Arvada residents sue to gain vote on tollway pact
Rocky Mountain News
Published June 27, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
A group of Arvada residents filed suit Thursday against the city for rejecting their petitions that sought a public vote on whether Arvada should join the tollway authority seeking to complete the metro beltway.
Arvadans for Responsible Transportation wants a referendum on repealing a recent ordinance by which Arvada became a member of the newly formed Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority. The suit was filed in Golden District Court.
Arvada became a member along with Jefferson County and Broomfield.
Russell Weisfield, president of the citizens group, said the clerk's reason for rejecting the petitions was "nonsensical."
The clerk's ruling said the city's membership in the authority is part of an existing contractual obligation, on which the city charter doesn't permit public votes.
But Weisfield said there is no contractual obligation to build the tollway.
The Jefferson Parkway would extend about 20 miles from the end of the Northwest Parkway to Colorado 93 north of Golden.
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June 27, 2008
9:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
raysmom writes:
I took a lot of heat a couple of months ago on this blog for my opinion, before the committee was formed, because the citizens of Golden kept proving them wrong, and they couldn't shove them out of the way - here we go again!
Have you seen who is on this "Committee"? Kevin McCaskey, who is up for re-election this year in Arvada is the ringleader of developers who want to build high density, 18 story housing at next Rocky Flats. Great way to prevent sprawl. I'm usually pretty conservative, but this is a bad idea that has been forced down the throats of citizens in Arvada and Broomfield, who have representatives selling them out to foreign interest with no- compete clauses; these cities can't improve competing roadways, among other commitments. Studies have shown repeatedly that this is unnecessary, and you can't blame Goldenites & Arvadans for fighting for the quality of life in the foothills for EVERYONE.
Good Luck!