An update on the town meeting that happened last week.
CHICKENS - remember that word…..
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Here’s the article:
Consideration of an annexation request for more than 1,100 acres proposed as the new location of Bandimere Speedway was delayed Wednesday after Hudson officials received a letter from a Denver law firm representing the nearby Opal Foods LLC egg farm.
Ryan Sugden, an attorney with Husch Blackwell, sent the letter Tuesday to town attorney Hilary Graham — a day before a scheduled public hearing on annexation and zoning for Hudson Motorsports LLC.
The annexation request was approved on first reading Feb. 18, and involves land east of Hudson where the Bandimere family has proposed relocating its long-time drag-racing facility from Morrison. The proposal has drawn interest from local officials eager for economic development as well as from racing enthusiasts, but also has generated concerns about noise, traffic and other impacts.
Continuance of the public hearing was made at the request of the Bandimere family to provide time for further discussions with Opal Foods. The Town Council voted 6-1 to continue the public hearing to April 1, with Council Member Don Post opposing the delay.
Sugden’s letter emphasized Opal’s economic impact.
“Opal Foods plays an important role in the Town of Hudson, providing jobs and leading the way in agriculture for the community. Opal Foods is committed to maintaining this legacy by ensuring that the Hudson Motor Sports (Bandimere) Annexation and Initial Zoning support both economic growth and the protection of agricultural operations,” Sugden wrote.
The letter raised concerns about noise, traffic, dust, biosecurity, lighting, wastewater, hours of operation and fireworks, and proposed 11 conditions to be incorporated into the annexation and zoning agreements.
“The purpose of these conditions is to protect Opal’s ongoing agricultural operations and flock health, ensure effective coordination and transparency, and mitigate off-site impacts associated with motorsports and special events, while allowing the applicant to operate within clear, objective parameters,” Sugden wrote.
But the letter delivered Tuesday — the day before the public hearing — drew sharp criticism from members of the Town Council, who objected both to its timing and what they perceived as a threat of litigation.
Hudson mayor Joe Hammock expressed irritation over the letter.
“I’m really surprised you came down (at the) last minute to give us a letter … I’m very disappointed this happened this way,” he said.
Speaking to the Town Council Wednesday, Sugden reiterated concerns about noise, traffic and other potential impacts from the proposed racetrack.
“Opal Foods is an economic and agricultural provider in this community, and this farm has been here for 60 years. Opal supports economic development in Hudson, but it needs to be done responsibly, and it needs to be done in a manner that protects uses that have been here for decades,” Sugden said.
Sugden also questioned the lack of noise, traffic or environmental-impact studies.
“There’s currently a lack of information regarding the impact that this racetrack will have on this community,” he said. “Without the safeguards that Opal is suggesting, these impacts could have a very significant and negative impact on the community, and we’re hopeful that we can get to this place by working with the Bandimere family.”
Opal’s letter requested that a series of requirements be placed on the developer, including:
• Access and traffic controls.
• Screening, landscaping and buffers
• Biosecurity and agricultural interface protections.
• Lighting and visual impacts.
• Water, wastewater and stormwater management.
• Hours of operation.
• Fireworks, pyrotechnics and fire-hazard controls.
• Agricultural operations.
• High-noise vehicle events.
• Transparency and event coordination.
“A race track can be a good neighbor. A race track can be a bad neighbor. It really depends upon how it’s developed, and that’s why Opal has suggested a number of conditions that it asks this council impose on the development to ensure that Opal is protected and the entire community is protected, including all of the concerns that have been raised here today, with respect to traffic, with respect to noise, dust, public safety,” Sugden said.
Council member Zachary Reyes criticized the letter in remarks directed at Opal representatives..
“You can keep using the word choice ‘concerns’ all you want. These are not concerns. These are demands,” he said.
Reyes noted that Opal Foods is located in unincorporated Weld County and is not annexed to Hudson, and he questioned the economic impact of the facility on the town.
Opal, which has been upgrading the facility to comply with a new state law requiring cage-free egg production, expects to employ 120 to 140 people. Those employees are expected to come from communities including Greeley, Fort Lupton, Brighton and Hudson, a company official said.
“The economic value of those jobs in Hudson does not equate to the economic value that Bandimere will bring to this town,” Reyes said. “The math is there.”
“Bringing the threat of a lawsuit is a slap in the face of the community (and) the Bandimere family …” Reyes said.
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