In his third showdown with a growing contingent of La Plata County residents opposed to his proposed luxury RV park, Arizona-based developer Scott Roberts fielded pointed questions during a neighborhood meeting on Tuesday.
More than 200 people attended the forum, a mandatory part of the land-use compliance review under La Plata County code, held in the Extension Building at the county fairgrounds. The first two showdowns occurred during a neighborhood meeting in 2022 to unveil a sketch plan of the project; the second came when the Planning Commission approved the sketch plan.
Roberts has proposed building a 275-stall RV park and a public clubhouse off Trimble Lane (County Road 252) in the Animas Valley on a 36-acre site along the Animas River that was once used as a gravel pit. Valley residents have organized to try to stop the development, which they say is too dense, will congest Trimble Lane and East Animas Road (County Road 250), threatens wildlife and would be difficult to evacuate during a wildfire.
Most of Tuesday’s meeting remained cordial, although at times, residents grew frustrated and interrupted the format. A plan by outside facilitators hired by the county to collect attendees’ questions and concerns in one fell swoop before allowing Roberts to respond en masse was quickly shot down.
“Answer now!” one man shouted after the first question, as the crowd murmured in agreement.
The meeting served, in part, as an opportunity for Roberts to go on record with several commitments addressing concerns raised by the community.
The Hermosa Sanitation District has the capacity to serve the development, Roberts said, without requiring infrastructure improvements that would drive up costs.
“I want to be clear that there’s not going to be any additional costs,” he said.
He reiterated a commitment to improving and preserving public access to a river put-in currently on the property – once he finds a public entity willing to accept ownership of the parcel. (Durango Parks and Recreation has said it is too far outside city limits, and the county does not have a parks department.)
Although Roberts maintains that his development would not impact wildlife, given the absence of greenery on the lot, one young attendee pointed out the contradiction with his earlier note that elk had eaten the trees planted to buffer the site from the Dalton Ranch Golf Club.
The elk were not on the property, but on the golf course itself, Roberts said.
Multiple people raised concerns that evacuating 275 RVs down Trimble Lane in the event of a wildfire would be difficult. In response, Roberts and his land-use agent, Andy Arnold, pointed to a traffic study that found the development would not significantly impact the two-lane road.
“Durango Fire Protection District – they’re great, they’ve been speaking with us ... they’re not going to let us move forward with this project unless those questions are answered,” Arnold said.
Although Roberts says he is committed to working with residents to try to make the development “a win-win,” some remain skeptical.
At its emotional climax, one man – the same attendee who had earlier shouted “Answer now!” – repeatedly interrupted Roberts, as well as other attendees asking questions, to demand answers.
“Can you let me talk?” Roberts shot back, clearly frustrated.
“I’m not hearing anything I like,” the man said.
After other attendees interjected and asked the man to quiet down, county staff members asked him to leave. Some in the audience applauded as he begrudgingly complied.
“I’m just looking at all the people that are here. And the reason that they’re here is that we’re concerned about our valley. We’re concerned about the quality of living here,” said the next commenter, summarizing what much of the room seemed to be thinking.
The comment laid clear the crux of the issue: Roberts feels empowered to develop under the zoning regulations unique to the Animas Valley, while many residents feel they have little recourse against unwanted development.
Arnold confirmed that the second project proposal, submitted earlier this year for county review, will not be sufficient for a positive recommendation to the decision-making body. Nearly a year elapsed between the rejection of Roberts’ first proposal and the submission of his second. Another neighborhood meeting will likely occur after a third proposal is submitted, and the public will have an opportunity to comment should the project move forward to a decision-making body.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
