City planning officials and community stakeholders recently discussed a plan and vision for a future mixed-use development that depends on completion of the so-called Bridge to Nowhere extension.
The property in question is an L-shaped expanse in eastern Durango composed of 124 acres owned by the Crader family and 37 acres owned by the Southern Ute Growth Fund. Named after the ranch on the television series “Dallas,” the Southfork area is the first of Durango’s 10 designated “character districts” to be developed.
According to preliminary site plans, housing will sit furthest north, with a First United Methodist Church and an entertainment district that could contain a movie theater or bowling alley south of it. The highway interchange at the southernmost portion of the property could attract big-box commercial development.
Designated rural space extends west of the residential and commercial sprawl, which can’t exceed more than 40 feet in height.
“We’ve been talking about the rural lot being more for open space uses, because of the topography with some commercial development along flatter areas of the property,” City Planning Manager Nicol Killian said.
“We’re looking at highway commercial use near the interchange with hotels, restaurants, fueling stations and box retailers.”
Plans also include assisted living facilities, senior housing and office space, which would be ideal for medical use given Mercy Regional Medical Center lies just east of the proposal. Killian and Southfork would also address the city’s absence of smaller, single-family homes.
The plans were developed by city planners with input from the property owners.
“We’ve submitted plans before and got nowhere, but we didn’t have a master plan,” said Kim Crader, who grew up on the property.
“This is the last big open space in Durango.”
Homeowners, including former county Commissioner Wally White, live west of the proposed development and were appeased by the church serving as a buffer between their homes and the proposed entertainment district.
City Council will review plans on Tuesday but likely won’t put anything to a vote for several months. Building is also contingent upon the completion of the 4,800-foot Wilson Gulch Road extension.
Wilson Gulch runs adjacent to U.S. Highway 160 and perpendicular to High Lama Lane. High Lama will be eliminated from Wilson Gulch to 160, but the section north of Wilson Gulch will remain a local road, connecting to Ewing Mesa at various points.
High Lama may also be used for utility runs.
“We’re hoping Wilson Gulch is completed before the end of the year,” Community Development Director Greg Hoch said.
“Hopefully, contractors get the work done in time. When they get done, that’s the signal for companies that are interested to begin negotiating in earnest.”
jpace@durangoherald.com
