HomeMy WebLinkAboutElizabeth Lee-Melville_19-FEB-26Subject: Protect the Cattle Creek Confluence – Oppose the Harvest Roaring Fork PUD
Name: Elizabeth Lee-Melville
Email:
Phone number: (970) 319-7883
Message: Dear Commissioner Samson,
I'm reaching out as someone who cares deeply about this valley and the natural places that
make it worth protecting. The proposed Harvest Roaring Fork PUD at the Cattle Creek
Confluence troubles me greatly and I hope you'll take a moment to consider why.
The Cattle Creek Confluence is one of the last remaining open spaces along the river. It's a
place where bald eagles nest, herons fish, elk and deer move through, and native trout
thrive. It serves as a living wildlife corridor connecting ecosystems across the valley. A
development of this size (1,500 homes, up to 375 ADUs, a hotel, and commercial space
crammed onto 283 acres) would not just alter this landscape. It would effectively end it as
a functioning natural space.
Beyond the ecological harm, the practical consequences are equally troubling. Highway 82
and local roads are not equipped to handle thousands of new vehicle trips daily. The
Roaring Fork watershed is already stressed and without serious stormwater controls, this
development would push pollutants and sediment downstream into communities that
have no say in this decision. Our schools, fire departments, EMS, and utilities would face
new demands with no clear plan for who pays.
The rural character that draws people to this valley, that makes it home, would be gone in a
way that can't be undone.
This decision reaches beyond Garfield County's borders. Water, wildlife, and the precedent
we set here will be felt in Pitkin and Eagle Counties too. I urge you to reject this proposal
and to show that our region will choose sustainable growth over short-term development
pressure.
Thank you for your service and for hearing the voices of people who love this place.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Lee-Melville