By Chelsea McNerney-Martinez
MONTE VISTA—The City of Monte Vista’s Planning and Zoning Commission/Board of Adjustments heard two requests this month at their meeting on April 26. The first, for the board of adjustments, was to allow a variance for an abandoned church, currently within a commercial business zone, to be turned into a residence. The second, for the planning and zoning commission, was for a special review use application for a physical therapy clinic. Both requests were granted.
City Manager Forrest Neuerburg, acting as City Planning Director for the Board of Adjustments, explained he had been approached by Michael Valdez, who currently has a lease of the abandoned church at 1605 Fourth Ave. (former Emmanuel of God Assembly), requesting to turn the property into a home. Neuerburg noted the property is isolated from commercial use because of the railroad and the furniture warehouse that blocks it from view of highway traffic, and the two adjacent properties were both residential. “The best relief would be to rezone the block as residential, but the time that takes is detrimental to the applicant,” Neuerburg stated. He also noted the church had been operating under a special review use, but he could not find the application on file. Commissioner Barbara Sears asked if the church was exempt from taxes, which Neuerburg confirmed, so the additional benefit would be property taxes being paid on the building if it was turned into a residence.
Valdez addressed the board, noting he hopes to turn it into a three bedroom, two bathroom residence, and outlined some of the improvements he plans to make, including landscaping and noted the building is already gutted but he cannot move forward with building permits without the variance. Valdez listed several of the vendors he will be purchasing supplies from, nearly all of them local businesses. Sears asked about denying the variance and just rezoning the block as residential, but City Attorney Mike Trujillo and Neuerburg advised against that because it would take about four months to complete the process, hindering Valdez’s progress, although Neuerburg noted the commission could look at rezoning the area in the coming months even with the variance. The board voted unanimously to grant the variance.
The planning and zoning commission heard a presentation from Project Manager Jim Fleming and Physical Therapy Director Joe Stephens with San Luis Valley Health about their plans to turn the building at 37 Adams St. into a physical therapy clinic. The clinic will serve three patients per hour and will have three therapists, one athletic trainer and a clerical person on staff. SLV Health is on a three year lease for the building with the option to renew if the landlords complete the remodel. The building is owned by Donald and Chardell Barton according to the Rio Grande County Assessor’s Office website. SLV Health intends to be operating and seeing patients at the location beginning June 4. “Our intention is to be there long term… the location is great, the owners are great and the remodel looks great,” Fleming stated.
Sears asked if the clinic would sell any products which would generate sales tax, which Stephens noted they wouldn’t, just provide a service. Commissioner Don Noland added the clinic would likely generate more traffic in the area which could increase sales taxes. Fleming noted he had only two additional requests from the city, smoothing out the lip between the public parking lot north of the building and the sidewalk and making an additional handicapped parking spot near the building, and an accessible curb cut is already present there. Neuerburg suggested approving the application, as SLV Health has an excellent reputation, both of the other downtown clinics are approved by special review use and the city does not have to provide any additional parking. The application was approved unanimously.