The following three press releases cover the process and progress of the Chaffee County Land Use Focus Groups over recent months:

The Development of Chaffee County’s Land Use Codes

December 12, 2007
by Bob Christiansen, Chaffee County Administrator

Since 2006, several dozen Chaffee County citizens have been participating in an extensive process to update the County Land Use Code. This, the first of two articles, is an overview of the history of their work. The next will provide an update on their progress.

Chaffee County’s first Comprehensive Plan was prepared in 1971. In March 2000, after a three-year process with a great deal of public input, the County Planning Commission approved a new Comprehensive Plan as required by state statute.

In 2001, the County Commissioners directed the Planning Commission and staff to update the County Land Use Code to reflect the Comprehensive Plan’s goals and vision.

Between 2001 and 2004, the County adopted updated regulations on subjects including the subdivision approval process, residential development standards, road standards, and mining permit reviews.

In 2004, the Planning Commission began work on the County Zoning Resolution. The year after, following several months of public hearings, the Commission recommended changes to the Zoning Resolution and map, including changes to remove inconsistenceis between sections of the Code.

However, in February 2006, following a public comment meeting where citizens expressed concerns about the proposal, the County Commissioners rejected the Planning Commission’s recommendations and began developing extensive public participation in the Land Use Code update process.

The Commissioners held community meetings in April 2006 to encourage communication on land use. Bob Chadwick of Consensus Associates was chosen to facilitate the meetings. Afterwards, a report was generated which identified common goals and themes; they are being explored further as the land use regulations are updated.

As part of the information gathering process during the meetings, focus groups were formed, and members of relevant interest groups were invited to each group session. During the summer of 2006, the Commissioners invited the focus groups to continue meeting periodically to help the County gather more information on what citizens would like to see included in the Land Use Code. The Focus Groups they formed are: Commercial/Industrial, Government, Heritage Area, Production Agriculture, Real Estate/Development, Recreation and Tourism, Sustainable Growth, and Water.

Members are directed to explore issues within the County related to those topics, develop recommendations for solutions, and bring their questions and proposed solutions to the umbrella group called the Land Use Roundtable. Consultant Marjo Curgus of the Sonoran Institute facilitates all the meetings.

Once the Roundtable members reach consensus on a final set of recommendations, they will provide them to the County. The recommendations will be an important part of the proposed changes to the Land Use Code. Planning consultant Barb Cole of Community Matters, Inc. will help the County develop a draft update for review by all County citizens.

The goal is to ensure that Chaffee County’s Land Use Code is thorough, internally consistent, easier to understand, and adaptable to changing development techniques and market conditions. It should foster better development practices, give local ranchers the flexibility they need to stay in business, and reduce conflict.

The next milestone in this process will be achieving consensus on the new regulations. However, it’s important to recognize that land use codes are never “finished.” They must always be revised as conditions change and reflect new, innovative land development practices and market conditions.

Progress by Land Use Focus Groups

January 16, 2008
by Bob Christiansen, Chaffee County Administrator

Since 2006, over 60 Chaffee County citizens have participated in Land Use Focus Groups which are helping update the County Land Use Code. Our previous article was an overview of the Groups’ history. This article provides an update on their progress.

Representatives from the Focus Groups met as the Land Use Roundtable most recently on December 6 and 20 to seek consensus on changes and improvements to the Land Use Code. Marjo Curgus of the Sonoran Institute organized their input and facilitated the meeting.

Prior to those meetings, the Roundtable identified several categories of interest and goals for the land use code updates. Seven are summarized here. Our next article will address the remaining categories.

Byway Corridor Management Plan

Goals: Preserve scenic and historic values of the County and support the desirability of living, working and recreating in the County, which in turn will support economic development.

Status: The Chaffee County Heritage Area Board has contracted with consultant Mundus/Bishop to prepare a Heritage Management Plan to be completed this summer. The next step will be to implement the plan to enhance the heritage aspects of Chaffee County, while respecting individual property rights.

Capacity Analysis by Basin

Goals: Ensure adequate water supplies , encourage sustainable development, and prevent damage to existing water rights.

Status: The Water Group presented recommendations—including additional data gathering to quantify actual supplies, restrictions in water-scarce areas, and additional water-reporting requirements for developments—to the Roundtable last November.

Commercial Zone Uses and Requirements

Goals: To correct some of the current code’s outdated provisions, make it more user-friendly, and allow for compatible mixing of uses.

Status: At the December 6 zoning workshop, Focus Group members identified general areas where commercial uses might be appropriate. The next step is to identify more specific locations and development standards.

Production Agriculture Overlay Zone

Goals: To provide flexibility to ranchers to help them keep their lands in agriculture.

Status: The Focus Group has discussed various tools for support of agriculture, including “Right to Ranch,” purchase of development rights (PDR), transfer of development rights (TDR), and development options. An updated Right to Ranch proposal has already been presented to the Board of Commissioners, and the Production Agriculture Overlay regulations should be presented by the end of this month.

PUD Procedures

Goals: Encourage smart, sustainable planned unit developments (PUDs) and provide incentives for good design.

Status: CMI has developed draft PUD regulations for review by the Roundtable by the end of January.

Urban Service and Growth Area

Goals: Encourage smart, sustainable development near existing services, and develop intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) among the County and municipalities for urban service areas.

Status: The County and municipalities are working together. They are conducting “build-out” analyses to help plan for the community services needed by new developments. Chaffee County and Salida have drafted an IGA for consideration at the January 15 Joint Planning Commission meeting.

Two-Acre Development Alternatives

Goals: Identify incentives and funding mechanisms for protecting open space and reducing sprawl.

Status: At the December 6 zoning workshop, Focus Group members identified a district approach—with guidelines based on location—as a desirable alternative to two acre development. The County Planning Department and consultants are developing district descriptions for inclusion in the County zoning ordinance.

Progress by Land Use Focus Groups, Part 2

February 18, 2008
by Bob Christiansen, Chaffee County Administrator

Since 2006, over 60 Chaffee County citizens have participated in Land Use Focus Groups which are helping update the County Land Use Code.

Our last article on this topic provided a summary of the first seven categories of interest and goals for the land use code updates: the byway corridor management plan, capacity analysis by basin, commercial zone uses and requirements, production agriculture overlay zones, PUD procedures, urban growth and service areas, and two acre development alternatives. (The articles are available at www.chaffeecounty.org; at the bottom of the home page, click on “Land Use Focus Groups and Roundtable Information.”

This article addresses the remaining categories.

Define Good Development Methods and Zoning

Goals: Encourage sustainable development, provide incentives for good planning, and identify incentives and funding mechanisms for protecting open space and reducing sprawl.

Status: The Focus Groups and Roundtable members have discussed a wide range of alternatives and options. Roundtable members agreed that a district approach to zoning was important to consider. They have considered ways to encourage sustainable development and provide incentives for good planning while protecting private property rights.

Planning consultants Community Matters, Inc. (CMI) and the Land Use Focus Groups have considered and clarified various zoning methods for residential and commercial areas. The Focus Groups made recommendations about those methods to the Roundtable, which is working on achieving consensus about zoning for various areas in the County.

Create a Better Land Use Code

Goal: Organize the code better and make it more easily understood.

Status: CMI suggested ways to organize the County’s land use code to eliminate duplications and omissions. Using those suggestions, the Planning Commission, CMI, and Chaffee County Planner Don Reimer prepared the new code outline, which was approved by the Commission and County Planning staff. Recommendations from the Roundtable will be incorporated into the code.

Consider Wildlife Habitat and Environmental Protection Methods

Goals: Determine what the County is currently doing to protect wildlife habitat and the environment. Determine what other areas are doing. Consider how to make regulations less burdensome and more objective.

Status: The groups have not dealt specifically with this issue yet, although their review of development standards will lead into it. Facilitator Marjo Curgus of the Sonoran Institute will provide an overview of standards and policies.

Make Recommendations About the Comprehensive Plan Implementation

Goal: Provide specific recommendations to the County Commissioners to help implement the Comprehensive Plan.

Status: Ms. Curgus has been helping the focus groups determine the policy and regulatory changes they want to make to the Comprehensive Plan.

Every Focus Group has presented its recommendations to the Roundtable. Ms. Curgus is now assisting the Roundtable members with considering those recommendations, making sure they fit with the groups’ original goals, identifying conflicting recommendations, and integrating the input they have received.

Review Code Proposals for Points of Consensus or Contention

Goals: Identify points of consensus or contention among the various proposals. Determine ways to come to agreement on the points of contention.

Status: Ms. Curgus has summarized the zoning code proposals from the Focus Group and Roundtable members, and she has helped create a framework more agreeable to all members, in order to assist their discussions.

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