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Lake County Planning Commission recommends six‑month moratorium on new lodging and event land‑use applications
Summary
The Planning Commission voted to forward a draft six‑month moratorium covering group camps, vacation lodges, RV parks, guest ranches and major event facilities to the Board of County Commissioners so staff can update codes, align emergency and infrastructure standards and study backcountry impacts. Pending applications were exempted.
The Lake County Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners adopt a six‑month temporary moratorium on new land‑use applications for certain lodging and event uses, including group camps, vacation lodges, private resorts, guest ranches, RV parks and campgrounds, special event facilities, and major indoor or outdoor entertainment events.
Planning staff introduced the proposal as a pause to allow a targeted review and update of the county’s development code. Staff told commissioners the existing code ‘‘does not provide us with uses that address tiny homes, glamping, different types of camping’’ and that inconsistent review outcomes and infrastructure and public‑safety risks prompted the proposal. "We are asking for a 6 month temporary moratorium," staff said during the presentation.
Staff described a six‑month work plan if the moratorium proceeds: month 1 would establish the framework and pass a resolution to the Board; month 2 would perform a peer review of Colorado mountain/tourism communities to identify best practices; month 3 would focus on infrastructure standards (water, sewer, utilities and emergency access) and alignment with state OWTS and public‑health requirements; months 4–5 would emphasize site‑specific risk and hazard review (including wildfire, wetlands and flood‑plain considerations) and evaluate cumulative impacts in backcountry zones; month 5–6 would collect public input, prepare draft code amendments for legal review and prepare for hearings and implementation.
Staff said pending land‑use applications would be exempt from the moratorium, and commissioners were told three applications would continue through the current process. In response to questions, staff said the peer review would be limited to Colorado communities and that the draft resolution would be submitted to the Board for consideration "pending approval by the county manager's office and legal." Staff indicated they had requested the item be placed on the Board’s agenda for the third (date not specified in the record).
A commissioner moved to recommend the temporary moratorium to the Board of County Commissioners; the motion received a second and passed on a roll‑call vote with Chair Lendt, Steve Stevens, David Jurich and Joey Edwards recorded as voting yes. The commission directed staff to proceed with the work plan and public‑engagement steps outlined in the presentation.
If the Board of County Commissioners approves the resolution, staff will begin the peer review, infrastructure analysis and public‑input process described to the commission; pending applications that were already in process will remain exempt under the existing code.
