On April 23, the Pagosa Springs Planning Commission recommended a zoning map change that would rezone properties along Goldmine Drive. The proposal would change some properties from mixed-use corridor (MU-C) to commercial zoning.
Community Development Director James Dickhoff presented the zoning amendment, explaining that the current zoning map, adopted in 2009, already lists the properties on the eastern end of Goldmine Drive as commercial and that the change would simply make both the eastern and western ends consistent with each other, with all being zoned as commercial.
He added that this change would be more consistent with the type of business activity that already exists on the western section of Goldmine Drive.
The proposed change was prompted after a property owner along the street contacted the town regarding the rezoning of the remaining properties, Dickhoff stated.
He also explained how the 2018 comprehensive plan identified that the remaining MU-C zoned properties should also be zoned as commercial.
“All existing and established businesses along Goldmine Drive currently contain business operations much more aligned with uses allowed in a ‘Commercial’ zoned district rather than the current existing MU-C Zoning,” states an agenda document on the matter.
The document also explains that any owner of a property “affected by a proposed amendment to the Official Zoning Map may protest the amendment pursuant to the statutory requirements of C.R.S. Section 31-23-305.”
Dickhoff stated that all of the impacted property owners have recently been contacted, and that all but one, who has yet to respond, expressed support for the zoning change.
He identified the business that the town is still waiting on a reply from as Holy Smokes Stoves and Fireplaces.
“I’m just waiting for them to reconfirm,” he said.
The property owner seemed to support the idea of a zoning change when it was initially proposed “about a year and a half ago,” he said.
“I’ve heard back from all of the other property owners who are comfortable with the rezoning from mixed-use corridor to commercial. What I would propose, since I haven’t heard back ... from Holy Smokes yet, is that I will certainly get that answer before I bring this before town council for their consideration,” he said.
The most recent public notification about the proposed zoning change was provided on April 11 and the town announced public hearings on the matter for the April 23 planning commission meeting, and the May 7 and May 23 Pagosa Springs Town Council meetings, respectively.
For the zoning change to take effect, it would need a recommendation by the planning commission to the town council and then be affirmed by a vote of the council, in ordinance form, through two readings of the ordinance.
When opened to questions from the planning commission, Chris Pitcher said he was curious “why anybody would be opposed to going from mixed-use to commercial, because, it seems like there’s more permissions for commercial as opposed to mixed-use.”
Dickhoff responded that “multifamily housing” opportunities would not be allowed in a commercially zoned area, but that it would open it up to “light assembly, light manufacturing and some other uses that are bordering on industrial, but not quite industrial.”
Planning commissioner Kristen McCollam suggested she wondered what would happen “if someone does object, or someone changes their mind.”
Dickhoff replied, “We did talk to our legal council about that. It’s probably not ideal, but we would just leave their property zoned mixed-use corridor. It’s a little odd, but we would certainly do that if that’s the case.”
Planning commissioner Chad Hodges expressed that changing the area to commercial zoning would better match the types of activities “that are down there already, as far as I’m concerned.”
He said that the change would “allow more opportunities for light manufacturing.”
Dickhoff explained that light manufacturing would “not be a use by right,” but that a business could apply for a conditional use permit to engage in light manufacturing.
“I think the pros would be exactly that — opening up the opportunity for the types of businesses that are actually already established there,” Dickhoff said.
When a motion was made to recommend the zoning change to the town council, it was seconded and approved unanimously by the commission.
derek@pagosasun.com
