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Residents Of Lochbuie Subdivision Feel Shunned

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Nov 3, 2009 8:09 pm US/Mountain

Residents Of Lochbuie Subdivision Feel Shunned

Written by Andrea Lopez

Reporting
Andrea Lopez
LOCHBUIE, Colo. (CBS4) ― When a number of people bought homes in the Lochbuie subdivision called Bella Vista several years ago, they never thought that it would literally fall apart. But they say that's what's happening to some of the streets in their community -- they're sagging and sinking because they were never built properly. Fixing the problem also isn't as easy as it may seem because the builder has gone bankrupt.

Shannon Parker has been to several town hall meetings, bringing the issue up to the board in hopes that the town can help.

"Every time we go they say that they are going to have a resolution," she said. "We've been promised several times that the work would be done, but nothing has been done.

"This is where we wanted to be. We wanted to be out in the middle of nowhere. But we didn't want to be left behind either."

The town of Lochbuie is in no position financially to fix the streets and nor does it have to, according to Mayor Will Norris. Since the streets didn't meet the town's standards, it hasn't accepted them. Therefore, Norris says they are not the town's responsibility. He said if both entrances to the subdivision were blocked, that might be a different story. But he says people can get to their homes, and as a member of the fire department as well, he doesn't believe that there is a safety problem with just one way in and one way out.

Norris says the subdivision is bank owned and that the town has had discussions with the bank about fixing the streets.

"They're not in the development business," he said. "It's unlikely they're going to fix them."

The best-case scenario, Norris says, is that another buyer will come along and take over the subdivision, fixing the problems and finishing the work that hasn't been done. Until then, the town is planning to not issue any more building permits for that area until the existing problems are fixed. Norris also says that developer Mark Bush is seeking financing to try and fix the problem himself. Bush couldn't be reached for comment.

In the meantime, Parker says she is concerned about the fact that there is only one way in and out of the subdivision in case there was an emergency. She says she has a son with special needs, and getting an ambulance down the street could be an issue, especially when people are parking on both sides of the street; and parking campers there as well.

Parker says although they don't plan to sell their home, her husband is in the military and if they were to sell their home, she shares a common concern that the street problems will drag down property values and scare away potential buyers.

"If someone wants to sell their home I'm sure this has made property values plummet along with the economy," said homeowner Gary Heller. "Everyone is blaming everyone else and nothing is getting done."

Some residents who spoke to CBS4 say they're not trying to point the finger at anyone in particular. They just want the problems fixed.

"We pay our taxes and our HOA dues," said Parker. "We want them to help us and so far, nobody has."

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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