Driggs Council Holds Firm

In case you missed it, last night the Driggs City Council unanimously upheld their previous denial of the highly controversial Rivers West development proposal. Developer Colby Hackbarth tried to sway decision makers by reiterating that he had complied with the City’s requirements and claiming that he had already spent “millions of dollars” on the project. In our previous email, we reiterated in detail the incomplete nature of this project which has been pushing its way through the City entitlement process at breakneck speed - until now. 

What happens next?

The applicant has the option to petition the District Court for judicial review of this denial. However, looking at the Record of Decision by Driggs City Council, this project failed to meet many standards within the City development codes and City plans. It would be a tough legal battle for this applicant to win. We will keep you posted on whether this project is headed to district court - or (we hope) back to the drawing board for revisions and changes that align with city codes and community vision. With a project of this size, located right next to our schools, the best outcome here would be for the applicant to engage with the community in a neighborhood charrette to help create a connected and vibrant housing addition to east Driggs. 

We are very thankful for the strength and thoughtfulness of the Driggs City Council in holding this potential developer accountable to meet city standards and not settling for anything less.