Carbon County adopts 16-month comprehensive plan and companion greenways and trails plan

Carbon County commissioners on a unanimous vote adopted a new Comprehensive Plan and a companion Greenways, Trails and Open Space Plan after a 16-month public process that the county’s consultant said began in January 2024.

The plans, presented by project manager Tim Staub, identify four priority themes for the comprehensive plan—housing, outdoor economy, infrastructure and placemaking—and complementary themes for the greenways and trails document such as connectivity, protection and recreation. Staub told the board the process combined discovery and outreach with a final implementation stage and that both documents include implementation tables, timelines, suggested lead agencies and lists of potential grant and loan programs.

The proclamation of adoption follows extensive outreach, Staub said, including pop-up events, targeted meetings and two presentations to the commissioners during the process. Key findings cited in the presentation included localized housing shortages driven in part by outside buyers; rising childcare costs (Staub said overall childcare costs rose about 12% over five years, and costs for single parents rose up to about 40%); and that tracking of mobile-device data showed roughly 60% of recreational visitors were from within 50 miles, indicating local use of county amenities.

Staub described how each plan was organized around goals and measurable objectives and said staff added implementation guides and a prioritized list of grants and potential leads to help local governments and county departments begin work. He said the documents were advertised and posted on the county website and had been reviewed and recommended for adoption by the county planning commission. He also noted reviewers had requested clearer treatment of regional fire-company coordination; the consultant said he would revise the plan language accordingly.

Commissioners moved to adopt the Comprehensive Plan (agenda item 205261, motion to adopt 250115) and the Greenways, Trails and Open Space Plan (motion to adopt 250116). The board recorded unanimous approval of both adoption motions.

The plans do not enact regulations by themselves but provide a policy framework, goals and an implementation table that the consultant and commissioners said is intended to help counties and municipalities seek grants, coordinate regional infrastructure projects and prioritize limited county resources.

The commissioners and planning staff encouraged residents and municipal officials to review the posted documents and submit comments through the county website as the county moves toward implementation.