The decision to scale back the amount of parkland developers must dedicate to the city might be reshaped by the next city council, which will be seated following the April 6 city election.
Given that six of nine spots will be decided by the election, a new council may set aside that decision, which lowered required acreage from 7.5 acres per 1,000 residents in a new development to 5.5 acres.
On Feb. 9, Councilors Jill Gaebler, Dave Geislinger, Mike OâMalley, Tom Strand and Wayne Williams voted to scale back dedicated parkland. Yolanda Avila, Don Knight, Bill Murray and Richard Skorman voted against.
But Gaebler is term-limited and will be replaced, and Geislinger and OâMalley, two other âyesâ votes, face opposition in their races. (OâMalley was appointed to fill an unexpired term in January.)Â
Matt Zelenok District 5, central Colorado Springs
Zelenok, 34 and owner of Springs Preferred Realty, grew up in Colorado Springs and would bring a scientific background to council as a biochemistry major who founded a company that built equipment and provided research and development support to the U.S. Energy Department s Sandia National Laboratories. When the contract ended he moved into real estate. Zelenok would prioritize introducing modern technology to increase traffic flow and efficiency, increasing the number of police and firefighters in town and preserving the character of neighborhoods and open spaces, he said.
Theyâre certainly not as sexy as presidential elections, but the truth is, local elections provide the greatest opportunity for your vote to make an impact. Instead of being one in 160 million, your voice and choice are amplified; itâs one among several thousand. The city of Colorado Springs should announce the winners of six Council seats and the outcome of one ballot issue after polls close on Election Day, April 6. Ballots will be mailed March 12, so be on the lookout.Â
As in the country as a whole, there are tough issues facing Colorado Springs voters and the new and veteran elected officials who will hold these Council seats â issues like our affordable housing crisis and homelessness; infrastructure and development; struggling small businesses and COVID relief; the potential legalization of recreational marijuana dispensaries within city limits and, as Council members also serve as the board of Colorado Springs Utilities, preparing for the 2023 closure of Dra
The AASC s choices:
District 2 â Councilor Dave Geislinger
District 3 â Council President Richard Skorman
District 4 â Councilor Yolanda Avila
District 5 â Karlie Van Arnam
District 6 â Mike O Malley
Four of those six also won endorsements from the
About its selections, the Apartment Association said in a release: AASC supports candidates with goals and a clear vision of how to address the many challenging issues facing Colorado Springs. Our leadership feels it is important to get the right mix of talent to continue to move our city forward.
The endorsements were based on meetings with the candidates and their answers to a questionnaire. -
If you have an item of interest for the April 6 election, send it to zubeck@csindy.com
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