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Routt County planning commission recommends acknowledging Steamboat Springs Community Canvas Plan
Summary
After a presentation by the City of Steamboat Springs, the Routt County Planning Commission voted 8–0 to recommend that the county acknowledge the Steamboat Springs Community Canvas Plan, noting housing, growth management and an Implementation/User Guide are central to the plan.
The Routt County Planning Commission voted Nov. 6 to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners acknowledge the Steamboat Springs Community Canvas Plan (SSCP), a draft community plan developed and adopted by the City of Steamboat Springs.
Brad Calvert, principal planner for the City of Steamboat Springs, presented the SSCP and its goals, saying the plan is values-driven and intended as a management tool for future decision-making. Calvert said state regulatory changes will require the plan to be updated in the coming year.
"The status quo will not get us where we want to be as a community," Calvert said, according to meeting minutes. He told the commission that the plan calls for significant housing expansion and mixed-use development to respond to high demand, and recommends stabilizing industrial areas needed for economic development.
Calvert reviewed the Future Land Use District map and said three areas — Tree Haus, a Ski Corp–owned parcel, and the area south of Steamboat — were removed from the city’s Urban Growth Boundary because annexation is unlikely. He and county staff said the SSCP emphasizes enforcing existing policies rather than creating new regulations, and that an Implementation/User Guide will be created to help different users navigate the plan.
Planning Director Kristy Winser told the commission that the city sent a referral prior to adoption and that the timing felt rushed; she also flagged affordable housing as a significant issue compared with the previous plan. Commissioners Pete Wood and Jim DeFrancia praised stronger policy language in the draft and stressed the importance of the Implementation/User Guide. The commission discussed transportation tools such as a Regional Transportation Authority and potential sub-area plans for corridors including the Elk River Road/US 40 intersection and the 13th Street corridor.
Commissioner Bill Norris moved to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners acknowledge the SSCP as presented; Commissioner Brian Kelly seconded. The motion carried 8–0, with Chair Steve Warnke voting yes. Under county practice the SSCP will be acknowledged rather than adopted into the Routt County Unified Development Code; City staff will continue work on code compatibility and possible sub-area plans.
