"With a 300 person congregation and 5-7 day per week activity schedule the current traffic generated by the Center is significant. Larger congregations in the past have created serious traffic problems on Lookout Mountain Road. The new Center, with a single room capacity of over 900 will almost certainly overload the roadway and create a hazardous traffic situation for the residents, pedestrians and bicyclists who regularly use Lookout Mt. Road. The curved, rolling nature of the immediate roadway will make traffic backups particularly dangerous as the forward visibility is severely limited."
                                                                                      ~
"This project will not positively benefit this area, and will ... add to infrastructure costs and damage a valuable scenic and historic area.  The proposal is incompatible with the surrounding community, the National Scenic and Historic Byway, and the goals of the Jefferson County Central Mountains Community Plan."
                                                                                      ~
"According to the Statement of Intent submitted with this application, the applicants wish to convert from a legal non-conforming use of land in this SR-5 zoned area to a special use, PLUS have the right to expand the facilities, as stated: 'the maximum Gross Floor Area of any individual building shall be 46,000 square feet.' We strongly object to this request for expansion. The existing facility is a reasonable size and seats 300. This is consistent with our community's population requirement."
                                                                                      ~
"The Lariat Loop is one of the jewels of Jefferson County. It must be protected, and insensitive and inconsistent building projects such as this one must be prevented. ... The proposal is incompatible with the surrounding community, the National Scenic and Historic Byway, and the goals of the Jefferson County Central Mountains Community Plan."
                                                                                      ~
"The huge Lookout Mountain Church built in the Genesee commercial area would welcome purchase by a group wanting to expand ... it would definitely serve the future plans of AMI."
                                                                                      ~
"The Central Mountains Community Plan ... begins with the statement: 'Although the prairie portions of Jefferson County can be the subject of ordinary planning procedures, the mountain portions of the County must be approached with the desire to enhance what nature has provided, if possible; if not, the least the Commissioners can permit is to avoid harming an irreplaceable asset. Due to the alignment of Interstate 70, the Central Mountains Community Plan becomes the heart of the Jefferson County mountain planning process.'” 
                                                                                      ~
"Noise and lighting issues will be unavoidable. Lighting from the parking lot will pollute the neighborhood and shine into my kitchen windows, occluding any city views my property has. Already we have had incidents with noise from this facility."
                                                                                     ~
"Once again, development and expansion is trying to creep into our pristine, small, mountain community. The Central Mountain Community Plan specifically addresses this issue in so many areas, specifically outlining and addressing  city and canyon views along the Lariat Loop, (A national historic scenic byway), (page 17 & 18), Scenic corridors, particularly  I-70 and U.S. Highway 40, (page 18). ... The National scenic byway that is being traveled upon is just that, a byway, very narrow and curvy in most places ... Not only do we have to watch for wildlife, deer and elk, that constantly cross this narrow road, but cyclists, who use the Lariat Loop as their training ground for mountain races across Colorado."
                                                                                      ~
"For the record, we would like to say that we have no objection to approving the request by the church to be able to rebuild the existing facilities, as they are now and without expansion, in case of disaster."
                                                                                      ~
"The historic culture of Lookout Mountain is the opposite of 'urban sprawl' and should be protected from any vague future expansion of 5 times larger for a non-profit that contributes no revenue for roads, fire and emergency protection services. Residents who provided their greatest financial investment in a home on Lookout came here for the quiet, solitude, and extraordinary views."
                                                                                   ~
"[T]he peak traffic generated by church traffic occurs at a time when bicycling is also at its peak. Sunday morning bike rides are popular in the bicycling community."
                                                                                      ~
"The purpose of the zoning regulations that govern this area is to preserve the nature of the community on Lookout Mtn. This includes our narrow mountain roadways, the visual setting of the community, the value of our properties within this setting, and the safety of all who live within or come to use and enjoy the area."
                                                                                      ~
"Sound planning would never consider allowing an addition of 300 or 400 cars (?) to the already heavy numbers of vehicles moving along this loop. Sound Planning would never allow stressing the existing water supply, which has twice been curtailed by drought restrictions in my time living here and the consequent challenge for Fire Protection, by volunteers, of a very large structure or structures."
                                                                                      ~
"Who would want to buy a house, in this scenic and special area, that looks out upon a mini-mega church? This is a special and beautiful area with high property values. This expansion would, in our opinion, constitute a 'taking' from all surrounding properties."
                                                                                      ~
"The proposed expansion ... would create an unnecessary strain on the existing infrastructure, including but not limited to water usage, road adequacy, fire prevention, and police security."
                                                                                      ~
"Fire Prevention is a way of life on Lookout Mountain. If you live up here you are constantly vigilant. If you are an occasional visitor you are unaware of the hazards of parking alongside the road in tall grass ... you don’t understand what 'FIRE BAN' means."
                                                                                      ~
"Please put a commercial big business church in a business area where it belongs. Not in a small neighborhood. Please don’t change or override existing zoning laws."
                                                                                      ~
"Where does the pastor live?  Not on Lookout Mountain.  And where do the vast majority of the congregation live?  94% do not live on Lookout Mountain." 
                                                                                      ~
"I have only recently heard of the application by Activation Ministries International for a permit to build a 46,000 sq ft expansion on their site on Lookout Mt. Road and I am writing to express my strong opposition to this plan. I do not believe the residents of Lookout Mountain were properly notified of the public meeting to voice support or opposition to the plan. Further, I don’t believe the posting of notice on the site accurately described the application for the significant expansion."
                                                                                      ~
They would be more than tripling the church’s footprint, establishing a megachurch in this very special area, including an event center (The Lookout Mountain Wedding Chapel), expansive parking facilities, greatly increased crowds, traffic and noise, and complete lack of sensitivity to the characteristics that make the Lariat Loop special."

"Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) is writing to provide background information on historic sites in the vicinity of the referenced proposal for your consideration. The Commission was formed in 1974 by the Board of County Commissioners to help identify and protect the county's history, as well as to educate county residents on historical features and their significance. The Jefferson County Historical Commission's mandate is to inspire, encourage, and coordinate historical activities in the county.

JCHC suggests that the full Lookout Mountain backdrop is worthy of consideration as an "historic cultural landscape" (reference NPS National Register preservation brief" Protecting Cultural Landscapes" http://www.nps.gov/hps/TPS/briefs/brief36.htm). Its regional and national significance ranges from 1859 Gold Rush days through the developing tourism of the early 20th century to the public works projects of the Great Depression. Within Jefferson County and the Denver metropolitan area, it is the physical representation of the county's designation as the "Gateway to the Rockies". This rich history is further acknowledged today in its designation as Colorado's 24th Scenic & Historic Byway, now a National Scenic Byway, and in its growing value to heritage tourism in Jefferson County. Most of Lookout Mountain is in fact a very historic community ..." - click to read more.

Letters of opposition or concern are needed from all Lookout Mountain residents: Write a Letter, Support the Lariat Loop & Save Our Lookout Mountain Neighborhood! 

We are NOT opposed to the current facility; however, we ARE opposed to the huge expansion and effective change of zoning that could alter the ambiance and history of our mountain community forever.