In recent public commentary (Herald, Jan. 2), La Plata County Commissioner Elizabeth Philbrick discussed the concept of abundance as articulated by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. She concluded that many residents who reference the book Abundance are “missing the point.”
Commissioner Philbrick describes herself as a “supply-side progressive” who believes in economic growth through streamlined decision-making, capable public institutions, and policies focused on outcomes rather than ideology. She contrasts this approach with deregulation, which she characterizes as “mostly about subtraction.”
My reading of Abundance is that it demonstrates how well-intended regulations, when layered, duplicative, or overly risk-averse, can constrain housing supply, infrastructure development, and economic growth. The Code Rights Project advocates for reasonable streamlining of regulations, permit approval processes, and code enforcement – not for eliminating regulations altogether.
To the extent our work is understood as an effort to dismantle land use and building regulations, that characterization is inaccurate. It overlooks the real and widespread experiences of residents and business owners across La Plata County, including those who act in good faith, follow the rules, and still struggle to navigate the system.
A Colorado Open Records request shows that prior to her appointment as county commissioner, Ms. Philbrick and her family built the Arboretum Winery on Florida Mesa. It is a welcome addition to the community, but it opened and hosted public events before final county permit approval. As reported (Herald, Aug. 14, 2024), the Arboretum incurred more than $60,000 in land use and permitting costs before approval – an expense that would be devastating for many small businesses. This was not a failure of character. It was a failure of process.
When permitting timelines stretch unpredictably, costs grow without clear justification, and rules remain opaque even to well-informed applicants, people are forced into impossible choices: wait indefinitely and risk financial collapse, walk away entirely, or proceed without permits. These are not rogue actors seeking to undermine public safety. They are working families, farmers, tradespeople, and entrepreneurs navigating a regulatory environment that has become detached from economic reality.
This dynamic plays a significant role in the rising cost of housing and living in La Plata County. Some abandon projects altogether and leave. Ignoring this reality does not protect public safety or environmental values. It weakens the local economy and reduces opportunities.
Framing this issue as a choice between building and dismantling creates a false binary. The Code Rights Project does not advocate eliminating land use or building regulations. We advocate examining whether the current system achieves its stated goals in a fair, efficient, and transparent way, and identifying what prevents it from doing so.
Our work is civic engagement. Sound regulations should withstand scrutiny. When they don’t, reform strengthens them.
A recent editorial on unfunded mandates (Herald, Jan. 16) offers a useful parallel. In that piece, La Plata County and forty-nine other Colorado counties objected to state mandates imposed without adequate funding or practical consideration. Their concern was not opposition to policy goals, but to the real-world costs and feasibility of compliance. The Code Rights Project applies the same principle at the local level.
Abundance is created by fixing what is broken, listening to those affected, and having the courage to acknowledge when good intentions produce unintended harm. When even a capable, well-resourced applicant acting in good faith struggles to navigate the system, it should prompt reflection – not defensiveness.
Our work is not to tear down land use and building regulations. It is to restore balance, fairness, and common sense so compliance is achievable, trust is rebuilt, and building in La Plata County once again feels possible rather than punitive.
Jack Turner is the director of the Code Rights Project, a nonpartisan, community-led initiative focused on identifying and addressing systemic issues in planning, building, and legal processes in La Plata County. Learn more at CodeRights.org.
