An RV park in Sheridan that has accommodated low-cost housing for many years will near make manner for a brand new condominium complicated, leaving dozens of residents on the lookout for new locations as Colorado stays quick on inexpensive housing and such alternate options as cell dwelling communities.
The Sheridan Metropolis Council in November authorized rezoning the 16-acre Flying Saucer RV Park on the intersection of West Hampden Avenue and South Bryant Avenue. Indiana-based Garrett Corporations will submit plans to the town for a seven-building, 362-unit complicated, changing the 162 spots for leisure autos and tiny houses.
Garrett and the household that has owned the property for 75 years are anticipated to shut the deal by the top of June. Residents should transfer out by then.
The developer and the household haven’t disclosed the monetary phrases.
Anne Whipple, a part of the fourth technology of the household to run the enterprise, instructed Sheridan council members that the choice to promote the property wasn’t made calmly. She learn a press release saying the household struggled with ending its legacy of “offering a secure, quiet neighborhood for tenants that the Metropolis of Sheridan has come to know.”
However Whipple mentioned the time, value and vitality to maintain the park going are unsustainable. The park’s proprietor, 94-year-old Lucille Tourney, desires “to launch her household from this burden,” she added.
After studying final summer season that the location was on the market and being eyed for brand spanking new growth, Steve Ohlfest began an internet site to rally assist for saving Flying Saucer. Ohlfest, a 21-year park resident, urged individuals to prove for public conferences on the mission. He even contacted space cell dwelling park house owners to gauge their curiosity within the property.
Now, Ohlfest and his spouse, Tina, aren’t certain the place their subsequent dwelling shall be. Only a handful of RV parks in metro Denver permit year-round dwelling and their charges are typically increased. The Ohlfests are sixteenth on a ready record for a spot in Loveland the place they may transfer their tiny dwelling. A Woodland Park web site that caters to tiny houses hasn’t had anybody depart in 5 years.
A neighborhood in Montrose that accepts tiny houses is a chance for them. They count on to pay 1000’s of {dollars} to haul their 26,000-pound dwelling and different belongings to the Western Slope in the event that they transfer there.
“What are our different choices? We will’t afford a home in Denver,” Ohlfest mentioned.
Garrett Corporations mentioned it can rent a marketing consultant to work with particular person Flying Saucer residents who need assistance shifting their leisure autos, discovering a spot to reside or making use of for housing and social companies. The corporate mentioned in December that residents ought to hear from the marketing consultant after the primary of the yr.
“The intent is to do proper by individuals, notably individuals of lesser means and people who find themselves older,” mentioned Cary Brazeman, a spokesman for Garrett.
Meredith Lengthy has rented a spot at Flying Saucer for 3 years, dwelling in a journey trailer a part of the yr and shifting it to Steamboat Springs the place she runs a enterprise in the course of the winter. Lengthy mentioned park residents embrace individuals who journey forwards and backwards from different houses, retirees and disabled veterans who’ve lived there for a number of years.
A number of have turned the park that runs alongside Bear Creek and has tree-lined roads into long-term houses with fenced yards and outside decks.
“They stored making an attempt to say it’s non permanent housing and by no means meant to be everlasting, however that’s not how they operated it,” Lengthy mentioned of the park’s house owners.
The room was packed for an October Sheridan planning fee assembly on the mission, Lengthy mentioned. After the planning fee really helpful that the town council approve the rezoning, she mentioned turnout for the conferences dropped as a result of individuals felt defeated.
“For me it’s simply been the method that’s been essentially the most irritating, with the shortage of communication and transparency from the town of Sheridan,” Lengthy mentioned.
The park house owners haven’t stored residents knowledgeable both, she added. Individuals are uneasy after a few tenants have been served eviction notices in the previous few months, Lengthy mentioned.
Whipple, the onsite supervisor at Flying Saucer, declined to speak to JHB about Lengthy’s issues. She instructed the town council within the November assembly that 40 of the park’s spots have been vacant.
“There have been a number of individuals who have left with out paying lease, leaving us with vital bills,” Whipple mentioned.
Metropolis officers mentioned they’ve stored in contact with Flying Saucer residents whereas contemplating the event plans. The town held a neighborhood assembly in June on the proposed rezoning. Notices of the planning fee and metropolis council conferences have been despatched to property house owners and residents inside 300 ft of the RV park, together with the person RV spots.
Discover was printed within the Littleton Impartial newspaper and indicators in English and Spanish have been posted on the property, based on the town.
Dwelling candy dwelling?
Sheridan Group Improvement Director Andrew Rogge mentioned the Garrett Corporations’ rezoning software met metropolis standards and was in keeping with the targets of the town’s complete plan. He mentioned rezoning the property from enterprise/gentle industrial to deliberate unit growth will make the location extra appropriate with surrounding properties, which embrace the River Level at Sheridan buying middle.
And Rogge famous {that a} 2025 housing wants evaluation confirmed Sheridan is wanting 309 items and can want 409 extra items over the subsequent 10 years.
Rents for the residences that may substitute the RV park shall be market-rate. Rogge mentioned in an e mail that Sheridan doesn’t have an ordinance requiring the developer to construct a sure variety of inexpensive housing items.
Nevertheless, metropolis officers mentioned two inexpensive housing initiatives have been just lately authorized. One growth will add 149 condominium items. A Habitat for Humanity mission will add 63 single-family houses.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2024 that Sheridan’s median family revenue was $58,571 and the poverty charge was 13.5%. The statewide median family revenue was $97,113 and the poverty charge was 9.6%.
A Garrett consultant mentioned in the course of the June neighborhood assembly that rents for its residences would seemingly vary from $1,600 to $2,600.
“I couldn’t afford your condominium and I make good cash,” Councilman Ernie Camacho.instructed Garrett representatives in the course of the council assembly.
Camacho, the lone vote in opposition to rezoning the RV park, voiced assist for extra single-family houses moderately than residences.
The council members who favored rezoning mentioned they cared concerning the destiny of the RV park’s residents, however revered the proprietor’s proper to promote the property. In addition they mentioned the restricted phrases of the leases underscored that the park wasn’t meant to be a everlasting dwelling.
Whipple mentioned when the household determined in 2024 to place the property available on the market, they let new tenants know the leases can be capped at six months. Earlier than then, leases have been month to month however didn’t have a most time period.
Daybreak Shepherd of Littleton urged the town council to reject the rezoning software. The previous director of the Englewood Housing Authority mentioned Sheridan has sometimes tried to offer housing for lower-income residents.
“I really feel like they didn’t have an excellent selection on this case,” Shepherd mentioned.
She’s skeptical about how a lot Garrett’s marketing consultant can do for residents. “It sounds good, that they’re going to get a home specialist to assist them.”
However related choices don’t exist, she mentioned.
Shepherd believes Ohlfest, a fellow Englewood Rotary Membership member, and his spouse will land on their ft. She’s not as optimistic about others on the Flying Saucer park. She worries they’ll must resort to parking their RVs on metropolis streets or in Walmart parking tons.
“That’s not dwelling,” Shepherd mentioned. “That’s not having a spot to go.”