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Context matters

Saturday, May 19 at 12:00 AM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Richard Moe, Washington, D.C.

It happens all too often: People are drawn to a locale by sIt happens all too often: People are drawn to a locale by some quality – scenery, affordability or historic character, for instance – that makes the place distinctive and appealing. But then, as more and more people flock in, the very qualities that attracted them get compromised or even destroyed.

We can all name places right here in Colorado where this sad scenario has played out, and the Telluride Valley Floor was about to join their ranks. Over the past few weeks, however, residents and visitors alike have made it clear that they don’t want it to happen in Telluride – and what’s more, they’re prepared to put up the cash to make sure that it doesn’t. I’ve never seen a community rally more effectively for the preservation of one of its most important assets. The outcome reminds me of a statement attributed to Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Today’s Telluride is known as a vacation magnet for skiers, hikers and fans of jazz and films, but those of us who love the place know that there’s more to it than this. It’s a real community – a community worthy of our very best efforts to ensure that it remains a good place to live and visit. That doesn’t mean trying to recreate the Telluride that used to be, or “freezing” it as it is now by trying to prevent all new development. Even if we could do those things, we shouldn’t. The question isn’t whether Telluride will grow, but how. We can’t stop change, but we can ensure that it occurs in ways and locations that we won’t regret later.

As the National Trust noted in 2001 when we named the Telluride Valley Floor one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, context matters. Anyone who visits Telluride quickly recognizes that the town is a genuine historic treasure – but what truly sets it apart is its stunning setting, the context of mountains and meadows that is a constant link with the town’s history as a tough mining town clinging to the ragged edge of civilization. That’s what was at risk in the planned development of the valley floor: context. The thing about context is that once it’s gone, it’s gone forever – and that sobering fact is what motivated so many people to take action.

There are those who will say that the whole episode represents an erosion of the doctrine of private property rights that we all cherish. In fact, the courts have consistently advocated a balance between individual rights and public benefits. In this case, a Colorado jury set a price for the land and a time limit for raising the money. Deep-pocketed donors made big contributions – but, as the news media reported, plenty of less affluent people kicked in their dollar bills and loose change as well. In the end, everybody won something: The owner of the land stands to make a big profit, and people who care about Telluride – including many who don’t call themselves “preservationists” – won the assurance that more than 500 acres of the valley floor won’t be carved up and paved over.

A community should be shaped by choice, not chance. If the community doesn’t take steps to plan its own future, someone else will, with consequences that could be disastrous. In this case, people had an opportunity to make a choice that could shape the appearance and livability of Telluride for generations to come. They seized the opportunity, and they made the right choice.

Richard Moe is president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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