City kills plan to convert in-town eyesore to sorely needed apartments. Officials hide behind trumped-up compliance standards for former "heavy industrial" site.
The city denied approval to a major project that would have created about 100 jobs and pumped millions of dollars into our economy! For all their campaign rhetoric, city leaders ignore campaign promises regarding infill development and “affordable housing”. In Durango, that term is an oxymoron.
“960 East” encompassed quality rental units for 66 families while converting the former Boker Lumber yard on E. College Drive from an eye sore to a showcase. The city would rather hide behind trumped-up conformance and density standards than demonstrate skill, leadership and honor to make infill projects a reality.
Former mayor, Sidney Zink, spoke courageously at the hearings. She and others, both pro and con, acknowledged there were valid concerns, but none were insurmountable. Where were Mayor Renderle and Councilors Marbury, White and Lyon, proponents all for affordable housing and infill development? If there’s a photo-op or ribbon cutting, they’re there! That’s leadership?
When Durangoans lose homes, jobs or are forced to downsize, they will leave the area if they can’t find an affordable rental. Young adults born or raised here cannot afford to stay. They’re competing against college students being ripped off by slum lords, and absentee landlords gouging tourists with pricey vacation pool rentals.
Local businesses continue to fail, the Durango Mall occupancy rate is pathetic, skilled people leave town in despair, negatively impacting us all! What happened to America’s “can do” spirit?
Project 960 East manifests major private investment in land acquisition, planning and permitting. Land costs dictate density to achieve economic feasibility. The city’s negativity serves notice to risk-takers to go elsewhere. Abandoned properties, urban sprawl, slum lords, unemployment and bike trails are preferred over such frivolous things as adequate housing and customers for local businesses and jobs!
Facing a $2 million budget shortfall, the city chooses to raise taxes (e.g., increased lodging tax), rather than collect $500,000 in fees and permits, untold sales tax revenues from this project. Rather than donate land at the old library site to a nonprofit to build affordable housing, the city prefers to “put up another parking lot”, as the song goes.
It’s time for Durango’s politicians to walk-the-walk! They spend $ millions on “open space”, bike trails, recreation center, library, an elaborate transportation center, doggie park, and offer free rides on our public transit system. Yet, they ignore the needs of low and moderate income families who cannot afford to own their own home. They leave it to local non-profits to provide shelter to 550 people each year while hanging on to city-owned land that could be used for low income housing.
The candidates and Mayor talked a great game while campaigning. When it was time to act, they were nowhere to be found! Sound familiar? None of them ever ran a business, so how would you expect them to understand business economics? If a developer acquires infill property for $1.3M, the development must have a certain density to be cost-effective. Even idiots understand that principle. The developer’s plan was consistent with zoning and land use. After risking their capital to address a chronic community need, and after modifying the plan significantly to accommodate the concerns of city planners and neighbors, the plan still got axed!
We’ve become a community–and nation–of can’t do-ers! Maybe that’s why we elect people who don’t do anything except squander taxpayers’ money…
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City kills plan to convert in-town eyesore to sorely needed apartments. Officials hide behind trumped-up compliance standards for former "heavy industrial" site.
The city denied approval to a major project that would have created about 100 jobs and pumped millions of dollars into our economy! For all their campaign rhetoric, city leaders ignore campaign promises regarding infill development and “affordable housing”. In Durango, that term is an oxymoron.
“960 East” encompassed quality rental units for 66 families while converting the former Boker Lumber yard on E. College Drive from an eye sore to a showcase. The city would rather hide behind trumped-up conformance and density standards than demonstrate skill, leadership and honor to make infill projects a reality.
Former mayor, Sidney Zink, spoke courageously at the hearings. She and others, both pro and con, acknowledged there were valid concerns, but none were insurmountable. Where were Mayor Renderle and Councilors Marbury, White and Lyon, proponents all for affordable housing and infill development? If there’s a photo-op or ribbon cutting, they’re there! That’s leadership?
When Durangoans lose homes, jobs or are forced to downsize, they will leave the area if they can’t find an affordable rental. Young adults born or raised here cannot afford to stay. They’re competing against college students being ripped off by slum lords, and absentee landlords gouging tourists with pricey vacation pool rentals.
Local businesses continue to fail, the Durango Mall occupancy rate is pathetic, skilled people leave town in despair, negatively impacting us all! What happened to America’s “can do” spirit?
Project 960 East manifests major private investment in land acquisition, planning and permitting. Land costs dictate density to achieve economic feasibility. The city’s negativity serves notice to risk-takers to go elsewhere. Abandoned properties, urban sprawl, slum lords, unemployment and bike trails are preferred over such frivolous things as adequate housing and customers for local businesses and jobs!
Facing a $2 million budget shortfall, the city chooses to raise taxes (e.g., increased lodging tax), rather than collect $500,000 in fees and permits, untold sales tax revenues from this project. Rather than donate land at the old library site to a nonprofit to build affordable housing, the city prefers to “put up another parking lot”, as the song goes.
It’s time for Durango’s politicians to walk-the-walk! They spend $ millions on “open space”, bike trails, recreation center, library, an elaborate transportation center, doggie park, and offer free rides on our public transit system. Yet, they ignore the needs of low and moderate income families who cannot afford to own their own home. They leave it to local non-profits to provide shelter to 550 people each year while hanging on to city-owned land that could be used for low income housing.
The candidates and Mayor talked a great game while campaigning. When it was time to act, they were nowhere to be found! Sound familiar? None of them ever ran a business, so how would you expect them to understand business economics? If a developer acquires infill property for $1.3M, the development must have a certain density to be cost-effective. Even idiots understand that principle. The developer’s plan was consistent with zoning and land use. After risking their capital to address a chronic community need, and after modifying the plan significantly to accommodate the concerns of city planners and neighbors, the plan still got axed!
We’ve become a community–and nation–of can’t do-ers! Maybe that’s why we elect people who don’t do anything except squander taxpayers’ money…
Like this:
Posted in affordable housing, Colorado, Colorado Politics, Durango, Durango city council, infill development, Political Commentary, Real Estate, Uncategorized, urban planning