News & Information on Planning
in the Roaring Fork & Colorado River Valleys
12.14.01
******Next Roundtable******
March 1, 2002
2-4pm
Carbondale Town Hall
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December 7th
Meeting Summary
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First
meeting a success (despite weather and accidents)
Twenty people met December 7th to discuss formation of a
regular watershed forum and methods for information exchange in the Aspen
to Parachute watershed basins.
The group was well represented by land management agencies, local
planning departments, the college and non-profit organizations. Randy Russell from Garfield County
Building and Planning discussed some of the positive benefits of building
a regional network at an informal and ad hoc level. After introductions,
Colin Laird of Healthy Mountain Communities summarized his discussion
paper on a regional planning framework HMC is working on. The consensus at
the meeting was for regional meetings roughly every 3 months as well as
more electronic networking.
Randy Russell and Colin Laird agreed to continue to serve as
contact points and take care of organizational needs and
outreach.
CommunityViz™ A likely linkage tool
One important aspect of future planning and policy making in
the region will be the use of Community Viz software by several of the
involved jurisdictions.
Roundtable will likely serve as a users support group and explore
developing joint opportunities for staff training. An emphasis at HMC will be to seek
funding to allow technical assistance for training activities and to allow
access to the software by smaller jurisdictions and non-profits, as well
as undertaking projects that would involve multiple jurisdictions. (For more information about
Community Viz see web site information below).
Regional housing effort
receives state funding
The Regional Affordable
Housing Authority Initiative was recently received funding ($50,000) from
the Heritage Planning Smart Growth Program. The effort will work with
governments from Basalt to Glenwood Springs to develop the organizational
capacity to administer local affordable housing programs at a regional
level. Glenwood Springs will
administer the grant on behalf of the other area governments. Healthy Mountain Communities will
coordinate the initiative.
HMC welcomes suggestions about direction and participation. Contact
Colin Laird at claird@hmccolorado.org or 963-5502.
The Nature Conservancy
upgrades area presence
David Gann of The Nature
Conservancy introduced himself as the new staffer that will be working in
west-central Colorado on their new campaign called “Heart of the
West.” TNC has realized that
despite major expenditures preserving important individual parcels in the
past, they have not made the kind of progress they would like in securing
the preservation of bio-diversity in larger places. Their new effort highly stresses
partnership building, cooperative efforts, data sharing and joint
analysis. David would also
like feedback on assisting with future conservation workshops as TNC
brings a strong depth of experience in tax and estate planning tools to
the region. Contact him at
dgann@tnc.org or
970-252-0034.
Your ideas needed --
Program themes for next meeting
Participants at
the December 7th kick-off meeting stressed that they’d like to
have short but meaty presentations about resources, initiatives and
potential partnerships when we get together. Get back to Colin at claird@hmccolorado.org or
Randy at rrussell@garfield-county.com.
Randy suggests
one quick group victory would be to get something done about newcomer
integration packets. Most
jurisdictions do not provide an information packet to new arrivals upon
moving here. Most of our
agencies have good materials for such purposes. Regional kits could be built so
that local jurisdictions could simply add their materials, and hand out
the kits when people sign up for utilities or change their drivers license
or voting records. Next steps
for this effort would require a little “Show and Tell” on display tables
for possible inclusions at a regional meeting and some discussion about
stocking and distribution points.
Newsletter and List Serv
developed
In addition to the roundtable meetings,
two resources will attempt to better link planners and managers in the
region: an electronic newsletter and a list serve. We
expect to send out a newsletter after each regional meeting with summaries
and before the next one with topics and an agenda, and any new useful
stuff. That frequency would
be monthly, more or less.
Please send us any web references
you would like to see handy on the side bar to Colin at claird@hmccolorado.org.
We have also
set up a list serv to foster informal dialogue on planning issues in the
region. A listserv is a type of electronic mailing list that
allows people to send an email message to one address. A
computer server copies the message and emails it to all of the other
subscribers to the list server. This approach eliminates the
need to remember numerous email addresses. Since we are up to
80 contacts in our email list, this service can be a real time
saver. If you already have email capability, this is a free
service.
Anyone who
subscribes can receive and send information, ideas and inquiries to other
subscribers. Need to know how
other communities approach a code issue, develop a list of contractors for
a RFP, or want to post an event? A list
serv can easily connect you to your colleagues in the region. We hope you find it a useful
tool.
To join the list serve:
Send an email to plannersroundtable-subscribe@topica.com
To send an
announcement, question, or comment to the group:
Send an email to plannersroundtable@topica.com
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December 7th Meeting
Bullets
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1. Otak as a consulting firm has CommunityViz ™ experience in-house and may be able to offer assistance toward regional solution building. Contact Doug Dotson, senior planner at doug.Dotson@otak.com or John McCarty at john.mccarty@otak.com.
2. RFTA is working on bringing their Transportation Travel Demand Model in house over the near term. They will be updating employment, population, etc. and would appreciate input and community meeting opportunities. Contact Mike Davis at davism@rfta.com.
3. The White River Forest’s Management Plan is due out shortly. They are also starting a major work effort on their Travel Management Plan. They expect that to be “highly discussed” among user groups and welcome input. They would also like to work with local jurisdictions on fire management issues and urban/wildlands interface areas. Contact David Silvieus at dsilvieus@fs.fed.us.
4. Basalt’s planning efforts took a major hit in funding recently, and they struggle with issues of “institutional affordability” in their urban area now with churches and non-profits. They focus mostly on infrastructure issues currently. Any institutional affordability ideas and resources very welcome. Contact Susan Philip at planning@basalt.net.
5. Aspen is looking at how to encourage infill, and has a major new emphasis on neighborhood character. Some of what they have developed may be helpful checklists for design criteria and historic preservation issues. Fred Jarman is happy to share and get other ideas at fredj@ci.aspen.co.us.
6. The DOW is focusing more heavily
on corridors, specifically riparian areas, wetlands, migration routes, and
how these tie together. They
have a Lower Colorado Wetlands Focus Area Committee that starts at New
Castle down, and an equivalent effort up from there. John Toolen can provide more
information at john.toolen@state.co.us or at 970-245-2027 in Grand Junction as can Scott
Strain (specifically GIS stuff) at scott.strain@state.co.us.
They are also busy re-writing plans for most state wildlife areas
and welcome all input and opportunities to interact.
7. Glenwood Springs is trying to build a set of community and quality of life indicators that can be tracked and monitored. They would like to set up a focus group or two to just deal with that and would welcome any examples or contacts you have. They are also on the Community Viz learning curve and will have the full suite of programs shortly. Contact Mike Pelletier, Long Range Planner at mpelletier@ci.glenwood-springs.co.us.
8. Silt is heavy into neighborhood characteristics and design criteria, and all of that while they are annexing massive tracts of land and under very heavy pressure. They look forward to more cooperative working relationships with surrounding jurisdictions, and Janet Steinbach, their planner, nods enthusiastically everytime we talk about CommunityViz access! Contact her if you can help her out with design criteria examples at janetsteinbach@rifle.net.
9. Colorado Mountain College is very active with smaller communities now in sustainable business development. Working on that implies good regional demographics, traffic flow analysis, community entryway and character analysis, recreational draws and promotion, and interest group linkages. They also feel they can offer classrooms, labs and training opportunities customized for our needs. Contact Joe Livingston at jlivingston@coloradomtn.edu.
10. The Department of Local Affairs helps staff the western slope planners network, and can help with topics and training. Andy Hill can help with training and information about funding sources as well. Contact her at andy.hill@state.co.us.
11. Pitkin County is heavily into both a re-write of their land use codes and exploration of the transfer of development rights. Their drafts are up on their web site for review. Cindy Houben is taking a lead on the TDR issues, and Ellen Sassano is trying to perfect language about clustering and incentives for that. Both would appreciate any comments on their efforts to date and suggestions. They are: ellens@co.pitkin.co.us and cindyh@co.pitkin.co.us.
12. Kit Lyon at Garfield County Planning is working with the Lower Valley Trails (Glenwood to Mesa County), which has received funding for preliminary design as well as forming a non-profit structure. They would like linkage issues, help with design issues, information on fundraising ideas, etc. Kit is also on a task force to look at day care provision, focusing on governmental entities in Glenwood. Examples and models very welcome! Kit is klyon@garfield-county.com
.
13. Rob Hykys, Garfield’s G.I.S. specialist, recently got a National Association of Counties grant award for major Arcview upgrading. His grant allows up to 10 users of the newest software at a time. Rob is always happy to provide TA, time permitting, and the county has a policy of free digital/disk information sharing of everything we have developed. The county is also trying to get all of the biological and wetlands inventory data up on our site shortly. He is at ryhkys@garfield-county.com.
14. Randy Russell reports that Garfield County passed 1041’s on Highway Site Selection, Mass Transit and Areas around Mass Transit as well as Geological Hazards regulations. The drafts are on the county website; the finals will be up in a couple weeks. Jurisdictions should note the incentives for transit friendly developments therein, and helpful checklists for station and guideway siting that can be stolen and copied at will. The county's revisions for Study Areas 4 and 5, (northern and western portions of the county) will be out for public review and on the web site shortly. Hard copies with maps will be available from Randy. rrussell@garfield-county.com.
NOTE: For those of you not making this meeting, where you have similar information for the next newsletter in advance of the March meeting, please submit your short informational notes or requests in this style and length to Colin Laird and Randy Russell for inclusion. That applies to good web sites to share and upcoming meetings as well.
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Web
Sharing
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CommunityViz
www.communityviz.com
CommunityViz,
developed by The Orton Family Foundation, allows users to create and manipulate a virtual representation of
a town and explore different land use scenarios. Professional planners,
citizen planners, landowners, and interested citizens can use this
software to make informed and collaborative decisions about possible
changes in their community. Communities will be able to visualize and
evaluate different land use patterns, and make informed decisions on
issues specific to their own communities.
Pipeline - National Small Flows Clearinghouse
www.estd.wvu.edu/nsfc
Many of you will find the "National Small Flows Clearinghouse"
sponsored by West Virginia University to be a useful tool for sewer and
septic issues. Kit Lyon sends this along: "My favorite issues are the Fall
1995 Vol. 6, No 4 of Pipeline which is a septic maintenance guide
for homeowners. I also find the Fall 2000, Vol 11, No. 4 issue of
Pipeline useful. It discusses decentralized wastewater systems,
which we are seeing more and more in Garfield County." As we look at
development proposals in our region with a market niche that makes small
package plants feasible, historic constraints that limited density
proposals in areas without access to sewer systems start to
erode.
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Upcoming
Events
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None referred at this editing.
Planning Links
Local
Eagle County
www.eagle-county.com
Garfield County
www.garfield-county.com
Gunnison County
www.co.gunnison.co.us
Pitkin County
www.pitkingov.com
City of Aspen
www.aspengov.com
Town of Basalt
www.basalt.net
Town of Carbondale
City of Glenwood Springs
www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us
Town of New Castle
Town of Parachute
City of Rifle
www.rifleco.org
Town of Silt
Town of Snowmass Village
www.tosv.com
Roaring Fork Transportation Authority
www.rfta.com
Healthy Mountain Communities
www.hmccolorado.org
Northwest Colorado Council of
Governments
www.nwc.cog.co.us
Associated Governments of Northwest
Colorado
email: jwhitt@rifle.net
League for Economic Assistance &
Planning - Region 10
www.Region10.Net
Colorado Mountain College
www.coloradomtn.edu
State
State Homepage
www.state.co.us
Dept. of Local
Affairs
www.dola.state.co.us
Dept. of Natural
Resources
www.dnr.state.co.us
Dept. of
Transportation
www.dot.state.co.us
Colorado Counties,
Inc.
www.ccionline.org
Colorado Municipal
League
www.cml.org
Colorado APA
www.apacolorado.org
Colorado SBDC
www.coloradosbdc.com
Federal
Bureau of Labor Statistics
www.bls.gov
Bureau of Land
Management
www.blm.gov
US Forest Service
White River Forest
www.fs.fed.us
US Census
www.census.gov
Roundtable Resources
Roundtable Contacts
Randy Russell
Garfield
County Building & Planning
rrussell@garfield-county.com
970-945-8212
Colin Laird
Healthy Mountain Communities
claird@hmccolorado.org
970-963-5502