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Two small Glenwood housing projects OK’d

An architectural rendering of the planned residential conversion project at 210 10th St. in downtown Glenwood Springs.
Hinge Architects |

A pair of multi-family housing projects have won approval from Glenwood Springs City Council, despite concerns over sidewalk access to one development and the building design for the other.

Council, at its July 20 meeting, OK’d a plan to build 13 townhouse-style residences in place of what now are six modular homes on 0.7 acres just off U.S. 6 in West Glenwood.

Also approved was a project converting a former single-family residence/office at 210 10th St. in downtown Glenwood into four apartments.



The West Glenwood project is being planned by Moltea III, LLC. The project is situated at the far north end of old Garfield County Road 135, on a cul-de-sac.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted back in May to recommend that council deny the proposal. Council reversed that decision, voting 6-0 to approve the project.



At issue was a requested variance from the city’s code requirement that the developer build an eight-foot-wide sidewalk and adjacent planting strip to serve the redeveloped property.

Several other residences are situated on the road, just north of the Phil Long Honda dealership. However, the road easement is too narrow to accommodate the required improvements, and the slope would necessitate a stair-stepped sidewalk, explained city planner Trent Hyatt.

“We do have some pedestrian needs on this road, everyone understands that. But it’s going to take a larger discussion with engineering and planning … about how to accomplish that,” Hyatt said in making a recommendation that council overturn P&Z’s decision.

Council members Shelley Kaup and Rick Voorhees sided with P&Z’s view in arguing for at least a modified sidewalk access to the site. They voted against the variance but for the project as a whole.

“As that street gets busier, I worry about where people will go who want to walk,” Kaup said.

“I have no problem with the density, and we need the diversity of housing,” she said. “But I want to see the infrastructure there to support it.”

Other council members acknowledged the difficulty in fitting a sidewalk along the narrow access road. They also noted that, because the new units would be at the end of a cul-de-sac and up against a steep hillside below Donegan Road, through traffic would not be a concern.

Council also overturned P&Z’s decision regarding the 10th Street project. Property owner Michael Davis plans to convert the former residence and converted office space into four apartments, and is considering deed restrictions to control rents for the units.

P&Z had been concerned about the more-modern design for the refurbished building, which deviates in places from the city’s Downtown Design Standards. Council said it was OK with that.

“This is the type of infill project that people are going to have to get used to,” Councilor Todd Leahy said.

Council voted 6-0 to reverse P&Z decision, which came before council on appeal.


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