Not so Fast. The Fight Against a New Colorado Springs Annexation Continues

Two weeks ago, four Lower Ark Valley farmers—Jared Gardner, Alan Franz, Chris Tomky, and Ryan Hemphill—along with Dr. Bartolo and Jack Goble, joined many others from El Paso County to testify against the Karman Line annexation before the Colorado Springs City Council. Watch their powerful testimonies here. This illogical and sprawling new development would annex 2,000 acres into city limits and add 6,500 new homes, equating to the permanent loss of approximately 3,000 acres of farmland. As irrigated farming is the backbone of our economy, this annexation represents another direct blow to our agricultural foundation.

While the City Council approved the annexation on January 28 by a 7-2 vote, citizens of El Paso County are not giving up—nor is the Lower Ark District. Our northern neighbors have launched an unprecedented effort to rescind the decision by taking it to the streets—literally. 

The group is working to gather nearly 19,000 signatures by Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. to either get the Council to reverse its decision or put the question on the ballot.