Community Development director: hold building official hire, consultant chosen for countywide TDR pilot

Rebecca Everett, Larimer County community development director, told the Board of County Commissioners on July 21 that the county will keep the building official position vacant for a few months while staff build a retirement transition plan and provide interim coverage.

Everett said the interviews produced three finalists but—after “a lot of deep thought”—she decided “not to fill that position at this time and hold it vacant for a few months while we work on a transition plan for Eric’s retirement, make sure the team is well supported in that transition, and re‑advertise the position later this fall.” The decision is an administrative staffing choice by the department; no formal board vote was recorded during the work session.

Why it matters: The building official oversees plan review and field inspections; leaving the post vacant during a transition can affect project timelines, permitting workloads and the department’s capacity unless interim coverage or reassignments are in place.

Everett also briefed the commission on upcoming land‑use hearing logistics. The July 28 docket includes a 3 p.m. session with three items on consent and three items slated for discussion and a 6:30 p.m. session the same day that will include two items (a conservation development and an appeal). Everett said staff can move discussion items between sessions or reschedule them if commissioners prefer; she recommended notifying applicants that one commissioner will be absent at the Aug. 11 hearing and offering applicants the option to delay if the absence might materially affect their project timelines.

On capital‑policy work, Everett announced the county selected Logan Simpson as the prime consultant for a countywide Transfer‑of‑Development‑Rights (TDR) program. She said the project is funded by a Department of Local Affairs Strong Communities grant and that the consultant team includes Echo Northwest and TDR expert Skip Swenson. Everett described the selection as a step toward developing a TDR program that can be piloted on a countywide scale; the procurement and selection were presented as complete at the July 21 briefing.

Leslie Ellis, director of Community Planning, Infrastructure and Resources, gave a separate update on planned educational water‑security events the county is advancing with Palmer Land Conservancy, the Colorado State University Water Center and Northern Water. Ellis said the likely dates for those events are Oct. 13 and Nov. 3 and that organizers plan locations in the north and south of the county and a mix of film screening, panel discussion and facilitated conversation to inform agricultural producers and other stakeholders about regional water resources and options to reduce transfers out of the region.

Other administrative notes included a canceled Board of Adjustment meeting the night before because of a lack of quorum; staff said the Board of Adjustment was rescheduled for August with both a work session and a regular meeting. Everett said staff will reach out to applicants on scheduling options and will re‑advertise the building official role later in the fall. The TDR consultant team will begin work under the DOLA grant to draft a program that the county can test.