San Juan County planning staff say general plan update will add water-use, affordable-housing and annexation guidance

San Juan County planning staff told the Planning Commission on Nov. 11 that they will update the county’s 2018 general plan to include a state-required water utilization plan, additional affordable-housing language and clearer treatment of future annexation areas and existing Spanish Valley planning materials. The county intends to coordinate the update with special-service districts and municipal partners. "The state set up a process to help counties and cities as they go through and place the required legislative ... items within the general plan," the presenter said. "We do have to go through and recognize that we have to have a water utilization plan."

Why it matters: county staff said the changes aim to record how the county will forecast future growth and ensure water availability for new development. The presenter said the state requires the water planning language because unplanned growth can exceed aquifer capacity and prompt…