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"We all use the benefits of mining," Commia9ioner Jeri <br />Howells aptly observed. "We all agree (the pit) is not <br />' particularly pretty. But we would not be living in homes or <br />driving the streets if it weren't part of our community." <br />That's the plain reality, and that reasoning applies as <br />well to the other oft-bemoaned "scars" that mark some <br />other portions of the foothills overlooking metropolitan <br />Colorado Springs. Those quarries, too, (the biggest show- <br />ing the benefit of long-standing revegetation efforts) <br />i served up aggregate for generations of home and road <br />~ building. <br />_ -- An even more fundamental consideration must come <br />into play here, though. And that is the inalienable right of <br />those like the Dellacroce family to put their land, which <br />- ~ - _ , ;;;~„-~ ` they've mined for'some 50 years, to its best and highest <br />~, rte: use in the marketplace. As Raymond Dellacroce told <br />-. ,:. ,'~ commissioners,."My father.worked on this ranch during . <br />- . ' , - ': ~ : ~~ ` .the Depression for. S10 a month" They cari do better now. <br />:.,: r .. <br />. =-'~c =~ ~ ~- lh the time since the :family acquired the parcel, they've <br />been aclrnowledged by state mining regulators for the care <br />they've taken in their treatment of it,The plan appmved by <br />_ _ I com~„ia~oners Thursday would extend the pit's operatuig <br />- ~' , ~ life 24 years and would permit the six-arse site to expand <br />"',~ .. ~+ P ~y P~6 <br />-. _-. ~ to 72 acres iri hales: The ed not to mine more <br />than eight acres at a tune and to reclaim the land with <br />_ . - , native grasses and wildflowers.. <br />None of which is likely to soothe all the neighbors in <br />:- •;: { nearby subdivisions, some of whom said they at least <br />would like even more efforts to obscure the,gtavel opera. <br />..I ttOn firm oubhc v~ew_ , , --~..~,.:~ -: :. '- <br />. .... - : Y ..: , ;~ Agajry ~tose.concerns are ~mderstandab1e, end to a <br />~~_ ; . ; . _ ... - _ _-s'=1 significar-t:degreeth~y can and should be addressed by :. . <br />: ; ,_ - _ precisely the kind of neighborig. understanding the Dellac- <br />~' _~ t~' ' ~:. ; - - •''' ~ rotes seem to have shown.' Make no mistake though, in .. <br />- the end mdivuiual rights are at rssue here....;;`:;:;.:- .,~ <br />,. .- <br />_ - , -,. N Which rmderscores the flaw in the <br />- - - j nent who~declared, ;Ttie Fmnt flange isB a preQOUS thing. <br />-. - . _i,'. _i, -.. Why should we tear it up?",:;~;;:~..';:.K>';` ~~ ':: ~~ :::>.: <br />- . ( ' Tiie Front Range of ttie Rockies is indeed beautifiil, and <br />_ f we alt should be grateful to property owners who take <br />great care with their land's r-atural beauty. But the rest of <br />- ~ us must resist the urge to make those decisions for them. <br />,, _ .__._ <br />.~ <br />~----- <br />_.. :i <br /> <br />..._ .__ ._ ._.'t <br /> <br />1. ~ ~~. „; -.. <br />~: <br />rs~ :::~ ~_~~ <br />: ,~~ <br />• w....~..~~._._.~. <br />-_!: a: . <br />-~ .;~ <br />:: ~;.- <br />. _ .. '- <br />-. ' .. <br />?, -.:~. <br />