Dear Friend of Scenic Colorado:

This time of year reminds us of the beauty of Colorado and how fortunate we are to live here. This is also a good time to summarize the progress of Scenic Colorado and remind our supporters how much we need them.

First and foremost, Scenic Colorado received non-profit 501(c)(3) status in January of this year! Now your generous contributions will provide you with some tax relief next April 15th. This could not have been possible without your generous and unwavering support of this organization and its mission and, to you we extend our deepest thanks.

With your support Scenic Colorado has been active in various local issues responding to official and citizen requests for research information and policy advice. Support was given to restoring the scenic views of Mt. Carbon in Jefferson County, where the hilltop was invaded by an elaborate restroom facility built by Lakewood. Other localities requesting help from Scenic Colorado included Cortez, Grand Junction, Gunnison, Manitou Springs, and Parker.

In Colorado Springs, support was given to preserving the scenic view corridor looking west from the Pioneers Museum, which is threatened by an expanded county courthouse. Also in Colorado Springs, support was given to the Airport Open Space Alliance that is working diligently to save pristine viewscapes and open space inside the airport boundary currently slated for major development. Scenic Colorado supported open space protections in Colorado Springs for Union Meadows, Red Rock Canyon and the extension of trails and open space sales tax.

Unfortunately, at the state government level, we were less successful. The Colorado legislature pushed through SB 251 making it more difficult for city and county governments to remove billboards. Previously, governments could require billboard removal on local roads within a reasonable period of time, such as five to seven years. The new legislation prohibits the use of amortization, which is what the extended compliance process is called and chips away at local control of billboard minimization and removal.

But these events have not weakened our resolve. We will continue to fight tirelessly for the preservation of Colorado and its unparalleled scenic landscapes. But, as always, this is not a fight we can win on our own.

We need your help! Memberships from new and renewing members as well as donations help to defray the costs of printing, mailings, telephone calls and all the related expenses necessary to continue our mission.

Scenic Colorado plans to continue as an educational and community action resource. We are hoping to finally set up a website and become more available to citizens and government officials throughout the state. Your support is essential. The membership form is enclosed. Please be generous, particularly since we now have non-profit status.

Your help has enabled us to impress upon agencies and other groups the importance of the visual landscape and has had no little impact in influencing better outcomes for potentially disastrous programs. For example, last summer, the Colorado Department of Transportation issued a plan to put mini-billboards along the federal and state highways in Denver and Colorado Springs. These 3.5 foot by 4.5 foot signs would be used for advertising with revenues earmarked for trash pickup. Scenic Colorado opposed the plan and no contractor came forward to implement it for CDOT.

Additionally, concerning tri-vision billboards, which the legislature approved last year despite our protests, CDOT has received no applications from local zoning agencies for the rotating signs.

But our work is never done!

Please renew you membership if you have yet to do so, and please consider donating further for development of additional programs so that we can better reach the citizens of Colorado who may not have heard of us and our mission.

Lastly, let me say, Scenic Colorado needs you to volunteer! So many jobs go undone because we lack the general support necessary to cover all angles and needs. To truly be successful we need not only your monetary donations but also donations of time. Just think what a few hours of time a month could do to enhance our membership, our message, and our goals.

Get involved; we would love to have you. Just give us a call or drop us an e-mail. Any little bit helps, especially now that we are facing, like every other not-for-profit, a precipitous down turn in our economy and a real need to be very careful where we allocate our resources.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you all the best for a memorable and wonderful scenic summer!

Sincerely,

Miles E. Davies
President