Following the historic flooding event that took place on Oct. 23, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) discussed the importance of having a local gravel pit to help streamline road repairs.
During a work session held by the BoCC on Oct. 27, Commissioner John Ranson explained that the county has been “working for a year and a half” on potential gravel pits that would be located on private property.
Ranson indicated that state statute applies a $50,000 permit fee to the county per gravel pit.
“We’ve been working on one with the [U.S. Forest Service], and that’s like watching hair grow,” he said, explaining that it is taking a lot of time due to “the bureaucracy.”
Ranson then explained that the county has been working with a private property owner and that “we could have potentially three gravel pits within a very short period of time to help with this process.”
Ranson added that it is going to be a “major expense” to rebuild roads within the county.
“I’m gonna advocate to go forward with a plan, regardless of what the state decides, and if they need to come put me in jail, good, but we’re not paying $50,000 per permit in an emergency situation like this,” he said.
During a joint work session held by the BoCC and Pagosa Springs Town Council on Oct. 26, County Manager Longinos Gonzalez explained that he county has asked Gov. Jared Polis to renew waivers on gravel pit permit fees within the county.
“It’s not a lot of cost to the state, but it’s a lot of cost to us,” he said, explaining that having a local gravel pit would help the county fix its roads, particularly with more “long-term fixes.”
During the Oct. 27 work session, Ranson described the gravel pit permit fees as another “unfunded mandate,” adding that he’s tired of the state “telling us what to do.”
“We need gravel,” Ranson said, adding that “it’s time to step up and let’s get this done.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
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