The Bayfield town board approved rezoning property owned by Pine Valley Church from residential to agricultural, a step forward in the church’s plans to develop a multimillion-dollar event center.
In a 3-2 decision at its Feb. 3 meeting, the board approved the rezoning of the property, which is being primed to host the Pine Valley Heritage Arena.
According to the project’s website, the arena would “provide meaningful, faith-centered experiences rooted deeply in family values and the rich traditions of Western heritage.” The facility would host events such as rodeos, horse shows, livestock shows, concerts, weddings, conferences and trade shows, the website said.
Representatives at the meeting said it would also provide the Bayfield High School roping team with a place to train.
The idea to rezone the property from residential to agricultural originated in 2020, said architect Ann Christensen of DHM Design, which is designing the arena.
“At the time, at the town of Bayfield, there wasn't a zoning category that was the right fit for that kind of fairgrounds-type facility,” Christensen said.
Former Bayfield town planner Nicole Killian worked with a community-focus group to identify the best zoning category for the arena. They selected agricultural zoning because of the nature of the events the facility would host, such as stock shows or limited commercial activities, including farmers markets, Christensen said.
“Ag was the best fit for kind of the range of activities,” Christensen said.
The arena plans include trailer campsites, prompting questions during the meeting about how that fit within agricultural zoning. However, cowboys and livestock producers often travel and stay with their horses and animals while competing in rodeo and stock show circuits.
The Rev. Scott Kujath of Pine Valley Church said the center provides Bayfield ‒ and La Plata County as a whole ‒ with another venue to host rodeos.
Kujath said the arena would also spur economic growth in Bayfield, as visitors would spend money on food, gas and other services. Although the arena itself would be tax-exempt because of its nonprofit status, for-profit events would still generate tax revenue.
The arena has already drawn significant interest from potential donors, including national team roping representatives, Christensen said. However, according to the arena’s website, $510,307 has been raised toward its $30 million goal. Kujath said he wants to fund the project entirely through donations so it can be built debt-free.
Christensen said the church has submitted a use by review permit, which is under further review by town officials. Bayfield Town Planner Derrick Slocum said the use by review permit includes specific information about the project.
Slocum said that includes comprehensive engineering, legal, environmental and utility documentation, such as drainage, grading, road and traffic plans, construction cost estimates, development agreements and deeds, proof of adequate water and sanitation. Additionally, landscape, lighting, flood plain, geotechnical and environmental reports must be provided.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
An earlier version of this story included an unfortunate homophone, using “warship” instead of “worship” in the headline to describe the types of events planned for the arena.
