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Public commenter urges county to center children's rights in land-use permitting, cites "HB 21 12 66" and opposes Costco 32-pump fuel center
Summary
An environmental commenter asked the county to consider children's health and the Colorado Environmental Justice Act when reviewing permitting and siting decisions related to a proposed Costco fuel center near schools in Littleton.
During the Oct. 4 public comment period, Gregory Sullivan, representing Environmental Management Systems, urged the county to place "children's rights at the center" of permitting and siting decisions and to oppose a proposed Costco fuel center with 32 gas pumps near Littleton schools.
Sullivan referenced the Colorado Environmental Justice Act as he stated it (transcribed as "HB 21 12 66" in the record) and said that the law's language that "all people have the right to breathe clean air" should apply broadly rather than only to census block groups defined by income or minority status. He called on county decision-makers to weigh children's exposure to emissions, noting nearby Littleton Academy and Primrose School as locations of concern.
Sullivan said he provided the board with a physician's fact sheet and asked the county to align land-use and permitting decisions with the rights described in the statute as he cited it. The board did not take any immediate action on his comments; his remarks were part of the public comment record.
Why it matters: The comment frames environmental-justice and child-health concerns as part of local land-use conversations. County staff or the city jurisdiction responsible for permitting would be the bodies to review specific development applications and permit requests.
