Current Status: october 2025
For additional information or to leave a message: frcneighborhoods@gmail.com
Our MISSION 
The mission of the nonprofit group, Friends of Ralston Creek Neighborhoods, is to support environmentally responsible re-development of a closed landfill adjacent to Ralston Creek and Croke Canal.
We wisely work towards that goal with research, by reviewing existing models of landfill reuse, and with neighbor advocacy.
A Public Hearing was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2021
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- The purpose of the Hearing was to reopen an application to align language in the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. These City Governing Documents direct decisions affecting City function.
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- City Council voted 7-0 to overturn their previous decision in November 2024. The decision allows the developer to proceed with a 4th Submittal of a revised Site Plan for a proposed storage lot for 355 RVs.
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- Current Research and Narratives pertaining to Public Hearing
Why are Ralston Trail users concerned about the proposed RV storage lot?
- Since 2021, neighbors from local communities—Forest Springs, GEOS, Westwoods Mesa, and the Ralston Valley Coalition engaged in research demonstrating the concerns of unstable subsurface area, load bearing capacity of decaying garbage, proximity to water, and many other items
- We want to:
- protect the waters of Ralston Creek and Croke Canal and wildlife habitat
- extend the viability of resourceful and user friendly development of Ralston Creek Trail as demonstrated by the Golf Course Stream Restoration and the Colorado Tap House
- encourage environmentally responsible redevelopment of the closed unregulated “dump”
What can YOU do?
- Share this link with friends and acquaintances who use the Ralston Trail
- Neighbors are involved in a “grass roots” project
- We look to neighbors from nearby and further away communities to support our efforts to preserve the natural setting of the Ralston Creek area and investigate possible commercial development on the area that provides a destination for Trail users. A storage lot for RV’s will make 355 owners happy. Our goal is to offer alternate development suggestions that will encourage many more citizens who use the Ralston Trail —to smile!
- Starting at the redesign of stream management at the delightful area near West Woods Golf Course, the Trail offers a peaceful walk; there are opportunities for economic development such as the Colorado Tap House, possibly a future ice cream shoppe at Geos, and the soon to be built mixed use community, “The Creek”. The area offers opportunity for destinations for casual dining, small shops, or just a chance to “get away.” The area in question is a 14 acre closed, unregulated landfill (dump by EPA definition). Neighbors are concerned about negative impacts of the challenges of an unregulated landfill so close to Ralston Creek and Croke Canal.
Recent Research
- Comments
- Send to Julia Duncan, City Planner JDuncan@arvada.org
Aerial view of proposed RV storage lot
Proposed RV storage site is large gray-brown land in center of photo
Legal defense of the Ralston Creek and Trail comes at a cost.
Please contribute whatever you can afford.
Location of Proposed RV storage lot is 14 acre closed landfill directly across from this Ralston Creek site
NEWS UPDATES
Unanswered Concerns:
- Plan submitted for proposed RV storage lot does not have provisions for “gray and black” waste disposal. Will some RV owners dump contents on site which could affect ground water and Ralston Creek water?
- No on site service stations for RV owners.
- Is there room for a Fire Truck/Engine to navigate storage lot roads in case of fire?
- What type of lighting will be installed: blue (cool) or yellow/red (warm)?
- Will there be a privacy fence around entire property including area facing Ralston Creek and the GEOS community?
- Most homeowners nationwide are aware of an increase in home insurance. Might the use of an unregulated landfill with a large methane plume be considered a hazard and affect homeowner insurance rates in close by residential areas? Research was presented at June 3rd City Council meeting.
- Most area RV storage lots are located in non-residential areas. Is this proposed storage lot compatible with GEOS, Forest Springs, and West Woods residential communities as well as many trail users who use the Ralston Creek area for recreation?
- How does proposed RV storage plan address concerns mentioned in historical and recent Geotechnical reports? Three Geotechnical Reports
Yellow 40 RV parking areas located close to Ralston Creek and Ralston Trail
Blue Ralston Creek
Green Ralston Creek Trail
Application Process
November 30, 2023 Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) issues approval for Voluntary Clean Up (VCUP) of site
March 4, 2024 Developer submitted 1st Application for proposed RV storage lot
March 6, 2024 City Planning Manager notifies client that application was accepted with the following steps:
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- Application is place on review track requiring a Public Hearing
- Planning Staff–responsible to review/approve the site plan and (2) minor subdivision
- Planning Commission & City Council–responsible to review Comprehensive Plan Amendment
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April 8, 2024 1st Staff Review Comments requested more information from the Developer
June 24, 2024 Developer submitted 2nd Application update
July 27, 2024 2nd Staff Review Comments July 24, 2024–await 3rd Application update
September 2, 2924 notices mailed to residences within 1500 feet of proposed project
public notice signs posted at landfill site
September 17, 2024 Public Hearing with City Planning Commission
November 4, 2024 Public Hearing with Arvada City Council Members
March 17, 2025 Developer submitted 3rd Application update
April 15, 2025 3rd Staff Review Comments
August 28, 2025 Arvada City Council Business Meeting Tuesday September 2, 2025 6 pm
#9 Agenda Item: A Motion to Waive the Minimum Interval Requirement and Accept an Application to Amend the Comprehensive Plan for the Property located at 6800 Kilmer Street.
Letter to CC post 9.2.2005 Meeting
October 6, 2025 Notice of Meeting sent to residents in Neighborhoods within 1000 feet of 6800 Kilmer St by Norris Designs representing the developer Chelton LLC and signs posted on property
October 21, 2025 Public Hearing City Council Chambers Arvada City Hall 6 pm
NOTE: Exchange of Client Plan submittal responses and City Staff reviews continue until requirements established by the City’s Land Development Code are satisfied
What scene do you want to see from Ralston Creek Trail?
Environmentally responsible redevelopment? or This example of Commercial redevelopment?
DOCUMENT LIBRARY 2024
Exhibits
A Ralston Creek at Croke #2 RCT Mitigation/Beautification Work Zone
C Investigation of Exposed Landfill near forest springs landfill 64th and Indiana-post 2013 flood
contents of unregulated landfill seen from Creek slope breached by flooded Ralston
D 2014 Ralston Creek Bank repair
E Potential lighting effect for residences in FS_GEOS
F Possible Subsidence Example
G RV Damaged by Fire–next to Storage Facility on Indiana
H Photo of rv site on water1 (1)
I ATS RV Park.5650 W 60th.jmap
J Ridge Valley Storage.5300 Gray Ct. jmap
K DoDo’s RV Storage_6325 W. 56th Ave.jm
L Document Library 2023: https://www.frcneighborhoods.org/document-library/
Client Application Documents
Application
2nd City Staff Review_Comments July 27, 2024
Client Application-2nd Submittal of Plan June 21, 2024
1st City Staff Review Comments-4 (1)April 8, 2024
Client Request Comprehensive Plan Amendment-2024
Clients Application-1st Submittal of Plan
https://arvadapermits.org/eTRAKiT3/viewAttachment.aspx?
Group=PROJECT&ActivityNo=DA2024-0016&key=HVG%3a2403061241411255
Preapplication
Arvada Development Application Checklist (1)
PA2023-0055 Infrastructure Maps
Arvada RV Storage Concept Plan
Arvada RV Storage Project Overview Letter (4)
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Voluntary Cleanup (VCUP)
CDPHERM HAZ VCP – VCUP Approval (2)
CDPHERM HAZ VCP – VCUP Application (2)
The closed landfill does not have to adhere to the design of a modern landfill as illustrated above. Refer to Research: CDPHE Summary
The RV storage lot is a proposed redevelopment of an unregulated landfill closed prior to Federal legislation: 1976 Resource, Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA) and 1980 Comprehensive Emergency Response, Compensated & Liability Act (CERCLA). Because the landfill closed prior to RCRA and CERCLA, redevelopment of the landfill does not have to comply with environmental language in current Federal law.
Communication
Attorney Letter March 2024 2024.03.22 – FRCN Opposition Letter (5378562) (1) (1)
Final Public comment Response 11-10-2023 (1) (2)
Attorney Letter April 6, 2022-re-Golden-RV-Storage-Park–4.2022 (1)
Research
Kilmer Streambank Memo – Preliminary (2)
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) (1)Summary
Public Comments September 17, 2024
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- Public Planning Commission Meeting Comments on September 17, 2024
- Public Planning Commission Meeting Comments on September 17, 2024
- Public Planning Commission Meeting Comments on September 17, 2024
- Public Planning Commission Meeting Comments on September 17, 2024
- Public Planning Commission Meeting Comments on September 17, 2024 (1)
- Public Comments on RV Storage at City Council Meeting on 07.15.24
- Public Comments_Fire Hazards at City Council Meeting on 07.15.24
Insurance Presentation at City Council Meeting on June 3, 2024
Letter to Colorado Sun Editor– Erik Mathys June 2024
3 RV Lots South of 60th and East of Lamar.jmap
14-112094SR_exposed landfill near Forest Springs landfill 64th and Indiana
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