A committee has been established to gather the signatures of Steamboat voters, with the objective of subjecting the city’s annexation of Brown Ranch to a voter referendum. This group, known as the “Let Steamboat Vote — Brown Ranch Annexation Committee,” is planning to conduct signature collection activities at various locations within the city, aiming to secure a minimum of 1,200 valid signatures from registered voters by November 17.
This committee’s announcement comes one week following the City Council’s approval of an annexation agreement concerning the 534-acre Brown Ranch property. This property had been acquired by the housing authority in 2021, facilitated by a generous $24 million anonymous donation.
The annexation agreement outlines a 20-year construction plan that, if executed, will result in the creation of 2,264 affordable housing units and necessary infrastructure to support the community.
The committee’s press release emphasized that, upon successfully obtaining the required signatures, the community will have an opportunity to assess whether the initial annexation plan, devised by the Yampa Valley Housing Authority and their private development partners, the Michaels Organization based in New Jersey, aligns with the community’s needs.
The Michaels Organization is the largest privately held owner of affordable housing in the nation, specializing in housing development and management. In July, the Yampa Valley Housing Authority announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the Michaels Organization to delineate key terms for future agreements, with the shared goal of supporting the construction of Brown Ranch.
For details on where and when to sign the petition, interested individuals can visit the Let Steamboat Vote — Brown Ranch Committee Facebook page