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Planning commission forwards Colson Family Trust rezoning to commissioners after 6-1 vote amid water and wildfire concerns
Summary
The commission recommended approval (6-1) of a rezoning that would allow the Colson Family Trust to pursue a minor-lot-line adjustment and potentially a second single-family dwelling; staff said water augmentation, well permits, and wildfire mitigation would be required before any building permit is issued.
The Jefferson County Planning Commission on Dec. 10 recommended approval, by a 6-1 vote, of a rezoning (case 25-110112RZ) for the Colson Family Trust that would rezone two parcels near Pleasant Park Road to a planned development with underlying SR5 standards to allow a future lot-line adjustment.
Staff case manager Mary Sloan told the commission the application proposes rezoning an undevelopable A-2 northern parcel (approx. 1.27 acres) and a larger southern parcel (approx. 7.08 acres) so the two could be realigned into two lots of at least 3.5 acres each. Staff concluded the proposed written restrictions in the official development plan would limit uses to low-intensity single-family residential and that the rezoning is generally in conformance with the county’s comprehensive master plan and the Conifer area plan. Sloan recommended approval but noted subsequent processes would be required before development — notably a well permit and water-augmentation plan approved by the Colorado Division of Water Resources and, for any building permit, a defensible-space/wildfire mitigation permit.
Applicant Edward Colson said the rezoning is intended to create a framework for a possible future minor adjustment and is not an authorization to build. "Rezoning itself does not commit to development in any particular. It creates a framework for requesting a minor adjustment with all its permitting requirements," Colson said. He and family members emphasized willingness to comply with augmentation, well-permit and wildfire-mitigation steps during later phases.
Public commenters raised concerns about water availability, wildfire risk, and insurance costs in this Mountain Ground Water Overlay District area. Cane (Zane) Claes said wells in the area can be unreliable and said the Conifer 285 area plan recommends a very low density; he urged caution on adding dwelling capacity. Several commissioners acknowledged those concerns but said state and county permitting requirements — including augmentation and on-site wastewater approvals — are designed to prevent unmitigated harm; Commissioner Silva cast the lone dissenting vote, citing insufficient evidence to determine potential injury to existing water rights.
Commissioner Larocque moved to approve the rezoning; Commissioner Dunn seconded. Roll-call votes recorded six ayes and one nay (Commissioner Silva). The planning commission forwarded its recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for final action on Jan. 16, 2026.
Why it matters: The rezoning would change the zoning status of two contiguous parcels and could enable one additional single-family dwelling in a rural area where local commenters and some commissioners expressed concern about groundwater sustainability, wildfire risk, and whether necessary technical analyses were provided at the rezoning stage.
Next steps: The planning commission’s recommendation and the record will be transmitted to the Board of County Commissioners, which will hold a public hearing on Jan. 16, 2026; any subsequent lot-line adjustment or building permit will be subject to water-augmentation approvals, well permits, and on-site wastewater/permitting review.
