Silverthorne’s Planning Commission gave a site plan for 69 condominiums on Blue River Parkway approval at its April 16 meeting, despite having some reservations about the proposed development.

The current proposed development would be on two lots of land. One lot, the Aidan West Subdivision, is owned by local developer TG Developments, and the other, referred to as the Annie Road parcel, is owned by the town of Silverthorne. 

While many commissioners raised concerns about the proposed development, they were reminded by staff and fellow planning commissioner Michael Molloy that they were tasked with determining whether or not its site plan and design met the town’s building and planning codes, not whether or not it was a good idea for the town. 

Before voting, commissioner Nancy Higuera said to commissioners “some things may feel icky, but we’re not here to discuss that.”

The plan features four three-story buildings consisting of 69 condominium units, two carport structures, one detached garage building, surface parking, and a multiuse recreational pathway. Twenty-one of the units will be town-owned workforce housing units, and the other 48 will be privately-owned market-rate units.  

Ahead of the meeting, the town received three letters from residents on Blue River Parkway showing opposition for the development. One letter was signed by 16 residents raising concerns about the project. Letter writers voiced concern about how close the development would be to their properties and the impact the development would have on the surrounding area. They were particularly concerned about building on the Annie Road parcel.

“We believe that the marginal gain of workforce housing units offered by this proposal does not stand up to the cost of the loss of this precious and irreplaceable public riverfront property,” the letter signed by 16 residents stated.

The town’s Planner Danelle Cook said Silverthorne acquired the Annie Road parcel back in 1980 and attempted to build workforce housing on it in 2021, but those plans fell through. In 2022 a developer tried to develop condominiums on the Aidan West parcel, and that also fell through. 

TG Developments bought that parcel and in late 2022 approached town staff about potentially developing that site in conjunction with the town-owned parcel, according to Cook. Cook said TG Developments expressed intent to expand a nearby development it also owned, the Apres Shores Development, north onto the Aidan West parcel.

“They felt that they could maximize the use of both sites by doing them together at the same time, so the town agreed to consider their proposal,” Cook explained to council. 

She told council that the plan under review was a preliminary site plan application submitted in 2023 by TG Developments. She added there is no formal agreement in place at this time between the town and TG Developments.

Commissioners wondered who the applicant is in the process, given both the town and TG Developments are jointly proposing the development.

“I don’t see how the ‘applicant’ has the authority to develop a town property in the absence of any agreement,” commissioner Brian Birenbach said. 

Cook responded, stating the application requires a letter of authorization from the owners and that’s as far as the town has gotten is granting TG Developments authorization to submit an application. 

Commissioner Valerie Connelly shared the sentiments of Birenbach, noting that this development “feels like a hypothetical situation” due to the murkiness surrounding it.

Connelly, who mentioned she has spent a majority of her life in the town, said that the objective of the project doesn’t seem to meet the town’s goals. She touched on the town’s actions in recent decades to make the area along the Blue River more of a community space. 

 “I cannot believe it’s in the spirit of the comprehensive plan, I can pick out several items that I think it goes against,” Connelly said. 

She also voiced concern about having a gap of just 12 feet between this development and neighbors’ property on Blue River Parkway, something Blue River Parkway residents also expressed in pubic comment at the meeting.

Yet, because the parameters of the development met the town’s building code, Connelly and the rest of the commissioners moved to recommend approval. 

Silverthorne Town Council will review the application at their April 24 meeting.