TRINIDAD — City officials are working to position Trinidad for opportunity when it knocks. “The plans the city is putting into economic development, including the industrial park, will allow the city to take advantage quickly when the time comes,” said City Manager Gabriel Engeland. One such move is the proposed annexation of the nearly 18 acres of land by the city into the Trinidad Industrial Park north of town on El Moro Road, which the Las Animas County Commission approved on a 3-0 vote, with a contingency, during the July 7 county commission meeting. The contingency, requested by Commissioner Mack Louden, requires Road and Bridge supervisor Phil Dorankamp, “… to make sure the county road allows access to the property.” The county also waived the impact report during their regular meeting. On Aug. 4, city council will take action on the annexation of parcel D during their regular meeting. “Parcel D was not annexed with the rest of the industrial park,” said Walt Boulden, former director of Trinidad-Las Animas County Economic
Development, Inc. “We found the piece was more easily marketed if it were part of the city. This will also make the industrial park more marketable and will put the city in a better position to offer incentive packages to new businesses when the time comes.” “Right now there are no buildings or borders on the parcel at El Moro Road. However all of the utilities are there, under the road, and that will make it easy to tap into them,” Boulden said. The annexation is a procedural move with the property already zoned light industrial and commercial. It was also a proactive move in order to get the property into the industrial park. The annexation came up during early discussions about economic development in both the city and county, according to Boulden. “This is part of a long term plan to assemble land so business development will be supported.” Boulden said. “The parcel is ideal for a truck stop and shoulder business development. There has already been some interest expressed in that possibility,” Engeland said.
