Development of Chaffee County's Land Use Codes
Articles - Community

Chaffee workshop 2b
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 aChaffee workshop 6b 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, residentialChaffee workshop 4b 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.

Photos: M. Curgus, Sonoran Institute

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