Daily Press Writer
MONTROSE — The Montrose City Council unanimously approved the annexation of a seven-acre parcel along the Uncompahgre River Thursday night, despite arguments from the public that development in the area would harm the river corridor.
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The city opened the proceedings on the parcel which sits just to the south of the construction site of the River Landing shopping center, by reviewing the state and municipal provisions governing annexation.
City Attorney Russ Duree said Thursday’s second and final hearing on the issue would consider only those factors necessary to the property’s incorporation in the city as would normally be found in a preannexation agreement.
Nevertheless, opponents of the annexation who would also like to see the city take measures to protect other sections of the river in the future, had their say.
“It’s a tremendous asset — aesthetically and, potentially, financially,” said Friends of the River group member Kevin Davis. The group formed last week with the aim of protecting the river corridor from future development.
Davis, along with three others who spoke, called on the city to hold off on annexation until the city held a joint public hearing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — the federal agency charged with protecting the nation’s wetlands.
Matt Miles, the owner of the River Landing development and the annexation applicant for the smaller parcel, said construction work has stayed out of the wetlands.
“We have delineated the wetlands and we’re staying out of the wetland areas until we get our mitigation plan accepted by the Army Corps,” he said, adding later that the development’s plans did call for the eventual filling in of one wetlands area.
Although he did not comment on calls that a recreation path through the parcel be moved, Miles commended those who spoke as being proactive in looking toward the future.
He was disappointed, however, that he was told by Assistant City Planner Garry Baker not to attend a tour of the site by the Montrose Planning Commission and other members of the public.
“I only regret that I wasn’t there to point some things out,” he said. “I know the site probably better than anybody and I could explain some things.”
That meeting possibly violated the state’s open meeting laws, given that the commission had enough members for a quorum and did not post public notice of the gathering.
City Community Development Director Kerwin Jensen said city staff allowed the gathering under the impression that the planning commission was going to tour the site in two vehicles, thereby avoiding quorum. He added that the decision was made under the impression that there would be no members of the public in attendance.
Before proceeding to a vote, council defended the city’s efforts to protect the river corridor through the years.
Councilor Carlos Guara noted that during his first stint on council in the mid-1990s, the city looked into purchasing the River Landing site but couldn’t afford the asking price. He added that real estate values along the river, especially in the southern end of the city, made preservation difficult.
“It’s unfortunate. If we had several million dollars to go out and buy land and preserve it, I certainly would be right there up front saying, ‘We need to do this,’” he said.
Contact Matt Hildner via e-mail at matth@montrosepress.com
Kaitlyn Heichel wrote on Nov 3, 2009 2:01 PM:
Sarah Bond wrote on Jul 13, 2009 5:31 PM: