11 Most Endangered
Telluride Valley Floor
Year Listed: 2001
Location: Colorado
Current Status: Saved
Threat: Development
Nestled among 14,000-foot peaks, Telluride is cradled in a wide valley that, until now, remained as verdant and peaceful as when the Ute Indians hunted there centuries ago. But sprawl has come to the mountains, and now a massive resort may be developed on the 880-acre valley floor, threatening the region's historic context and forever altering one of the Rocky Mountains' last intact mining towns.
Update
The Telluride Valley Floor was listed as endangered due to sprawl and proposed development that was threatening the region's historic context and altering one of the Rocky Mountains' last intact mining towns. In June 2002, Telluride voters approved a plan allowing the town to acquire—through condemnation if necessary—550 acres of the Valley Floor for use as public open space, saving it from further development. When negotiations between the town and the developer to agree on a purchase price for the Valley Floor failed in the fall of 2003, the residents of Telluride voted to pursue condemnation. The town is now within $3 million of the $50 million price established by the court as the fair market value for the property. The National Trust contributed $10,000 towards the town's efforts to purchase the land.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in favor of the town of Telluride on June 2, 2008. The Telluride Valley Floor belongs to Telluride. The Telluride Valley Floor was formerly owned by the San Miguel Valley Corporation.
The Valley Floor Preservation Partners hosted a community potluck on July 27, 2008 to celebrate the town's acquisition of the Telluride Valley Floor after years of legal challenges.
