Clear Creek commissioners work session maps implementation steps for Dumont-Lawson-Downeyville subarea plan

County planning staff on Feb. 4 asked the Board of County Commissioners to endorse an implementation approach for the Dumont-Lawson-Downeyville (DLD) subarea plan adopted on Jan. 7 and to give direction on early priorities.

The presentation, led by Amy Saxton of the county planning department, condensed the plan's action table into an implementation table that adds an “implementation type” column. Saxton said the new column helps staff organize tasks into groupings — public information and communications, policy or process changes, future master planning items, stand-alone projects, and items needing further definition — so the work does not “sit on a shelf” and go undone.

Saxton said staff identified several tasks that could be advanced quickly, including a public-facing DLD web page to consolidate neighborhood resources, and applying for federal grants aimed at pedestrian safety such as the USDOT Safe Streets and Reconnecting Communities programs. “We think that we are a good candidate” for Safer Streets funding because the subarea plan and the area's safety record create a competitive case, Saxton said.

The commissioners focused much of the discussion on pedestrian safety at the five-way I-70 interchange in the DLD area and on whether the county should raise the priority for projects that require Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) cooperation. Saxton and Garrett McAllister, the county's planning manager, told the board that many high-priority safety items require CDOT buy-in because the state controls the I-70 right of way; other items, such as grant applications for safety-action planning, can be advanced by county staff without CDOT committing funding.

Commissioners instructed staff to prioritize: 1) pursuing a safety-action plan and Safer Streets (and to research Reconnecting Communities) grant opportunities promptly; 2) developing a maintenance/memorandum of understanding with CDOT to clarify responsibilities for County Road 308 (a short-term step with immediate public benefit); and 3) publishing a DLD subarea web page that centralizes neighborhood resources (well information, weatherization and housing links, and updates on STR regulations). The board also agreed that staff should prepare for a DLD town-hall meeting to share progress and hear community concerns.

On short-term rental (STR) enforcement and code changes, staff said the STR ordinance changes recently adopted will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the subarea plan's enforcement recommendation. Saxton noted that some implementation steps will be more appropriately addressed in future countywide master-plan work or through community-led efforts rather than by drafting a separate master plan now.

Commissioners raised wildfire risk mapping as a specific technical concern: some board members noted a county GIS map in the plan labels much of the area as “moderate” risk while other sources (Colorado State Forest Service and federal tools) show higher risk. The board directed staff to append a cautionary note on the plan's web page that the static map may not be the most current wildfire-risk depiction and to investigate whether the plan should be amended later if updated forest-service GIS layers warrant it.

Saxton said staff will return with a refined implementation schedule and suggested next steps, including specifics for grant pre-applications and the maintenance agreement with CDOT. Commissioners said they want staff to identify items that can be advanced without formal plan amendments and to flag those that require Planning Commission review or an official amendment.

The board asked that code and process changes suggested in the plan — for example, measures to better assess well impacts from development proposals — be bundled with a broader zoning/code update that staff plans to bring forward for public review in the coming months.

Staff left the board with an action list that includes immediate grant pursuit, CDOT coordination on maintenance, preparation of a DLD web resource and scheduling a DLD town hall; staff will return with timelines and cost estimates.

Ending: Commissioners emphasized they want visible, early wins for DLD residents while acknowledging some items will require lengthy interagency work. Staff will return with a prioritized work program and grant application timeline.