Business owners rally to get illegal dump cleaned up; City says they have to follow protocol
Marina Garcia
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Bessemer Association for Neighborhood Development is teaming with business owners to call for the cleanup of a growing illegal dump at 1310 E. Routt Ave.
According to organizers, a house on the property has caught fire several times now, and the resulting pile of junk is leading to outrage for many in the Bessemer community. Neighbors say they’re tired of waiting for the city to clean it up, and say the home even has asbestos.
On Wednesday, community members gathered for a protest, including Al Martinez, who owns The Klamm Shell.
“We all need to get together, be one voice, and maybe get a change around here and maybe start doing something about it,” said Martinez.
However, emails sent to Councilman Roger Gomez show that the city attorney told the councilman that they are in the process of obtaining proper permits to get the building demo’d. They say that due to environmental contaminants, the property is dangerous and it’s best to stay away.
“I understand you and your constituents are frustrated by the time it is taking to clean this property, but the City must follow the law,” read the email. “Cleaning this property without the proper permits and licensed contractors knowledgeable of the risks and process is dangerous. Failure to follow the regulations and proper methods is likely to result in cross-contamination of neighboring properties and public right-of-ways.”
Despite the danger, residents say they’ve been pulling weeds and maintaining the area for months, but warning signs over the asbestos were only put up a week ago.
The Bessemer Association for Neighborhood Development will meet again in two weeks, saying they hope to see more support from the city.