Super Slab comments from Weld County
Commissioners and candidates

With the primaries only a few days away, I asked the candidates I could reach to write statements as to their stand on the Super Slab, below is the statement Clair Orr wrote, I also have a statement from Rob Masden, which appeared in the Greeley Tribune, which I will forward also.
I do not live in Weld County and I know there are some on this list for which this message is irrelevant, except to say, the Adams Cnty commissioner candidates don't seem to see the Super Slab as an issue that needs to be address.
County commissioners do have the ability to influence legislation and if we are to be able to change the laws in our favor, we will need the backing of our county commissioners.
Stay cool and stay tuned.

Peace and grace,
Sharon
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Clair Orr
Since I am running for Weld County Commissioner in district #3; I thought you and your friends may want to know where I stand on the issue of the "super slab".
I have opposed it from the first time I heard of it and have testified against it twice, at the capital. Sharon I have appreciated all you have done personally to keep everyone informed about this ludicrous idea. There are numerous others who are to be commended for standing in the gap and sharing the burden of fighting the good fight.
I did review the regulations the Weld County Commissioners are putting in place. I had several recommended additions to give it some more teeth; which I believe you submitted. Although this is a very good document to have in place I have one huge question. Why did it take the Commissioners over two years to get this document in place? I realize there is a lot on their plate but this should have been put on a fast track like they did in approving the Pioneer development on WCR 49. I don't want to be a arm chair quarter back here; but I would like to know. There are times when it is better to get it right than to get it fast. When I was on the State Board of Education we had to pass emergency rules and regulations many times just to stay in compliance with a new law, with final rules and regs. to follow at a later date.
Quite frankly this "super slab" does not pass the smell test and until it does (which I can't envision) I will be doing all I can, if elected, to oppose it on the county and state level.
Even though many of your supporters may not be in Weld County or in my district please forward this letter onto them. I have a three way primary and will need all the help I can get to win on August 12. I topped lined at the county assemble in Feb. by one vote; so it will be no doubt a close race.
For those that do not know me the best way to learn about me is to Google me, visit my web site at www.orrforweld.org or call me at 970-302-5757.
Thank you Sharon and may God Bless you for all you have done on this issue. If we don't stay vigilant in protecting our property rights they will be taken or diminished by those who want them for their gain.

My Best Regards,
Clair Orr
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Rob Masden

In 2005, after conversations with Weld County residents and elected officials in other counties, and others, the Weld County commissioners undertook an evaluation of using State "1041" powers to regulate toll roads. The so-called "1041" regulations are a body of enabling legislation that allows local jurisdictions to designate certain land use activities as "matters of the state interest," requiring specific review and approval at the local level.

I have taken a leadership role in coordinating with the counties of El Paso, Douglas, Elbert, Arapahoe, Adams and Larimer to work with them as Weld County explored the advantage of adopting 1041 regulations that would deal with proposed private toll roads. That's especially important because the proposed "Super Slab" would be in all seven counties. After initially working with Weld County attorneys who created a draft, the Weld County commissioners conducted a process of considering the merits and secondary issues surrounding such potential regulation, along with help from a group of residents that live in the affected area, including Sharon Croghan and Mike Coan. During this time, in 2006, the legislature made changes to state laws concerning landowner noticing and local mitigation requirements for private toll roads, which affected the proposed process the county was studying.

Subsequently, backers of a proposed "Super Slab" provided notices of intent to more than 5,000 landowners along the Front Range, including a corridor in Weld County running southeast of Keenesburg from the Adams County line to northwest of Nunn to the Larimer County line. The notice, as required by the new state law, did not imply immediate construction, but only a notice of intent to study the area as a possible corridor. Since that time, no further public actions have been taken by the "Super Slab" proponents.

With this activity, however, the race was under way to create a good set of Weld County review regulations. The Board of Weld County Commissioners completed the Weld 1041 Design Review for Siting and Construction of Toll Roads in April. The net result of this action is that any project proposed in any portion of Weld County must first be reviewed to determine if any adverse impacts are created for the county or its residents. The process then permits the county commissioners to force the applicant to mitigate any of those impacts.

At present, the other six counties impacted by this proposed "Super Slab" are reviewing Weld County's adopted 1041 regulations and may be adopting them as their code also. This will create a unified set of regulations at the local level to deal with the impacts from a toll road project on a county and its residents.

I have taken a strong stance against the proposed "Super Slab" and the assault and power of condemnation on private property rights and decrease in property land values that it has created on the citizens of Weld County. This fall, I will be working with Weld County residents and state legislators to come up with an additional law to set benchmarks that toll roads will have to meet or lose their corridor designation.

Rob Masden of Hudson is the Weld County commissioner for District 3 and a candidate for re-election.