Top priorities for Steve Yurash:
Maintaining historic land use code
Open space preservation
Combating urbanization
By CHLOE WASKEY
The Ramspondents
Former computer chip engineer Steve Yurash is running in the Nov. 4 regular election for the District 3 seat on Fort Collins City Council. He would represent much of southwestern Fort Collins from East Harmony to Fossil Creek Reservoir.
Yurash appeared on the ballot last year as the Center Party candidate for Colorado House District 52 but lost to Yara Zokaie. He has since continued his service on both the Larimer County Board of Health and the Fort Collins Electric Board, and he has been named State Chairman for the Colorado Center Party. This election, Yurash is focused on land-use code.
“The city has as its number one goal priority to address housing affordability, and I just think that's kind of misguided in thinking that we're going to have much impact, because there are national issues such as interest rates and cost of materials that we don't have control over.”
Steve Yurash, District 3 candidate
“I don't want to add a lot of high-density housing in a misguided attempt to satisfy the demand that's out there to bring the prices down, I think that's foolish.” Yurash added that the city does not have sufficient water, infrastructure or number of healthcare professionals to accommodate a dense housing model.
Instead, Yurash advocates for a land-use code that prioritizes walkability, single-family housing and preservation of open space. As a member of the local activist group “Preserve Fort Collins,” Yurash represents a faction of the community that is staunchly opposed to city growth.
“The city has as its number one goal priority to address housing affordability, and I just think that's kind of misguided in thinking that we're going to have much impact, because there are national issues such as interest rates and cost of materials that we don't have control over,” Yurash said. “I don't want to see our neighborhood character destroyed.”
In line with his preservation ethos, Yurash also wants to plant more greenery throughout Fort Collins, raise awareness around water use issues in Northern Colorado and address budget shortfalls by consolidating government jobs, removing city outreach programs and limiting funds for public transportation.
Chloe Waskey is a CSU student majoring in Journalism and Media Communication with a minor in political science.