Had the developer not applied for a variance on the overall height of the project, we would not have even known that this project – the largest building ever in downtown Durango – was going to be built. There were many issues and questions raised at the Planning Commission meeting regarding this 200-room hotel and the impacts the noise, lighting and infrastructure, to name a few, will have on those of us who live in the downtown area.

I believe that my fellow neighbors and our entire community deserve to have those questions answered and those concerns addressed. That is the Durango way of doing business.

Additionally, given the scope and scale of the project, I believe we need to give our community adequate time to review the plans and allow for appropriate community input and not just from those of us who live within 150 feet of the proposed hotels. I don’t think that is too much to ask. Now is the time to think about the future and what we want our downtown to represent. Our community’s character is at stake.

Lastly, we fully understand that the developer has the right to develop his property. However, we are just asking for him to reach out to the community, hear our concerns and focus his attention on developing a project that strengthens and unites our community not divides us. A sensible design will go a long way in keeping this town a great place to live and raise a family.

Jeremy Garncarz

Durango