YOUR AD HERE »

Letter: Kudos to Basalt mayor

Old Town Basalt is a wonderful town and has a very special, unique character that many towns have lost through overdevelopment and poor planning. I fear the Lowe plan may have the same impact on Basalt. I believe it is too large and will bring very little vitality to downtown and actually detract from the beauty of Basalt.

The development of condominiums at the price of $500,000 and up will most likely attract seasonal residents who will contribute little to the vibrancy of the community and chase more residents farther downvalley. I believe Basalt needs to create longevity and liveliness for our community in order to enhance our town to attract young professionals, diverse families and their extended families. Three hundred sixty families and a thriving business were displaced due to this development. It is our responsibility to our community to bring their energy back to Basalt. My concern is that developing high-end unaffordable condos will detract from both the beauty and the character of Basalt. I truly believe that creating a vibrant, interactive park space for children, families and community members to interact in will bring more to our community than the Lowe project attains to do. Let’s create an area unique to the valley that is complementary to the Rocky Mountain Institute, preserving our world-class fishing water combined with education about our waterways while protecting wetland and wildlife migration. The former home of the Pan and Fork trailer area should become a safe and enjoyable space to attract visitors and for everyone in the community to spend time in and enjoy. Look at the success that the tram and Two Rivers Park has brought to Glenwood Springs. No other communities in our area allow for large development along the river corridor; it is preserved land for trails, memorials and outdoor entertainment. Let’s do something different by preserving the true character of Colorado and its history.

I am not against development for our community, but this is not the right property. Basalt is spread out enough and would benefit from development in a more central location closer to the retail and restaurant district with a great park to enjoy before or after experiencing downtown. I urge the town to keep this area an interactive park and give us back the access to our river that has been slowly taken from this community. Let Basalt be a leader and not pave our paradise.



Stephanie Scavullo

Basalt