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 unit counts and affordability targets that differ: staff summarized the preliminary plan as 72 lots (57 single-family + 15 duplex), while the developer described 87 homes (57 single-family + 30 townhomes) and characterized the deed-restricted units as priced for households at 40% of area median income. The planning record and conditions reference deed restrictions and coordination with the county’s regional housing authority; the commission’s motion states the ten dedicated units must remain affordable and available to the local workforce "earning up to 140% of the area median income." The record therefore contains inconsistent statements about the AMI threshold and total unit counts; those inconsistencies remain in the public record and will need to be resolved before final plat recordation.

Approval criteria, technical reviews and conditions Staff said the application was evaluated for consistency with the comprehensive plan, land development code chapters (district regulations, use regulation, development standards, roadway standards, and floodplain/damage prevention), suitability (including geotechnical and Colorado Geological Survey review), compatibility with surrounding subdivisions, and adequacy of facilities (water, sewer, fire protection, roads and schools). Schneider noted that CTL Thompson prepared environmental and geotechnical analyses and that the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) reviewed the site and provided lot-specific excavation recommendations.

Staff recommended conditions of approval that the commission included in its motion. The motion, read into the record, lists the conditions as: 1) the developer will collaborate with the Lake County Regional Housing Authority (LLC RHA) and Lake County CPD as needed to develop and administer deed restrictions ensuring 10 units remain affordable to the local workforce; 2) the developer will follow CGS recommendations; 3) cash in lieu of school-land dedication will be due prior to final plat recordation; 4) construction and grading will follow best management practices from Community Planning Development (CPD) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for soils and dust mitigation; 5) county-engineer review comments on the preliminary plat, plans, drainage report and construction schedule must be addressed; 6) the developer must obtain a letter from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regarding wildlife habitat and consider its recommendations; 7) the developer will provide crosswalks across Evergreen Drive and County Road 4 (striping and pedestrian signage) coordinated with Public Works and parks/rec; 8) a 10-foot sidewalk easement is required along the west side of Evergreen Drive for the length of the property (including Tract A); and 9) statements the applicant made in the application or at hearing are considered conditions of approval unless modified by other conditions.

Public comment, traffic, parking, wildfire and insurance concerns Members of the public and commissioners raised questions about traffic, parking, snow storage, wildfire risk and homeowners insurance availability. The county received a traffic-impact study prepared by Kimberly Horn and associates; staff and the applicant said the study concluded the development can be integrated into the existing road network without adding turning lanes. The applicant described on-site parking plans: single-family homes are expected to have two driveway spaces plus two garage spaces (four spaces per unit), and townhomes/duplexes would provide approximately three spaces (two in the driveway, one in garage) per unit, plus five overflow parking spaces at each park. The applicant said on-street parking would not be allowed.

Wildfire and insurance risks were repeatedly raised at the hearing. Commissioners and residents said new buyers regionally have experienced difficulty obtaining homeowners insurance in areas with wildfire exposure. The developer and staff described a wildfire mitigation approach prepared with input from the Colorado State Forest Service and the fire marshal: a state-sponsored fuel treatment/tree-thinning project was completed on the 43-acre parcel, lodgepole pines within rights-of-way and building envelopes on Track B will be removed, and revegetation and defensible-space standards will be required. Staff said the developer will work with the state forest service and the fire marshal to finalize a wildfire mitigation plan; the record also states the Timber Ranch HOA will apply to become a recognized Firewise community after Phase 1 improvements and occupancy.

Commission action and next steps After public comment and deliberation, the planning commission voted to recommend conditional approval. The formal motion (read into the record) recommended approval of files 24-42 and 24-43, subject to the nine conditions listed above and the finding that approval criteria in sections 3.16.0.4.h and 3.11.0.4.h of the Lake County Land Development Code were met. The roll call on the recommendation was recorded as: Steve Stevens — yes; David Clark Beryl — yes; Jason (listed in the roll call record as Jason Meribel/Rufo) — yes; David (record shows Dirks/Jurich) — yes; Heather Lind(e) — yes. The motion carried.

The planning commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the Board of County Commissioners, which was scheduled to consider the recommendation at its next regular meeting (noted at the hearing as the Tuesday meeting starting at 11 a.m.). Final requirements for the developer before final plat recordation include addressing all county-engineer review comments, providing the required letters and deed-restriction documentation in coordination with the regional housing authority, and paying the cash-in-lieu school fee.