A proposed land swap on Longmont’s southeastern edge could bring Boulder County closer to building a long-awaited composting facility. But critics say the plan raises more questions than answers — especially about environmental safety, transparency and fairness.
At the center of the debate is a 115-acre site known as the Distel property, an industrial parcel in unincorporated Weld County currently used for gravel processing and home to an asphalt plant. Public records show the site has a long history of industrial use, including previous oil and gas operations.
Longmont officials are considering transferring the land from the city’s Open Space department to Utilities and Public Works — a move that would allow for public industrial development, potentially including a county-run composting facility…