‘The perfect development’
City Council candidates weigh in on recipe for good growth

The Durango Telegraph’s three-part series on getting to know your City Council candidates continues this week with a question about everybody’s favorite hot-button issue: growth. This week, the eight candidates were given the purely hypothetical situation of 500 acres of private land adjacent to Durango and asked to “Describe the Perfect Development.”

Tom Howley: I could describe a 500-acre hypothetical development, that has 70 percent open space and wildlife corridors; high-density, low-impact housing that is LEED certified with 30 percent being affordable; and close to the highway flat land leaving the untouched higher, more rugged land as the development’s signature. It would seem to be difficult to accomplish with the passionate opposing group opinions generated by such proposals.

Peter Tregillus: I want something that NO private developers have done: a development including housing for a mix of incomes. Within a walkable grid, you’d find some streets with high-end architectural gems; around the corner townhomes and corner buildings with multi-family density, child-friendly play lots within, open space adjacent. Primary streets would have safe transit pullouts. There would be multiple commercial nodes, offices, a grocery store, a teen hangout, and the best breakfast restaurant in town.

Jerry Swingle: We have an excellent model for ideal community development called Traditional Urban Design, or New Urbanism. It clusters a mix of housing around a community public square, incorporating office space and some light commercial businesses. A compact village center discourages vehicular traffic since everything is within easy walking distance. Clustering provides for surrounding land to be kept as open space or greenbelt, with appropriate portions developed as trails and recreation facilities.

The housing mix would include rental apartments, condominiums and fractional-acreage family homes, including appropriately placed work/live units. A range of low-end priced units would match the larger community’s proportional need for affordable and attainable housing. Homes would generally face one another across relatively narrow streets, encouraging social interaction and functional community, while naturally slowing vehicle traffic. Orientation of units, along with reasonable height restrictions, would facilitate solar heating or photovoltaic applications. Ample parking would be accommodated but visually concealed in alleys at the rear. Covenants would encourage rather than discourage green building.

Compact yards would feature landscaping reflecting our water-critical environment. Landscaping guidelines would encourage individual or community vegetable gardens. Walking/biking trails would link to both downtown and other neighborhoods, and ideally the development would be served by local mass transit – again reducing vehicle trips and avoiding increased traffic congestion.

Sidny Zink: It’s hard to dive into this question without knowing the answers to critical questions of location and terrain. In our part of world, these answers shape the entire development. Assuming the best, the principles of “traditional neighborhood development” are the place to start. I would look for compact development with green spaces throughout; homes in a variety of styles and sizes; single and multi-family. Trails will be important for bicycles and pedestrians. Essential commercial outlets will reduce the need for driving. An area this large will involve school and park dedications.

I would look for application of smart conservation techniques. These would include looking for ways to capture rain and run-off, along with a gray-water collection system to reuse water in irrigation and employing solar technology for heating and electricity. Porches in front, garages in back. Focus on people, not on cars. Trees.

The “perfect development” for Durango right now would be one that puts a major dent in the supply of homes we currently lack – modest homes for essential workers, long-time residents and young people getting started.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding this property coming into the city, through negotiation the city would ideally end up with land for permanent affordable housing. Then, with the help of the Regional Housing Authority, coalesce nonprofit and for-profit builders to apply smart, economical ways to build homes.

Scott Graham: Location is the first piece of information necessary in answering this question. The newly approved Comprehensive Plan calls for most growth to occur south and east from the city’s core. In addition, some parcels lend themselves more readily to development, others to preservation.

For a parcel such as the Twin Buttes area that has both attributes, the obvious preliminary answer to this question is to cluster development to maintain maximum open space for recreation and wildlife, and to provide a range of housing, including affordable homes.

The question becomes more complex when looking at the cost to the community of developing portions of any given parcel. In the case of Twin Buttes, it would be far more expensive to develop – and for taxpayers to maintain city services – on the upper bench of the Twin Buttes area than on the lower bench closer to the highway.

In addition, the upper bench of Twin Buttes is more visible than the lower bench, and the more remote upper bench is more desirable for preservation.

That’s why I’ve joined with many others, including city staff, in calling for development to be clustered lower in the Twin Buttes area, with preservation efforts aimed at the upper Twin Buttes area.

Michael Rendon: The perfect development would provide for the housing needs of local people who currently cannot afford their own place to live. The housing would be clustered together and supportive of not only residential housing, but cottage industries and small businesses. The most ecologically sensitive land would be set aside as open space, and the residential area would have parks and a ball field. The community would be walkable with excellent transit to and from the transit center in downtown Durango, and none of the buildings would sit on any of the ridge lines. The majority of the materials used would come from this area and be harvested in a sustainable manner. This development would provide all of its own energy needs, using the latest in appropriate alternative energy technology. This development would be the first “zero-waste” development in Durango with an active recycling and composting system.

The grey water would be recycled back into the foodscapes, and the black water would be re-used as bio-solids for gardens and local agriculture. The landscape would be edible and pesticide free, providing for our food and drugs. Though this vision may not currently be realistic, we can use tools already set in place such as the Regional Housing Authority, the “buy-local” program, the ridgeline ordinance, 2A open space money, green building standards and the new transit system to encourage concrete and immediate steps toward providing affordable housing, preserving open space, protecting ridge lines and providing meaningful employment.

Leigh Meigs: As a member of City Council, I am more interested in the process that creates a “perfect” development.

• First off, adequate public notice will have taken place. My constituents will not need to read a little pink sign at the top of a ridgeline to have a voice about new proposed development. The public will be provided notice through multiple points of contact, for example, by newspaper announcement, by e-mail, by snail-mail, and by website.

• Public participation will occur early in the planning process. This is important for all parties: a) developers make an effort to integrate public concerns into their project before they invest in the planning process; b) City staff works more efficiently when they have fewer issues to defend; and c) the public knows that its input is meaningful and timely.

• At Public Hearings, the public is welcomed to the podium. Council demonstrates curiosity about all points presented. The mayor redirects off-topic remarks so that all parties feel that the process has been efficient and fair.

• The City presents before-and-after visuals of major development from several angles on Community Viz software to facilitate the public presentation.

• Finally, the City moves beyond good intentions and negotiates enforceable, achievable solutions for affordability, energy efficiency, transportation, open space, and infrastructure.

I will create a more credible process where the public has a “seat at the table” and private interests can count on greater predictability. No party should feel they were “blindsided” by the process.

Linda Geer: In order to preserve our treasured quality of life, the perfect development would have (not in any particular order):

• A cooperative effort between the developer and city in a predictable, efficient, cost-effective process. This would ultimately ensure that the Comp Plan’s vision is met (healthy community, environmental stewardship, economic vitality and sustainable systems) and that the costs are kept down, keeping homebuyers’ prices as low as possible.

• Streets laid out in a grid pattern to promote easy connectivity and walkability.

• Clustered development, maximizing open space, recreational opportunities, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas. Negotiation would trade densities for open space, and parks and trails concessions, resulting in less expenditure of 2A funds on acquisition.

• A mix of uses, again promoting walkability and reducing the need for commuting to employment opportunities.

• Locally owned businesses, patronized by locals, to create jobs, local prosperity and a vibrant economy.

• A mix of housing opportunities and choices, to promote a diverse population.

• Its own distinctive, attractive character and a strong sense of place.

• Community gardens, and possibly a space for a farmers’ market.

• A community center.

• A variety of transportation choices

• Compact, energy-efficient, carbon-neutral building

• A sustainability plan.

• Safety and a sense of security. •