Despite council members' recall in Colorado mountain town of Dillon, development plan moves forward
Despite a recall of three council members for the Colorado mountain town of Dillon, the development plan that put the wheels in motion for the recall effort will move forward. After the community vocalized concerns about those plans, and the council didn't listen, voters recalled those council members.
"A vote to add territory to the Travina square metro district. It is a big decision, it is a change to the service, plan, it is basically... well it is not simple, and something that is very complex and needs to be studied before it has a rushed vote like is happening tonight," said Barb Richard, Town Council-Elect.
"We still have our job to finish out and so one item is... we plan on voting to add a parcel to the metropolitan district," said Dillon Councilwoman Renee Imamura.
Councilman James Woods, Dana Christiansen and Imamura were recalled after being called out by petitioners for their support of the metro district plan presented by Porritt Group JGJP Dillon. It would see the developer build a parking garage, supermarket, and restaurants in Dillon in exchange for percentages of sales and lodging taxes, public funding, and a half acre of land.
"I'm disappointed in the recall because 17 votes, I mean I had one year left to serve, and it was based on a lot of misinformation out there, and it is really hard to fight that in a small municipality. I think that is what we are up against, we had 330 people who voted in this recall election," said Imamura.
She blames the small town fight on misinformation.
The conceptual design and site plans were presented to the city council during a recent meeting, and outline the scope of the project designated for Lake Dillon Road and LaBonte Street, including a parking garage and restaurants near the area where a Best Western hotel is currently, and the old, shuttered Arapahoe Cafe still stands. The metropolitan district suggested by Jake Porritt and the Porritt Group JGJP Dillon inspired Laura Johnson, a recall petitioner, to sound the alarm for what she said that plan would do to the town for decades to come.
That recall vote isn't finalized until Wednesday night. On Tuesday night, council members bickered with each other at the public meeting, claiming they were being attacked.
"They are chastised and belittled and called names, and that is just inappropriate behavior,r and that alone is enough for some people to not be on the council, you represent all of the community, and when someone comes to speak, you need to listen, that is your job. without them, you are not there," said Joshua Samuel, Town Council-Elect.
At the end of the meeting, the council passed one amendment, moving forward with a portion of the planning.
