Montrose Citizens for Responsible Growth

Colorado Office of Smart Growth Director
To Discuss Growth Management Strategies

Communities all across Colorado are seeking ways to mitigate the impacts of new growth and development, and Montrose County is no different. According to the state demography office, the population of the county grew by more than 5,000 people between 2000 and 2006. Forecasts indicate that the county’s population will grow by another 12,000 by 2015. Montrose County officials are in the process now of researching and developing responsible land use planning and growth management strategies to minimize the impacts of this growth. As in every planning effort, the key is to strike the balance between individual liberties and the public good.

When done properly, sound growth management policies can accomplish a number of community goals, including:

• Preserve viable agricultural land, environmentally sensitive areas and other open space assets
• Encourage downtown businesses by targeting infill development opportunities and Main Street revitalization efforts
• Make certain development preserves and enhances the quality of life and encourages/sustains economic development
• Ensure that adequate infrastructure (utilities, roads, schools, parks, etc.) will be available to support new development
• Provide predictability for the development community
• Foster intergovernmental cooperation and a better understanding of regional issues

The Office of Smart Growth in the Colorado Department of Local Affairs provides technical and financial assistance to local governments throughout Colorado in the areas of land use planning and growth management, and is involved in related legislative and policy issues.

Eric Bergman, Director of the Colorado Office of Smart Growth, will discuss the various growth management tools that are available at an upcoming Planning Commission work session. Some of the growth management tools include impact fees, rural clustering incentives, mixed use zoning, concurrency requirements, intergovernmental agreements (IGAs), open space preservation programs, transfer or purchase of development rights, growth caps and urban growth boundaries. Bergman’s presentation to the Planning Commission will be March 20 at 6:00pm at the County Commissioners Board Room (161 S. Townsend). The public is encouraged to attend this unique educational opportunity. To RSVP for this free presentation please call 252-4527.

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

As advertised on the front page (upper left corner) of the Friday, Dec 7th Montrose Daily Press- the Montrose county government has (at the suggestion of several informed/ concerned citizens) invited the Colorado State Office of Smart Growth to present
a planning workshop/meeting for all interested parties.

It is scheduled to be held:
Wednesday 19 December 2007.
6:30- 8:30 pm.
Montrose County Board Room- 161 S. Townsend.

Please show your support for this significant progress and plan to attend: RSVP to 252-4527.

Thank you for your continued INFORMED PARTICIPATION in the future of our county. And a blessed Christmas holiday to you and your families.

John Cossick & Mary Wood
Montrose Citizens for Responsible Growth

Friends of the River Uncompahgre (FURU) would like to remind members and visitors that “What’s In Your River: The State of the Uncompahgre River,” will be held on 5 October at the DMEA conference room (11925 6300 Rd) in Montrose from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The following speakers will present various topics:

• Dennis Erickson, Park Planner/Project Manager for Montrose city: Community Development
• Steve White, Land Use Director for Montrose County: The County’s perspective on the Uncompahgre River
• Jim Pokrandt, Communication and Education Specialist for the Colorado River Water Conservation District: How the Uncompahgre River relates to the Colorado Watershed
• Marc Catlin, Manager for the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association: The Uncompahgre River within Montrose City and County, how the water flows
• Hank Hotze, FORU Member and Representative of the Gunnison Basin Round Table: FORU’s Vision, join Hank on a filmed float trip through Montrose

FORU’s next meeting is Tuesday, October 9th, 7:00 pm, Alpine Bank, 1400 E. Main, Montrose. For more information about FORU, visit their Web site.

We are writing to commend you on your efforts to create a fair & reasonable tax ballot for funding our county government. We agree that infrastructure, law enforcement, and other important business demand attention. We are happy to see your indirect recognition of the CAUSE of our increased funding needs- which is GROWTH… by virtue of your acknowledgment of the necessity for impact fees from new developments. We believe that concept to be crucial in maintaining our citizens’ ability to afford to live in Montrose County. [On that subject, we would also ask that, separately, some consideration be given to “grandfathering”/ freezing citizens’ property tax assessments (as long as they live in their home as a primary residence), so as not to be forced to sell their homes because they cannot afford ever-increasing property taxes.)]

In recalling the previous, failed attempts to pass a tax increase- we believe that the recurring reason for failure was a citizens’ perception that - 1) the reasons for the increase were not sufficiently explained and justified, and 2) an itemized accounting of EXACTLY how the money would be spent was not provided. (we understand that precise collection amounts can only be estimated; so how about using percentages.) Understandably, folks want to KNOW how their taxes will be spent; they are very reluctant to sign “a blank check.”

While it is probably too late to include it in this upcoming proposal, we would hope that some serious consideration would be given to the creation of a fund- for the purpose of providing incentives for our farmers and ranchers to keep their land in agriculture. Properly structured and explained to the public, we believe that the majority of citizens would support such a measure. It has been
done in many other places… We don’t need to “re-invent the wheel.” Coupled with clear and fair density and zoning ordinances- derived from an updated Master Plan- we believe this would be a “win- win” for all concerned.

Again, thanks for your continued efforts to make Montrose County a place we can be proud to call home.

John Cossick & Mary Wood
Montrose Citizens for Responsible Growth

Gentlemen -

Too often, folks only find the time to submit public comment when criticism and complaint are their motivation. We expect that you will find these comments to be a refreshing exception…

We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to you- each one of you- for last evening’s decision to dissolve and reorganize the Montrose County Planning Commission. We realize that decision demanded careful deliberation…but more importantly, it required the character and courage to LEAD. That will not go unnoticed… (Contrary to Mr. Bruce Ray’s comment, your CREDIBILITY just went UP ten-fold… because you’ve ACTED to address a big problem.)

The record of this Planning Commission’s “performance” as dominated by 3 notorious members and their enabling chairman speaks for itself. Their demeanor and comments last evening confirmed that they remain defiant, arrogant, and clueless to the bitter end. Messrs. Eckerdt, B. Ray, Brown, & Fritz again publically demonstrated that they do not understand the basic mandates of public service- which you capably addressed with your discussion of “consensus.” Civil debate and differences are expected & healthy; but there must be an underlying and unquestionable commitment to reaching “consensus” and to implementing the will of the people- independent of one’s own personal preferences (for this gang of 4 it’s been “My way or the highway,” and “stall, stall, stall”). To us, that discussion was the crux of the matter, and the defining moment of the evening. Thank you, and AMEN!

We know that you are fully aware of the other Planning Commissioners’ recognition of these principles; and we trust that the implementation of a genuine “job description” and training regimen will reinforce these principles for members of the new Planning Commission. We look forward to your appointment of a new, balanced membership; and your continued involvement and leadership in the planning process - wherever that may take us…

Sincerely- John Cossick & Mary Wood, Montrose Citizens for Responsible Growth

Saturday’s Daily Press article regarding the planning commission work session certainly presented a rosy outlook regarding what was accomplished – unanimous agreement to update the Master Plan. In contrast, this is what members of the peanut gallery witnessed:

• The majority of planning commission members wasted an inordinate amount of time whining about how the City mistreats the County.
• There was a 15% return on the master plan update survey. A 1% - 2% return rate is the norm for such surveys. Some commissioners decided that the 85% who did not respond must be just fine with the way things are. The consensus was to review the master plan, but not necessarily update it.
• Since the results from the survey were “all over the map,” they are unlikely to reference the survey in their decision-making. Information obtained from city residents is especially suspect and will likely be discarded, or “weighted.” Note to county residents: The survey that the planning commission requested cost us over $20,000.
• Steve White, Land Use Director, informed the commissioners that, while the master plan is a guiding document, zoning based upon the guidance of the master plan, will follow. Since zoning is regulatory, most of the commissioners concurred that it will not happen on their watch.
• While Steve White has a workable framework for the process of updating the master plan, the planning commission rejected his professional involvement. At this point, he is waiting (and waiting and waiting . . .) for guidance from this so-called “planning” commission.
• No follow-up meeting was scheduled to discuss a master plan update.

What are we to conclude? As long as the current planning commission membership remains, there will be no master plan update, no zoning, no planning, no management of growth and development in Montrose County. Our quality of life will suffer, our infrastructure will be strained, and our county budget will be anemic.

Looks like the planning commission, the majority of whom have ties to a few land owners and vested interests in real estate and development, are in charge of the Montrose County land use policy. And, what is that land use policy? It is to maximize short-term financial gain for a few players in this county and let the rest of us, and the future of this county, be damned.

Exactly who is in charge here? Is it our elected BOCC? Or, is it their appointees who show no inclination to exercise good stewardship over our county lands and resources?

Linda Orcutt
Montrose