Published in the Times Call on 7/25/25
It is very short sighted to see the currently blighted east Longmont Distel property as simply an industrial zone. While significant remediation of this site is needed, it will remain an unsuitable site for compost, fire training and other city maintenance facilities.
Rock gravel and sand deposits desired by quarry companies occur as deposits of ancient river beds. They are thus generally near groundwater aquifers and modern day floodways. This property is located between the St Vrain River and Boulder Creek and close to their confluence. The Boulder County floodplain map, which extends out into Weld County (where this property is located), seems to indicate that at least part of this property is in the actual FEMA floodway. Extra effort would need to be made to isolate the compost piles such that, during processing, potential contaminants did not spread into the local environment. Contaminants could include microbiota, microplastics, heavy metals, persistent pesticides, herbicides and their potentially toxic breakdown products. The compost leachate could also be carriers of any unremediated pollutants from past industrial use of this property.
If the Distel property is properly restored, it can join our premium local open space portfolio along with Golden Ponds, Walden Pond and Pella Crossing, which were originally quarries and are now highly regarded assets for both wildlife and human activities.
Of special concern is the difficulty many such facilities are having in keeping inappropriate materials out of the compost stream and then in distributing the finished compost. For example, online reports indicate that Chula Vista, California, one of the places visited by Longmont officials and touted as a shining example of composting, is not able to distribute the bulk of the compost materials produced.
Composting is a great idea, but one that requires much careful planning.
Gaythia Weis, Longmont
