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Montezuma County adopts updated emergency plan, approves FEMA planning grant and several land-use actions
Summary
The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 10 adopted a revised Emergency Operations Plan and approved related grant applications, a Bureau of Land Management memorandum of understanding for a pedestrian trail, and three land-use actions following Planning & Zoning recommendations.
Cortez, Colo. — The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 10 adopted a revised county Emergency Operations Plan and approved several related grants, a trail memorandum of understanding and three land-use actions.
The board voted to adopt Resolution No. 14-2024, approving the revised Emergency Operations Plan that staff said had been developed over the past year with department heads and reviewed by county counsel. "We've been working on it for a full year," said a county emergency management staff member. The board also approved a grant-application submission to the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA for $115,955.56 to fund a hazard mitigation planning project tied to the update.
The board signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management to authorize pedestrian trail work connecting two parking lots near Sand Canyon and the Lamb House; staff described the MOU as a narrow agreement that does not change county obligations. Commissioners also approved submission of a $20,000 reimbursement application to the Colorado Department of Agriculture for the county noxious-weeds cost-share program; staff reported about 5,000 gross acres were treated this year.
The meeting included three planning decisions that the board approved after public hearings and Planning & Zoning recommendations: a single-lot development splitting 29 acres from a 67.52-acre parcel on Highway 491; a two-lot minor subdivision of a 36.21-acre parcel with access off S0.2; and a subdivision amendment to split a 40.20-acre Lot 9 in Summit Lake West Unit 2 into two 20-acre parcels. Planning staff told commissioners each of the applications had passed a unanimous recommendation from Planning & Zoning.
Formal motions were recorded on the consent of the board for the items above and approved by voice vote. Where votes were taken, the record shows the motions were moved, seconded and adopted by the commissioners present; the audio transcript records the board saying "Aye" at each vote. The meeting did not include a roll-call vote in the public transcript for these items.
Other administrative items included a one-week postponement of the janitorial-bid award for further review and staff updates on mine-reclamation activity at the Line Camp pit and a sign package under review for a proposed high-rise sign by a private business. County staff and one resident urged careful budget planning as departments prepare 2025 requests.
The board recessed briefly and reconvened for planning public hearings that had multiple notice times; staff confirmed hearings were held at the later advertised time so interested parties could attend.
Actions recorded at the meeting included: the adoption of Resolution No. 14-2024 (Emergency Operations Plan), approval to submit a FEMA planning grant application for $115,955.56, execution of a signed MOU with the Bureau of Land Management for the Lamb House Trail, approval to submit a $20,000 noxious-weeds reimbursement application to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and approvals of the three listed land-use items.
