Planning commission recommends conditional approval for Timber Ranch subdivision and PUD preliminary plans

The Lake County Planning Commission on Feb. 10 recommended conditional approval of the Timber Ranch major subdivision and Planned Unit Development (files 24-42 and 24-43), following a joint public hearing with the Board of County Commissioners. The commission’s motion included nine staff-recommended conditions covering deed restrictions, engineering reviews, school cash-in-lieu payments and coordination with Colorado agencies.

Staff explained the hearing is the preliminary-plan stage for a 43.08-acre parcel west of the city of Leadville. Anne Schneider, Lake County planning staff, told commissioners the application is a major subdivision creating four tracts and a concurrent PUD preliminary plan for Track B. Schneider said the proposed Track B layout shows 72 lots composed of 57 single-family lots and 15 duplex lots, parks, a paved public trail, detention areas, and 2.93 acres of open space. Schneider summarized the public benefits staff identified: “the creation of 10 deed restricted units for locals earning up to 140% area median income, a paved public trail, the potential for additional connectivity … and a school fee at approximately a hundred and six or seven thousand dollars,” and listed the approval criteria from the Lake County Land Development Code that guided staff review.

Developer presentation and numbers Nick Costello, the developer, described the proposal as an effort to add “attainable and affordable housing into Leadville,” and presented slightly different unit counts: he said the development would result in 87 homes — 57 single-family homes and 30 townhomes — with 10 deed-restricted workforce units and an estimated nearly $4 million in one-time fees and new property taxes over 10 years. Costello said homes would include garages, porches and backyards and that the median lot size would be about 5,400 square feet.

The transcript records both staff and the developer presenting…