The Grand County Planning Commission on Nov. 10 revisited the LaVena Subdivision rezone after legal counsel advised the board of options following a prior split vote. The commission opted to forward a neutral recommendation — recorded as a formal “no recommendation” — to the County Commission.

Staff recapped the earlier meeting where the motion to recommend approval failed to reach the required four affirmative votes (result reported as 3 in favor, 2 opposed and one absent). Legal counsel explained the advisory role of the planning commission: if the commission does not provide a timely recommendation, the application may be forwarded as a default negative; a formal ‘no recommendation’ is a distinct neutral option commissioners can use.

Commission discussion focused on the proposed up‑zoning (applicant sought to consolidate three existing zoning designations into highway‑commercial across the parcel), site constraints including drainage and steep slopes, and neighborhood context and access concerns. Some commissioners supported approval on design grounds and cited prior drainage work; others raised worries that highway‑commercial zoning could enable unanticipated non‑housing commercial uses and that the site’s ingress/egress and floodplain relationships warranted further study.

To avoid an automatic negative recommendation and to give the County Commission the benefit of the commission’s unresolved concerns, the chair moved for a formal neutral recommendation; the motion was seconded and commissioners proceeded with a public straw poll and vote that resulted in the neutral recommendation being recorded and forwarded.

Staff noted that the LaVena rezoning request will be on the County Commission agenda the following day. Commissioners also urged the applicant to resolve drainage and floodplain permit items and made clear that subdivision and project permits will require engineering and floodplain review before final approvals.

The planning commission emphasized that its action was advisory and that the County Commission retains final decision-making authority.