YOUR AD HERE »

Home Depot aims for Silverthorne location

Town's planning commission gives thumbs-up to big-box store near interstate

Caitlin Row/Summit Daily News

— Despite a weak economy, big-box chain Home Depot is serious about building a store in Silverthorne and confident that a strong consumer market still exists.

The national home-improvement retailer hopes to build a 100,000 square-foot store south of Interstate 70, near the outlet stores close to the base of the Dillon Dam.

The town planning commission unanimously approved Home Depot’s initial site plan and wetlands disturbance permit after three hours of presentation and discussion Tuesday night.



Approval is preliminary – Home Depot must address nine conditions, including previous concerns about traffic. Commission approval is merely a recommendation to Silverthorne’s town council. Council will review the initial plans Wednesday.

Silverthorne’s planning staff recommended denial of the wetlands disturbance permit, but the commission overruled staff findings by saying public benefit outweighed wetlands destruction. Home Depot also plans to mitigate the wetlands destroyed in another location.



“In addition to tax revenue, we’re also creating more wetlands and a higher quality of wetlands in Cottonwood Park” in Silverthorne, said Mike Ciletti, consultant to Home Depot. “The town benefits because we’re increasing revenues and increasing the amount of wetlands.”

Home Depot representatives also said that Blue River water will be cleaner because of a drainage system – built for run-off, snow melt and rain – that will be built with the project.

“It’s yet to be seen,” said Mark Leidal, Silverthorne’s community development director.

Home Depot also is proposing to use a portion of town-owned land on Adams Avenue for parking, Leidal said, and they want to trade Silverthorne with a portion of land adjacent to the Blue River. Council will decide whether this proposal is acceptable.

“You have a lot more work ahead of you,” commissioner Robert Kieber said to Home Depot representatives.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.