Letter Requesting Public Hearing
Dear Mayor and Members of City Council,
On behalf of the Library Neighborhood Association (LNA) we want to thank you for your ongoing leadership, continued dedication to Durango and your open communication as we navigate important planning decisions for our city.
The LNA and the Durango Neighborhood Coalition (DNC) recently wrapped up very constructive, productive discussions with City Manager José Madrigal, City Attorney Mark Morgan and key city leadership regarding our proposed Community-Based Land Development Model. Based directly on staff feedback, we are finalizing a refined draft that narrows the framework’s scope to focus strictly on major public assets. We look forward to sharing this updated proposal with Council shortly.
In the meantime, because decisions around Tract F are actively moving forward, we respectfully request that City Council schedule a dedicated Public Hearing regarding the future use and disposition of this parcel prior to directing city staff to begin the process for an RFQ /RFP.
We recognize that the neighborhood held a very productive meeting with city staff on May 28th, and that Council and staff have already received the results of our comprehensive community consensus survey—which demonstrated an extraordinary 95% engagement rate and clear resident priorities. While staff and Council may understandably feel that further public comment could be redundant, we firmly believe that Tract F represents a unique and extraordinary case that warrants a dedicated hearing:
● An Irreplaceable Public Asset: As one of the last remaining centrally located, city-owned parcels along our civic and educational corridor, decisions made here will permanently alter our public infrastructure and community character for generations.
● Citywide Public Input: Public land belongs to all of Durango. A formal Council hearing gives citizens across the entire city—not just immediately adjacent neighbors—an equitable platform to weigh in on how their shared public assets should be used.
● Direct, Transparent Engagement: While staff meetings and surveys gather critical data, a formal public hearing is the proper forum for Council to hear directly from residents, civic stakeholders, and broader community members before any binding directions, solicitations, or RFPs are finalized.
● Restoring Civic Trust: Dedicated, structured space for open public dialogue directly addresses resident concerns regarding predetermined outcomes, reinforcing our shared commitment to transparent civic stewardship.
Our goal is not to delay city processes, but to ensure that Council has the complete picture—balancing technical considerations with genuine community vision—when deciding the future of this irreplaceable property.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and continued partnership in shaping Durango’s civic spaces. We look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
Steering Committee, Library Neighborhood Association (LNA): Bethiah Crane, Martha Evers, Mary Ellen Finley, Annette LeMaire, William LeMaire, Eve Presler, Mary Katherine Stewart