Neighborly complaints
New app allows residents to air grievances in real time
How many Wendy's signs are too many Wendy's sign? We'll let you decide./ Photo by Jonathan Romeo
Have you ever been walking around Durango and thought to yourself: “Man, Wendy’s has way too many signs out front. The city should really do something about it!” Or, “God, my neighbor’s band sucks! The city should really do something about it!”
Well, a new program launched by the City of Durango now provides an opportunity for you to channel those thoughts, and in some cases, have them resolved (though, there’s probably nothing anyone can do about your neighbor’s KISS cover band).
In January 2023, the city unveiled an app called “SeeClickFix,” which allows residents to report quality-of-life issues around town and request city services. And jokes aside, it does provide a more formalized platform for people to report real issues – dangerous potholes and sidewalk damage, broken streetlights or traffic signs, and issues on local trails, to name a few. (And yes, the occasional curmudgeonly complaint.)
In fact, since the app went live, it has received 412 reports from residents.
“It has been pretty well received,” Nick Johnson, spokesman for the city, said. “It’s been challenging to get it going. But now that it’s had some time out there, I think the public is receiving it well, and we’re able to use it in a myriad of ways. We’re still learning how to use this.”
The process is quite simple. After downloading the app, residents can use it to drop a pin on an interactive online map and make a request or complaint to the city – i.e. a pothole on 25th Street, a traffic light out on North Main, random thoughts you have about the world.
The app also allows residents to provide city staff with pictures, specific locations and descriptions of things around the city that need fixing. (The service replaced the city’s previous reporting system, “Ask Durango.”)
Now 10 months in, city staff say it has a better breakdown of what irks Durangoans.
The top item reported, by far, was unsanctioned camping around town, accounting for 115 of all requests for assistance – or about 28%.
In these instances, Johnson said the city’s code enforcement department will go out to unauthorized camps and ask the person to move.
“Code compliance responds pretty quickly since it’s not legal to camp in city limits,” Johnson said.
Among other top complaints, according to city records, a category labeled “other” received 63 requests, abandoned vehicles 40 requests, potholes 34 requests and snow removal 27.
In each instance, Johnson said the request for assistance is directed to the appropriate department, such as potholes to Public Works or business sign violation to Code Enforcement.
Whether each report gets resolved is on a case-by-case basis, Johnson said. In some instances, there is a violation, and the issue gets corrected. In others, city crews will go out and fix a broken light or hazard on a trail.
In instances where there is no cause – such as reporting a business for a violation, when in fact, it is not a violation of city code – Johnson said the city uses the opportunity to educate residents on city regs. (Every report is reviewed, he said, and the city has improved its effort to reach out to each resident who submits a request.)
“Early on we didn’t do the best job of that, because we were getting used to the system,” Johnson said. “But now we try to be good and reach out to people who send us a request.”
And, when someone complains about, say, an intersection, the city can inform resident that there are plans to improve it.
“It’s given us some good interaction with the community,” Johnson said.
The Durango Telegraph requested a copy of reports submitted for, of course, comedic purposes. Here’s a few:
• “Does the city have a sign code? Wendy’s have (sic) three banner signs, which seems like three too many.”
• “Neighbors are playing guitar in their garage with an amp. Not sure if there’s an ordnance (sic) violation here, but are we required to listen to them practice?”
• “Piles of rotten fruit in the alley.”
• “Could you guys trim the trees overhanging the sidewalk. Cyclists are hitting their heads.”
Well, that’s why you were helmets.
The SeeClickFix mobile app is available for download on Android and iPhone, where ever you get your apps. And, the program is accessible through the city’s website at durangogov.org or through seeclickfix.com.