Newly elected Durango City Council members are revisiting old ideas.
Off-leash dog laws, additional dog parks, and the revival of discontinued city boards and commissions are among the issues raised by councilors Kip Koso and Shirley Gonzales, who were elected in April.
Councilor Jessika Buell, who was reelected to a second term this spring, also supported a discussion on enforcing off-leash dog laws and showed interest in reviewing business licensing – especially cannabis business licensing.
In all, councilors requested briefings on eight subjects of local interest, several that have been pushed to the forefront by recent events. A common thread is the city’s relationship with residents and how it engages with the community, whether on immigration, public engagement at meetings or pilot street projects in residential neighborhoods.
Councilors will have a chance on Tuesday to explain to their colleagues why the city should devote more time and resources to each topic. Further discussion will require majority support.
On March 12, a Durango man fell off his bike trying to avoid an off-leash dog on the Animas River Trail and later died from his injuries. The dog owner remains at large.
The incident caused an uproar among residents demanding stricter enforcement of leash laws and urging pet owners to keep dogs leashed in public.
Koso asked what tools the city has at its disposal to enforce off-leash dog laws on the Animas River Trail and other major trails, suggesting fewer warnings and more penalties as one option.
Gonzales and Buell supported Koso’s request and suggested a broader briefing about when and why citations are issued, as well as the Durango Police Department’s philosophy that informs its approach.
In an interview with The Durango Herald, Koso said he is raising the off-leash dog issue on behalf of concerned residents. Residents are interested in better signage along the Animas River Trail, including for speed limits; stricter enforcement of off-leash pet laws; and new dog parks for Durango’s population centers, including north Durango and Three Springs.
“It makes a lot of sense for us to look first at Pioneer Park,” he said, noting the city already has the park at 261 E. 37th St. on its radar as a potential site, though he hasn’t seen any analysis or recommendations.
Koso also asked for details on how moving a temporary speed management pilot program off Seventh Street would affect the plan overall.
The city proposed a 12-week test of back-in diagonal parking, in which diagonal parking would be installed on one side of the street, then switch to the other side on the next block, and so on for the length of the street.
Seventh Street residents said no way.
They said back-in diagonal parking would do more harm than good. They said speeding isn’t an issue, citing the city’s own data, and said the city should have consulted with them before planning the demonstration.
Koso asked for options and a timeline for moving the planned 12-week pilot program from Seventh Street to another residential street.
He told the Herald he doesn’t necessarily agree with Seventh Street residents’ reasons for opposing the pilot program, but he respects their concerns and is pushing to relocate the project.
Gonzales requested five briefings or study sessions on a range of topics, including bringing back the city’s former volunteer boards and commissions.
The city currently has 17 boards and commissions. When City Council slashed the number of boards from 23 to 15 in 2023, it was met with fierce opposition from residents and former city officials. Boards and commissions that were axed included Parks and Recreation, Natural Lands, Multimodal, Strategy and Long-Term Finance and the Community Relations Commission.
Residents didn’t allow the dissolution to happen without a fight. The city received dozens of comments opposing the plan, including a letter signed by 16 former mayors who objected to cutting the long-standing boards.
Also controversial: City Council approved cutting the boards just before two new councilors were to be sworn into office.
Calls to revive the boards and commissions still ring out from residents and former officials.
Councilor Jessika Buell requested a briefing on business licenses, including cannabis, and Gonzales added a request for a briefing on liquor licenses. The city has held two liquor license revocation hearings since April, one that resulted in a temporary suspension.
cburney@durangoherald.com
