Published in the Times Call on July 31, 2025
I have been recycling and composting for many decades. I am firmly in favor of a community-based composting facility, but the proposed Distel-Tull property swap is not the right location for one.
Swapping open space land in this manner sets a very bad precedent. As a member of the public whose taxes help pay for open space purchases, I would consider such a land swap to be a huge violation of my trust!
Bald eagles nest along the confluence of St. Vrain and Boulder creeks, just west of the proposed composting site. The area is also a winter roosting spot for both bald and golden eagles, and it provides rare wintertime open water feeding grounds for migratory waterfowl, including trumpeter and tundra swans and many species of ducks. The presence of a big composting operation nearby would be disruptive to these birds and other wildlife.
Then, there is the risk of flooding. Years ago, my son’s Boy Scout troop planned a weekend camping trip close to the Distell and Tull properties. The boys packed up their gear, excited about a big group camp. This was July, monsoon season. On first morning of this camping trip, there were three funnel clouds over Longmont. We parents got an emergency call that we needed to go pick up our kids. Everyone woke up with 2 inches of water in their tents!
It was just a normal monsoon rain. Now, imagine that site during the floods of 2013! Imagine if it flooded again with a big composting facility on it. The risk of water contamination is unacceptable.
Again, I’m in favor of a community composting facility, but not at the risk of losing bird habitat, of disrupting birds and wildlife, of setting bad land use precedents, and not on a site prone to flooding.
Kat Bradley-Bennett, Longmont