Work has started on the environmental resources part of updating the county's 2001 comprehensive plan. County planning commissioners discussed the preliminary draft of this section on Sept. 1.
"The environmental element isn't just, 'Hey, nice marmot!'," Development Director Damian Peduto told planning commissioners. It includes ground and surface water, air quality, open space and view corridors, wildlife habitat, wetlands and riparian areas.
Planning staffer Robert Bowie is in charge of this element (chapter). It "focuses on the environmental quality and unique natural resources of the county, guidelines for the management of these, one of the county's most valuable assets," he said.
The already updated growth trend section of the comp plan "shows the direct link between our diverse economy and environmental resources," Bowie said, with 41 percent of county land in state or federal ownership. Another 18 percent is tribally owned.
"Real estate and construction here is driven by people coming here to enjoy the scenery and environment," Bowie said.
Planning commissioners had some concerns about visual resources.
Charly Minkler raised issues about road and driveway standards, such as road cuts on steep hillsides and cut and fill. "I'm basically in favor of that, but we live in a place that's pretty much up and down except ag land." He doesn't want the comp plan to promote "road standards that make it impossible to develop an area that may be more hilly."
Planning commission chair Jim Tencza said that part needs work. He said of visual corridors, "I think it's one of those things where we'll spend a lot of time as development continues."
Planning commissioner Tom Gorton agreed with Minkler's concerns. "Roads in the county don't always meet ideal conditions, because ideal conditions don't exist. Historically we've built roads in difficult areas to access property. It's important to word it so it's not no grades over 8 percent and no cutting and filling. Within the constraints of a piece of property, you should look at this carefully, but not wording that it shouldn't happen."
Gorton called visual guidelines "kind of a sticky wicket. Do you really want to get into architectural review? ... A lot of parcels in visual areas have completely unique characteristics," so a land use code might work for one parcel but not for four others.
Bowie said the current list of visual corridors needs to be revisited.
Planning commissioner Geri Malandra wants visual corridors included. "As a resident, I believe the viewsheds are something we appreciate every day," she said.
Tencza commented, "We live in a county where every time you turn and look, you have a visual corridor that people want to live in."
Planning commissioner Frank Lockwood added, "To the extent that these are general guidelines, I think they are innocent... Consideration of view corridors is innocent enough for now."
Peduto said visual corridors will probably be reviewed when attention turns to district area plans.
Open space is part of protecting view corridors, the draft says. The concern for open space is in areas where the most development is happening, such as the Animas Valley and Florida Mesa. It lists the Highway 160 view corridor from Grandview to Gem Village as a special concern because of prospects for commercial development.
"New development along this corridor should include significant setbacks and/ or vegetative cover to ensure the integrity of the view corridor," it says. The driveway and road cut issues come up in the list of activities that could affect visual resources. It also lists "Placement of structures in prominent or sensitive locations, such as open meadows, river bottoms, ridge tops, and open hillsides.," also "Obtrusive residential structures..."
It says the county land use code grading and excavation standards are inadequate. One of the plan recommendations is to "Evaluate and consider for adoption road development standards that emphasize the minimization of grading, cutting and filling; the avoidance of steep slopes and visually prominent hillsides; and revegetation after construction."
It says, "Preserving open space and the rural character of the county is not just a nostalgic wish to avoid change. There is a direct relationship to the health of the county's economy and the quality of life of its residents." It lists tourism as more than 50 percent of the county economy, and the influx of retirees.
"The county's continuing ability to attract and retain visitors, residents, and businesses will depend on maintaining the values and characteristics that brought them here in the first place," the draft says.
Earlier in the Sept. 1 meeting, planning commissioners certified the land use, airport, and housing updates to the comp plan. Those will go to the county commissioners for review and comment, but actual approval is up to the planning commission. Last November they certified the introduction and sections on growth trends, agriculture, energy extraction/ renewable energy, and infrastructure.
Peduto noted that with that evening's certifications, more than two-thirds of the comp plan elements have been covered, with three elements left including environmental resources. That will be considered again on Oct. 6. Once the entire plan is updated in early 2017, attention will turn to updating the area land use plans that are part of the comp plan.
There are now 13 of those. Most were created at community meetings in the late 1990s. They all have approved land use maps except for the southeast area around Ignacio.
