Palmer Lake residents divided over fate of cabins donated by 'cult'

PALMER LAKE, Colo. (KXRM) — The Living Word Fellowship — now widely known as a cult — donated 28 acres along Highway 105 to the town of Palmer Lake several years ago. Now, the community is debating what to do with the property and its buildings.

The property has cost the town money and created controversy across the community. The conflict surrounds six cabins and what people believe should be done with them, especially after the donation was made to the city after the group dissolved.

The town voted to demolish them to preserve the land and create an open space for the entire community. However, some are fighting to keep these cabins with the goal of economic development and historical preservation.

"It has to generate revenue," said Larry Bobo, a former Living Word Fellowship member who spoke up about the cabins' future. "Otherwise it just ends up being the gift that keeps on taking. It's costing the city money and eventually, you can't sustain that."

Bobo said he'd like to see the property preserved. He also said the park would cost money to upkeep, while the use of the cabins could generate income.

In 2018, sexual abuse claims against the group's branches in other areas led to its downfall according to Bobo. However, he doesn't believe there was sexual abuse in the cabins in Palmer Lake and said they could be used to make money for the town while still maintaining the property's trails.

"We didn't even use them. Those were just boarded up," Bobo said about the cabins. "So, there really was nothing that went on. I would say there was spiritual abuse, but I wouldn't say there was sexual abuse."

Those who'd like to keep the cabins said they're no longer in a flood plain and there are people who will pay for them to be revitalized. They also said there's government grant funding for historical preservation that could help.

Palmer Lake Mayor Glant Havenar said the cabins are beyond repair, and that the community would be better served by a park and economic development in other areas. One of the reasons she'd like it to be a park is because the space was donated for the benefit of everyone.

"They can picnic, they can hike, they can walk their dogs, whatever they want to do with the property," said Havenar. "It will be substantially more accessible. I'd like to see the gate open so that people can more readily access it. We need to have those cabins down in order to do that."

She said saving the cabins could be a burden, potentially requiring zoning and infrastructure changes. Havenar said that right now, the property is zoned for Planned Unit Development (PUD). According to the city's website, that includes residential dwelling units, and commercial uses among other things.

Aside from that, another member of the Living Word sent the mayor a letter. She said she wanted to share it with the community with the writer's permission.

"I'm a survivor of the cult following and a former member of the Palmer Lake branch, and I now live in Colorado Springs," the letter said.

Since some of the buildings will be revitalized, the letter asks for them to be used for mental health services.

As for the cabins, the writer said, "That area would be best utilized as a garden of natural flora and for the community to enjoy," after referencing the area's history as a flood plain.

The town's Parks and Trails Commission has a special meeting and workshop to discuss the property on Tuesday night. It takes place at 5 p.m. at the Palmer Lake Town Hall.

The mayor said a date has not been set for demolition.