Directions: Go to the light at the El Jebel Intersection of Hwy 82. 

The Annex is on the southwest side of Hwy 82 (the side opposite Wendy’s).  

For those familiar with the area, the Annex is on the old USFS Tree Farm site.

AGENDA TOPICS

The Planning in the Roaring Fork & Colorado River Valleys Contact List is online in draft form at www.hmccolorado.org/regionalcontactlist.htm.  Check it out and send any updated contact information (like phone numbers and titles) to claird@hmccolorado.org.  Thanks to Mike Davis for the idea!

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NEWS BRIEFS

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WATERSHED COLLABORATIVE FORMED AS CORE RESPONSE TEAM

The Planners and Managers Roundtable list now includes 170 contacts, and it contains all of you on this newsletter list.  That's a great accomplishment for regional information sharing and quarterly contact meetings within our first year's operation as a network! 

In addition to information sharing and communication, an important rationale for starting this network was building shared tools for regional analysis.  Data bases that work across municipal and county boundaries, data sharing between local, state and federal agencies, involving the important work of non-profits, working on collaborative ventures, and researching the resources and funding to accomplish those tasks was an important set of goals foreseen at the outset.

Building those tools and going after grant money to do that requires periodic focused efforts.  The Watershed Collaborative is a core group of planners, managers, and elected officials meeting to develop more focused projects such as the Economic Planning System software training and the Cost of Community Services workshop (discussed below).  Membership is open to all of you who want to roll up your sleeves and get serious about shared tool building.  You get more e-mail and are asked to help with product development as a reward.  It will work on behalf of the watershed to follow up on opportunities, and advance the building of shared analysis tools and cooperative agreements.  It is about 20 of us, and we'll keep you current with what we come up with - as in the next two short news blurbs.  To Join, (or drop out!) just e-mail Colin Laird (claird@hmccolorado.org) and Randy Russell (rrussell@garfield-county.com).

WATERSHED COLLABORATIVE CRAFTS RESPONSES TO EPA

At the last Roundtable, Deborah Lebow from EPA, Region 8, outlined some of that agency's plans and programs that could work in conjunction with our needs and efforts here.  Deborah explained that watershed projects leading into the I-70 corridor are a high priority for EPA consideration right now.  She expressed an interest in finding out what we would like to do ourselves in collaborative efforts and solicited from us a list of projects that she would review that might garner an EPA match or be viable for other funding that she knows about.

The Watershed Collaborative met on July 8 in Carbondale to surface and review a project list.  Tentative assignments were made to develop one-pagers on about 10 potential projects.  If you have a work effort that could benefit from $5000 to $20,000 EPA match, that is collaborative and multi-jurisdictional (or whether you think EPA match fits or not) please contact Randy Russell (rrussell@garfield-county.com) or Colin Laird (claird@hmccolorado.org) to get your project into that mix.  If you'd like to see some initial proposal ideas visit www.hmccolorado.org/epaideas.htm. We can get you more background on this effort and what we'd need to see by way of an idea submittal.

WATERSHED COLLABORATIVE EXPLORES COST OF SERVICES WORKSHOP

The Watershed Collaborative met on July 12 with Lee Nellis of the Sonoran Institute to explore what might make sense in a regional effort to delineate Cost of Services for accommodating growth in the region.  The Collaborative has access to a $5000 'pot' of resources from the Sonoran Institute and the National Association of Counties for our ongoing work efforts here.  This is the result of the initial team's awarding of a grant to attend a workshop in Estes Park, and developing some tasks to bring home and contribute to the growing watershed efforts here.  Those efforts are now invested in the larger Watershed Collaborative team

A very realistic and candid discussion resulted in the findings that there is little 'economy of scale' in doing cost analysis, except where costs are regional (public lands, highways, existing or potential regional efforts).  Regional costs are not often factored into development proposals, and jurisdictions vary greatly in their ability to request, analyze and make decisions on true growth costs.   True growth costs may or may not be factored into Capital Improvements Programs, or budgets.  Fee structures may or may not be based on realistic projections, if applied at all...

There was consensus among the members present to hold a regional workshop on Cost of Services.  Attendance would be 'break even' for continental breakfast, materials, and lunch at about $25/head.  The audience is administrators, planners, planning commission members, elected officials, and department heads.  The goal is to link policy, permitting, fee structures and planning to growth costs - and explore such issues as relative fee impacts, realistic fee impacts, nexus issues, and policy implementation.  Approximately $2500 of the $5000 'resource pot' from the Sonoran Institute would be applied to this workshop, and no additional funding, beyond what's already been requested, from anyone would be required.

Your suggestions and ideas for formatting that workshop are welcome and encouraged.  We may be in touch with you to provide us with recent financial data to use as examples, and starting points.   We'd like to use that workshop to get consensus and support for building a shared "regional footprint" of growth costs that we can all share, and comparative data on how we all suggest that growth pay its own way.  Check out http://www.hmccolorado.org/costofservices.htm

MAY 30 ECONOMIC PROFILE SYSTEM TRAINING A SUCCESS

Over 25 planners, human service providers and general data junkies attended a training by the Sonoran Institute on the Economic Profile System Software.  The training was organized by the Watershed Collaborative and sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management, which also funded the development of the software.  EPS is a CD-based software package that enables users to automatically and efficiently produce detailed socio-economic profiles at the county, multi-county, or state level using Microsoft Excel.  EPS profiles contain tables and figures that illustrate long-term trends in population; employment and personal income by industry; average earnings; business development; retirement and other non-labor income; commuting patterns; and agriculture.  Sample profiles and contact information to receive this public domain software are on-line at www.hmccolorado.org/epsinfo.htm

FRYINGPAN RIVER VALLEY ECONOMIC STUDY RELEASED

The Frying Pan Economic Study, which was conducted during 2000 and 2001 by the Roaring Fork Conservancy, represents an in-depth evaluation of the recreation activities on the Frying Pan River and at Ruedi Reservoir.  The 7.5 mile of public land along the lower Frying pan River attracts about 34,000 visitor days annually pumping an estimated $2.6 million of direct expenditures (including fishing guides, gear, and licenses) and $3.7 million in total economic output into the economy of Basalt and the surrounding area.   The study also includes information on visitor use patterns, demographics, preferences and opinions.  The final report and supporting material are available on-line at www.roaringfork.org. 

LOVA Trail Group Holds Public Scoping Meetings

On July 9^th, the Lower Valley Trails Group had its first in a series of public scoping meetings with landowners in the project area (Glenwood Springs to Parachute).  Invitations were mailed out to several hundred households.  The meeting was held at the Silt Fire Station and was well attended. The response from landowners to the idea of a trail connecting the communities along the Colorado River ranged from supportive and open minded to objections over the trail being located on specific pieces of property.  The trail concept was generally supported overall, with lots of questions and concerns about implementation, funding, and maintenance. 

The public scoping meetings will be on Aug 7 at the New Castle Community Center and Aug. 8 at Battlement Mesa Community Center.  Both meetings will start at 6 PM.  Food and beverage provided.  If you have not previously attended a meeting, this is a great opportunity to see where the group is in the trail planning process, and have input into the project’s future direction. 

The next regular LOVA member meeting will be on August 19th from 6:30 to 8:30, location tba, all are welcome!  Topics for discussion include the outcome of the initial public scoping and determining critical next steps for LOVA and the trail master plan.  If you are unable to attend the meetings, comments can be sent to the LOVA email address, lovaboard@siltnet.net, or to P.O. Box 1135, Silt CO 81652, or by phone at 876-0608.

Affordable housing ordinances go before Eagle County Commissioners

Eagle County Commissioners are considering proposed amendments to the Eagle County Land use Regulations to help it reach its affordable/local resident housing goals. Both the Roaring Fork and Eagle County Planning Commissions recommended the proposed amendments to the Commissioners.  The amendments include an inclusionary housing requirement of 30%for all new residential development; a residential employee/linkage program; and, a nonresidential employee/linkage program. For more information contact Rebecca Leonard at 970.328.8730 or rleonard@eagle-county.com.  Eagle County is also tightening up their wildlife regulations on the urban fringe and adopting a resolution on defensible space. They are about to embark on a sub-area plan for Edwards, which although it is unincorporated it is the largest community in the County.

GARFIELD COUNTY EXPLORES RURAL CLUSTERING

Garfield County has traditionally had 2-acre lot size zoning in the majority of the agricultural and rural areas of the county.  Current regulations preclude clustering and lots below that size even if the overall density wouldn't change.  Short of doing a PUD, developers are constrained by those regulations.  To encourage more creative subdivision proposals and develop at least smaller pockets of open space and habitat protection, the County is circulating a Discussion Paper (PDF version) that suggests regulatory reform and incentives to allow rural clustering.  The Garfield Planning Commission will address this matter in September.  All comments and suggestions on the Discussion Paper are welcome to help craft suggested regulatory revisions.  Access the Paper on the Garfield County site at www.garfield-county.com, or contact Randy Russell rrussell@garfield-county.com for an e-mail attachment or faxed version.

GARFIELD COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLAN PROGRESSES -
REGIONAL BENEFIT EXPECTED

Traffic counts on all segments of Garfield County Roads are about 65% complete at this writing.  Average Daily Traffic on all road segments will be complete by late summer or early fall.  If you'd like additional traffic counts on border roads, or want to check them, just let us know.  The county will bid out and enter into a contract to update the traffic Origin and Destination survey performed by Healthy Mountain Communities about 5 years ago.  The O-D survey will cover the region from Aspen to Parachute.  Cost for this study will be approximately $35,000 and Garfield County will be soliciting cash participation from other jurisdictions to assist in this important effort.  The resulting current information will assist all jurisdictions in traffic impact and estimation models, and this information should ideally be updated every 5 years.  Contact Randy Russell (rrussell@garfield-county.com) for more information, and to get current traffic counts.

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority Cataloging
TOD ordinances

Roaring Fork Transportation Authority planning staff is in the process of cataloging all the transit oriented development ordinances (TOD) in the region as part of their regional transportation planning efforts.  They hope to include a set of best practices for local governments to consider.  RFTA is also surveying bike /bus riders this summer and installing bike lockers throughout the region on a cost-sharing basis with local governments.  Contact Mike Davis at davism@rfta.com for more information.

New Castle considers updating Town Plan;
Parachute completes Plan update

New Castle is considering an update of its 1982 Town Plan.  The Town is working on streetscape improvements that are underway and should be completed this summer.  The Town hopes to induce more businesses downtown.  The Town is also supporting the development of a trail network (they recently completed as trail over the Grand Hogback to the Castle Valley Subdivision).  The only stipulation is that trails connect to downtown. On a related note, the Town of Parachute recently updated its 1982 Town Plan, which envisioned 12,000 residents in the town by this date.  Today, there are 1,200 residents. 

BLM HEAVILY ENGAGED IN NAVAL OIL SHALE DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT

Brian Hopkins at BLM reports that they've been very busy preparing alternatives development background information for alternative use designations for what was the Naval Oil Shale Reserve on the Roan Cliffs outside of Rifle.  That process will move to hiring an independent consultant for final EIS preparation in late August, and many staff are heavily involved in getting the base data together for that contract.  The alternatives development process can be tracked on their web site, which is www.co.blm.gov\GSRA\roanplateau.

DROUGHT, WASTING DISEASE, AND BEARS KEEPING DOW BUSY THIS SUMMER

Drought, wasting disease, and bears have the Colorado Division of Wildlife busier than a beaver this summer.  They are working aggressively to stop wasting disease on the Western Slope and at last look there was no wasting disease in our region.  One way to better track and prevent the disease would be a live test.  Currently animals must be dead to test for the disease.  Since wildlife and hunting contribute $30-$35 million of the Eagle and Garfield County economies, DOW is doing its best to keep the disease from spreading. 

If wasting disease weren’t enough of a challenge, this year’s drought has put more pressure on bear habitat so human-bear contact is becoming more prevalent.  DOW is working with local governments to adopt policies to discourage bears entering town (bear -proof public trash containers).  The reality of DOW resources means that bears that have become a nuisance will not be relocated (not good news for the bears).  Contact Sonia Marzec at sonia.marzec@state.co.us for more information.

White River National Forest releases Revised Forest Plan. 

The US Forest Service has released the revised Forest Plan for the White River National Forest.  This draft contains changes from the first draft in the areas of wilderness designation, species protection.  You can get an electronic copy of the Plan and supporting documents at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/rfp/White_river.htm. The travel management component of the plan will be developed over the next two years. 

Ongoing WRNF projects include”

§         work on a facilities master plan and affordable housing for employees (since there is no cost of living adjustment for employees in high cost off living locations).  They are interested in partnerships with local governments on the affordable housing issue.

§         work on a recreational use survey this summer.  The WRNF is the fifth most use d national forest in the U.S. 

§         the national fire plan and the urban/public lands interface issue. 

§         developing education materials on the forest with the White River Interpretive Association. 

§         the new visitor center at the Maroon Bells, Independence Pass re-vegetation, and restoring the peat bogs to Warren Lakes (on Smuggler Mountain near Aspen). 

Contact Jim Upchurch for more information at jupchurch01@fs.fed.us.

discussions begin on potential Regional Housing Authority

Elected official representatives from the Towns of Basalt and Carbondale, the City of Glenwood Springs, and Garfield and Eagle Counties met earlier this month for the first in a series of discussions to create a regional housing authority.  This steering committee is working towards drafting the intergovernmental agreement necessary to create the authority.  The draft IGA will then go to each of the local elected board for changes, and hopefully, ratification.  The effort is coordinated by Healthy Mountain Communities with funding from local governments, the Office of Smart Growth, and the Anschutz Family Foundation.

Initial discussions outline a regional housing authority covering the Lower Roaring Fork Valley from the Basalt to Glenwood Springs (currently the same boundary as the RE-1 School District).  The authority would be governed by a five member elected official board (one from each participating local government).  Five citizen alternates would also sit on the board.  The authority would be fully empowered, as outlined in the enabling legislation to “effect the planning, financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction or repair, maintenance, management, and operation of housing projects or programs.” The next steering committee meeting is August 7 from 9am-Noon at the Glenwood Springs Community Center.

You can view documents relating this effort at http://www.hmccolorado.org/housingauthority.htm or contact Colin Laird at 970.963.5502 / claird@hmccolorado.org.

City of Rifle & Garfield County Welcome new planners

Matt Sturgeon and Lochen Wood are new planners for the City of Rifle.  Matt has been in his new role of Planning Director in Rifle since this spring, while Lochen joined the staff this month. Matt came to Rifle via Pueblo, Colorado where he spent seven years working for Pueblo County.  His email is matt@rifleco.org.

Lochen's most recent job was as Planner for Clearwater, Florida.  Her educational background is in geography and public planning with stops at the University of Texas and Northern Arizona University.  Lochen’s email is lochen@rifleco.org.

Fred Jarman recently joined the Garfield County Planning Department as a senior planner working on development application review.  He previously worked for two years as a current planner for the City of Aspen. He received a Masters of Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon in Eugene in 2000. Before his graduate work, he spent four years living and working in West and Central Africa experimenting with sustainable technologies related to potable water pumps.  Fred’s email is fjarman@garfield.county.com.

Tamara Pregl will soon be joining the Garfield County Planning Staff as a senior planner working on development application review.  She has been working as a planner for Pitkin County for the last five years. Tamara received a Masters of Urban Planning from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in 1997. She also worked for the City of Eagan Community Development Department, Eagan, MN and City of New Berlin Planning Department, New Berline, WI while getting her graduate degree.  Tamara does not have an email yet, so check out the Planners list (www.hmccolorado.org/plannerslist.htm) in a couple of weeks.

GARFIELD COUNTY PLANNING IN NEW DIGS

Garfield County Planning has moved across the Street into what's being called the Courthouse Plaza building.  The formal address is now 108, 8th Street, Suite 201, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.  Fax, e-mails and phones remain the same, at this writing.

MAY 31 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

The previous quarterly Roundtable meeting included a very informative presentation by Deborah Lebow from Region 8 EPA (see related story above), Eagle County brought everyone up to speed on their affordable housing regulations discussions, the Roaring Fork Conservancy went into some detail on their economic impact study for the Frying Pan River, and discussed an interpretive center in Basalt that’s in design, and efforts with AVLT on a conservancy inventory.  Garfield County discussed its clustering incentives initiatives (see related story), and transportation plan updates.  Parachute has a new town plan, and New Castle is updating theirs.  RFTA is inventorying transit oriented development regs. in the region, working with communities on bike lockers and beginning its 6 and 20 year planning documents.  Glenwood Springs is continuing to work with CommunityViz software, and is focusing now of the 4 Mile Road area for a variety of planning concerns.  RC&D is looking more at watershed issues, and also exploring some support networks for agriculture. Preservation.  Pitkin County is exploring inter-jurisdictional TDR’s with Basalt, and is starting a focused agricultural parcel preservation effort in the Crystal River Valley.  DOW is focusing on drought, wasting disease and bears as three major thrusts.  USFS is concerned about affordable employee housing and looking for partnerships – working on a new Maroon Bells visitor center, a recreational use survey this summer, Independence Pass re-vegetation, and restoring peat bogs at the warren lakes area.  HMC reported on their new statewide quality of life report (The Colorado Index), and current work on a Colorado Smart Growth Scorecard, the Western Slope Fire project, and their regional housing authority efforts. Whew!

Mike Davis wanted a good regional mailing and contact list for everyone, and Colin and Randy volunteered to take the mailing list and start trying to fill it in.  People exchanged information about legal issues on conservation easements and tax benefit issues

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Conferences & Events

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TAKE A WALK ON THE VIRTUAL SIDE WITH COMMUNITYVIZ SOFTWARE AUGUST 8

Want to take a walk through a new development before it is built? How about exploring alternative site plans at a meeting instead of a month or two later? Looking for ways to make community planning more accessible, understandable, interactive, and visual than the process we have today?  If you answer yes to any of these questions, you’ll be interested in the CommunityViz software.

CommunityViz™, from the Orton Family Foundation, is transforming the way land-use planning decisions are made with a revolutionary suite of software and solutions.  CommunityViz is a powerful decision-support framework that offers users the ability to:

·         Create and analyze alternative land use scenarios 

·         Visualize these alternatives in 3D

·         Analyze proposed development policies and their impacts over time

In addition to being used throughout the U.S., CommunityViz has been tested in the Carbondale area on the issues of annexation vs. infill, used in Steamboat Springs on affordable housing issues, and employed by Lyons to develop alternative development futures (see www.communityviz.com/casestudies for more case studies) The City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County, and the Town of Silt have recently purchased the software and have begun preliminary work to use it to meet some of their planning needs.

Join us as we demonstrate the potential of CommunityViz in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys on Thursday, August 8^th   2002, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m., Carbondale Town Hall (511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale).  RSVP to Aspen Valley Land Trust     970-963-8440

Sponsored by Aspen Valley Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, & Healthy Mountain Communities

SMART GROWTH WORKSHOPS to Address Impact Fees, Utility Siting Issues

Colorado Counties Inc., Colorado Municipal League and the Office of Smart Growth in the Department of Local Affairs are teaming to conduct four smart growth workshops around the state later this August.  The closest workshop for our region will be in Grand Junction on August 23 at the Whitman Building, 248 S. 4th Street.

Workshop topics will include paying for growth, alternatives to 35-acre subdivisions, utility siting and 1041 powers, intergovernmental planning agreements, and an update on legislative and ballot issues.  The workshops will run from 8:30 - 4:00 and cost $40 (includes lunch).  A detailed agenda and registration materials can be obtained on the Office of Smart Growth web page at www.dola.state.co.us/smartgrowth or by calling Andy Hill at 303-866-3785.

COLORADO WATERSHED ASSEMBLY ANNUAL MEETING, BRECKENRIDGE, SEPTEMBER 12-13 Location: Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge Colorado. Registration is $75 and includes conference materials, three meals on Thursday, and breakfast on Friday.  Check out the conference brochure at www.coloradowater.org.

COLORADO APA CONFERENCE IN GRAND JUNCTION, SEPTEMBER 19-21

Grand Junction and Mesa County are hosting the state APA convention this fall at the newly renovated Two Rivers Convention Center.  Visit www.apacolorado.org for more information

COLORADO'S FUTURE: HOW CAN WE MEET THE NEEDS OF A CHANGING STATE?

The Center for Colorado Policy Studies at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus is hosting a broad ranging conference on quality of life issues in Colorado on Sept. 27, 2002 (http://web.uccs.edu/ccps/). There will be a $35 charge to other conference attendees to cover luncheon, reception, and the conference volume.

HEADWATERS XIII SET FOR WESTERN STATE COLLEGE IN GUNNISON 

"Conflict to Consensus:  Overcoming the Obstacles to Community Action."  This conference has held up as one of the gems of alternative regional discussion over the years, and will be held again at Western State College, November 8-10.  It sort of keys on the question, "What is a Culture, if not a consensus."  An eclectic mix of professional panels and papers, student presentations, curmudgeons of note, and keynoters mixed with a little poetry and bar stool analysis sets this event well aside from the typical professional or interest group gathering.  And, it’s cheap!  This year's topic focuses mostly on how we talk to each other, and the things we don't 'get' in language and interaction.  Two days back in the 'Ivory Tower' for attitude adjustment, the fee hasn't been set but it is typically under $50.  To access the web site, review previous papers, see the call for papers this year, getting on the mailing list, tracking the final agenda, etc: http://www.western.edu/headwtrs.

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Funding Opportunities

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Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy and Pollution Prevention  

The newly formed StEPP Foundation, is looking for projects with significant and measurable environmental benefits to fund in Colorado.  Established in July of 2001, the StEPP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization whose primary mission is to increase the number of energy efficiency, renewable energy and pollution prevention projects implemented at the local, state and national levels for the benefit of the public.  The StEPP Foundation offers opportunities for organizations across the country to demonstrate the positive benefits of renewable energy, energy efficiency and pollution prevention projects in their communities.  Funding is provided to a limited number of projects, in one-year to three-year time frames.  Projects must meet a minimum funding requirement of $25,000.   You can learn more and apply on-line at www.steppfoundation.org  

Land Use and Public Health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has an open call for proposals for their "Active Living Policy and Environmental Studies Program". The application deadline is July 29, 2002. Go to http://www.rwjf.org/publications/publicationsPdfs/cfp-active_living.pdf to view the call for proposals for grants up to $100,000 to develop or evaluate measures of physical activity related to land use, physical characteristics of green spaces, parks walking trails, public recreation areas, sidewalks and stairways. Applications can be made online at http://www.rwjf.org/applyForGrant/openAbstract.jsp?cfpCode=PAP .

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Publications & Web Resources

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PAYING FOR GROWTH: IMPACT FEES UNDER SENATE BILL 15

The Colorado Municipal League (www.cml.org) has recently published a report on impact fees authorized by the passage of Senate Bill 15 in 2001.  The bill authorizes all Colorado Counties and statutory municipalities to enact impact fees to cover the capital expenditures necessary to serve new development.  The report is available from CML by sending a check ($25 dollars for members; $50 for non-members) to the Colorado Municipal League, 1144 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203-2207.  The main CML phone number is 303.831.6411.

SUCCESSFULL SOLUTIONS TO SPRAWL

The Raleigh, NC Sierra Club today released "Successful Solutions to Sprawl: A North Carolina Approach." The report finds that a number of communities throughout North Carolina are employing smart-growth principles to combat sprawl. Sierra Club hopes that this report will inspire other communities, who think sprawl is an inevitable consequence of growth, to instead adopt a better approach to development. To access the full report, visit NC Sierra Club's website at www.sierraclub-nc.org