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Building department reports surge in interest and plans to update ordinances
Summary
Bluff’s building department told the Planning & Zoning Committee it is preparing ordinance updates for fall public hearings and has seen a recent uptick in people seeking to move to Bluff, prompting staff to streamline permitting resources.
Kristen Bushnell, identified at the meeting as "serving as a permanent tech, building," told the Planning & Zoning Committee Thursday that the building department is preparing ordinance updates for the fall and that staff have seen an unexpected increase in inquiries from prospective residents.
"We did do quite a bit with the interns this summer, so we got a lot of resources put together," Kristen said, adding that the department plans to reexamine the building ordinance, land-clearance and site-plan requirements this fall and hopes to take those revisions to public hearing in October for a Jan. 1 effective date.
Kristen also said, "We have had a ton of people. I've had a ton of people call me that want to move to Bluff… there's just been this huge influx of I wanna live in Bluff. You know, what's building like? Where's their land? Where's their builders, architects, engineers, all the above." She noted that limited local medical services and distance to larger population centers remain constraints for some newcomers.
Committee members and staff discussed possible zoning and permitting implications, including an inquiry about RV use and a potential RV ordinance the town is drafting with legal counsel. Marsha Hidenfeld, the committee’s vice chair and acting chair, noted that commissioners frequently receive one-on-one questions from residents and property owners and encouraged colleagues to share inquiries so staff can track prospects and applications.
Kristen said there were no pending land-use applications beyond routine inquiries and that the department is working to post updated resources online. The committee asked staff to flag outdated references on the town website that still direct people to San Juan County building services; staff said they will correct those references and provide clearer contact guidance for residents.
The building department update also included a reminder that subdivision and site-plan applicants may be working with Jones and DeMille for engineering estimates and that the town’s new website and OneDrive document storage will be central to permitting workflows going forward.
