EDITORIAL: Give Me Land, Lots of Land, Under Starry Skies Above, Part One

Don’t Fence Me In (Revisited)

Oh, give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above
Don’t Fence Me In
Let me buy all the wide open country that I love
Don’t Fence Me In

Let me count my money in the evening breeze
Listen to the whisper of the cottonwood trees
Make a special deal with the Town trustees
But Don’t Limit My Ability to Extract Geothermal Water…

— Original 1934 lyrics by Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher, updated by Bill Hudson

A few rather important-looking projects have recently come before the Town of Pagosa Springs Planning Commission, including a Springs Resort proposal to construct a new 84,000 square foot building at 323 Hot Springs Boulevard, containing roughly 80 hotel rooms, a spa, a restaurant… and adjacent, a series of new geothermal bathing pools.

The Town Planning Commission (acting as the Design Review Board) will conduct a public hearing tonight, Tuesday, January 25, at 5:30pm to consider the ‘Sketch Design Review’ application — a preliminary approval process whereby the Planning Commission offers recommendations to the developer.

To comply with the current social distancing recommendations, the meeting agenda includes instructions on how to join the hybrid meeting remotely, or limited in person. Limited in-person meeting attendance is allowed, with masks, required at Town Hall, 551 Hot Springs Blvd.  The public hearing will also be shared on the Zoom online meeting platform and accessible to anyone in the public from the Town’s online portal at this link https://zoom.us/j/91425469027 or to listen only, dialing 1-669-900-6833 and accessing webinar ID 914 2546 9027.

To access the agenda, staff reports and proposed development applications for tonight’s meeting, click the on the Town’s web page at https://pagosasprings.civicweb.net

“We encourage interested parties to contact the Planning Department prior to the meeting date, with any questions or comments via phone at 970-264-4151 x221 or email at cschultz@pagosasprings.co.gov. Written comments will be forwarded to the Design Review Board for their consideration.”

Drawings, and a drone photo of the project area, are shown below. The green buildings shown in the first drawing are existing; the building shown is orange is the proposed 80-room hotel. That drawing also shows about 25 new (proposed) geothermal soaking pools which would presumably redirect some of the geothermal water that currently flows into the Town Wetlands…

… and here are some citizen questions that were posted on the MyPagosa.org website…

The Riverwalk Wetlands adjacent to this proposed development are a unique and fragile landscape that could be easily damaged by toxic waste material. I am concerned about the toxic materials (gas, oil, hydraulic fluid, salt, etc) that would drain off the large parking lot directly upslope from the wetlands. Will there be a drainage system that will divert storm water and snow/ice melt away from the wetlands? With this large of a development there will inevitably be some toxins that drain off regardless of the drainage system. Will there be a vegetative buffer area to help neutralize toxins before they enter the wetlands area? Given the value that locals and visitors place on these wetlands, it is imperative that we protect them before any damage can be done. Thank you.
— Jeanette Pike, Riverwalk Wetland Naturalist Tour Coordinator, 11 days ago

Hi Jeanette,
We agree and will work with the proposed development for inclusion of a water quality structure before the drainage enters their privately owned wetlands, which feeds into the Town owned wetlands downstream.

Is there enough water volume to support the new hot springs development from municipal sources without overusing hot springs sources? How will the present hot springs water volume necessary to support our unusual hot water fed wetlands be maintained and not damaged by construction? Can the Pagosa Hot Springs guarantee the volume of continuously flowing water of 100 degrees from the hot springs will continue and not be replaced by municipal regular water? How will the impact on the wetlands be mitigated from all the increased use of that localized area. Thank you for considering these issues. Many citizens in our group and the community want to see our wetlands which is the heart of Pagosa maintained.
— Bob Lecour Pagosa Wetland Partners representative, 11 days ago

Hello Bob,
The Springs Resort will utilize their existing geothermal water rights to accommodate their development and additional soaking pools. The wetlands are an important amenity for the Springs Resort guests, thus they have a vested interest in preserving their privately owned wetland area. The Town will work with the applicant to seek a plan for maintaining the historic temp and flows, or proportionate combination, into their privately owned wetlands which flows into the Town-owned wetlands. The wetlands are considered a sensitive area in our code, thus protection and/or mitigation of any impacts is required.

Tourism is critical to the economy of Pagosa Springs, birding and photography being economic drivers. The 180+ species of birds in the wetlands are attracted to the warm water year around. How will these wetlands be protected so that the birds and birders/photographers will continue to come? Experience shows that birds simply stop coming when their habitat is impacted by developments like these. How is this unique wetland going to be preserved? Diane C.
— dian.ec asked 3 days ago

Dear dian.ec,
Others have expressed similar concerns. We recognize the value of our local wetlands and the benefits they provide to our entire community. The wetlands report will help guide the applicant to address any negative impacts.

Three stories? Nothing in downtown Pagosa is 3 stories! Pagosa is not trying to be a Vail or Breckenridge or even Silverthorn! This does not fit!
— kathy schultz asked 2 days ago

Dear kathy schultz,
The Land Use and Development Code specifies a height limitation of 45 feet, and allows for 6 feet for roof peaks. Some designs can accommodate 3 stories with these limits. The existing Springs Hotel is a 3-story building that also was within the height limitations in the Land Use and Development Code.

Please, no gigantic Disney World development. It reminds me of past miners having such disregard for the environment in pursuit of gold and silver. The value of the riverwalk/wetlands area and its wildlife must take priority. It is a jewel central to the appeal of our town and its restorative peace and mountain views should not be undervalued and threatened. Please be careful and thoughtful with your planning, and don’t get swept up in grandiose sales plans.
— survey asked about 20 hours ago

Dear survey,
The wetland areas are an asset and as such, the applicant has been requested to provide a wetlands delineation and impact assessment to identify potential impacts and give the applicant the opportunity to address them.

Is this the final submission as to what the bldg will look like? Can they make some adjustments so it would look less like an institution?
— JS asked about 19 hours ago

Hello JS,
This is the Sketch Design Review application, which can be modified. Based on the comments, feedback, and guidance garnered during the 1/25 public hearing, the Design Review Board may request changes. In addition, the applicant may make modifications without prompting. The Final Design Review application, when received, will more closely represent what the final development will look like, including landscaping. The Sketch Design Review is an opportunity to see how the proposal is reviewed with the Land Use and Development Code, the Design Review Board, and the public.

This will be a development that visually defines the most important and visited stretch of town. The site plan and the ends of the building look great, and interesting. What connects them, though, looks like brutalist suburban architecture. Two questions:

1) Is there anything that can be done to give that stretch a more distinctive, modernist look in keeping with the ends of the structure?

2) Will electric vehicle-charging be part of the project? The town (and the resort itself) will need as much of that as possible.
— Rick Holter asked 8 days ago

Hi Rick,
We always encourage the inclusion of at least the infrastructure to accommodate electric vehicle stations in the future and it is to the business owners benefit to include such. Town staff has included a recommendation for the Design Review Board to address the massing of the structure. The Town staff review report will be available late this afternoon at https://pagosasprings.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingTypeList.aspx(External link), click on the January 25th on the calendar and select the Planning Commission meeting to bring up the meeting agenda and hyperlinked staff report and applicants submitted documents.

This project, the condo/office complex proposed for across the street, the affordable housing under construction, RiverRock Estates, and the Reservoir Hill Ranch property (if/when it sells) will have major impacts on traffic volume and flow on both Hot Springs Blvd. and Apache St. What do you propose to accommodate the additional traffic and mitigate bottlenecks?
— Karen LeCour asked 5 days ago

Hi Karen,
The Town is in the process of developing conceptual designs for the reconstruction of Hot Springs Blvd between the Post Office and Apache Street and is aware that the HS Blvd Bridge and Hwy 160 intersection will also need to be redesigned in the near future as well.

The design sketch shows the building to be constructed with 40% (13,000) square feet being glass. This is in an area designated an ebird hotspot for the number of resident and migratory birds that spend time here. According to the National Audubon Society, the American Bird Conservancy and others, glass strikes kill up to one billion birds annually in the United States alone. There are design alternatives for glass and lighting which help to reduce this source of mortality. Will the developer be required to use them?
— JZ asked 4 days ago

Hi JZ,
Town staff has included a recommendation for the Design Review Board to consider requiring that the applicant provide measures/treatments to reduce bird mortality rates from window collisions. The Town staff review report is available at https://pagosasprings.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingTypeList.aspx , click on the January 25 on the calendar and select the Planning Commission meeting to bring up the meeting agenda and hyperlinked staff report and applicants submitted documents

Read Part Two…

Bill Hudson

Bill Hudson

Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.