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Weiss: The plain truth about the Ruby Placer annexation (letter)

The town of Blue River will provide ballots for a special election regarding the Ruby Placer annexation. Many residents of Blue River have worked hard to give fellow residents a right to vote on the future on our town.

Our town trustees have worked hard at denying our right to vote with emergency annexation of Ruby Placer. Emergency ordinances do not allow a vote — hence, you have no voice on important matters.

Over 90 residents supported the petition, which forced the special election. Since Blue River was incorporated, there have been 23 emergency ordinances passed, 19 of those have been under the watch of Mayor Lindsey Backas.



No health, safety or disaster emergency exists in Blue River. There is plenty of money in reserve. This is a chance to collect taxes for no specific purpose at the expense of our life style and environment. The annexation (and approved high-density zoning over 18 of the 48 acres) was requested by the developer and offered as all or nothing. This project will impact our traffic, existing trailheads, reduce our water levels and impact our quality of life.

The citizens should decide what is right and wrong and whether our trustees have acted transparently in the best interests of residents. A “yes” vote on the annexation will allow high-density housing that is already approved. Multi-unit density flies in the face of objection from Summit County, Breckenridge and The Upper Joint Blue River Master Plan.



The board claims they have no commercial development plans, but they would like some potential commercial zoning, just in case. The developer has offered to delete commercial zoning, but the trustees consistently have insisted on incorporating this sore point. Is this governmental transparency?

The benefits that the developer are offering are attractive but not fully described. The community center will be built as a shell, the walking paths are local and you have to pass how many trail heads and miles of existing trails to get there? A bike path from Blue River to Breckenridge would be practical, but the proposal only involves the site itself. The bus stop would be good if Summit County opts to run service. These are expenses that Blue River could accommodate over time without impacting the headwaters of the Upper Blue Basin with a high density development.

When voting, please decide if annexation helps to preserve the reason you chose to live in Blue River and if this is a transparent government representing your best interests. Preserving our quiet town depends on a “no” vote. The interests of developers, condoning run-away government and the collection of unnecessary taxes should not be tolerated.

Let’s keep Blue River blue. Please vote “no” on Ruby Placer annexation.

Mitch Weiss

Blue River Action Committee


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