Town officials are seeking public input before proceeding to write a Dolores comprehensive plan update.
The community outreach process is nearing completion, but residents and others can submit anonymous feedback and fill out a questionnaire until the July 31 deadline at imaginedolores.com.
The writing portion of the plan will follow in the coming weeks, said Town Manager Leigh Reeves.
The comprehensive plan will be an overarching, long-term guide that is community driven, laying out priorities for Dolores, future growth and the overall vision. It intends to answer the question “where do we want it to go?” for the next 10 to 20 years, according to the website.
It’s a yearlong process to update it, currently in phase two of three. The process has been organized by town staff, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and hired consultants from the Logan Simpson group, who have assisted in public outreach and engagement.
The town secured a $50,000 matching grant to support the process, with $25,000 from Colorado Department of Local Affairs and $25,000 from the town’s budget.
The plan will outline residents’ values, future projects or investments, and allow staff to plan for change, allocate resources and more easily apply for grants. It does not necessarily mean policy changes or code enforcement, town officials have stated, but it informs decision-making. Topics in the plan will cover housing, economic development, land use, transportation and parks and recreation, according to the website.
It overhauls the most-recent 29-page plan from 1997, where the town’s population was about 860 people equaling 417 households, or about 100 fewer than officials estimate today.
The process was launched by the town in mid-January. Reeves said part of the process aims to capture as much community feedback as possible. The website went live about a month later.
Officials hosted public intake sessions through several events earlier this month. Reeves said 170 people either participated in-person or filled out the questionnaire.
“Those went really well, and we got more people than I thought we would,” Reeves said. “All of that helps in the process. We really worked hard to try to reach out. We had materials to be able to show people and get their input.”
Reeves said it was important for staff to gather feedback representing a range of ages, with one session held at the senior citizens’ lunch July 8; others were held at the farmers market and Dolores River Brewery trivia night.
Some older residents suggested a need to access medical and dental services in town, Reeves said. Other viewable responses from those surveyed online indicated a desire for Dolores to play a role in providing a mix of housing and small-scale businesses within the regional economy.
A draft will be published on the website when it is finished.
In October, Logan Simpson consultants are scheduled to return for a final round of community review and input, Reeves said. The revised plan will then be presented to the board for adoption either at the end of the year or in early 2027.
awatson@the-journal.com
