Durango city councilors on Tuesday discussed the annexation of properties surrounding Escalante Drive, as well as amendments to the Three Springs Village development.
In the coming months, officials will hear the proposal of annexing eight properties between Escalante Middle School and Home Depot, which could result in the development of a 192-unit apartment complex and a Goodwill.
Planning and Community Developer Greg Hoch told the Durango City Council the proposal to annex the area first came to the city in the early 2000 “boom years,” but then the recession hit.
“We had a recalcitrant property owner who held out to get as much money as he could,” Hoch said. “In the meantime, the economy tanked, and all of this got put on hold. Here we are 10 years later.”
The largest track in the proposal would include the site of the former Rocket Drive-In, which would be developed into a 192-unit apartment complex.
“It’s going to help the housing situation because we’re in dire need of apartments,” Hoch said.
Also, Hoch said officials at the Goodwill thrift store have expressed intense interest in developing the property on the corner of U.S. Highway 160 and Baker Lane.
Goodwill would build the extension of Escalante Drive along its property boundaries, and the remaining portion that would connect the Home Depot to Walmart would be funded by a Special Improvement District fund with individual property assessments. The road is estimated to cost $2 million.
City planners proposed an extension of the Animas River 160 Trail along Baker Lane, through an underpass on Escalante Drive and through another underpass on Highway 160.
Three Springs
City councilors also heard revisions to the Three Springs Village development, including the transfer of 3 acres of wetlands that no longer see moisture after the construction of Mercy Regional Medical Center altered the hydrology of the area.
Now, Three Springs representatives propose to transfer that property, so it could be developed, with 3 acres adjacent to open space to the northwest of the Village.
Officials also propose combining the sites of an elementary and middle school into one tract off Wilson Gulch.
“As a parent, and as a school teacher, I think that’s a really effective use of your land,” Councilor Sweetie Marbury said. “I think there’ll be more security to children that transfer on the campus.”
Among other alterations, Three Springs developers will swap land with Mercy, effectively giving the hospital more land for parking and allowing developers more land for construction.
The board will consider the ordinance on Feb. 29.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
