Timnath residents collect signatures to prevent Topgolf from building new location at I-25 and Harmony

The Town of Timnath may soon have a law that would prevent companies like Topgolf from opening one of their golfing venues in the northern Colorado town. 

1,106 residents signed a petition calling for a special election to create a law that would prohibit fences or netting from reaching more than 65 feet into the air. Topgolf nets in other cities reach well beyond 150 feet. 

Topgolf has not purchased any land in Timnath or Larimer County, nor have they submitted any official proposals to do so. 

However, town officials tell CBS News Colorado's reporter Dillon Thomas the town has received inquiries for such a project in recent years. 

Residents learned the company was eyeing a location near the Costco in Timnath, located on the southeast corner of I-25 and Harmony. The land is in the process of being annexed by Timnath. 

"It is a very fast-growing community, and it is a place that is very desirable," said Dr. Bill Jenkins, a spokesperson for Guide Our Growth. 

Guide Our Growth is a group of Timnath residents that are opposed to the idea of building a Topgolf so close to the Poudre River and other natural habitats for both migratory and native birds. 

Timnath has grown since 2010 when it only had an estimated 600 residents. Today, Timnath is home to nearly 9,000 people and more communities are replacing farms. 

"Now we are seeing a lot of commercial interest coming to Timnath," Jenkins said. 

Jenkins and his team went door-to-door to collect signatures. They only needed around 650, but nearly doubled that in just seven weeks. 

They turned in the signatures to the Town of Timnath for verification and counting. The signatures advocate for a new law that would limit permanent nets and fencing to 65 feet. 

Jenkins said this would protect birds and bats. 

"(The possible Topgolf location) is within a quarter mile of the Poudre River," Jenkins said. "We also have numerous bald eagle nests within a mile of the proposed site."

Colorado Parks and Wildlife also expressed their concerns about the proximity of such netting to wildlife areas. 

An avian expert from Colorado State University told CBS News Colorado birds are prone to being caught in the netting, especially on overcast or cold days when they tend to fly at lower altitudes. 

He also noted that bats in the area would likely crash into the nets while pursuing insects that are attracted to the bright lights of such a venue at night. 

"We are very concerned about with a 156-foot-tall net, the impacts it would have on the avian population," Jenkins said. 

If certified by the town, the signatures would trigger a special election in which voters would decide if the town should create a law that would likely make a TopGolf location in Timnath impossible. 

"I feel very confident we will be able to get this passed," Jenkins said.