Dolores trustees voted Monday night to let an early-stage development concept near South Third Street and Riverside Avenue move forward after a lengthy public hearing that highlighted broader tensions over housing, growth and neighborhood change.
The proposal, listed in town documents as Broc’s Development, comes from KKV Development and Grant Smith. The original concept called for redeveloping two vacant lots at 206 and 207 South Third Street with 16 residential units and four commercial units. The project would require a Planned Unit Development rezoning from the existing Downtown Mixed-Use District.
Before the public hearing, Smith said he had already begun revising the plan in response to concerns raised during an earlier review by the Planning and Zoning Commission. He said possible changes included reducing the number of units, lowering some proposed buildings from three stories to two, adding dedicated parking and trying to limit traffic impacts on Riverside Avenue.
Town planner Sarah Pritchard told trustees that the conceptual review was not a final approval for construction. She said the vote only addressed whether the proposal could reasonably comply with town code at a later stage. Pritchard also said approval of the concept would not create vested development rights or guarantee approval of a future preliminary plat.
The limited scope of the vote became a recurring point during the meeting. Town attorney Ethan Sumrall told trustees they were not deciding whether the code should be changed, whether the proposal would be an eyesore, or whether future units would be bought by people from outside Dolores. He said the question before the board was whether the concept, as submitted, could eventually comply with the town’s existing land use code.
Nearby residents objected to the project’s scale and said it could change the character of Riverside Avenue. Several raised concerns about traffic, parking, building height, dust, sidewalks and infrastructure. Some said they support more housing in Dolores, but argued the proposal should be scaled back or more carefully reviewed.
The meeting also reflected a larger question for Dolores: how to add housing and new investment within the town’s existing footprint while preserving the character of older neighborhoods. Staff found the concept generally consistent with the town’s comprehensive plan and downtown mixed-use zoning, but residents described the area around Riverside Avenue as a quiet residential neighborhood where denser development could bring lasting impacts.
Some residents also questioned whether the proposed units would be affordable for current Dolores residents. Pritchard clarified that the project was not being reviewed as affordable housing under the town’s code. Instead, the proposal was discussed in terms of housing that may be more attainable than some existing market options.
Town staff recommended approval of the concept with a series of conditions. Those conditions require more detailed review at the next stage, including utility plans, landscaping plans, grading and erosion control plans, a drainage report, floodplain-specific design plans and compliance with town standards for parking, lighting, sidewalks, open space and other development requirements.
Trustees approved the conceptual plan with staff findings and conditions after a roll-call vote. Trustee Bill McCoy voted no.
The project would still need to return to the town for preliminary plat and site plan review before construction could move forward.
