Durango’s only community garden will move into private hands.
On Tuesday, La Plata County commissioners approved the sale of a 1.19-acre property that is home to the Ohana Kuleana Community Garden to Bob Lieb – a contractual agreement put in place a decade ago.
The property near the 2900 block of East Sixth Avenue, just west of Riverview Elementary School, was first obtained by La Plata County in the 1930s, but the county deeded the property to Durango School District 9-R in the 1950s on the condition it be used for recreation or playgrounds.
As part of the agreement, if 9-R was no longer using the land for that stated purpose, it would revert to the county, which happened in the early 2000s. The county then tried to sell the property, but was unable to because of infrastructure issues on the site.
In 2010, Lieb expressed interest in using the grounds for a community garden that would be sponsored by his company, Durango Threadworks. Lieb was elected as a county commissioner in 2000 and served until 2008.
The county entered an agreement with Lieb to lease the property for 10 years at a rate of $3,600 a year. Part of the contract allowed Lieb the option to buy the property at the end of the lease for $300,000.
The contract was approved in 2010 by the then-county commissioners, who added another condition that locks the agreement so it could not be changed in the future.
County records show the land is now worth an estimated $947,600.
Lieb, speaking to commissioners Tuesday, said because of infrastructure issues on the site, it’s more likely the property is worth about $600,000. He estimated he has spent about $335,000 of his own money to improve the land.
Lieb said he has a proposed plan in place that would ensure the community garden remain in place “forever.”
“I think it’s going to be a wonderful asset ... but all the pieces have to fall in place,” he said.
Lieb is proposing to cut off an undeveloped portion of the south end of the property and combine it with an adjacent property at 242 Riverview Drive to build a new home, in an effort to repay him for his investments – a process that would need to be approved by the city of Durango.
Then, Lieb said he would allow time for people involved in the garden, which consists of about 80% of the property, to fundraise for money to purchase it so it can be a garden “forever.”
“That’s my dream and my vision for the lot,” he said. “I don’t want it to be condos. I don’t want it to be houses. I don’t want it to be anything other than what it is forever and ever.”
La Plata County commissioners Clyde Church and Gwen Lachelt voted to approve the sale. Commissioner Julie Westendorff was not in attendance.
For years, the Garden Project of Southwest Colorado oversaw the community garden. But after the Garden Project recently merged with Manna soup kitchen, it was transferred completely to community oversight.
Attempts to reach a main organizer involved with the site were unsuccessful Tuesday morning.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
