The Fremont County Board of Commissioners has approved a Commercial Development Plan by two Fountain businessmen to relocate their auto graveyard and classic car showroom to Fremont County. Michael DeVriendt and Richard Murr have to move their Pikes Peak Motor Company (PPMC) operation from its site along Interstate 25 at Fountain by the first of the year to allow CDOT to rebuild the Fountain I-25 interchange. PPMC has been busy preparing the former Loader Construction industrial site along Highway 50 west of Penrose to house their business.
Installation of eight-foot concrete walls have already begun around the auto storage yard where up to 2,000 cars could be stored for dismantling and the buying and selling of parts. DeVriendt says some of the cars will eventually be crushed and hauled off for salvage while other classic cars will be restored and sold from a new showroom on site.
Murr told the Commissioners during a November 12th public hearing that they expect to bring in about 100 cars a month when they get into full operation. He estimated the opening should take place sometime next spring. Murr said they expect to hire 6-10 employees locally.
Commissioners Debbie Bell and Ed Norden said their primary concerns deal with dust that will be stirred up on site after the auto storage yard has been stripped of vegetation. Murr said PPMC will take whatever steps are necessary to control dust on site. He said initially they plan to gravel the driveways on the interior of the storage yard and then consider the temporary use of water or a more permanent application of dust suppressant if that becomes necessary.
No one came forth during the public hearing on the development plan to speak against it. Allan Tormohlen of Canon National Bank spoke in favor of PPMC’s plan to develop the property indicating it would provide some positive economic and retail business development in Fremont County.
At the November 12th meeting the Board of Commissioners also voted to waive the requirement of an Annexation Impact Report by the City of Florence for the planned annexation of property along Highway 67 north of Florence. Florence continues to pursue the plan to annex properties north towards Highway 50 and 67 so they might provide water for any future business development in that area as well as positioning itself to collect property and sales taxes from any development.
In other action at the November 12th board meeting the Commissioners:
- Approved an oil and gas lease on 1.8 acres of county land along a county road right of way south of Florence to Incremental Oil and Gas;
- Approved the appointment of Betsy Denney of Cotopaxi to the Fremont County Heritage Commission;
- Approved a Special Review Use Permit for AT &T to erect a wireless cell tower on property owned by Mike and Denise Tezak along Highway 50 west of Texas Creek. The same site was permitted for a cell tower three years ago but the permit expired before a tower was ever built;
- Approved a zone change for John & Gail McDermott on 2.2 acres of property along Pisgah Lane in Lincoln Park. The change from Ag Suburban Zone to Low Density Residential Zone will allow the McDermotts to split off two new lots from their property for residential development;
- Adopted a proclamation for Fremont County Adoption Day to be observed November 21st;
- Scheduled a public hearing on the proposed 2014 Fremont County Budget for the November 26th board meeting at 10 a.m.