Cannonville residents tell commission parcels were recorded without town approval; county staff to explore a pre-recording authorization form

A Cannonville town board member told Garfield County commissioners that multiple new parcels were recorded that the town never authorized and asked the county to investigate.

John Borioli, a Cannonville town-board member and recent planning-commission member, said several half-acre and other parcels were created "out of thin air" and that some of the parcel beneficiaries appear to be private developers. He said the town never received subdivision documents or written authorizations and that the newly recorded parcels (and assessor parcel numbers) are being treated by some owners as buildable lots.

County staff and the recorder explained the limits of county authority in incorporated areas and said the recorder’s office records deeds submitted to it. Staff recommended Cannonville pursue internal safeguards — for example, a signed town authorization or form certifying that a proposed parcel has been approved by the town planning authority — before the county accepts documents for recording.

The county’s planner and recorder said Escalante (another town) uses a form that accompanies parcel splits to certify municipal approval; county staff offered to work with Cannonville to create a similar process. Commissioners encouraged John Borioli to take the issue back to the Cannonville town board, noting municipal planning and zoning authority applies within incorporated limits and that towns can deny water hookups and building permits for parcels that do not meet local approval.

Action/direction: county staff agreed to coordinate administratively with the recorder, county planner and Cannonville officials to identify a form or process to require town signoff before creating assessor parcel numbers for newly recorded parcels in incorporated areas.