Routt County commissioners voted unanimously to ratify the Routt County Master Plan on August 30, 2022. Through community outreach, technical assistance and robust conversations, Routt County developed a Master Plan that reflects the needs and desires of the community. The Master Plan also includes an Implementation Matrix that outlines tactics that the County, municipalities and other groups need to take in order to transform policy into action.
This starts with updating the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations to implement the vision and goals of the Plan, a process which Routt County is excited to commence with the community.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN?
The Master Planning process was an opportunity for everyone to consciously plan for what Routt County could look like 10, 20, 30 years in the future. Our open spaces and our historical and agricultural character are some of the greatest assets we have. Planning ensures that we keep our assets while addressing the needs of our community.
Routt County’s Master Plan set the community’s vision for the future - to preserve the natural environment and open spaces of the Yampa Valley while fostering livable, vibrant and sustainable communities. Land use planning crosses many areas that we will consider when updating our master plan, from affordable housing and transportation to environmental sustainability, agricultural needs and public health.
The previous Master Plan was updated in 2003, roughly 18 years ago. Between 2000 and 2018, Routt County’s population grew 30%, changing the dynamics of the community. Community outreach for the update to the Master Plan started in early 2020, but the onset of COVID-19 delayed the process. The Planning Department guided the drafting of a new Master Plan with the support of a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and the hiring of the planning consultant, Cushing Terrell.
What you’ll find in the Final Master Plan:
An Executive Summary that highlights all the important information in the Plan
An Introduction with County history, guiding principles, information on how to use the plan, and the community engagement process
Plan Elements, like growth & land use, recreation & tourism, etc. that include goals and policies
The Implementation Matrix which outlines the policies and actions and assigns responsible parties for completing actions
Guidance for future Zoning Code and Subdivision Regulations updates.
COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS SUMMARY
A Community Survey for the Master Plan process was published online, as well as on paper, so that the residents of Routt County could provide their thoughts and feedback on the future of Routt County. The survey was available October 12 through November 22 (2021) and was heavily advertised across newspaper ads, radio ads, email newsletters and a county-wide mailer. 925 Routt County residents responded.
We invite you to review the Master Plan update Community Survey here.
ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE PROCESS
Successful Master Plans reflect the will of the community- they are essentially “The Community’s Plan.” Everyone has a role in the process of developing the Master Plan.
The Community Engagement Plan outlined the strategies that were used to gather information from the Routt County community. The general public gave their thoughts and feedback on the future of Routt County via two methods- Public Open Houses and an Online Survey. The Public Open Houses were regionally based- South Routt including the Stagecoach area, West Routt, North Routt, and Steamboat Springs including West Steamboat. The Online Survey launched on October 12 and was available to the public for three weeks. Concurrent to the general public outreach, information will was gathered from municipalities, subject matter experts, and key stakeholders. This data was summarized and transformed into a draft plan.
Once the Plan was reviewed and finalized, it was approved by Planning Commission and ratified by the Board of County Commissioners.
The new Master Plan was adopted in August of 2022.
HOW IS THE MASTER PLAN USED?
Development proposals such as subdivisions, re-zonings, planned unit developments, special and conditional use permits, and regulatory revisions must be evaluated against the relevant sections of the Master Plan to ensure the proposals are generally consistent with the overall direction, intent, and guidance provided in the Master Plan and Routt County Zoning and Subdivision Regulations.
COMMUNITY AREA PLANS
The Routt County Master Plan is the overarching land use plan for the entire County. It helps guide the community area plans that apply to each municipality and various geographical areas within Routt County. The sub-area plans address issues and concerns that are specific to the areas that they cover. The goals and objectives stated in the sub-area plans should align with those listed in the Master Plan, so following the Master Plan update the area plans will be evaluated and updated, if necessary.
WHO APPROVED THE MASTER PLAN?
The most important aspect of a Master Plan, and what gives it validity, is that it reflects the priorities of the community and is developed through robust public participation. Public Input was an essential element of the Master Plan. With the guidance of the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners, the Planning Department staff conducted community outreach and research and drafted the Plan. After the Plan was reviewed and refined, the final draft was approved by the Planning Commission and then ratified by the elected Board of County Commissioners.
IS THE MASTER PLAN ADVISORY OR REGULATORY?
The master plan of a local government constitutes an advisory document to guide land development decisions, but that the plan (or any part of it) may be made binding by including it in the local government’s adopted subdivision, zoning, platting, planned unit development (PUD), or other similar land development regulations after satisfying notice, due process, and hearing requirements for legislative or quasi-judicial processes as appropriate.
Therefore, the land use plan set forth the planning commission’s recommendation as to the most desirable use of land from the community’s perspective, and the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations are the tools for implementing the Master Plan and provide the detailed means for giving legal effect to the plan’s policies and principles.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS!
Routt County hosted an intensive community engagement effort during the Master Plan process focused on creating widespread opportunities for community members to be engaged and provide their input on a range of topics including future growth, land use, transportation and mobility, housing, the environment and parks and recreation. To learn more about the engagement process and findings click the button below.