Dear Editor:
There are currently sixteen storage businesses in the Pagosa area. It should be noted that there are no storage businesses within the township that are located directly on the Hwy 160 corridor. Ninety-two percent of the businesses contacted (14) had availability in multiple sized units, questioning the need for an additional storage business. Many of those storage businesses offer 24-hour service, security cameras, fences and bright lighting. This is not compatible with nearby neighborhoods or retail businesses. There are already three U-Haul businesses in the area, again questioning the need for another.
The proposed Pagosa West development is planning to put a storage unit/U- haul/vehicle rental business on ten acres where there exists a heavy concentration of 150+ year old Ponderosa Pine trees. How necessary and how attractive is that? Why would anybody buy a house or operate a retail business behind a storage unit?
At a recent meeting with the planning commission, attendees were reassured that this was a preliminary sketch, subject to change. In fact, this ten-acre was designated as a U-Haul site back in August 2024 and has not changed since that time. The majority of the abundant, mature Ponderosa trees within that ten-acres have been marked with a pink dot (possibly for future removal?) Other than the proposed site for workforce housing, this is the only other site on the 100 acres that has been staked out and had test holes dug. This indicates a level of commitment that is inconsistent with the notion of this being a preliminary sketch.
A storage business located on this site would require a conditional use permit indicating that a storage unit was not included in the original Land Use Development Code zoning definition.
If the purpose of this commercial corridor is for business development and job creation, does it make sense to devote 10% of the entire property to a business that would create very few jobs that would also probably be low paying jobs.
Why not make a park on those ten acres to serve the uptown residents and workforce housing units in that area? What the public wants is more recreation area and park facilities, not another storage unit.
Michael Grimm
