Planning commission advances rewrite of forestry zoning chapter, sets schedule for final review

The Immigration Canyon Planning Commission on Aug. 14 moved forward on a multi-year rewrite of the city's forestry and recreation zoning chapter, closing a public hearing and continuing formal action to Sept. 24 to allow staff and legal counsel time to clean up ordinance language and deliver a clearer draft for final review.

Claire Gilmore, a contract land-use attorney working for the city, told commissioners the priority for staff and counsel is clarity and enforceability as the commission moves policy decisions into ordinance language. "The most important thing that I want you to understand is what I will be looking at... are the grammatical issues because those are important," Gilmore said, adding that unclear or overly broad language can lead to litigation.

Why it matters: The replacement chapter (proposed chapter 19.24) would consolidate several existing forestry/recreation zones and change which uses are allowed, permitted with standards, or removed. Those choices affect what kinds of development, visitor accommodations and utilities can legally operate in much of Immigration Canyon.

Key policy changes and staff timeline

- Staff summary: Brian (planning staff) told the commission the draft replaces the existing chapter 19.12 with a new chapter numbered 19.24 and consolidates older zones (including FR50 and FR100) into a single forestry zone. He listed a set of uses that the draft removes (examples: agriculture, commercial private recreation including ski resorts, logging and mineral extraction, certain types of multifamily dwellings) and a set of uses the…