Neighborhood Meeting Update

Hello Animas Valley Action Coalition Members,

Here’s a quick rundown of what happened at the Neighborhood Meeting. Roberts is moving forward with his 275 space RV Park proposal and wants to add Park Model “luxury” adventure cabins. We’re not sure how big or how many he would request, but maybe they would be for Phase II. There were a lot of great questions asked, and some of the answers we think require clarification. See attached report from Coordinating Committee Member, Louis Meyer, addressing concerns regarding traffic and sanitation.

Roberts’ application status: Roberts’ application was found non-compliant again, and he is now going into round 3. We have not seen the 2nd Compliance Review Report from Tez Hawkins, the outside contracted Senior Planner from the Denver area yet.  We are hopeful it will be available on the County portal for this application in a few days. If not, we’ll reach out to Planning for an update.

Process: There will be another Neighborhood Meeting according to Lynn Hyde, Community Development Director.  If there are no Compliance issues with Roberts 3rd round, we presume the applications will then go before the Planning Commission for a vote.  An enormous crowd will be needed there with prepared statements for the Planning Commissioners.

Please note, Mr. Roberts was incorrect when he told audience members that WE, the public, voted for the rezone of this property and his proposal in the Sketch Plan. The public never has a vote when it comes to rezoning, development applications or Sketch Plans.  The Planning Commission voted 3:2 on January 12, 2023, in favor of the proposed Sketch Plan. The passing of the Sketch Plan phase is NOT an indication that the project will be approved in the future. As always we will continue to provide status updates when available.

Call to Action!

We are actively collaborating with our legal team and acknowledge the numerous concerns you have raised regarding legal measures.

In addition to our attorneys’ counsel, we have received invaluable input from several local attorneys who have extensively practiced in the land use area within La Plata County for decades. Timing and impact are paramount considerations, so please be assured that we are diligently pursuing these matters on all fronts.

The foundation of any legal action lies in outreach and engaging our community to attend meetings, thereby ensuring that you are seen and your voices are heard. It is no longer a handful of the same few faces. We have made significant progress in this regard, and our efforts are heard, ongoing and very noticeable.

While we have raised a little over $20,000, please note that legal representation is expensive. We have expended a little over $15,000 overall. The initial fundraising comprised over 100 people donating ~$200 each. That is amazing and the kind of support needed to mount a successful challenge. We are requesting that you continue to support our activities as much as finances allow. Of course there is no guarantee of the outcome, but without you we cannot press all options forward. 

As of right now we and our attorneys believe we have a strong case for impacting the Roberts outcome and for making changes to the Land Use Code that will benefit the Animas Valley for years to come with smart growth. Your assistance will aid in our continued efforts to keep our beautiful Animas Valley rural, and maintain the neighborhood character and feel we all enjoy so much.

While we all realize that 501C3 status is the best way to obtain donations, that process is a long one and not yet available. In addition, Go Fund Me, collects  a fee based on the percentage of funds collected, so for this reason we have chosen not to go this route.

Thanks for your time and trust. The impact we are already making shows what can be accomplished – as they say “It takes a village”.  Kudos again for everyone who showed up at the neighborhood meetings. We can assure you that it had an impact!

Donation Information:

Please make your checks payable to:

AVAC Durango LLC
Mail to:
AVAC Durango LLC
P.O. Box 4425
Durango, CO 81302