La Plata County Community Development Services update - March 2019

This blog was originally started because I wanted to help expose the malicious tactics of a few ruthless individuals were engaging in during their contrived war of dirty tricks against our local Board of County Commissioners and the Land Use Planning process.  They were intent on stirring up trouble rather than resolving issues.

In any event, that was then and this is now.  Today I received the following in an email and figure I might at well document it here.  Let folks know that our local government is functioning.  Perhaps not as good as it could, but improvement would require greater public awareness and involvement in the process, boring and mundane though it might be.

Megan Graham  |  Public Affairs Officer  |  megan.graham@co.laplata.co.us  |  www.co.laplata.co.us

La Plata County Community Development Services update

March 2019

Subscribe to Planning Department updates

Greetings from the La Plata County Planning Department! Below you will find a news update on the projects, plans and processes afoot in our department, at the Planning Commission, and at the Board of County Commissioners. Thank you for your interest in La Plata County!

Click below to go directly to a topic:

• District Plan Updates: Animas Valley, Florida Mesa, Fort Lewis Mesa, Bayfield kickoff meeting
• Land Use Code revision process overview
• Land Use Code policy topic update: Areas of state interest ("1041 powers"); zoning
• Planning Commission meetings
• Board of County Commissioner meetings
• Joint Planning Commission meetings

District Plan Updates

The Planning Commission is working with community residents to update the county's area/district plans, which build off of the goals, objectives, and policies that were developed in the Comprehensive Plan that the Planning Commission adopted in April 2017.

There are 12 district (area) plans that have been revised as recently as 2012, while some have never been developed. In order to ensure that the growth management goals for each area/district are current, the Planning Commission has begun a district-by-district update of the plans, with county planning staff convening citizens from each district to weigh in on their area/district plans.

The Planning Commission discusses district plan updates at its meeting on the first Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. in the Board Room of the County Administration Building, 1101 E. 2nd Ave. in Durango. On March 7, the Planning Commission will discuss the District Plan update process, and specifically:

1. Clarifying district plan update processes & functions
2. Florida Mesa District Plan update
3. Animas Valley Land Use Plan update
4. Fort Lewis Mesa District Plan update

Colorado Democrats Need Their Caucus Process.

I wrote the following for the Cortez FourCornersFreePress, it's some reflections on attending our local Democratic Caucus and then moving on the County Assembly.  In a couple weeks I'll be going to Bloomfield to be a delegate at the State Democratic Assembly.

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I love our Colorado Caucus process. What can be more American than gathering in town-hall style meetings to iron out political decisions? If you’re fortunately enough to belong to a precinct with engaged citizens, the room will be crowded and abuzz with chatter. After all, we’re meeting new neighbors and hopefully reestablished old acquaintances, so there’s lots of chitchat to exchange. 

Some folks are busy campaigning for themselves or others, some are busy advocating for their issues, and others simply feel it’s their patriotic duty to be there and participate.

On March 6, I attended our precinct caucus and was one of those lobbying. Then it was time to take our seats and commence the meeting.