Time running out to vote on Karman Line annexation
Ballots are due at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Colorado Springs’ special election about the future of the Karman Line annexation, which has garnered more than $1 million in campaign money.
The Colorado Springs City Council voted in January to approve a “flagpole” road annexation to allow a new development east of the city. An opposition campaign successfully gathered enough signatures to place the issue up for voters to decide.
The ballot question, mailed out to city voters reads “Shall the voters approve Ordinance 25-16, concerning annexing that area known as Karman Line Addition No. 6 consisting of 1,876.24 acres located northwest of the Bradley Road and Curtis Road intersection into the City of Colorado Springs?”
A yes/For vote would be to keep the annexation going forward for the city and a no/Against vote would be to stop the annexation.
Karman Line proponents, including owners Norris Ranch Joint Ventures, say the development will add 6,500 needed single-family homes for Colorado Springs, some of which will support military families from Schriever Space Force Base. Opponents have argued the land is not a logical addition to the city and would strain the water infrastructure and public safety services.
Norris Ranch Joint Ventures has provided $550,000 to the committee Stand Against Monopolies to campaign in support of Karman Line, according to filings released Friday. Around $400,000 of the contribution had been spent on the campaign as of June 8. Campaign records show around $400,000 of the contributions have been spent on different mailers and ads, as of the June 8 filing deadline.
Citizens to Stop Illogical Growth, the committee that led the campaign to place the annexation on the ballot, received $470,000 in non-monetary support from the “dark money” Defend Colorado PAC while gathering and verifying signatures in February. The group received an additional $20,000 from Defend Colorado in May, according to campaign finance filings, along with more than a dozen smaller donations from individuals around Colorado Springs. Most of the opposition campaign money went to Cole Communications.
The next campaign filing deadline is not until July.
There were 56,800 ballots cast for the special election as of Friday morning. Preliminary election results will be released by the city Tuesday night.
