At their April 19 meeting, Grand County commissioners voted to approve the disposition of four unimproved parcels, totaling about 66 acres, of Grand County property located in San Juan County. This allows for the properties to be considered for sale; it does not mean there are any current arrangements for their sale, or obligation that the county will sell them.
Two of the properties are combined into one parcel on the west side of South Highway 191, adjacent to the highway across from Merriam Court. They’re zoned Highway Flex in San Juan County, allowing for a wide range of commercial and residential uses. Another of the parcels is south of the intersection of Spanish Valley Drive and Old Airport Road. It’s zoned Planned Community, a broad category meant to promote a healthy and liveable neighborhood aligned with San Juan County’s Spanish Valley development plan. The last parcel is at the intersection of Spanish Valley Drive and Allen Street, and is the site of the old motocross track; it has residential zoning.
Commissioner Sarah Stock said she favored considering the possibility of developing employee housing on those parcels, rather than considering them for sale; Strategic Development Director Chris Baird pointed out that the properties are not very close to the center of town, and he favored considering trading the parcels or selling them to invest in properties or projects closer to town, such as Arroyo Crossing, for employee housing.
Commissioners also considered the idea of placing deed restrictions or rezoning the parcels to control how they are developed if sold; Baird noted that deed restrictions would decrease the value of the land, but could be prudent if the county wants to narrow the possible uses on those properties. He also noted that as the properties are within San Juan County, final decisions on property zoning would be up to the San Juan County Commission.
No public comments on the issue were received during a public comment period between April 5-and 13. The commission voted unanimously to approve the disposition of the parcels.
