LET’S VOTE TO BRIDGE OUR DIFFERENCES
I want to commend Susan Dreyer for her commentary ³Community Divide
in Basalt Should Be a Bridgeable Gap². She is spot on. After attending
Basalt¹s Town Council meeting last Tuesday, I kept thinking how the
Park/Open Space folks and the Growth/Development folks are not that far
apart. The consolidation of common areas of agreement could be presented
by the Town Council in form of a vote for the citizens to either approve
or turn down. If passed any developer willing to be bound by the town’s
vote could then proceed by entering into a pre-development agreement.
Here are the four common areas I’ve heard meeting after meeting which
should be included in the vote:
1. Limit the size of a building/hotel to 35,000 sq ft to be placed next
to the RMI. No other development allowed on the CDC property.
2. Keep the View Plane ³Big V² where it is or make it even larger towards
the west.
3. Consolidate Town Hall and the Wyly into a new building that is up
against the hillside next to Two Rivers Condos leaving almost all of
Lions Park open.
4. Plan to build residences/condominiums across Two Rivers Road up
against the hillside in the Merino Park area.
I truly believe if this plan came to a vote it would pass by a huge
majority. It keeps the river parcel wide-open, adds a hotel for RMI
participants, provides residences/condominiums, and keeps Lions Park a
magnet for visitors to attend markets, music and events.
If we¹re heading for a vote, Town Council please construct a ballot
question that will bridge our two camps, not divide us. We all want the
best for Basalt.
Sandy Kucharczyk
Basalt
