The National Forest Service is considering the relocation of the Heeney Marina to the Cow Creek Campground on the opposite side of Green Mountain Reservoir from the town of Heeney.
Such a relocation could negatively impact the town of Heeney and its residents in several ways:
- Boat ownership and lake access are important components to the quality of life for many Heeney residents. Moving the marina away from the population center would mean that many residents would have to drive several extra miles to access and use their boats docked at the marina.
- Security is also a concern. The boats that are kept at the marina and the equipment on them are valuable and moving the marina alongside Rt. 9 could increase the risk of vandalism and theft.
- In addition to the marina itself, the proposed expansion of the Cow Creek campground and added lighting would create an increase in the noise and light pollution that the residents of Heeney would be exposed to from the other side of the lake.
- Restaurant, retail, and lodging businesses of Heeney could be negatively impacted by the closing of the present marina. These business are part of the character of Heeney and loosing them would be a loss to the town as a whole.
- Combined, all of the above could mean lower property values in Heeney and therefore a reduction in revenues generated from Summit County Real Estate property taxes.
Some improvements to the Cow Creek and other Heeney campgrounds may be appropriate to facilitate inspections for zebra mussels and to create more convenient lake access for non-Heeney residents. But not at the expense of the current Heeney marina or with added lighting at Cow Creek.
To voice your opposition to this proposal, please contact:
Scott Fitzwilliams - White River National Forest supervisor
Please also contact the elected officials which represent Summit County Colorado:
- Governor: Bill Ritter
- US Senators: Michael Bennett and Mark Udall
- US Rep : Jared Polis
- CO Senator : Dan Gibbs
- CO Rep : Christine Scanlan
- Summit County Commissioners: Bob French, Thomas Davidson, and Karn Stiegelmeier
Copyright 2010 - All rights reserved by Ted Amenta
Living in Summit County Colorado since 1992, Ted Amenta is a Summit County Real Estate Broker and a PSIA fully certified Breckenridge Ski School ski and snowboard instructor. Summit County Colorado includes Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Copper Mountain, Blue River, and Wildernest.
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