The Durango Planning Commission recommended Durango City Council deny a small subdivision proposed on Jameson Drive west of Florida Road during a Monday night hearing.
Residents raised concerns about inadequate parking, the number of homes that would be added to the narrow, dead-end street and snow storage.
Planning commissioners agreed with many of the issues raised by the neighbors about the subdivision, called Jameson Court, which would be built on the site formerly home to Puckett Electric.
“I think this is a real intrusion on the neighborhood,” Commissioner Joe Lewandowski said.
Commissioners asked if developer Dan Smith and his agent, Cynthia Roebuck, would like to have the project continued so they could address some of the concerns, but they declined.
The proposal will go before Durango City Council in April for a vote, Planning Manager Scott Shine said.
Smith is proposing 10 single-family homes facing a common courtyard, similar to some neighborhoods in Three Springs, according to city documents. The homes will have a unified architecture and color scheme.
All the homes could be accessed by two driveways off Jameson Drive that would allow residents to access the garages behind each home. The driveways could not accommodate additional parking outside of garages, and that concerned neighbors and commissioners.
The developer provided an additional parking space for two houses proposed at the south end of the project so that those homes could add a small rental unit at some point, according to city documents.
Under the current proposal, the developer would not be required to connect Jameson Drive to Colorado Avenue.
But Smith could have to complete the sidewalk on the north side of Jameson Drive to Colorado Avenue and build a sidewalk in front of the property.
Smith could also have to clear vegetation and regrade access on the west end of Jameson Drive to allow emergency vehicles to access the property.
Jameson Drive resident Blake Fredrickson said city snowplows pile snow at the end of Jameson Drive, on the property where emergency access is planned, and that could hinder vehicles in the winter.
Neighbors and commissioners were concerned residents would use their garages to store personal gear, such as kayaks, and park on the street.
Commissioner Jason Cross suggested adjusting the design to incorporate more storage.
“It’s just really clumsy,” he said, of the design.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
