SUPERIOR, Colo. — People in Old Town Superior are feeling frustrated over the town's permitting process as they try to rebuild after the Marshall Fire.
Old Town is home to many of long-standing families who have been in the area for decades, even generations. Some families have four generations living in the area, with their roots dating back to Superior's mining days.
Ed Sharp has lived in Superior for 45 years.
"We put these places together 40 some years ago. We did it all ourselves," said Sharp.
The Marshall Fire destroyed his home almost a year ago, and had hoped that he would have a home in place by now. At the very least, he hoped to be further along in the process.
"It's gotten very frustrating actually," said Sharp. "I feel that they are discriminating against the old folks in this town."
At least four different families have described the same struggle that Sharp has gone through, saying they've struggled to get the green light.
In Sharp's case, he says he has received contradicting documents about different requirements from the city. He also said that he did not receive a comprehensive checklist about what those requirements were until October.
Sharp says that he has submitted his paperwork three separate times and each time, the city has said he was missing a different element or piece for his application to be successful.
"I own the lot. I own the land, and I can’t do what I want to do and I’m not trying to build anything that’s wrong," said Sharp.
Sharp is now in a position where his modular is already built, but he cannot put it on his lot.
"My modular is finished already. It’s sitting in North Nebraska where they make them. So now, I’ve got to put it in storage because I don’t have any place to put it," said Sharp.
The city says that the issues families have encountered have been due to a lack of understanding of what is needed for the permit application. Different departments also review the application and have different needs, which is why they may ask for new requirements.
The city also said that there is a drop-in time available Wednesday afternoons to specifically help people with the application process. The city also noted that there is not been a change to the requirements.
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