County says West Acres cleanup cleared by EPA and state; one Sleepy Bear unit still needs asbestos work
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Summary
Routt County staff reported EPA and the state health department completed review of the West Acres site and permitting is underway to reoccupy housing lots; one unit in Sleepy Bear requires an asbestos cleanup that the county says falls to the unit owner, complicating response.
Routt County officials said on June 30 that the West Acres site cleanup overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state health department is complete and that property owners are pursuing permits to reoccupy lots.
Why it matters: The cleanup affects residents of West Acres and nearby mobile-home parks. County officials said permitting and ownership questions have lengthened the response and left at least one unit in Sleepy Bear still requiring remediation.
County Manager Jay told commissioners the EPA and the state health department held a final meeting last Thursday and "the site's been cleaned up," adding that park owners have applied for permits to prepare lots to be reoccupied. He said officials expect new housing units to be built on the cleared lots.
Jay also said a remaining unit in Sleepy Bear needs additional work and that county staff are coordinating with city code enforcement and legal staff to determine how to proceed. County staff noted an ownership complication: asbestos cleanup requirements for some park units rest with the unit owner rather than the park operator, which has affected the timeline.
Commissioners said they had received resident complaints about the duration of the response and residents' exposure concerns. A commissioner said people in lower-income parks have expressed frustration that the response seemed slower than it would be for higher-income neighborhoods; county staff responded that some processes — including federal reviews and ownership/legal questions — were beyond local control.
What was not decided: No new county policy was adopted. Commissioners directed staff to continue coordination with the EPA, state health department, city code enforcement and property owners and to provide updates as clearance and permitting progress.
Next steps: County staff will continue follow-up on the Sleepy Bear unit and work with code enforcement and legal staff to identify options for remediation and reoccupation. Officials said they will keep commissioners posted on developments.
Speakers cited in the discussion included County Manager Jay and unnamed residents who sent complaints; the county described interactions with the EPA and the state health department.