MONDAY BRIEFING

Alamosa sets public hearing date
for short-term rental ordinance

The city of Alamosa will introduce an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals at the City Council meeting on Nov. 17 and hold a public hearing on the ordinance on Dec. 1. ICYMI, here’s The Citizen’s look at the issue, Alamosa addresses Airbnb market. Alamosa becomes the latest San Luis Valley community to find itself adding rules around short-term rentals. For questions or more information you can contact the Alamosa Planning and Development Department at 719-589-6631.

SLV Ecosystem Council files civil suit
against U.S. Forest Service

Conservation groups, including the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, filed two lawsuits in the U.S. District Court last week against the U.S. Forest Service over its newly revised land management plan for the Rio Grande National Forest.

In a news release, Western Environmental Law Center said the lawsuit filed by The Wilderness Society, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, San Juan Citizens Alliance, WildEarth Guardians, and the Western Environmental Law Center challenges the forest plan’s failure to adequately protect habitat for species, including the Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly or to regulate recreational uses appropriately.

A spokesperson with the The Rio Grande National Forest Service declined comment. The U.S. Forest Service updated its Rio Grande National Forest Land Management Plan in May 2020. 

“This plan encourages a crisis-management response,” said Christine Canaly, director of the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council. “After years of public meeting participation, providing substantive comments and reviewing hundreds of letters from concerned citizens – who clearly support the management of healthy forests, ecosystem services, and protection of critical habitat – the Final Forest Plan instead renders a hands-off approach, abdicating responsibility for providing upfront baseline analysis. Standards and guidelines have been removed, leading to less comprehensive, more reactive decision making.”

The Citizen will continue to follow up on this story as it develops in the U.S. District Court of Colorado.

Alamosa High Key Club seeks
donations for SLV food bank

There is still time to donate to the Alamosa High School Key Club food drive. It benefits the SLV Food Bank and you can make a donation up to Friday, Nov. 19, by dropping any of the following items to the Alamosa Library, 300 Hunt Ave.:

• Canned meat (tuna and chicken)
•     Peanut butter & other nut butters
•     Low-sodium canned veggies & beans
•     Gluten free items
•     Healthy canned or boxed meals (chili, etc.)

All of the items collected at Alamosa Public Library will be donated along with the items collected by Kiwanis Club and AHS Key Club. 

Rio Grande National Forest features
“Cutting Christmas Trees”

Monte Vista, CO – Have you ever thought about cutting your own Christmas tree? Join the Rio Grande National Forest on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m. for an online event to learn about the age-old tradition of cutting a Christmas tree. Gregg Goodland, the Rio Grande National Forest public affairs officer, will explore the history of cutting Christmas trees and present how to cut your own tree this year.

Gregg will also cover the various ways to get a Christmas tree permit to harvest a tree from the Rio Grande National Forest. Did you know you can purchase your Christmas tree permit online this year? There will be time for questions and answers following the online presentation.

This event is part of the Rio Grande National Forest’s Forest Specialist Series, a once monthly online presentation to share information with our community. Please visit the Rio Grande National Forest website for more information. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/riogrande/home.