City of Durango and La Plata County officials say they are close to a new intergovernmental agreement on development standards for areas just outside city limits, but a three-month extension of the current agreement through March 31 appears likely in order to work out some unresolved questions involving policy and process.
Under a tentative plan hashed out Tuesday during a joint study session with city councilors and county commissioners, the boards agreed to consider the revision of a proposed intergovernmental agreement map to include city-owned public lands outside the city limits as well as Bureau of Land Management properties. The boards would have to vote on the maps later this month.
The city would like to include the public lands in the IGA map in order to benefit from the county’s expertise on the development of natural lands, such as gravel pits or for natural-gas and oil extraction, said City Manager Ron LeBlanc.
The city and county must come to an agreement on a fire-mitigation plan on city-owned natural lands outside the city limits.
Once the map is amended by both boards, a vote by each to extend the current IGA would likely happen in October. March 31 is the proposed date to finish the project.
City and county officials are working on new transitional standards so new projects built outside the city limits would eventually be ready for annexation into Durango and be eligible for city services, such as water.
County Commissioner Bobby Lieb, however, told The Durango Herald he would vote against any extension because he would rather be without an IGA. In the past, Lieb has criticized the city for foot-dragging.
Durango officials explained they have had to deal with other issues such as a new land-use development code, purchasing water from Lake Nighthorse and the reorganization of fire services.
LeBlanc said he understands that the “business of government grinds slowly. That can be source of frustration for a lot of people.”
jhaug@durangoherald.com
