According to Development Director the proposed Pagosa West development is expected to be resubmitted with revisions and considered at an August Planning Commission meeting.
To date, Pagosa West raises legitimate concerns regarding community fit, environmental impact and housing affordability. It also disregards local input, threats to wildlife and preservation of old growth forest. All suggests this project may do more harm than good.
To recap:
The Town applied for — and accepted — a $2 million DOLA grant to fund infrastructure before the land was purchased, and before receiving Planning Commission or Town Council approval. This effectively puts the cart before the horse: officials are now under skewed incentives to approve the project to justify the grant. Critics warn this compromises the fairness of the vetting process.
This plan is incompatible with local land use and community values: The development proposes three-story apartments and high-density housing alongside rural-residential zones — without adequate transition buffers. Public testimony highlights that the project conflicts with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Code, lacking compliance with guidelines for density and neighborhood character.
Environmental Risks and Habitat Loss: This property is frequently used as a wildlife corridor for elk, deer, and other animals. Multiple sections are marked as wetlands, as well as including 150+ year old Ponderosa pines.
Questionable Affordability of “Workforce” Housing: The town continues to struggle to be able to build at a cost that would result in affordable housing or rentals. What has the developer shown that they can build the workforce housing for the AMI defined in the DOLA grant?
Pagosa’s slow, irregular growth pattern: Pagosa has shown that lots and infrastructure can remain unused for years – Aspen Village and the Pagosa Lakes subdivisions still have numerous residential lots available. Aspen Springs is not yet built out and even downtown Pagosa is not fully built out. Who will bear the long-term cost of maintaining roads, water, sewer, and public services for potential ghost neighborhoods?
The Town already has a multitude of housing projects either currently being built or on the horizon. To name a few – Pagosa Peaks (675+ houses downtown), Chris Mountain, The Enclave, Timberline Apartments and SunRidge Townhomes.
Pagosa has seen this scenario before: big mixed use schemes pushed forward, then stuck with undeveloped barren areas for years. Take a drive along Hwy 160 and note how many For Sale signs there are for commercial sites and buildings. Without a change in strategy — toward smarter density, infill, and community-led growth — Pagosa risks repeating a failed development pattern.
If you agree that Pagosa West in its current plan is a bad idea, please consider signing the petition at https://chng.it/pf9RNrLT45.
Jane Weitzel
Pagosa Springs, CO