Steamboat Pilot & Today

South Routt residents will be asked in the next week to prioritize what they want for the future of their community.

Whether they prefer development of retail business over railroads, and whether they want increased recreational and education opportunities are among the questions on a survey designed by the South Routt Vision Committee, one of six committees formed as a result of the South Routt Community Economic Assessment.

About 1,400 surveys will be mailed to South Routt residents in the next week, with the goal of reaching everyone residing in or near Stagecoach, Oak Creek, Phippsburg and Yampa.

"We're trying to determine what South Routt residents see in the future of South Routt," said Jane Stitt, who is helping to coordinate the committee. "Basically, what's people's vision?"

The survey asks whether residents think South Routt needs its own economic base, if it needs more recreational opportunities, if more housing should be developed and if maintaining the area's agricultural character and heritage is important, among other questions.

It also asks people to prioritize which types of economic, housing, recreational and educational development they would like to see in the future.

Residents have until March 1 to respond, at which point the committee will study the responses and then start working to meet those goals, Stitt said.

Stitt said she didn't think a similar survey involving the entire South Routt community has been done in the past. Involving all communities to come up with a shared vision is important, she said, and was one of the main suggestions resulting from the South Routt Community Economic Assessment.

Six committees were formed as a result of the assessment, including the committee dedicated to developing a shared vision and sense of community for South Routt.

The other committees were charged with building a good foundation for economic development, developing consistency in land-use regulations and development policies, supporting viable agricultural operations, finding funding for staff support for the South Routt Economic Development Council and creating partnerships with the school district, community and businesses.

The economic development committee is working on getting nonprofit status for the South Routt Economic Development Council and also getting seed money to fund an executive assistant to help the other committees and new businesses in town.

The regulation and policy committee is setting up informational forums in South Routt communities where developers can ask questions about regulations and the development process.

The South Routt Community Economic Assessment was part of the Colorado Community Assessment Program, an economic study sponsored by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The next follow-up meeting for the assessment is planned for March 1.