Business Practices and Community Education. Runners –up in the Business category were Adam’s Mountain Café for serving organic, locally grown products as well as composting and recycling their waste. Commonwheel Cooperative Arts & Crafts Festival for their Zero Waste efforts over the last few years at the Labor Day Festivals and Clean Air Lawn Care for charging their equipment from Solar Panels, purchasing carbon offsets, and utilizing organic methods .
Advisory Committee Appointment
The Manitou Springs City Council is pleased to announce that Gary Michels has been re-appointed as a Regular Member of the Open Space Advisory Committee. With the passage in 1996 of two initiatives by Manitou Springs' voters authorizing the raising of funds to acquire open space, City Council subsequently passed a resolution which established the powers and duties of the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC). One of the first duties of the committee was to develop the Manitou Springs Open Space Plan (13Mb pdf). The purpose of the plan was to help initiate the process of implementing an open space program and to:
- Develop criteria for selecting land in and around the city for designation as open space;
- Develop priorities for acquiring land that meets the selected criteria; and
- Develop acquisition strategies for the selected lands.
Current openings on the committee include one regular member and two alternate members. If you would like to serve on this committee please submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk at 606 Manitou Avenue. Your letter should include the reason(s) for your interest in the position and your qualifications for the job.
Election Cancelled-Manitou Springs Metropolitan District
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Manitou Springs Metropolitan District, El Paso County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election, there were not more candidates for directors than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates. Therefore, the election to be held on May 8, 2012 is hereby cancelled pursuant to C.R.S. § 1-5-208(1.5).
The following candidate is hereby declared elected:
Randy R. Hodges Director - 4 year term
/s/ Donna Kast
Designated Election Official
Manitou Springs Metropolitan District
Contact Person for the District: Randy R. Hodges
Telephone Number of the District: (719) 685-5481
Address of the District: 606 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
District Facsimile Number: (719) 685-5233
District Email: rhodges@comsgov.com
Water and Sewer Rate Changes
A rate study was performed on both the Water and Sewer Enterprises resulting in necessary rate adjustments. Effective February 1, 2012, the water service charge for all customers using a 3/4" meter will increase $1.25 to the new rate of $9.50 per month. Water volume charge for those customers will remain at $3.80 per 1,000 gallons, but up to a water usage of 15,000 gallons. After that, the rate increases to $4.60 per 1,000 gallons.
The volume charge for commercial customers will increase $0.55 to the new rate of $4.35 per 1,000 gallons. The sewer service charge for all customers will increase $1.23 to the new rate of $10.50 per month and the volume charge will increase $0.50 to the new rate of $4.40 per 1,000 gallons.
Click here to read the new ordinance.
Click here to read the rate study summary report.
$51,264 CDBG Grant Award
The City of Manitou Springs is pleased to announce that the El Paso County Board of Commissioners has approved an award of a $51,264 Community Development Block Grant for a Manitou Springs City Hall ADA Accessibility Project. The City of Manitou Springs will use these funds to remodel the front door and bathrooms at City Hall to make them ADA compliant.
2012 Parking Permits and SmartCards
The Manitou Springs City Council approved the 2012 Parking Permits and SmartCard Program on December 6th, which had previously been ratified by the Metropolitan District. The 2012 program is basically unchanged from 2011, with the following minor amendments:
- an option to include overnight parking (PM) as part of the Wichita and Canon seasonal permits. The regular seasonal permits do not allow permit parking in those lots from May through September. This new option allows parkers overnight privileges during the summer months for an additional $2.50/month.
- costs for the seasonal Wichita and Canon Lot permits are increasing from $105 ($15/month) to $140 ($20/month).
Permits and SmartCards can be purchased starting January 4th at the Manitou Springs Planning Department, where the staff is also available to answer questions and provide assistance. The Planning Department can be reached at 719-685-4398 and is located at City Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue. Click here to view the 2012 Parking Permits and SmartCard Program (pdf).
$397,500 Iron Mountain Open Space Grant Award
The City of Manitou Springs is pleased to announce it has received a $397,500 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) for the acquisition of Iron Mountain Open Space. The City of Manitou Springs will use these funds for the acquisition of the 41.5 acre Parcel 3. Iron Mountain Open Space consists of 98.5 acres and will allow the completion of the Intemann Trail completing a link between Red Rock Canyon, Section 16 and the Pike National Forest. Parcel 1 (17 acres) and Parcel 2 (40 acres) were acquired by the City in 2010, funded from the Manitou Springs Open Space Fund.
Iron Mountain Open Space is identified as a High Priority acquisition in the Manitou Springs Open Space Plan and placed in the Preservation District, reserved for lands with the highest natural, scenic or historic quality and worthy of protection and preservation.
The Manitou Springs Open Space program has successfully preserved more than 260 acres since its creation in 1996. The program is funded through a 0.1% sales tax and 0.8 mils property tax. The community has been able to preserve significant areas of open space both within and adjacent to its City limits, which would not have been possible without the strong support and commitment of our citizens and with the help of Great Outdoors Colorado.
