By Will Cornelius
The Surveyor

Approval for a 45-unit development west of Berthoud was postponed until April during a meeting of the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners on Monday. The 241-acre property, formerly farmed by the Lemmon family, proposed for development is located at the southeast corner of County Road 4 and 21 and includes a portion of the Little Thompson River.

The Lemmon Family Trust Conservation Development brought the preliminary plat request with a plan to call the development ‘River at Overland Crossing.’ The proposed development is located west of the Town of Berthoud’s municipal limits in unincorporated Larimer County, making the county responsible for the planning and development process. Berthoud Fire and sewer services would cover the proposed development though.

The county’s planning commission unanimously approved the request on Feb. 21. The proposed development would feature 45 single-family residential lots clustered in the middle of the property, south of the Little Thompson River.
Most of the development will be designated no-build areas to meet land use guidelines for the area, particularly near the two county roads and the river. The anticipated residential area will be 104.5 acres, with each home on a lot roughly two acres in size.

After the county staff gave a quick presentation and recommended approval of the preliminary plat, Alex Hoime of HT Land Partners gave a presentation on behalf of the applicants.

Over a dozen people spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, with an even mix of those in support and opposition to the development. Concerns focused on increased traffic in the area, water availability and concerns regarding the Little Thompson River. The proximity of proposed residential housing to the floodplain and preserving local wildlife were the chief environmental worries.

During the 2013 floods, the farm was submerged under flood water and silt from the Little Thompson River. A few people during public comment brought this up as a challenge for any possible residential development.

“I feel like I need more time to process everything we heard tonight,” Commissioner John Kefalas said after public comment. After conversing with his fellow commissioners, the board unanimously decided to continue the hearing until April 8.