I live adjacent to Durango Estates, a 420-lot subdivision in Junction Creek, which was aggressively blocked from development by the county and the Colorado Court of Appeals in the ’80s.

Recently, several individuals have purchased tax liens and live on their lots beyond the county policy limiting private land camping to 90 days. They are not neighborly. A few years ago, a forest fire even broke out from an improperly extinguished campfire, which was thankfully controlled by the fire department.

County Manager Chuck Stevens and the current county commissioners will not address these issues. A county that fought hard to block attempts at legal development of Durango Estates, following all county codes, now will do nothing to block its surreptitious development. History notes how society flounders when individuals outmaneuver community values and regulations.

A lot of people are moving to Durango to escape the city. At this point, there is nothing preventing 100 to 200 tiny homes, tents, RVs or other temporary unregulated structures from rolling in without any consideration for sanitation, environmental impact, increased fire danger and community safety.

I am right to worry. Someone just purchased several more liens and started some survey work.

By ignoring potentially exponential issues like Durango Estates, the commissioners are overlooking their mandate to administer land-use regulations. With two new incoming commissioners, it is time for fair and managed land use for the safety and harmony of all.

Kennan Harvey Durango