Chaffee County commissioners direct staff to advance working‑lands resilience initiative

Chaffee County commissioners on a unanimous voice vote directed staff to continue developing a working‑lands resilience initiative that would fund a coordinator and a community action plan to support ranching and agricultural operations.

County planning staff said the effort would “keep Chaffee County’s working lands working,” emphasizing long‑standing community commitments in the county comprehensive plans and the Common Ground ballot initiative adopted by voters in 2018. The staff presentation summarized listening sessions held in May with ranchers and working‑land stakeholders and recommended creating local capacity housed in a community organization rather than in county payroll.

Under the proposal, the county would seed a full‑time or full‑time‑equivalent working‑lands resilience coordinator for about two years and hire a consultant to facilitate a multi‑year plan. Staff estimated the two‑year investment at roughly $250,000–$300,000 and additional consultant costs of $50,000–$100,000 to develop the plan and priority actions.

Supporters at the meeting said the work would aim to address recurring concerns raised in Chaffee County planning and visioning documents, including water and ditch maintenance, fencing and infrastructure, workforce and succession planning, conflicts between recreation and ranching, and making grants and technical assistance easier to access for producers.

Commissioners and staff said the Common Ground Citizens Advisory Committee would review a final scope of work and that the county would seek to leverage the initial funding into longer‑term support. The motion to direct staff to proceed was made from the dais, seconded and approved with all commissioners voting “Aye.”

The county will return with a draft scope for the advisory committee and bring recommendations back to the board for possible funding and implementation decisions.