By: Emily Dresslar
Two years ago, Telluride voters rejected a proposal to annex a 400-acre island of mining company land lodged between east Telluride and the end of the box canyon. With annexation, Idarado Mining Company representatives proposed to write the last chapter on the former mining core, turning the sleepy end of the valley into an extension of residential Telluride with hundreds of homes, ranging from affordable to expensive. But the proposal failed to gain support at the ballot box following a highly politicized and emotional campaign.

This summer, Idarado representatives returned to the community and rolled out an uncomplicated plan before the San Miguel County Commissioners that omitted all but 37 large homesites east of town and retained the promised open space preservation of the first plan. Stating that the plan to transfer nearly 2,500 acres of cliffs and basins above the valley to the U. S. Forest Service was under the gun to secure federal funding before the monies would be raided for other uses, Idarado sought, and received, a pared-down approval process from the county.

In August, the development plan garnered unanimous favor from county commissioners eager to see the high country land move into the public domain. But the issue remained in limbo when the Town of Telluride interceded prior to approval of the plan, challenging the swift process chosen by the county. The suit claimed the county had exceeded its jurisdiction and asked the court to overturn the approval. As the immediate neighbor to the new development, officials cited a number of concerns with the Idarado plan, including lack of assurance for open space and the meager land designated for affordable housing.

The town’s lawsuit was dropped when officials concurred that even enjoining the plan would not guarantee their concerns would be heard. But the development project continued to remain in limbo this fall with Idarado seeking guarantees that further legal action won’t follow.

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