The Ouray County Board of County Commissioners approved the Deer Haven Limited Planned Unit Development, a two‑lot subdivision of a 40‑acre parcel in the North Mesa zone, during a public hearing on July 15.

Staff presentation: County planner Dan described the proposal to split the parcel into two lots of roughly 21 and 19 acres, each complying with the North Mesa zoning density (one dwelling unit per six acres) and the limited PUD rules (maximum 30% building area, 70% open space). Agency referrals were received; Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the West Region Wildfire Council offered comments that were addressed in draft conditions.

Public comment and applicant: The applicant, speaking as Joe Ouellette for OP Investments, told the board the sagebrush and wildlife concerns were considered in the layout and that domestic animals would be controlled. No members of the public offered oral comments during the hearing.

CPW note and modification: Commissioners discussed CPW’s request that property owners contain dogs in fenced yards or dog runs adjacent to dwellings and that fencing follow CPW’s guidelines. The board approved a small rewording of the CPW plat note so that it (1) requires any installed fencing to comply with the CPW guidance titled "Fencing with Wildlife and Mines," (2) states CPW "desires" dogs be contained in a fenced yard or directly adjacent dog run rather than mandating it, and (3) requires property owners to comply with county Resolution 2017-009 (regarding animals and leash/voice-control rules) as amended. The commissioners adopted staff’s nine recommended conditions with that modification.

Decision: The motion to approve the combined preliminary and final development plan, with the CPW note modification and standard plat requirements, passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The approval permits two new parcels to be sold or developed under limited-PUD rules in a sensitive hillside area. Commissioners and staff emphasized mitigation of wildfire risk, retention of sagebrush open space, and awareness about wildlife interactions.

Next steps: Staff will record the plat and ensure final title and plat notes match the board’s approved language and conditions. The board asked staff to verify remaining formatting and link items on the final plat.