A controversial annexation will be back on the table of the Wellington Town Board because of a successful petition drive by Citizens for Responsible Growth in Wellington, who oppose the annexation. A town board hearing date of Sept. 14 was still tentative at press time. If the board upholds its July 13 decision to annex 144 acres owned by Dallas Horton east of Interstate 25, the issue will be on the Nov. 2 ballot for the town's registered voters to decide.
Annexation is just one piece of the land development puzzle, however.
At the Aug. 10 meeting, the town board turned down Horton's concept plan for development called The Meadows. It also rejected the development plan for Wellington Park, another property east of I-25 that the town annexed in 1980. If developed as requested, the two sites would have nearly doubled Wellington's population. Reasons for denial included concerns about safety issues caused by the high density, cost of infrastructure east of the interstate, having I-25 split the town, and lack of commercial development. Two board members mentioned that they had not heard any support for the projects from town residents.