The Town of Bow Mar has hired a law firm and a public relations company to help work on a controversial gate project that would limit access to some roads for drivers in cities that surround the enclave.
Earlier this year, Bow Mar announced plans to install gates for the “protection and safety of its residents,” including a proposed gate at its northern entrance on South Sheridan Boulevard. That announcement has drawn stiff opposition from neighboring Littleton and Denver, which question the small municipality’s authority to block access to public roads.
The town board on Monday approved retaining law firm Sweetbaum Miller PC and attorney Alan Sweetbaum as special counsel for the gate project, according to meeting records.
The town said it expects additional legal needs in response to the installation of gates and potential road closures and will pay Sweetbaum $560 per hour for its services.
Even though Bow Mar has a population of only about 900, its plan has drawn big-city-sized news coverage. The board on Monday also OK’d a contract with Greenlight Strategy, which will provide as-needed support to the town and its leadership, including media training, media outreach, message development, talking points, on-call media relations and crisis communications.
The firm will bill the town $300 per hour. However, the cost could vary as Greenlight also relies on several vendors, which typically bill at $75 an hour.
As proposed, Bow Mar residents would enter the community using RFID tags placed on their vehicles, while visitors would use a guest pass or code to get through. The town is also working with Wizard Works, a Colorado-based gate security systems contractor, to install the gates.
In June, Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston sent Bow Mar a joint letter asking the town to halt the project.
“We all prioritize the safety of our communities. However, this action will fundamentally and permanently change the prior conditions of public right-of-way access for Denver and Littleton,” the letter said.
“Those living adjacent to Bow Mar would be effectively excluded from using a signalized intersection to make left turns onto westbound W. Quincy Avenue, creating disruption and serious safety concerns for drivers. Bow Mar undoubtedly expects its residents to have reasonable access to Denver and Littleton roads and rights-of-way. Denver and Littleton expect the same in turn.”
The mayors said that if Bow Mar proceeded, the cities could install their own roadway barriers between the proposed Bow Mar gates and cities’ right-of-way.
“The City of Littleton remains opposed to the Town of Bow Mar Board of Trustees’ decision to move forward with roadway gates at Sheridan Boulevard and Prospect Drive,” the City of Littleton said in a statement to The Post on Tuesday.
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“Littleton has shared its concerns about restricting access to long-established public roadways that serve an important regional transportation function. We are committed to working collaboratively with Bow Mar on solutions that improve safety and address traffic concerns while preserving regional connectivity for all users.”
Still, some Bow Mar residents have expressed support for the project during town meetings, citing a need to address speeding, traffic and other public safety concerns.
Bow Mar Mayor Bryan Sperry has said discussions regarding the gate project have been challenging and have required significant time and effort.
He said in a May town meeting that traffic concerns and potential gate solutions have been discussed in the community for years and that the town has been working to identify a long-term solution.
Sperry has said the gates would not close Bow Mar to the public. Emergency services, school buses, deliveries and other essential services would continue to have access, he said.
For now, the gate project does not have a construction timeline or finalized plans.
Bow Mar is southwest of Denver and encompasses 520 acres, including 96 acres of water, in Arapahoe and Jefferson counties. The town has about 300 single-family homes on 1-acre lots, according to the Town of Bow Mar.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21. The board of trustees hold regular meetings at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month except for December.
Representatives from Bow Mar did not respond to request for comment at the time of publication.
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