When the Western Colorado Congress gave its
“Not-So-Smart Growth” awards Sept. 21, it was no surprise when the
“winners’ failed to show up. The grassroots coalition held the
event to showcase the worst examples of development on the Western
Slope – a follow-up of sorts to Gov. Roy Romer’s 1995 “Smart
Growth” awards. Had its representatives been there, the resort town
of Breckenridge would have taken home the “Wham, Bam, Sorry Ma’am”
award recognizing the worst traffic intersection. Montezuma County
was awarded the “Going, Going, Gone” award for its toothless zoning
scheme guaranteeing loss of open space to development. Top awards
went to the Artesian Valley Ranch, a 244-house subdivision near
Durango, and to the La Plata County commissioners for approving it.
They won both the “Hear No Evil” award for generating the largest
public outcry and the “Good Deer, Bad Deer” award for creating the
greatest threat to wildlife. Most prize winners were less than
ecstatic, but the coalition reported that someone from the Russell
Stover factory-outlet candy store in Montrose called to thank them
for their “Big Box” building-design award.
For
more information about the awards or to nominate someone for next
time, contact Western Colorado Congress at P.O. Box 472, Montrose,
CO 81402 (970/249/1978).
*Katie
Fesus
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Congratulations.
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