The members of the Cheyenne Mountain community write to express our grave concerns regarding the proposed Fisher's Canyon Project- particularly the proximity of trails and parking lots to our residential homes and the associated fire, safety, traffic, and environmental risks. While we appreciate the intention to create recreational opportunities, the current plans for the project raise numerous issues that could significantly impact the safety and well-being of our neighborhood.

Key Concerns:

• Proximity to Homes and Fire Safety Risks:

The trails planned within 150 feet of residential homes pose a severe fire hazard, especially the high risk of devastating wildfires. The inability to monitor or enforce rules on smoking, campfires, or unauthorized camping exacerbates this danger. In California, 5000 acres were burned by one fire within a few hours. Both the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire (burned nearly 350 homes) and 2013 Black Forest Fire (burned nearly 500 homes) were human-caused. The Waldo Canyon Fire point of origin is within three miles of the Waldo Canyon Trailhead off Highway 24 west of Colorado Springs. In 2020, the brush fire near Cheyenne Mountain State Park burned 27 acres. In the event of a fire, we have little time to evacuate our homes - and perhaps two schools and a zoo as well. 

• Traffic and Parking Issues:

A real estate agent/appraiser warned that house values will decrease as a result of increased traffic, fire, and crime risks. Proposed daily bidirectional traffic of 575 is a huge impact. With no safeguards to prevent overflow parking on our residential streets, we will face congestion, safety concerns, and potential property encroachment. The Park Rangers picked the park hours based on seeing this project as comparable to a "State Park." The only entrance to this trail system that will accommodate scenic views, picnic areas, equestrian, pets, bouldering and mountaineering communities will be through the roads of our community. 

• Lack of Enforcement Capabilities:

Park Rangers lack law enforcement authority to address violations, leaving our community vulnerable to issues like littering, loitering, and safety violations. Their planned involvement—limited to opening and closing gates—is insufficient for a project of this scale.

• Inadequate Hours of Operation:

Trails are set to remain open until 10 PM (9 PM in winter), allowing for nighttime activity near residential homes. This increases risks of accidents, fire, and unauthorized activity. Closing the park at sunset, as is common in many recreational areas, would mitigate these risks.

• Limited Community Engagement:

The lack of a Q&A forum during the project meeting and the silencing of concerned residents undermine the collaborative process required for a project of this magnitude. Such actions suggest an unwillingness to address valid concerns and build trust with the community.

Neighborhood Demands:

1. Move all Fisher’s Canyon infrastructure up by the large parking lot so that we have time to fight fires and evacuate. 
2. Limit park hours to between sunrise and sunset to enhance safety and reduce nighttime risks.
3.  Post signs with rules at parking lots and trailheads:
   • Park/gate closure:  sun-down to sun-up, windy and icy weather
   • No Fires, fireworks, smoking, camping, or overnight parking
   • No motorized vehicles on trails except for emergency 
   & park maintenance vehicles
   • Pack-out trash and/or use animal-proof receptacles managed by park
   • Pick up pet waste (including horse & dog poop)
   • Stop & speed limit signs
   • Quiet (no loud radios or speaker systems)
   • No street parking for park visitors
   • No trespassing into neighboring community
   • Do not hike off-trail
   • Do not disturb wildlife or their habitats or vegetation
4.  Install camera monitoring equipment.
5. Document a clear plan defining how park will be managed:
   • Responsible organization 
   • Hours for gate open/close
   • Enforcement of park rules
   • Trash disposal and cleaning
   • Monitoring impacts to wildlife and vegetation
6. Install 5 new high pressure fire hydrants in the park (3000 gallons minimum per hydrant).
7. Construct a “fire break” between the homes and the park.
8. Install fire and smoke sensors in the park tied into the neighborhood fire station (Station #16).
9. Redo the traffic study to assume that 2 of the exit roads are closed due to fire (not one of two) during an evacuation.
10. For the endangered Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) in the area, develop a neighborhood outreach effort to help catalogue and verify sightings of the MSO.
11. These are not the only concerns of the community. Re-engage with the community through transparent forums, including open Q&A sessions, to develop a more balanced plan. Delay the April TOPS working committee adoption until after the neighborhood meetings. 

Call to Action:
We strongly request an immediate reconsideration of the current plans and a delay in final approvals until these concerns are adequately addressed. We recommend moving meetings to our neighborhood at either the Fire House or the Elementary School with plenty of advance notice. The community was under-represented at the Junior High School meetings located much further away from the affected community. There were community parents and families who wanted to attend but could not due to the distance.  

The Fisher's Canyon Project has potential to enhance our community, but only with thoughtful adjustments that prioritize the safety, security, and quality of life for residents.

We look forward to additional engagement and are prepared to collaborate to find a mutually beneficial solution. 

Sincerely,

Cheyenne Mountain Community