GOLDEN, Colo. — Cyclists and coffee lovers have found a new place to fuel up on Lookout Mountain with Et Voila opening its doors in April, but the family-owned bakery is now left worried about closing down due to zoning regulations.
"I'm so happy it's here. I am concerned that it's in danger of not being so," Alexander Lehr, customer, said.
The bakery opened in April, serving up coffees along with croissants, with customers knowing they need to get there early before the business sells out. Rachel Miquel Dufour explained that everything is made in-house before 7 a.m., showcasing their fresh ingredients and baking techniques.
"In order to make this happen, we sold everything we have," said Dufour. "My husband and my sister, we put our money together, invested into this building and the things inside, and to be able to make it happen, we had to be able to live on site."
Two trailers are also on the property that are designed to look similar to the bakery. Dufour explained her family sleeps there to be close to work, along with using it as offices and a test kitchen.
While the bakery is zoned for commercial use, Jefferson County Planning and Zoning received a complaint in September about two construction trailers on site and occupied. Dufour said if the family had known the trailers needed the same zoning, they would have done so.
"If zoning keeps pushing with their violation thing, they will start fining our landlord, who of course, will give it back to us, which I understand, but our landlord can evict if he wants, because then we would be in violation," said Dufour. "So if they start fining us and they don't give us a variance or an exemption of some sort, then we might, they don't understand that, but we will have to close."
Dufour said they have been in communication with the county since and have been granted several extensions for the temporary structures.
Last week, the extension was up, and Dufour said they submitted paperwork again. Jefferson County Planning and Zoning confirmed the tenants sent another request on August 15 to allow the RVs to be used for living, but Zoning regulations do not allow this.
Inside the business, customers are informed of the current situation with flyers highlighting the GoFundMe page and an online petition. Denver7 heard from a viewer worried for the bakery and wanting to help them find a solution.
"We need a breakthrough with the zoning commission and the government officials," said Brain Kluth. "They just need to work with this family and find that solution, because right now, if they force them to take away their homes where they're living and that their office space and where they're sleeping at night, those go away, then may force them to close."
Dufour explained that they have looked at other options, but said, "we have tried to move them and we have tried to see if we could operate the business without being on site, but it's not possible."
Jefferson County Planning and Zoning clarified they "are not seeking to shut down the bakery" and are "following our regulations in response to a zoning complaint from a citizen." The county also shared that one solution would be to rezone the property to allow RVs to be lived in.
Dufour is hoping for a public hearing to share their story and showcase the impact they already are having on the community.
"I want them to hear our hearts. I'm sorry we didn't do the right thing. I didn't know we would have done it, and we want to make it right, and how can we make it right," Dufour said.
