Landslides a danger at 8 sites in Springs/ City reluctant to

State geologists have identified eight locations along the city's foothills where dozens of homes have been damaged or are threatened by landslides.

And it's only the tip of the iceberg, says a local expert in geological hazards.

"There's thousands of acres of mapped landslides within the city limits" and hundreds of houses within the landslides, said John Himmelreich, a geologist who has worked in Colorado Springs for 21 years. He is a member of the state's Hazard Mitigation Team.

"Some of these landslides are ticking time bombs," Himmelreich said.

Three sites - including one in the middle of an active 200-acre landslide - are in the Broadmoor area. Three more are near Garden of the Gods and two are in the Rockrimmon area, according to mapping by the Colorado Geological Survey.

The agency identified the sites as part of an effort to determine which homeowners are eligible for $4.1 million in federal disaster relief tied to heavy rains last spring.

But the agency, along with Himmelreich, said Tuesday there are likely many more sites where homes are damaged or in danger.

Landslides are particularly bad news for homeowners, because most conventional insurance policies don't cover such damage, leaving homeowners with a mortgage to pay off and lost equity.

In some cases, homeowners have sued to recoup some money, but the cost of a lawsuit can limit the reward. Also, landslide damage often occurs after the six-year period set by state law when developers or builders can still be sued for such problems.

In each of the eight sites studied by state geologists, something went wrong: The land wasn't studied sufficiently, proper engineering techniques weren't used, engineering techniques may have failed or homeowners may not have been informed of all hazards.

State geologists have raised questions about the wisdom of ever building in several of the areas. In a report on a landslide in the Regency Drive area near The Broadmoor - where six homes are damaged or threatened - they write:

"Viewpoints differ on whether the Regency Drive development should have occurred and whether full disclosure to the homeowners was given. An early report from a consultant in 1983 mentioned evidence of ground cracks and warns of potential ground movements."

Indeed, decades ago, city officials appeared ready to treat the area far more conservatively than they do today. A 1974 Colorado Springs comprehensive plan roped off about 2,000 acres of land in the Cheyenne Mountain area as all but off-limits, calling it an "area of definite constraint to development."

That label never held up, however, because the plan was nonbinding, and development pressures eventually opened up the land for construction.

In 1996, the city passed a geological hazard ordinance requiring that developers study potential building sites for possible hazards.

But even since that ordinance passed, the city has routinely approved developments in landslide areas, saying that it can't deny developers who present evidence that they can safely build in the area.

Denying construction permits would violate the developers' property rights and expose the city to expensive lawsuits, city officials have said.

Regardless of when the homes were built, taxpayers are now being asked to pick up the tab for some unsuccessful developments. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to buy up some damaged and threatened properties - some worth several hundred thousand dollars.

- Todd Hartman covers the environment and may be reached at 636- 0285 or toddh@gazette.com Edited by Bill Vogrin. Headline by Gary Houy

Geological hazards

Denying construction permits would violate developers' property rights and expose the city to costly lawsuits, Colorado Springs officials have said.

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