Community Development – Garfield County

County denies mini-storage land use change permit

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners.

Garfield County has denied a limited impact land-use change permit that would have led to the construction of a mini-storage facility near New Castle, south of County Road 335 (Colorado River Road). In the denial, the Board of County Commissioners determined that the use was not compatible with the surrounding area and considered concerns about the project from New Castle Town Council. The land-use change permit request, which was filed by Belodi Creek Ranch, LLC, aimed to build Ule Mini-Storage, a 290-unit storage facility that was to be constructed in three phases, according to the application. The plans included an

Flowing stream in the mountains of Colorado.

Garfield County has approved a floodplain development permit for the Three Mile Mobile Home Park near Glenwood Springs that includes bridge replacement and upgrades to its water system and sewer lines. All improvements are designed to enhance safety in the mobile home park following past high-water and flooding events in the area. The 20-unit mobile home park, which has been acquired by the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation (RFCDC), is located within unincorporated Garfield County off County Road 127. Three Mile Creek flows through the middle of the small community, creating challenges during runoff or when heavy rains fall. An

Colorado Extreme Hockey players practice on the ice at the facility near Carbondale, Colorado.

Garfield County has approved a substantial modification to a limited land use change permit for Colorado Extreme Hockey to develop a second temporary outdoor youth hockey rink and summertime training area at its facility off County Road 100, east of Carbondale. The proposal includes a second full-sized hockey rink with supporting facilities, a long-span structure with either indoor turf or a multi-sport training area, a canopied warming hut, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible viewing area, and spectator facilities for special events, according to the proposal. Hours of operation for both winter and summer activities are from 4:30 to 8:45 p.m.,

A map view of Spring Creeks Ranch near Carbondale, Colorado.

Garfield County has approved a substantial modification to an existing land use permit allowing a Carbondale events facility to expand the number of occasions it hosts annually. The Gianinetti Community Event Center (Spring Creeks Ranch) has been hosting events since 2018 on its property located along County Road 166. When first approved, the 2018 land use permit allowed for 30 events per year at the event center, which exists on roughly four acres of the overall 83-acre property. The application requested an increase in the number of events the facility can host; the option to host larger special events (of

Top view of construction plans with tablet, drawing and working tools on blueprints.

The Garfield County Planning Commission public hearing scheduled for September 25 regarding the Spring Valley PUD Amendment – Substantial Modification application has been canceled. The cancellation was requested by the applicant and the hearing is being rescheduled. The application is still under review, and a future hearing requires that the applicant meet all the noticing requirements and re-notice the rescheduled public hearing. All public comments received to date remain in the packet for the planning commission’s review. Updates will be posted on the Garfield County Community Development web page once the rescheduled public hearing date is set.

Architect or engineer working at home drawing the construction project.

Garfield County has appointed Wes Miller to its Planning Commission for a term running through Dec. 31, 2025. Three candidates applied for the vacant associate seat, including Klayton Costanzo, Luke Gosda, and Miller. “We have three really good candidates,” said Commissioner Mike Samson. “All three would do a really great job and I don’t think we could go wrong with any of them here.” The planning commission is a decision-making body that primarily provides recommendations to the BOCC on land-use matters. Gosda was subsequently appointed to the county’s Board of Adjustment, filling a vacant associate member at-large seat he had

Glenn Hartmann has been named the new Garfield County Community Development director.

Garfield County has named longtime Principal Planner Glenn Hartmann as its new community development director. Hartmann, who first cut his teeth with Garfield County in 1983, has been serving as acting department director since August, following the departure of former Director Sheryl Bower. Hartmann initially worked as a planning technician at Garfield County for seven years, before taking the town planner role for the Town of Basalt, where he worked for 20 years. He served a brief stint as community development director at Cañon City and returned to the county in December 2010 to be closer to his family. Hartmann

A map of the proposed location of Flying M Ranch south of Glenwood Springs.

Garfield County has denied a rezoning application for a proposed planned unit development (PUD) south of Glenwood Springs. Flying M Ranch, which was proposed for a 32-acre parcel off County Road 154 in the Eastbank subdivision near the Riverview School, was ultimately denied by the Board of County Commissioners. The denial took place in a continued public hearing following an initial public hearing and requested site visit by the board in October. The board’s decision was based on density of the development and potential traffic and access impacts along Highway 82 and CR 154. The Garfield County Planning Commission had

Sunset rays over a photovoltaic power plant.

Garfield County has approved a limited impact land use change permit for a 10-megawatt, 44-acre solar array to be built north of Parachute along County Road 215. The proposal includes a substation, parking area, access roads, and roughly 22,000 solar panels at the site, which is owned and operated by Caerus Piceance LLC. According to the proposal, the system is designed to serve Caerus’ oil and gas operations and is tied to the Xcel Energy grid. The site was formerly home to holding ponds and an access road for oil and gas operations and will now provide around 25 million

Construction along County Road 100 east of Carbondale at the Colorado Extreme hockey rink facility.

Garfield County has approved an application for a substantial modification to a limited impact land use change clearing the way for upgrades to an existing temporary outdoor youth hockey rink east of Carbondale. Colorado Extreme applied for the permit to update the site plan with improvements, including an additional smaller skills rink, summer fitness/clinic programming, and paving the entrance off County Road 100. The proposal also includes acceleration and deceleration lanes off the county road and 30 additional parking spaces, for a total of 71. The modifications increase the size of the operating parcel from roughly 1.7 acres to 2.43

A map of the proposed Flying M Ranch PUD near Glenwood Springs.

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has requested a site visit for a rezoning application of a proposed housing development south of Glenwood Springs. Flying M Ranch has applied for the rezoning of two lots, encompassing roughly 34 acres, located off County Road 154 in the Eastbank Minor Subdivision, near the Riverview School. Currently zoned as rural, the application is to rezone the two lots to a Planned Unit Development (PUD). According to the application, the proposed uses include 146 two-story market-rate rental townhomes; 12 townhomes exclusively available to Roaring Fork School District employees; 10 accessory dwelling units

Garfield County has approved a limited impact land use change permit allowing construction of a new telecommunications tower off Forest Service Road 300, roughly a 1.5 miles west of Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort. The proposed 70-foot-tall tower provides expanded cellular service into the Four Mile Park area and complies with all Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations, according to the application filed by Vertical Bridge Development LLC. T-Mobile is anticipated to be the primary carrier on the tower, according to Garfield County Community Development Principal Planner Glenn Hartmann. The applicant also noted that the tower will accommodate co-location with other telecommunications

Testing the house for airtightness, on the front door installed a powerful fan.

Garfield County has adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) in compliance with a 2019 state law requiring local governments choose one of three iterations of the IECC in its building code. The 2018 version of the IECC features minor changes in insulation values and requires a blower door test to be performed on all new homes to check air-sealing and ventilation. John Plano, chief building official for Garfield County Community Development, told the Board of County Commissioners that the state has mandated that all local governments select one of three energy codes (IECC 2015, 2018, or 2021) to

Woman cross-country skiing in the woods.

Garfield County has approved a limited impact review land use change permit application for a new parking lot off Marion Cemetery Road at the Spring Gulch Nordic skiing area west of Carbondale. The application was submitted by the Mount Sopris Nordic Council (MSNC) and the North Thompson Cattlemen’s Association, which manage and own the property, respectively. The trail system is home to 18 miles of trail that is utilized by Nordic ski enthusiasts in winter. The applicants noted that increased popularity and use of the area, located off North Thompson Creek Road, combined with impacts of climate change (less days

Wooden beams as part of the construction of a roof framing truss system.

Garfield County has approved a rezoning application to clear the way for a minor subdivision off Four Mile Road (County Road 117). The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the land use change permit for the planned unit development (PUD) for Sunlight Parkway, LLC, which aims to build six duplexes on 2.5 acres of the overall 8.77-acre site. The average proposed lot size for the duplexes is roughly 0.7 acres or double the minimum allowable size for zoning requirements (residential high). The owner and manager of the property is Jason Neuman, and the application was prepared by D.M. Neuman Construction

Garfield County has appointed Daniel Adams of New Castle to fill a vacancy as an associate member on the Garfield County Planning Commission, replacing Jarman Smith (Aspen Glen), who resigned from the position. “He’s put in his time,” Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said of Adams. “He applied to the planning commission in the past and we didn’t have an available position, so we appointed him to the Garfield County Board of Adjustment (BOA).” Adams’ planning commission terms runs until the end of 2023. The commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month, with an alternate meeting date on the fourth

A couple looking at a blueprint in front of home construction.

Garfield County has adopted new land use and development code text amendments to help clarify the document and facilitate housing development in the area. The changes are designed to support both free market units and an adequate supply of housing mitigation units (deed-restricted) that are both affordable and available to residents. Garfield County Community Development staff outlined the amendments in a public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners, highlighting changes to Articles 3, 4, 7, 8, and 15 of the county’s land use and development code. Garfield County Community Development Director Sheryl Bower told the board that the amendments

Builders on construction site with framed walls in the background.

Garfield County has approved a minor subdivision application for a 41.3-acre property off Harmony Lane in Missouri Heights that is designed for residential units. The Fussner Minor Subdivision (on behalf of SkyFooze1, LLC) is a proposal to subdivide the property into two parcels, on which two single-family homes and potentially accessory dwelling units (ADUs) would be built. Lot one is proposed to encompass 36.2 acres of the property, while lot 2 covers 5.1 acres. The property, which was recently the proposed location of the unrealized Ascendigo Ranch, is zoned rural and has traditionally been home to agricultural use. “The purpose

A man is converting a van into a caravan.

Garfield County has expanded its list of allowed uses within its commercial general zone district to include the assembly of structures and vehicle conversions, creating more opportunities for local businesses. In a text amendment, the county broadened its definition of the commercial general zone district to allow for low-impact industrial uses. Prior to the text amendment, the zone district only specified general retail, service, and recreation-oriented commercial businesses intended to serve the county. Assembly of structures has traditionally been allowed in the commercial limited district with a limited impact review, and in the industrial zone district with an administrative review.

This is an image of a Labrador mix, a Weimaraner, and a Hound mix puppy laying down together outside during the fall.

Garfield County has approved an application for a land use change permit that recognizes and allows for the expansion of an existing dog daycare and boarding facility adjacent to a longtime veterinary clinic near Carbondale. Alpine Animal Hospital, located off the Highway 82 frontage road, applied for the large kennel expansion, which required a major impact review by Garfield County Community Development. Review criteria required that the facility not exceed current noise standards for residential zone districts. The Garfield County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval to the Board of County Commissioners in a public hearing on Dec. 7, with conditions

Garfield County has approved a land use change permit paving the way for a gravel operation south of the Colorado River and north of Interstate 70, between Silt and Rifle. The major impact land use change was approved to allow wet mining operations at the site that do not dewater (remove water) from the property. The 57.9-acre parcel, which is owned by IHC Scott, is slated for a 19.63-acre project area and 12.39 acres are planned for excavation. A five-foot tall screening berm is planned for the perimeter of the site. Access to the site is off the Interstate 70

Close up solar panels with the sun setting in the background.

Garfield County has approved an application for a major impact land use change permit that paves the way for a large photovoltaic solar farm south of Parachute. AES High Mesa Solar is constructing a solar energy and battery storage power facility that is projected to produce 31,851 megawatt hours (MWh) each year, roughly enough to power 4,392 homes. The up to 90-acre project site is poised to supply locally generated energy for the next 20 years, with an extension option available for an additional 15 years. The farm supports Holy Cross Energy’s (HCE) goal to obtain all its energy resources

Garfield County has approved a second amendment to its Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan, including an updated habitat map and the addition of new factors impacting populations in the Parachute, Piceance Basin, Roan Plateau (PPR) area. The county worked with the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and the Bureau of Land management (BLM) to refine and update the habitat maps to best reflect the unique, varied terrain in the PPR region, which is 77 percent privately owned land. The new maps, which have been adopted by CPW and the federal government, cover 89,743 acres of

Supervisor checking building permits at new construction site.

Unincorporated Garfield County has experienced an increase in the number of residential building permits issued in 2021. Through October of this year, the Garfield County Community Development Department (CommDev) has issued 242 permits, which is the most since 2007, prior to the Great Recession. In 2007, 281 residential permits were issued for the entire year, and 226 were issued in all of 2020. Residential permits include single-family dwellings, manufactured homes, and other work, such as additions, alterations, and remodels. Overall, 453 total building permits have been issued through October in unincorporated Garfield County, compared to 508 all of last year.

Garfield County Commissioners Tom Jankovsky, John Martin, and Mike Samson, and Community Development Director Sheryl Bower display a SolSmart Gold award.

Garfield County has earned a SolSmart gold-level community designation for its efforts to promote solar energy. A national designation program funded by the Department of Energy, SolSmart recognizes cities and counties that are actively encouraging the development of solar markets. Garfield County Community Development Department spent the past several months working to ensure the county earned the designation. Community Development Director Sheryl Bower presented the Board of County Commissioners with the designation during its regular meeting this week. She told the board that Community Development strived to help the county achieve the SolSmart designation through efforts to make the permitting

Seats are open for citizen volunteers to serve on the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment. Members of both boards help shape land use decisions in Garfield County. Terms are for three years, and currently, the meetings are being held virtually.

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission are conducting a joint work session from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, to discuss draft changes to the county’s Land Use and Development Code, regarding gravel and mining extraction regulations in Garfield County. The public may attend the meeting remotely.

The Garfield County Planning Commission will conduct a continuation of a public hearing to consider adoption of updates to the 2030 Garfield County Comprehensive Plan on February 26, at 6 p.m., in the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners meeting room, 108 Eighth Street, in Glenwood Springs. Continue reading Planning Commission continued public hearing February 26

Concrete house septic tank or waste water tank from a detached house.

Regulation of on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) has transferred from Garfield County Community Development to the county’s public health department. During the transition, applicants may experience slight processing delays. Continue reading Oversight of wastewater systems

The Garfield County Planning Commission is hosting a work session on updates to the 2030 Garfield County Comprehensive Plan on January 8th, at 6 p.m., in the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners meeting room, 108 Eighth Street, in Glenwood Springs. Continue reading Planning Commission work session January 8, 2020

Since September of 2009, County Planning staff has been working with Winston Associates to develop an updated Comprehensive Plan for the County. In order to develop the Comprehensive Plan, the planning team has made a significant effort in outreaching to a variety of different stakeholders as well as the general public. A variety of strategies were used to collect information about the values and priorities of county residents including: 18 public meeting held in every jurisdiction across the County, a “sounding board” group of random sampled respondents used for surveying, interviews were conducted with over 150 different stakeholders and a

Text amendment opens way for ‘tiny homes’

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has approved a text amendment to its Land Use and Development Code and its building code that opens the way for tiny homes to be built in the area. The move strikes an existing square-footage requirement in the code that set the minimum size of a single family home at 20-foot wide by 20-foot long. Both the changes to the Land Use and Development Code and the building code will take effect next month. “Tiny homes” are viewed as a way to possibly help mitigate some of Garfield County’s affordable housing needs. Typically less

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has updated its road impact fees, which will include non-residential use, beginning in 2017. It’s the first increase since the county began collecting the fees in 1997. The Board of County Commissioners voted to update the road impact fees Dec. 5. The county will still collect road impact fees for residential use, but now also include non-residential projects, such as commercial, industrial, and office uses. The county only collected the fees for residential development in the past. The changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2017. The amount of the fees is determined by both

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted to unanimously approve three Special Use Permit applications for two natural gas well pads and co-located pipelines in Battlement Mesa with multiple conditions of approval added. After taking testimony over a three-day period, including hours of resident and community presentations and comments, the Board of County Commissioners reviewed each condition of approval with the Battlement Mesa Concerned Citizens committee and with applicants Ursa Operating Company and Battlement Mesa Partners representatives. These conditions of approval centered on air quality, traffic, noise, dust, odors, inspection notice, drainage, home values, emergency plans, and reporting to the

Comment period to FEMA updates

UPDATE PRESS RELEASE December 1, 2015 Public meeting with FEMA Consultation Coordination Officer, December 3, 2015 GARFIELD COUNTY – A public meeting for citizens to speak with a FEMA Consultation Coordinator Officer is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, at the Garfield County Administration Building at 108 8th Street, in Glenwood Springs. The meeting will address information on FEMA’s Revised Preliminary Floodplain Maps for portions of Garfield County. The agenda is as follows: 1 – 3 p.m.: City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County and appellants for the Glenwood Springs Hot Springs Pool 3:30 – 5 p.m.: City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield

Garfield County finalizes and adopts land use code revisions

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – A newly polished land use code became regulation Monday and immediately went into effect in Garfield County, following a vote by the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). The Garfield County Land Use and Development Code supersedes the Unified Land Use Resolution of 2008. Garfield County Planning Manager Tamra Allen pointed out to the BOCC in a May 7 memo that the two are different in that the new code is more than 200 pages lighter, and it has undergone a reduction of approximately 40% in code text. Applications that have already been received by

Wastewater discharge near No Name Trail

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County is investigating a small wastewater discharge near No Name Trail #2068, commonly known as the Jess Weaver Trail. The discharge is occurring along County Road 129 (No Name Lane) near the trailhead. Tests the county sent to the City of Glenwood Springs Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility have confirmed the presence of E. coli in the small discharge area. The county has posted signs marking the area of the potential health hazard until the source can be identified, and the situation corrected. The signs say water tests are in progress and that citizens may call

Garfield County finalizes and adopts land use code revisions

It’s shorter, simpler and smarter. A year and a half of scrutiny of land use code in Garfield County has resulted in the first phase of an easier to understand code, which is now in effect. The newly amended Unified Land Use Resolution (ULUR) is the code for which any applicant who applies for a county development permit will follow in seeking approval from the county. The changes became effective August 13, and the updated ULUR Code of 2008, as amended, is posted online. It has resulted in the adoption of changes intended to encourage economic development and to streamline

In June of 2011, the Colorado River was swollen to capacity with water from heavy winter snows and a long, wet spring. FEMA is modernizing its maps and updating them in digital format

Glenwood Springs, CO – Nearly 2,000 Garfield County residents have received a letter regarding modernized flood plain maps that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is creating for the Colorado River corridor and for mountain drainages which fill the river. The letters, sent by Garfield County Building and Planning Code Enforcement Officer Gale Carmoney, state that residents may see a change in the location of FEMA designated floodplain areas. The letters also invite landowners within floodplain or drainage areas to a June 20 meeting where FEMA will explain the proposed floodplain map upgrades. FEMA is allowing a 90-day comment period,

Automatic fire sprinklers will be required in all new construction for single family residences effective January 1, 2013. The Board of County Commissioners are going to have a work session on March 13, 2012 to discuss this requirement. The meeting will be in the Board of County Commissioners meeting room, 108 8th Street, Glenwood Springs, Colorado at 9:00 a.m. If you have interest in this subject and want to let the commissioners hear your comments please attend this meeting. For questions please call the Building Department at 970-945-8212.

Automatic fire sprinklers will be required in all new construction for single family residences, effective January 1, 2013. The Board of County Commissioners are going to have a work session on March 13, 2012 to discuss this requirement. The meeting will be in the Board of County Commissioners meeting room, 108 8th Street, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, at 9:00 a.m. If you have interest in this subject and want to let the commissioners hear your comments, please attend this meeting. For questions, please call the Building and Planning Department at 970-945-8212.

The Garfield County Comprehensive Plan 2030 will be used as an advisory document for current and future Boards of County Commissioners (BOCC) following a vote Monday, August 15, 2011. The BOCC voted to consider the document as a guideline for development across the county, and recommended that section 1-107A of the code be changed to reflect that intent. There are multiple sections of the Unified Land Use Resolution (ULUR) code that ask land use change applications to be in adherence to the plan. The BOCC will review additional changes to specific ULUR sections that reference the Comprehensive Plan 2030 at

Local officials and stakeholders at the Satank Bridge ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Spanning through 111 years of time and weather, Carbondale’s Satank Bridge is the only remaining Pratt-through truss wooden bridge in Colorado. The new timber compression members on the bridge are wooden, its tension members are all steel, and after a thorough renovation, the bridge stands as a refreshed stunning framework over the glistening Roaring Fork River on County Road 106 near the Rio Grande trail. “For all of the ghosts who have crossed this bridge – all of the cattle, all of the people, all of the memories, this bridge has stood strong. Pass along it yourself, and add to

The Board of County Commissioners received the findings from the Battlement Mesa Incorporation Financial Feasibility Study completed by BBC Research and Consulting February 7, 2011. The study addressed the financial feasibility and policy issues associated with the potential municipal incorporation of the community of Battlement Mesa. Battlement Mesa is an unincorporated subdivision of about 1,650 homes in western Garfield County, Colorado. It was established in 1980 as a residential community largely intended to support the area’s then burgeoning oil share industry. The county and a variety of special districts and homeowners associations currently provide public services to the planned unit