Pitkin County hearing officer takes Duris site-plan refresh under advisement after contested public hearing

The Pitkin County hearing officer took under advisement an application by Andrew and Jean Daris to refresh an activity envelope and site plan for Lot 2 of the DREAM subdivision after a lengthy public hearing where staff recommended approval and neighbors raised legal and slope concerns.

"I will make a decision in a reasonable period of time. I would expect within 15 days," Hearing Officer Sarah said as she closed public comment and asked staff and counsel to address remaining questions about recording dates, setbacks and required engineering. Earlier, county staff told the record that "staff recommends the hearing officer approve the Andrew and Jane Daris activity envelope and site plan subject to the conditions in the drafted hearing officer determination." (Staff statement summarized from the hearing record.)

Staff reports and the applicant's planner described a long approval history going back to 2016–2018, when the subdivision and activity envelope were approved; staff noted the earlier litigation was dismissed and the application was resumed in 2026. The hearing officer indicated she expects to add or clarify conditions in any approval, including explicit setback recitals, wildfire-code compliance language, and a requirement that slopes be documented by a geotechnical or engineering report at building permit.

No final vote or formal approval was issued at the hearing. Instead, the officer said that if additional evidence is needed she will notice a continued hearing; otherwise she will issue a written determination based on the record. Parties and the public may expect a written decision from the hearing officer within the stated timeframe.