Hello,
Please see below for local sustainability updates, ways to take action, and a reminder to join us a week early this month (due to Thanksgiving) for the LAST Durango Green Drinks of the year. The hosts this month are the San Juan Citizens Alliance and San Juan Mountains Association.
Please pass this newsletter along to others and encourage folks to sign up here to receive these monthly updates on sustainability activities in La Plata County and Durango!
San Juan Citizens Alliance
San Juan Citizens Alliance advocates for clean air, pure water, and healthy lands and wildlife – the foundations of resilient communities, ecosystems, and economies in the San Juan Basin. They watchdog, advocate, and respond to both local and national decisions that threaten the integrity and wellbeing of this spectacular corner of the world. Some of their largest campaigns include efforts toward restoring the quality of the Animas River, transitioning to local clean energy, protecting the health and wildness of our public lands, and restoring wolves in Colorado.
San Juan Mountains Association
Founded in 1988, the San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA), promotes the exploration and protection of public lands in Southwest Colorado through stewardship and conservation education for people of all ages.
EXPLORE: Through their wide-ranging visitor information centers, they provide guidance on where to go and how to enjoy the outdoors safely and responsibly.
LEARN: Through in-school lessons, field trips, summer camps, afterschool programs, interpretive hikes for adults and community events, SJMA aims to inspire conservation ethics in all ages.
PROTECT: Through paid and volunteer stewardship programs, they help protect natural and cultural resources and encourage public lands visitors to minimize their impact.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Durango City Council
City Council Meetings
In August of 2019 the city council committed itself to Greenhouse Gas reduction and Renewable Energy goals. Unfortunately, progress has been lagging and an implementation plan for these goals has been put on hold by the councilors last May. At the Nov. 2nd and 16th council meeting several speakers reminded the council of the 2019 goals and the lack of funding in the draft 2022 budget.
Durango City Council meets every other Tuesday from 5:30-8:30PM. Upcoming City Council meetings are Tuesday, December 7, and December 21at 5:30 p.m. Find the agenda and meeting link at DurangoGov.org/meetings.
At the Nov. 2, 2021 City Council meeting, councilors heard from residents about the city's sustainability and climate action efforts. Staff also presented a revised preliminary minor subdivision for Buckley Park, which includes more acreage to preserve trees at the top of the park slope. See more highlights in the Nov. 3 episodeof Council Connection.
Public Commentcan be shared at a meeting with a scheduled Public Participation agenda item. If the meeting does not have Public Participation scheduled, comments can be submitted via email to: PublicComment@DurangoGov.org. Comments must be submitted no later than noon on the Monday preceding the meeting. Anyone attending a meeting at City Hall must wear a mask. Council Chambers is limited to 20 attendees.
Get Involved
Sign up for City of Durango News Flashes and Alerts at DurangoGov.org/NotifyMe and view the 2021 Strategic Plan to learn more about the city's short and mid-term objectives.
2021 Multimodal Transportation Plan Update - The city of Durango is gathering community feedback in 2021 as part of the process to update the Multimodal Transportation Plan in 2022. Outreach will include neighborhood meetings for seven zones or areas in Durango, focused meetings with underrepresented populations, tours, school outreach, event booths and videos. A schedule of more upcoming meetings is available at DurangoGov.org/MTP. Residents can also share ideas using an interactive map and/or by emailing comments/ideas to multimodal@DurangoGov.org
Seasonal bump-outs in downtown Durango have been well-received by business owners, community members and visitors, and have reinvigorated community conversations about the future look and feel of downtown.
The City of Durango will be seeking community input to shape a renewed vision for the future of Main Avenue. The Community Development Department will lead phase one of the project, engaging the public in conversations about the re-design of the streetscape and public spaces.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) for assistance with this project was released in October. Phase one is expected to be complete in early 2022. The City Transportation Department will lead phase two using the conceptual designs, input, and vision statement from phase one to create more-detailed design plans for construction
Current City Board Vacancies: Durango’s boards and commissions provide a foundation for public input and are a great way for citizens to get involved with their community. Boards and commissions generally meet monthly. For more information and to apply, visit DurangoGov.org/Boards
Other City Meetings
Multimodal Advisory Board - November 17, 2021, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM @ Virtual Meeting. The Multimodal Advisory Board meets the third Wednesday of every month at 4:00 PM.
Multimodal Advisory Board - December 15, 2021, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM @ Virtual Meeting. The Multimodal Advisory Board meets the third Wednesday of every month at 4:00 PM.
*Please see agendas for how to participate in these virtual meetings. The link to the virtual meeting is available here: https://durangogov.org/zoom or click on the links to specific meetings above.
During the past few months, our 9-R School District has made great strides in support of integrating sustainability as it applies to the bond approved by the voters last fall and the district. The bond applies to energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, high-performance construction, ventilation, lighting and more.
Watch the presentation on 9Rs Sustainability Goals. It can be found here at minute 46:49. http://youtu.be/7kuv5lmh_dg
To visit the 9-R Bond Sustainability page click HERE
9R’s first Sustainability Committee meeting was held on October 7th chaired by Karen Cheser. Karen urged the participants to come prepared for the November meeting and to dream big!
Durango 9R Board of Education meetings are generally held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month starting at 5:30 and are always open to the public. The 2nd Tuesday of the month is usually a work session while the 4th Tuesday is the official public meeting where actions are taken and there is always an opportunity for public input.
Floodplain Mapping News - Did you know there is a new Floodplain Mapping project underway? La Plata County has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since 1980. This program creates regulations that meet or exceed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) minimum requirements and enables property owners in the county to purchase insurance protection against financial losses from flooding. Floodplains are regulated by FEMA. Over the last four years the Colorado Water Conservation Board has worked with the engineering firm AECOM to prepare more accurate and updated floodplain maps for La Plata County drainages, rivers and watersheds.
The preliminary FEMA maps can be found here.
Contact the Building Department at (970)382-6251 with questions.
Oil and Gas Regulations Update - In response to a Senate Bill passed in 2019 (SB 181) that placed public health and clean air and water on par with production, La Plata County has started the process to update its oil and gas rules through revising "Chapter 90" of the current land use code. Community engagement will be crucial to get this right. If you want to follow the process, sign up for the Community Development Department's newsletters.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing
All Coloradans age 12 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Find local vaccine providers and clinics, and make an appointment at sjbpublichealth.org/covid-19-vaccine.
San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) provides free COVID-19 testing in partnership with COVIDCheck Colorado.
The next regular LPEA Board of Directors meetings are Wednesday, November 17 and December 15 at 9:00 a.m. via zoom You can get the zoom link here: https://lpea.coop/lpea-board-directors-resources
Since 2019, LPEA has been exploring three options to power our communities with affordable, reliable, and low-carbon electricity. After much work and negotiation, they have some developments to share on one option, which would allow LPEA to secure half our power needs from our current power provider Tri-State and half from other sources.
LPEA held two community meetings focused on LPEA’s 50% partial buy-out negotiations. There are pro and cons and the coming months will tell more, especially with the having released its long awaited report.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released its long-anticipated 40 page plus report on Tri-State. While the language may be bureaucratically opaque, the result is no less a blow to Tri-State. FERC has basically said that it's had enough of Tri-State's exit fee games and is therefore taking matters into its own hands.
Find out about current LPEA happenings and news hereand read the Watt's Up monthly Newsletters here.
We are looking for new board members! If interested, please reach out here: SustainableSWColorado@gmail.com
The Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado (SASCO) networks with local organizations, businesses, governments, and individuals to create a more just society which prioritizes environmental stewardship, social equity, and a thriving local economy.
