Colorado Springs City Council District 2 candidate Tom Bailey says his years on the El Paso County Planning Commission have prepared him to help the city grow sustainably.

“I think we’re moving in a very good direction for the most part,” he said of Colorado Springs.

Bailey is running to replace City Council President Randy Helms, who is not running for reelection, in the April 1 election. A second candidate, Frank Chrisinger, declined to be interviewed by The Gazette. District 2 encompasses north Colorado Springs and is bordered to the west by the Air Force Academy.

Bailey, an Air Force veteran, has served on the El Paso County Planning Commission for seven years and most recently as chair.

Housing and development

As a council member, Bailey said he would work to increase affordable-housing options in the city.

“There are people who come here who can’t find a place to live,” he said. “We need to address that.”

Bailey said he would support the building of multifamily housing. He said he was “intrigued” at the possibility of integrating accessory dwelling units into the local market after a state-mandated relaxation of ADU rules in the city last year.

Bailey expressed support for two major annexation projects that have come before the city in recent months, one failed and one has so far been successful. Amara, a 9,500-home development southeast of the city, failed last summer at a second city council vote. Karman Line, a 6,500-home development east of the city, has received approval, although a signature campaign is currently petitioning to include a de-annexation question on a future ballot.

He said he preferred growth around the city to fall under the jurisdiction of Colorado Springs.

“I would rather the city control its own destiny,” he said.

As a long-serving member of the county Planning Commission, Bailey said he was “comfortable in the industry” of development but not in the pocket of any developers, as he said some have accused.

Bailey disclosed on candidate documents that he bought a firepit suite in the newly constructed Ford Amphitheater located in his district. The venue has been a point of controversy for the council over claims that the amphitheater exceeded city noise limits.

Bailey said he thought the most recent agreement for noise mitigation between the city and the amphitheater was sufficient to cover concerns.

“I feel like it’s a done deal,” he said.

Fire and public safety

Bailey said safety and security were primary functions of City Council, including fire mitigation and planning.

“It’s a reality of where we live,” he said.

Homeowners have a responsibility to mitigate their own fire risk, according to Bailey, while the city should ensure access for evacuation and firefighting. He said that not everyone was “satisfied” with the current criteria for fire risk in approving new developments.

“It’s a fine line, and I can understand concerns that people have,” he said.

He said that he was open to examining possibilities to increase the city’s growth capacity despite fire risk, including adding water cisterns near new development.

Bailey said he did not want to limit growth unnecessarily, saying he felt opposition to development was sometimes unreasonable.

“We have a very strong ‘not in my backyard’ contingent,” he said.

Bailey said that he was in support of the most recent expansion of the city’s “sit-lie” ordinance, which prohibits people from blocking public right of way in the central and west-side commercial districts of Colorado Springs. He said that he would work with area homeless advocates.

“I believe in robust law enforcement, but it’s got to have compassion and a human face to it,” he said.

Bailey said he was concerned about the legalization of recreational marijuana sales for businesses that previously had medical sale licenses due to potential health and safety impacts, but that he would honor the results of the ballot question affirming the change last year.

A City Council attempt to put a recreational marijuana repeal question on the April 1 ballot failed at the state Supreme Court last month.

“That’s not the answer that I would like, but we started down this path years ago at the state level,” he said.