To highlight a few important recent developments, we have placed those in yellow squares.
Approx. 2016: New (current) fencing put in.
March 2022: Letters of the fence-ditch project via letters to the 44 residents (< .002% of CMWC shareholders) who live adjacent to Maple Grove. These letters from project manager Jarod Roberts promised future meeting, which was also promised in in-person conversations. This meeting is never organized.
March 4, 2022: 1st letter written by CMWC
- Commitment to being good neighbors and to have good communication
March 30th, 2022: 2nd letter written by CMWC
- Statement that fencing will be the same and possibly reuse the fence (note: despite the permit being for a different fence height than the currency fence).
- Explanation that everything is still in planning stage and that timeline and details will be shared as planning progresses.
March 2022: 2022 report distributed by CMWC without any mentioning of this project for major ditch lining and fence relocation.
September 2022: 3rd letter written by CMWC
- No meeting is mentioned at this time. The letter stated that the work is beginning.
October 2022: Meeting hosted by neighbors to have CMWC present project.
Because of the letter and the construction suddenly starting, neighbors take the initiative to coordinate a meeting with CMWC. They invite others via NextDoor and via hand-delivered flyers to those neighbors lining the reservoir.
- Jarod Roberts explained that the ditch will be lined on one side but not higher than it currently is and then the fence will be moved to the outer banks. This is to prepare for a reservoir enlargement project, he says, to occur in 8-10 years.
- What was said in the meeting was documented and recorded. However, Jarod Roberts later asked that some comments be altered or deleted from the minutes.
- Jarod said this is an executive decision. He discouraged any communication with Rocky Mountain Ditch or anyone else.
- Another meeting in December was promised (note: then never held).
October 2022: Ditch project started.
November 2022: Many 50+ year old trees were removed including many outside the outer ditch. The removed trees include those with nesting eagles and hawks. Ditch excavated on both sides. Concrete walls installation on NW side of ditch started. Instead of the 6’ promised concrete lining, new concrete poured up to 8’ in spots with earth built up to make it larger.
Then in March 2023, when Colorado Fish & Wildlife Resident Agent in Charge, Lizz Darling, followed up with CMWC about the concern for nesting habitats, Jarod denied any disturbance of eagle habitats.
December 2022:
- Neighbor reached out to Rocky Mountain Ditch Company (RMDC) to inquire. RMDC said that they had no knowledge of this project at all.
- Fence excavation in one neighbor’s backyard imposed upon personal property; no notice given and this was done leaving dangerous hazards in the person’s yard.
December 17, 2022 – Opposition flyer delivered to MGR neighbors
December 2022 – Cease and desist enacted by Rocky Mountain Ditch Company who stated that they had no knowledge of the project and did not approve the ditch lining project.
December 27, 2022 – City of Lakewood received fence permit request from CMWC.
January 6, 2023 – City of Lakewood issued CMWC fence permit.
January 14, 2023 – Letter sent by neighbor to notify Lakewood city leaders. Neighbors gathered to discuss action items: creating a website, attend City Council meeting; continue to contact local media.
January 21, 2023 – CMWC Jarod Roberts emailed many neighbors and this website to explain that CMWC is helping wildlife flourish and discusses his concern about a safety incident that happened after the fencing was removed.
Large amounts of new information found on the CMWC website without transparency that it is, in fact, new. The information itself suggests there are no environmental or neighborhood concerns with CMWC’s actions:
“We’ve accomplished mutually beneficial and customized outcomes with adjacent neighbors through collaboration. The results will preserve existing views and, coupled with future beautification projects, support MGR’s beauty and neighborhood property values. We have achieved mutually beneficial results by respecting and creating partnerships with our adjacent neighbors.“
Note: This is untrue, as supported by the lack of any coordination of a meeting by CMWC, the self-admitted lack of communication and notification by Jarod Roberts, and the tone taken by CMWC.
“Further, our MGR is a haven and home to a wide range of wildlife. Frequent wildlife visitors and permanent residents include Bald Eagles, Red Tail and Swainson’s Hawks, Canadian Geese, Blue Herron (sic), ducks, dear, Snowy Egrets, Crows, Magpies, foxes, and coyotes.”
Note: Despite this statement, many of these animals have already been and will continue to be negatively impacted by CMWC’s mismanagement of this project. No changes to the fence construction have been announced to preserve this “haven.”January 16, 2023 – A neighbor created and placed yard signs along primarily public property to notify people of the fence.
January 17, 2023 – Yards signs removed by CMWC Jarod Roberts and his colleagues; this included signage placed on private property.
When a neighbor asked Jarod for the signs that Jarod had put into his pickup truck, Jarod said not to trespass onto his personal property.January 18, 2023 – This website, consolidatedneighbors.org, went live.
January 23, 2023 –
City of Lakewood called a resident today about moving forward with a mediation process via a service the City of Lakewood provides residents.
Community members (one using time on behalf of multiple additional neighbors) spoke at the City of Lakewood City Council meeting.
January 26, 2023 – CMWC stated that they will not mediate regarding the fence, that the fence is happening, and that that plan of action will not change. They also refuse to have any CMWC representative for dialogue aside from Jarod Roberts. Board members and other employees remain unresponsive. When asked about this, Jarod explained that he thought that the fence would improve conditions for wildlife, despite Colorado Parks and Wildlife saying otherwise.
February 8, 2023
In the NE part of the reservoir, CMWC completes unauthorized filling of the ditch and changes the grade. This is presumably being done to heighten the base of the fence.
- CMWC crosses over public right of way and deposited approximately 100-150 cubic yards (10 large truck loads) of unspecified soil, apparently commingled with asphalt, into the Rocky Mountain Ditch water corridor and onto the City of Lakewood property near the 23rd Ave. and Ward Rd.
- CMWC reshaped the entirety of Lakewood’s pedestrian right-of-way (“ROW”) alongside Ward Road, immediately west of CMWC’s access bridge. In so doing, CMWC added over two feet of elevation to a large swath of the city property, as CMWC seemingly attempts to create a new, much-raised elevation for its shared CMWC/Lakewood property line and new proposed fence line.
- CMWC also intentionally deposited a majority of material down into the ditch, completely reforming the outer bank of RMD. The previously gradual, (approximately 30 degree) ditch bank of RMD, was formed into a steep slope approaching 60 degrees, and the bank is now formed from partially compacted, unspecified material.
- At 2p.m., a concerned resident contacted City of Lakewood to notify them of this project. City Construction Coordinator, John Anderson, met the resident at the site. While waiting for Mr. Anderson to arrive, the resident also talked with City Engineer Keith Hensel.
- By approximately 5p.m. at the site, Mr. Anderson issued a verbal “stop work” order to CMWC.
February 9, 2023
- The new “dirt” material has started to crumble into ditch water less than a day after being placed there.
- Large meeting to be held this day between the City of Lakewood and Consolidated Mutual (CMWC).
- City of Lakewood sent a letter to CMWC written by Keith Hensel. This letter is not only specific to CMWC’s 2/8/23’s infraction, but it offers a larger picture.
End of April 2023
CWMC commences removal of the illegally placed materials from the City Right of Way (from February 8th).
End of April 2023
CMWC employee places and adjusts a “spy camera” on private property (2339 Ward Dr.). In the photo on the left, you can see the camera strapped to a tree that is on a resident’s property. The photo on the right shows the CMWC employee during the placement of the camera.
End of April 2023
Due to the fact that ~900′ of the concrete retaining wall by constructed in late 2022 was never permitted or properly engineered per the City of Lakewood, RMWC will need to bypass pump their ditch water for ~1,200′ in the area of this wall for the ENTIRE summer. In addition to extra infrastructure RMWC has had to install, these pumping costs (rental, fuel, etc.) will likely cost around $100,000 per month.
April 30, 2023
Stealth camera moved to ditch area near 23rd/Ward after private landowner told CMWC they were trespassing on private property with the previous placement.
Early May 2023
Here are current pictures of the fence. There are many instances where there are large gaps (12+ inches) beneath the fence.
May 4, 2023
RMD releases ditch water.
Last updated 5.6.2023 at 11p.m. Mtn
consolidatedneighbors.org 