Local pols should give residents a bigger voice

Editor:

For the past five years, the Roaring Fork Valley has seen at least four incompatible development proposals (Ascendigo Ranch, The Fields, Twin Acres, Spring Valley) that were ultimately denied or withdrawn.

These outcomes were achieved only after local residents, investing tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours, successfully opposed these projects. Their concerns consistently highlighted incompatibility, inadequate infrastructure, limited water resources and a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of developing on the proposed parcels.

This success is particularly noteworthy given the inherent imbalance in the public hearing process. Local governments grant developers ample time and a platform for their hired experts to present their case to decision-makers.