EXPOSING

What you are about to read is a true story. I know this because it happed to me, and I have the evidence to prove everything about the facts that I will state. I’m not a journalist, in the local media or a famous author, but I think I can ask the famous 5-W questions that they ask during an interview. And I will ask a question at the end of this story: How?

1. Who - AutoNation, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida bought all of the John Elway dealerships in the late 1990’s. Their annual gross revenue is around $20 billion per year (not per lifetime, but per year). Autonation, Inc. operates in at least 17 states across the nation.

2. Where - The two John Elway dealerships involved in this story are located at the intersection of West Colfax Avenue and Poppy Streets, in Golden, Colorado. The Chrysler-Jeep West & Subaru West dealerships shared a building on the south side of Colfax Avenue for several years before the new Subaru West dealership was built in 2001-2002 (north side of Colfax).

   John Elway Subaru north perimeter light fixture. Improper shield allowed by the City of Golden, Colorado officials. Close up of fixture in Exhibit 16 d & e. (Click on photo for larger image.)

3. When - The facts started with the City of Golden Planning Commission meeting in February and March of 2000. City Council meeting, afterwards (April 2000, etc.), when concerns were brought up by the residential citizens regarding excessive lighting, test drives through our neighborhood and drainage, etc. They were normal concerns of any residential citizen who might be effected by a commercial business or development in or near their neighborhood. The real problems started on March 7, 2002, which brings me to W #4.

4. What - What happened on March 7, 2002? That is the first night that the

   Elway Subaru - North lot lights along north perimeter has shields attached at 45° angle throwing light into northeast bedroom onto east wall. Exhibit 16e (Click on photo for larger image.)

   lights came on at John Elway Subaru West, located across the street from our residential homes. This is the part of the true story that gets really lengthy, but read it carefully, because the facts are very, very interesting.

After the lights came on, on March 7, 2002, I waited a few days and then went to the building department of the City of Golden. I spoke to Chuck Hearn and asked him to do something about the bright lights. Time passed with no response, so I wrote a letter to Chuck Hearn, dated April 9, 2002 (plaintiffs exhibit #6), with again, no response. Finally, in mid May of 2002, a night meeting took place with the building department officials and some of the residential neighbors. City building department people did agree that there was a problem, and so in late May of 2002, the perimeter
light fixtures had some (improper/incomplete) shields installed.