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I am writing to support the proposed Somerset Village, an affordable and attainable community on Airport Road just north of Highway 119.
I have lived for over 16 years and worked for 30 years in Longmont. I love many things about this community; especially its housing diversity and relative affordability, the integration of the open space, vista’s, and the trail system are all top of my list. My family has lived approximately a ½-mile from the Somerset Village project for the past 16 years. I served on the Longmont Housing Task Force for two years and eventually moved into a board role and ended as the chair of the Longmont Housing Authority and while serving, lead the development and construction of the Fall River Project. The issue of housing has only become more critical. With that as my background and perspective, I support Somerset because it provides an opportunity for many of our grown kids, parents, and employees to return or to live in Longmont.
As a nearby neighbor, I believe this is additive to our area neighborhood as this project fills many long times needs of the community further diversifying the community housing stock and introducing 80+ new attainable housing units, meeting a critical market shortfall. The project also creates a variety of housing opportunities given the variety of sizes and types of modern energy-efficient leading-edge products striving to meet Longmont’s Envision Longmont Goals.
When a community encourages a multi-generational family mindset providing opportunities for its residents to live and work where they live (rather than commuting), it strengthens our community. Providing housing that is affordable and attainable to a broad range of residents is the beginning of promoting Longmont to be that community.
Please remove without conditions the restrictions and allow the property to be annexed and developed within the City of Longmont.
Respectfully,
Wendell Gene Pickett
