Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Two informational forums are being offered to help South Routt residents understand land-use regulations.

The forums will answer questions such as how zoning affects business owners, how a property can be subdivided and what permits are needed for different businesses.

All business owners, developers and interested residents are encouraged to attend the forums, Routt County planner John Eastman said. Representatives from the county planning department and Yampa or Oak Creek will be present at each forum.

The forums are one result of the South Routt Community Economic Assessment, part of an economic study sponsored by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Eastman is heading up a committee formed through the assessment to examine land use code.

Part of the confusion about land use regulations is due to the fact that Oak Creek and Yampa have their own land use regulations, which are different from Routt County's, Routt County Commissioner Doug Monger said.

A common suggestion during the assessment was to educate people on the specifics of each government's individual rules and regulations, Monger said. The two forums should be one step toward making the processes less confusing.

The forums are educational and are not meant as a way for residents to voice their concerns about land-use regulations, Monger said. Those concerns should be brought up during other processes, such as updating master plans, he said.

Rather, these forums are meant to disseminate information as much as anything, and "let people understand a little better what's already on the books," he said.

As a result of the economic assessment, six committees were formed to tackle goals such as developing a shared vision and sense of community for South Routt, building a good foundation for economic development, and supporting viable agricultural operations.

The vision committee has compiled results from a community survey asking people to prioritize what they want for the community's future, which will be released next fall at a community potluck dinner, said Jane Stitt, who is helping to coordinate the committee.

The land use meetings are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Yampa Town Hall and at 7:30 p.m. May 26 at Oak Creek Town Hall.

-- To reach Susan Bacon, call 871-4203

or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot .com