This proposed annexation of 3,200 acres by Colorado Springs to allow for development of the Amara master-planned community by developer, La Plata Communities.  This development would include 9,500 new homes and over 2 million square feet in commercial and other space and require over 3,500 acre-feet of water annually. After voting to approve the annexation at the end of their 7 ½ hour first public hearing on July 23rd, Colorado Springs City Council held their second and final hearing on August 13th.  At the first hearing, General Manager Goble testified about the LAVWCD’s concerns, including that the water needed for this development would require the dry-up of 5,000 to 6,000 acres of farmland every year in the Lower Arkansas Valley.  Goble, along with Dr. Mike Bartolo, Ryan Hemphill, Matt Heimrich, and Dallas May, attended the second hearing to testify against the annexation on behalf of the Lower Arkansas Valley and its communities. They testified about their concerns with the large volumes of water that Colorado Springs has in the past and new water that it’s planning to export from the Lower Arkansas Valley and the detrimental effect that this has on their communities’ economy and way of life.  On Colorado Springs Utilities’ second vote, the annexation failed on a 5-4 vote.  At the meeting, Goble shared a video, created by Blake Osborn, that showed the testimonies of the Lower Ark Valley attendees at the second meeting and a video clip of the City Colorado Springs Councilman Dave Donelson’s TV news interview the following day noting the reason for switching his vote was primarily because of the testimonies provided by the Lower Ark Valley attendees.