Staff outlines strategic growth element work for comp plan; Senate bill drives requirement

County planning staff and consultants told the Lake County Planning Commission that their strategic growth-element (SGE) work will identify where future growth should be directed, what densities are appropriate and what long-term costs to serve those areas would be. The presentation framed the SGE as part of the comprehensive-plan update required by state law: "Senate bill 24,174 made this a required element with certain populations as part of your comprehensive plan update," a staff speaker said.

Staff said EPS (consultants) is cataloging vacant and underutilized parcels and comparing opportunities and constraints across two broad categories: the CCI (city/county infill area, including Leadville core) and the rest of unincorporated Lake County. Mapping and data will inform where development should be directed to limit sprawl, reduce service-extension costs and target infrastructure investment. Staff also said mapping accuracy remains a work in progress and that the county will continue public outreach, with a planned public hearing in November and additional community engagement events in September/October.

Commissioners discussed affordability concerns, the role of water and sewer access in enabling multi-family or higher-density housing, and how the SGE ties into an infrastructure funding study that could underpin future impact fees. Staff said that EPS will refine mapping, work with service districts and emergency-response providers, and return with overlay maps and more precise analyses.