On Monday, Feb. 3, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) met with the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association (PLPOA) board, with discussions covering PLPOA’s proposed gymnasium, as wells as grants needed to construct a sports field behind the current PLPOA recreation center.
PLPOA General Manager Allen Roth explained that with the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the two entities, PLPOA is now able to apply for GOCO grants for funds to construct an athletic field located behind the PLPOA recreation center.
He noted that the PLPOA anticipates working on writing those grant applications this fall.
Commissioner Warren Brown commented that the MOU was signed so that the PLPOA could go after those grants and “the county would be acting as a pass-through because these monies are only available to municipalities.”
Brown further explained that by the county acting as a “pass-through,” if a grant is awarded, the county would receive the money and pass it straight to the PLPOA.
“That’s where this begins and ends,” Brown added, noting that the MOU does not require the county to contribute financial assistance for the project.
County Attorney Todd Weaver also explained that the county would be acting as the fiscal agent for the potential GOCO grant “and there is no financial contribution from the county.”
PLPOA board president Lars Schneider explained that due to the bylaws of PLPOA, the field must be open for the entire community to use, not just for PLPOA members.
“So, it’s a perfect opportunity for a PLPOA-county partnership,” he said.
Schneider noted that the athletic field would be open to the public the same way that the PLPOA’s trails and playgrounds currently are.
“We don’t have PLPOA staff out on those trails asking people where they live,” Schneider added.
He also explained that the athletic field and gymnasium expansion projects are “completely separate projects.”
Roth noted that using GOCO grant funding for the athletic field project requires the space to be open to the public.
Responding to public comment on the matter, Schneider explained that the total cost of the athletic field project is estimated at approximately $1 million.
He went on to mention that the GOCO grant the PLPOA plans to pursue is typically a matching grant, noting that PLPOA plans to put up $500,000 for the project, which would be matched with $500,000 from the grant.
“It’s a million dollars solid to build an artificial turf,” Schneider said, explaining that, according to studies, an artificial turf field is cheaper in the long run compared to a natural grass field.
He noted that if the PLPOA is not awarded the grant, the athletic field project would become an entirely new project and would likely have to go to a vote of PLPOA owners.
“I don’t know how many people have the stomach for that one again,” he added.
Gymnasium update
“We’re putting it to a vote for a gym,” Schneider said, explaining that the vote went live for PLPOA members on Jan. 27 and will close March 1.
He mentioned that the gymnasium addition has been talked about since June 2024 when the PLPOA updated its master plan and it was decided as a board that “what might be best for the community would be an indoor gymnasium.”
Schneider explained that the gymnasium addition would be attached to the current rec center and that the board is not able to pass the project through without a vote of 51 percent in favor of the project.
Schneider also noted that a onetime $255 special assessment fee is associated with the project that would be paid by PLPOA members that “will actually build the structure.”
Weaver clarified that the MOU relating to the athletic field project is not associated with PLPOA’s gymnasium expansion project.
“The county is not involved in it whatsoever,” Weaver stated.
Schneider explained that unlike the athletic field, the gymnasium expansion would be “strictly” for the use of PLPOA members, except for those who are allowed to rent the space, “which is no different than the clubhouse.”
Conversations around forming a recreation district also came up during the work session, with Weaver explaining that forming a recreation district will likely take three to four years and cost upward of $150,000 just to form the special district.
Weaver mentioned that the Pagosa Area Recreation Coalition (PARC) is exploring the possibilities of spearheading the project, as the county is not legally allowed to start the district.
He noted that part of the process in forming a recreation district is for it to be approved by the BoCC and receive approval from the courts.
Weaver indicated that PARC is currently discussing what grant opportunities may be available to fund the formation of a recreation district.
“Really to get the ball rolling and doing a recreation district, it’s gonna take about $100k,” Weaver said.
Commissioner John Ranson commented that the community is currently dealing with major projects such as the county’s search for a new administration building, Archuleta School District’s facility concerns and the PLPOA gymnasium project.
He noted that it’s important that all of these entities “work together” in moving through these projects, cautioning that pulling large amounts of money from the community may be difficult.
“These meetings are what helps the kids years down the road,” Schneider commented, noting that the community will either “grow together” or grow separately, slowly.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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