The buildout of the Interstate 25 corridor north of the Air Force Academy continues with the approval of two large industrial distribution warehouses at the Baptist Road exit in Monument.

The final plat of the proposal, part of a multiyear, multistage mixed-use development at the interstate exit, was approved unanimously at a meeting of the Monument town council. One warehouse will contain a west-facing loading bay, while the other is a “cross stock” building with loading bays on two sides. Potential commercial buyers of the buildings have not yet been identified.

Part of the second stage of the Falcon Commerce Center project, the industrial warehouses will join other existing commercial and industrial projects, like a UPS distribution center and a QuikTrip, in the area south of Baptist Road and west of the interstate. Some council members expressed concerns that the buildout would only increase long-standing issues with truck traffic congestion on and near the exit.

“There is not enough room for those rigs to get through, even under perfect conditions,” said councilman Marco Fiorito.

Several council members said truck traffic at the exit was often backed up, made worse by truckers taking mandated breaks at and around the exit’s truck stops. Tom Blunk, a representative for the project, said responsibility for traffic issues at the exit lies with the Colorado Department of Transportation after the Falcon Commerce Center fulfilled its financial obligations to road infrastructure improvements.

“I’m sensitive to it, but it’s out of my purview,” he said.

The Falcon Commerce Center buildout has been in the works for years, with a sketch plan approval in 2020. In the intervening time, requirements for industrial buildings have changed in the town of Monument, prompting changes in the project. The “cross stock” building approved on Tuesday will have to be the only one of its kind in phase 2 of the project, and both buildings are limited in their floor space.

The final plans also contain concessions negotiated with the city and community group Save Monument. The buildings were initially planned to be white but will now be a less-conspicuous gray. The area also includes a small open space and amenities area.

The project itself has decreased the amount of industrial buildout capacity, especially alongside the interstate, in response to concerns raised about the exit’s truck capacity. Blunk said at the meeting that part of the land adjoining the interstate will now likely be a commercial car dealership.

Current concessions are not enough to address the issue, cautioned councilman Kenneth Kimple, who said the over 200-truck capacity of the two new warehouses was not a positive development for traffic despite the developer meeting all requirements.

“My concern is further development in this area without recognizing and coming up with solid plans to fix this hazard,” he said when casting his approval vote.