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Palmer Lake Land Annexation for Proposed Buc-ees Gas Station & Travel Center
Important Meeting on 5/29/2025 at 6pm
Palmer Lake Town Hall
(Bring a chair, last time they only allowed 50 people inside though they had 100 at the Easter pancake event - go figure.)
42 Valley Crescent St, Palmer Lake, CO 80133
Send an Email, Show-up & Be Heard! Stand Against Potty Lake!
On December 12th, 2024, the Town of Palmer Lake Passed an Annexation Eligibility Resolution for the Proposed Buc-ees. Angry and outraged citizen over both the annexation and numerous violations to our constitutional rights and Colorado Open Meetings Laws understandably objected. A thorough analysis of the hearings shows numerous violations to Colorado State Statutes which you can read here. We sent an email to the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees sharing the violations to state statutes and their own Annexation Eligibility Resolution asking them to call an emergency vote to rescind their vote and follow Colorado Open Meetings Law, the US Constitution and Colorado State Statutes to avoid costly legal challenges that the taxpayers will fund. Citizens of Palmer Lake also filed a complaint with the Colorado Attorney General that included objections to being left to stand in freezing temperatures when empty chairs in the hearing were available and capacity had not been met and told there would be no vote (when there was), threatened by Palmer Lake leadership. We won that battle, and the Annexation Eligibility was rescinded and the lawsuit over violating Palmer Lake citizens' Constitutional rights continues.
Recently, Two Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) were filed against the Town, one TRO for public hearings on this annexation to a larger location to comply with Opens Meetings Laws due to the expected large crowd size for the
upcoming annexation eligibility hearing.
The second TRO is to ask the court to remove the signer’s names from public viewing on the Town website, for the petition on a ballot initiative which the Town proactively posted, and which Mark Waller requested without filling out a proper CORA request. In that email, the request was specifically made for the names of the signers. We have since heard that calls are being made to signatories asking they remove their signatures. We searched the United States looking for a similar occurrence. We couldn't find one. In fact, many states explicitly forbid this including Colorado.
A fraud lawsuit was also filed under the False Claims Act was filed by Palmer Lake citizens Marty Brodzik and Roger Moseley on behalf of the state of Colorado. Ms. Brodzik and Mr. Moseley have been diligent for years trying to hold Palmer Lake leadership to account, and we and everyone should thank them for their service which includes a distinguished history of serving our nation.
Marty Brodzik, a 1983 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Economics and Operations Research, brings decades of high-level defense and project management experience. She managed multimillion-dollar classified programs and radar upgrades at Hanscom AFB, worked on the global missile defense system in D.C., as a senior manager at MCI Telecommunication, led product development and marketing programs, and later launched her own company overseeing Top Secret projects for the Department of Defense. She holds two master’s degrees in Systems Engineering and EE/Telecommunications.
Roger Moseley, a 1968 Academy graduate in Astronautics and decorated fighter pilot and test pilot with 345 combat missions and a Purple Heart, went on to manage and command some of the most critical programs in U.S. military history. From overseeing F-111 and F-117 budgets, commanding the initial F-117 test program, and serving as Deputy Director of the B-2 program, he has managed tens of billions in defense programs, earned a fellowship at Harvard, and led major aerospace initiatives including Stratolaunch. He holds a Master’s in Astronautical Engineering.
These two Air Force veterans are standing for the people of Palmer Lake, and the rule of law. Thank them when you see them around town.
You can stand up too! Please plan to attend the 5/29 meeting and send your comments in advance to make your voice heard. Below is a sample email:
Heave the Beave!
Sample email to the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees
Be sure to learn about the Beaver Math.
Speak up to correct this political malpractice by taking the seconds it takes to send an email below is a sample (or use them to write your own). Be sure the copy/paste the press and us for transparency. This is important. The media wants to hear from you.
To: ghavenar@palmer-lake.org, dstern@palmer-lake.org, sball@palmer-lake.org, tcaves@palmer-lake.org, kdreher@palmer-lake.org, ahutson@palmer-lake.org, ajurka@palmer-lake.org, dawn@palmer-lake.org
Cc: savannah.eller@gazette.com, oliviaprentzel@coloradosun.com, jalvarado@denverpost.com, maggie.bryan@koaa.com,achalfin@krcc.org, emily.coffey@krdo.com, breeanna.jent@gazette.com, brennen.kauffman@gazette.com, ASack@kxrm.com mary.shinn@gazette.com, tony.keith@koaa.com, asack@kxrm.com, achalfin@krcc.org, maggie.bryan@koaa.com, news@krdo.com, news@kktv.com, news@koaa.com, news@fox21news.com, kktv-news@graymedia.com newsroom@denverpost.com, newsroom@coloradosun.com, talkshow@aol.com, news@cpr.org, tips@cnn.com, tips@kdvr.com, ap@ap.org, tips@thefp.com, jim.carlton@wsj.com, talkshow@aol.com, news@krcc.com, integritymatterscos@gmail.com
Subject: STOP the Buc-ee’s Development – Don’t Turn Palmer Lake into Potty Lake
Dear Mayor Havenar and Members of the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees,
I am writing to urge you to immediately stop the proposed Buc-ee’s development, which would bring irreversible harm to Palmer Lake’s water supply, wildlife, infrastructure, economy, and small-town identity. Residents and visitors are already referring to the future we’re headed toward as “Potty Lake” — and with good reason.
Here are the facts:
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🚽 An estimated 165 toilets and urinals — Buc-ee’s entire business model revolves around being a giant bathroom stop. With up to 1.5 million gallons of water flushed every month, the town would become known not for its charm or natural beauty — but for being a toilet destination off I-25. Potty Lake isn’t a joke — it’s our future if this moves forward.
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💧 Nearly 30% of the town’s total monthly water usage — ONE BUSINESS, consuming more than many entire neighborhoods, will put our already-strained water system under serious stress.
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🚗 11,000 additional vehicles per day — According to Buc-ee’s own traffic study, the station will bring over 4 million cars per year, clogging roads, creating safety risks, and changing the quiet character of the community.
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🦌 Destruction of a vital wildlife corridor — This area is home to elk, deer, bears, and mountain lions. Buc-ee’s would pave over a natural crossing route, permanently disrupting wildlife movement and increasing roadkill.
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💡 24/7 light pollution — Palmer Lake’s dark skies and peaceful evenings would be replaced with nonstop glare, impacting wildlife and residents alike including our landmark Palmer Lake Star.
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🔊 Noise and air pollution — Industrial-level traffic and idling vehicles will introduce constant noise and emissions into a residential, natural area.
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🏪 Closure of small businesses — Buc-ee’s is a mega-store that undercuts local restaurants, gas stations, and shops. Its presence would likely drive out many existing small businesses, weakening the town’s economy and sense of community.
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🧾 Infrastructure costs that could bankrupt the town —
Buc-ee’s claims the project will bring Palmer Lake $1 million. Their own math says it's $2,543/year IF Palmer Lake can cover the $5.9 million in infrastructure.. However, given Palmer Lake leadership says they have no money, then the $5.9 million has to be bonded over 20 years. The Beaver Math presented becomes a net loss of $503,193/year for twenty years that taxpayers will have to fund. But that Beaver Math ignores real costs, especially for required I-25 infrastructure. Access improvements are estimated at $25–40 million — with similar projects elsewhere costing over $100 million. With these burdens, Palmer Lake could face net annual losses of a minimum of a half a million but likely much more, putting the town deep into debt or financial crisis.
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🏞️ Better alternatives exist — For example, a Bison Observatory & Eco-lodge could offer tourism, education, and conservation value while preserving wildlife corridors, protecting the aquifer, and generating revenue sustainably.
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⚠️ The annexation process has been rushed and is already under legal challenge — The public was denied proper notice, input, and transparency, and the Town is now facing a lawsuit over its handling of the process.
The people urge you to:
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Reject the annexation and stop the Buc-ee’s project immediately.
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Preserve the land as open space or for a public-benefit use.
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Launch an inclusive public process to evaluate community-driven alternatives.
Palmer Lake should not be sold out to a billion-dollar chain to become a bathroom stop on the highway. We are a historic, proud, and nature-loving community — not Potty Lake.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Contact Info – optional]