Durango, like most Western towns, is surrounded by wild places and open vistas that many want to protect. In the early 2000s, organized wildlife advocates and anti-growth proponents had enough support to defeat two large-scale community development projects, Three Springs and River Trails Ranch. The third project, Twin Buttes, underwent a multi-year review process and one of the most contentious approvals for any project Durango. The Twin Buttes development eventually achieved its first major approval in 2009 but just completed its first house in the fall 2017. All three projects, but especially the Twin Buttes project, have created a blueprint of how to pass a large-scale community development project in a western town. by Mark Williams, Durango, Colorado

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