Battlemoor anticipates 1,200 folk

by Bill Knowles
WALSENBURG- The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) will host the second annual Battlemoor in Huerfano County beginning Wednesday, June 29 through July 4. And organizers are finding themselves battling drought and county imposed fire restrictions in the effort to stage the six day event.
Event organizer A.J. Riviezzo said letters concerning traffic impacts to residents living along Lascar Road will be sent out this year. “We are expecting around 1,200 participants to show up this year, about the same as last year. We will be posting cardboard speed limit signs along the road cautioning folks to drive around 20 miles per hour. We are also looking to hire someone with a pickup truck to pull a water tank that will be used for dust mitigation.”
County commissioner and board chairman Scott King also cautioned Riviezzo about the county’s fire restrictions due to drought conditions.
“We have planned for a central fire pit and will be posting all night fire watches,” Riviezzo said.
A preliminary application for a conditional use permit for a test well to be drilled by Shell Oil has been delivered to the county land use office. However permit fees haven’t been paid so the application hasn’t been filed. But it will appear on the agenda for the June 14, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Also on the agenda is a public hearing for the new zoning regulations the commission has been working on.
The county received a letter from the state Attorney General’s office informing Huerfano County officials that the Gardner Public Improvement District will be fined $250 for failing to file collections on water use with the state. County Administrator, John Galusha was able to get the fine reduced to $200.