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Elbert County officials are taking a stand for community safety and sustainability, with a developer pledging $300K to support local needs amid critical land use discussions.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #EnvironmentalImpact
McCarthy commits $300K for community needs amid site development discussions
McCarthy pledges funding for community projects and addresses site development and emergency access.
citizenportal.ai
May 15, 2025 at 10:38 PM
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Elbert County is on the brink of a major land acquisition that could transform local accessibility and connectivity—are you ready to find out what’s at stake?

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #LandAcquisition #InfrastructureDevelopment
Local Group Moves to Acquire 80 Acres Behind County Road 53
Local entity plans to purchase property with easement to County Road 53 by month-end.
citizenportal.ai
August 8, 2025 at 1:04 AM
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Elbert County comes together in support of beloved community member Bob Weir following his serious injury, as prayers and unity take center stage at the latest commission meeting.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #LocalGovernance #CivicSupport
BOCC meeting opens with prayers for Bob Weir's recovery and agenda approval
BOCC meeting begins with prayers for Bob Weir after his emergency surgery.
citizenportal.ai
June 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
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Elbert County commissioners are shaking up planning language to tackle water and wildfire risks, aiming for clearer guidelines that could reshape future regulations!

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#ElbertCounty #CO #OpenSpacePolicy #CitizenPortal #WildfireRisk #WaterResources
Planning commission refines draft comprehensive-plan language on water, wildfire and open space
Commissioners compared alternate text and maps for water resources, wildfire risk and open-space policy; they asked for clearer map sourcing, softened prescriptive language (switching 'reinforce' to 'consider'), and scheduled follow-up work sessions before public review.
citizenportal.ai
August 7, 2026 at 12:08 AM
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Residents are raising alarms over potential wildlife impacts as developers promise wildlife-friendly solutions in Colorado's fragile sage-grouse habitat.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #EnvironmentalImpact
Developers say they coordinated with Colorado Parks and Wildlife but residents press wildlife and visual-impact concerns
Morning Sky Power said it has consulted Colorado Parks and Wildlife and plans wildlife-friendly fencing, corridors and CPW-recommended measures; residents raised concerns about sagebrush, sage-grouse habitat, fence height and visibility from homesteads and county roads.
citizenportal.ai
July 24, 2026 at 12:19 PM
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Local farmers are raising critical concerns about water use, erosion, and setbacks as developers promise to avoid tapping into local aquifers for a new project.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #SustainableDevelopment
Residents press developers on water use, erosion, setbacks and dust control
Farmers and residents asked whether the project will affect local aquifers, introduce noxious weeds, worsen wind erosion or change runoff patterns; developers said they will not drill new wells, will purchase commercial water for construction dust control, will follow stormwater pollution prevention permits and county setback rules (150 feet from non participating property lines).
citizenportal.ai
July 24, 2026 at 12:23 PM
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Elbert County is taking a bold step towards renewable energy by drafting new regulations for solar and battery storage, but the decisions made now could shape the landscape for years to come.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #LandUseRegulations #CitizenPortal #RenewableEnergy
Elbert County commissioners give staff direction on draft solar and battery rules, send red lines to planning commission
County staff were told to keep solar in agricultural zoning but consider allowing it in commercial and industrial districts, separate wind from solar, include battery storage in standards, and add setbacks (350 ft/1,000 ft noted), fencing and other supplemental standards; staff will draft red lines for the planning commission.
citizenportal.ai
July 19, 2026 at 9:26 PM
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Residents in Elbert County are raising alarms about mysterious traffic cameras popping up on roads, but officials assure they’re just for data collection—no privacy invasion here!

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#ElbertCounty #CO #DataTransparency #CitizenPortal #TrafficAssessment
Elbert County officials address resident concerns about traffic‑assessment cameras
Public Works director says camera boxes found on county roads were traffic‑assessment devices; vendor representatives said the systems collect counts and speeds, not facial recognition, and the county will adopt a notification policy. Residents had raised privacy concerns.
citizenportal.ai
September 14, 2026 at 8:22 PM
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Dozens of Elbert County residents are raising alarms over the Shepherd Solar project, demanding thorough environmental and cultural reviews to protect local wildlife and resources.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #EnvironmentalSustainability #CitizenPortal #CulturalResources
Residents press the commission on wildlife, water and cultural resources for Shepherd Solar
In public comment dozens of Elbert County residents urged greater study of wildlife habitat, wetlands, water runoff, cultural resources and decommissioning assurances before approving the Shepherd Solar project.
citizenportal.ai
September 5, 2026 at 5:56 AM
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The Shepherd Solar project promises to create hundreds of jobs and generate over $2 billion in tax revenue, all while prioritizing safety and environmental protection.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #JobCreation #EnvironmentalProtection
Applicant emphasizes tax revenue, jobs and safety systems as residents press risks
BayWa/Veil RE presented economic impact figures, local contributions and multiple safety measures for the Shepherd Solar project; residents and commissioners pressed for specifics on battery specs, insurance and emergency response.
citizenportal.ai
September 5, 2026 at 2:33 AM
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The Elbert County Planning Commission has voted to recommend denial of the controversial Shepherd Solar project, citing serious environmental and community concerns that could affect local residents.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #EnvironmentalImpact #PublicParticipation
Elbert County planning commission recommends denial of Shepherd Solar 1041 permit
After presentations and extensive public comment, the Elbert County Planning Commission voted 5–2 to recommend denial of the Shepherd Solar Major 1041 permit, citing unresolved natural-hazard and compatibility concerns and insufficient screening and mitigation.
citizenportal.ai
September 5, 2026 at 2:20 AM
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Misdemeanor filings in the 23rd Judicial District are down 2.72%, while felonies have plummeted nearly 10%—what could be driving these surprising trends?

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#ElbertCounty #CO #DataAnalysis #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #CriminalJustice
DA reports misdemeanor filings down and felonies down nearly 10% year to date
The district attorney reported year-to-date misdemeanor filings are down roughly 2.7% and felony filings down about 9.8%; the office is conducting charge-by-charge analysis to explain the trends.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 8:39 PM
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In a surprising twist, District Attorney George Brockler announced that the new Elbert County courtroom will be civil, slashing his office's staffing request for 2027.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #GovernmentOperations #JusticeSystem
DA trims 2027 prosecutor request after new county courtroom will be civil
District Attorney George Brockler told Elbert County commissioners the new county courtroom will be a civil courtroom, removing the need for two additional misdemeanor prosecutors and reducing the office's 2027 request.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 8:34 PM
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Elbert County's DA office is set to harness AI tools funded by forfeiture receipts to tackle an overwhelming 45,000 hours of video evidence, but human oversight remains crucial!

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #AIInnovation #CriminalJustice #DigitalEvidence
DA plans to use forfeiture funds and AI tools to help sift 45,000 hours of video evidence
The DA said last year's video evidence workload was about 45,000 hours; the office plans to use forfeiture funds and AI-assisted tools, with human oversight, to improve discovery processing.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 8:36 PM
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The DA reveals a staggering shortage of investigators, with just one for every five prosecutors, as they grapple with reviewing a jaw-dropping 45,000 hours of video evidence last year.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #AIInnovation #CriminalJustice #DigitalEvidence
DA seeks more investigators and a discovery technician to handle evidence and caseload
The DA told commissioners the office is undersupplied on investigators (about one investigator per five prosecutors) and needs a discovery technician to handle growing volumes of digital evidence, including body-worn camera video.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 8:38 PM
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Elbert County's DA reveals a staggering ratio of one investigator for every five prosecutors, struggling under the weight of overwhelming evidence and a call for urgent reforms.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #JudicialReform
DA says office needs more investigators and a discovery technician to avoid sanctions
The 23rd Judicial District told commissioners it has one investigator for every five prosecutors and is seeking additional investigative capacity and a discovery technician to address discovery-rule sanctions and the surge in bodycam/video evidence.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 6:59 AM
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Elbert County's DA is tackling a staggering backlog of video evidence, equating to 182 hours of footage daily, by testing cutting-edge AI tools to streamline human review.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #AITechnology #CitizenPortal #EvidenceManagement #CriminalJustice
DA explores AI tools to triage video evidence amid massive backlog
The 23rd Judicial District reported roughly 45,000 minutes of video assessed last year and described pilot use of AI-assisted tools to index and triage footage; DA staff emphasized that AI would augment but not replace human review.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 6:57 AM
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The DA revealed that the Special Victims Unit is handling 75% more cases than similar offices, and recent sting operations have led to a surprising increase in defendants.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #RuralSupport #CitizenPortal #InternetCrimes #PublicSafety
DA highlights special victims unit and ICAC task force successes; asks for fractional rural prosecutor support
The DA said the Special Victims Unit carries substantially higher workload than peer offices and that a new ICAC prosecutor has produced two stings and more defendants than anticipated; the office requested a 0.333 prosecutor to sustain operations in rural Lincoln County.
citizenportal.ai
September 1, 2026 at 6:58 AM
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Elbert County commissioners are pushing for tougher fire safety measures at battery storage sites, demanding explicit access standards and non-combustible materials to protect against potential disasters.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #EmergencyAccess #BatteryStorageSafety
Commission asks for stronger fire‑safety detail for battery storage sites
Commissioners asked staff to require non‑combustible surfacing in battery compound areas, confirm lock‑box access for fire responders, and tighten spacing and containment language for lithium battery units before transmitting rules to the BOCC.
citizenportal.ai
August 22, 2026 at 2:10 AM
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A bold new plan is on the table for 1,100 acres in Spring Valley, promising 633 homes and a major financial commitment—will it transform the community?

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #GovernanceTransitions #PublicImprovement
Planning commission backs Spring Valley consolidated service plan, asks for clearer governance transition language
The commission recommended approval of a consolidated service plan for five Spring Valley metro districts covering about 1,100 acres and financing public improvements; commissioners asked the applicant to consider adding language clarifying the developer-to-resident governance transition.
citizenportal.ai
August 6, 2026 at 10:47 PM
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Elbert County commissioners are crafting a comprehensive plan that balances wildfire risk management and water resource policies, aiming for actionable guidance that empowers residents.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #WildfireResiliency #CitizenPortal #WildlifeHabitat #WaterResources
Planning commission completes large working session on comprehensive‑plan chapters for water, wildfire and habitat
Commissioners and staff worked line‑by‑line through draft chapters of the county comprehensive plan, choosing consultant language in some sections and alternate wording in others, agreeing to source wildfire maps and to schedule public review of the revised draft in the October cycle.
citizenportal.ai
August 5, 2026 at 7:29 PM
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Elbert County's Planning Commission has given the green light for a massive development project, urging clarity on when residents will take over from the developers.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #ResidentGovernance #InfrastructureDevelopment #PublicFinance
Planning commission backs Ridge at Spring Valley service plan, urges language on developer‑to‑resident transition
The commission recommended approval of a consolidated service plan for five Spring Valley metro districts covering roughly 1,100 acres, noting an aggregate authorized debt limit of $128.8 million and estimated improvement costs near $134 million; commissioners asked the applicant to add language clarifying transition from developer control to resident governance.
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August 5, 2026 at 7:06 PM
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Residents express frustration over inadequate communication and looming land-use impacts as developers face scrutiny about decommissioning plans and compensation.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #TransparencyInDevelopment #CitizenPortal #PropertyRights
Landowners and nearby residents push for clearer outreach, compensation details and visible decommissioning plan
Several nearby landowners told Morning Sky Power they received little direct outreach, questioned compensation and asked for the decommissioning plan; developers said some parcels are leased to other projects, acknowledged outreach oversights and said decommissioning plans are part of the public permit application.
citizenportal.ai
July 24, 2026 at 12:20 PM
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Developers in Elbert County are unveiling a cutting-edge battery energy storage system designed with advanced safety features, including remote monitoring and a massive firefighting cistern.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #RemoteMonitoring #EnergyStorage
Developers outline battery safety, remote monitoring and a 30,000-gallon firefighting cistern
Morning Sky Power said the project’s battery energy storage system will use lithium-ion technology, will be remotely monitored and that the company is coordinating with Big Sandy Fire Department and will provide a 30,000-gallon cistern and a fire response plan.
citizenportal.ai
July 24, 2026 at 12:17 PM
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Residents are demanding guarantees that the promised tax revenue from a new solar project will actually benefit their communities, amidst concerns of unfulfilled past promises.

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#ElbertCounty #CO #CitizenPortal #TaxBenefits #LocalTrust
Residents press developer for guarantees that tax revenue will help Matheson area
At a community meeting in Elbert County, residents asked whether the projected annual property-tax revenues (developer estimated about $1,000,000) and construction sales taxes would flow to southern communities; developers said estimates were prepared with an economist but cannot promise how the county will allocate revenue.
citizenportal.ai
July 24, 2026 at 12:18 PM