Durango, CO: City councilors are set to discuss a planned 10-to 15-acre mixed-income housing development adjacent to Wilson Gulch Drive in Three Springs at the council regular meeting Feb. 7.
The plans are part of an overall update to council on various housing partnerships with the city designed to help provide affordable and attainable housing.. In addition to the Three Springs project, councilors will also receive an update on an affordable and workforce housing project on Florida Road, and an update on the city’s Fair Share program that requires 16% of all new homeownership units to be affordable to the local workforce. Developers can also comply with this requirement by paying a fee in lieu of building the affordable units.
Councilors meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month. A study session begins at 2:15 p.m. and the regular meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
The study session includes these items on the agenda:
- Council is scheduled to interview the two highest scoring proposals for a conceptual public-private partnership at 211 West College Drive. The land is owned by the city but currently leased to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The two highest scoring proposals were from Reynolds Ash Associates and the Durango Arts, Conferences and Events Center.
The city is seeking to partner with an experienced, visionary developer to begin defining a feasible project for this property that helps create a flourishing, and attractive development, according to the request put out by the city. The property’s current land use designation is Mixed Use-Arterial, which allows for a variety of potential uses, but the city would potentially support re-zoning the property to Planned Development to accommodate unique project proposals.
- A presentation will be made by staff on updating the city’s boards and commissions structure. Based on council’s previous direction to streamline the existing 23 boards that encompass 123 volunteers and take up approximately 5,500 staff hours, staff will propose reorganizing the boards and commissions to 15 boards encompassing 78 members that will save approximately $240,000 in staff expenses..
Reviewing the city’s boards and commission’s structure directly supports the city’s strategic plan goal of Engaged & Collaborative Governance, with an emphasis on optimizing public engagement.
At the regular council meeting:
- Council is scheduled to receive an update on the city’s parks, which helps council and staff work out an estimated cost of maintenance need for years to come.
The inventory report shows that 41% of park inventory is in very good condition, while 13.3% is in very poor condition. Of the inventory labeled in very poor condition, the costliest items are bathroom replacements or renovations for Folsom, Memorial, and Schneider parks.
- Council will also be receiving an update on a few of its housing partnerships, including Three Springs Village Two, Durango Crossing along Florida Road, and the Fair Share Program and Partnership with Root Policy Research.
- Council is scheduled to receive an update from the Durango Fire Protection District on a proposed increase in fees to mitigate the cost of capital facilities needed to accommodate future growth. The additional fees of $1,317 per new residential unit and $2.321 per square foot of a non-residential unit would be implemented under a tiered schedule and are not calculated to remedy any deficiency in capital facilities that currently exist.
- Council will review $250,000 in funding to various nonprofit organizations through the United Way of Southwest Colorado.
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Media Contact
Tom Sluis
Public Information Officer - Spokesman
Phone: (970) 375-5090
Email: Tom.Sluis@durangogov.org
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