With the pending expiration of Fremont County’s temporary regulations dealing with medical marijuana dispensaries at the end of October, the Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution at their October 26th regular meeting imposing a moratorium on any new medical marijuana dispensaries.
The Commissioners last April had adopted temporary regulations restricting the development of medical marijuana dispensaries to business zone districts and rural highway business zone districts and through special review use in neighborhood zone districts. The temporary regulations were imposed while the Commissioners awaited new legislation from the Colorado General Assembly.
After the passage of HB-1284 in the 2010 session of the Colorado Legislature, local governments were granted the authority to impose a moratorium on any marijuana dispensaries until the Colorado Department of Revenue completes its rule making process. Instead of devising its own rules on medical marijuana the Board of Commissioners decided to impose a moratorium until the state rule making is completed.
The moratorium does not affect those medical marijuana facilities that were in place in Fremont County by the state’s September deadline.
The Board of Commissioners last week also adopted a new policy dealing with the installation, repair, and maintenance of cattle guards in county road rights of way. The Fremont County Department of Transportation began work on the policy this past summer after a request was received to install a new cattle guard on a county road.
Commission Chairman Ed Norden said the process used to draft the policy was a good one which saw six re-writes taking place until all parties agreed on a workable document. Norden said members of the Fremont Cattlemen’s Association were invited to the table as part of the process. Cattlemen’s Association Board Member Virginia Patton was present at the meeting and commended the Commissioners for the process used to develop the cattle guard policy.
The policy addresses whom will be responsible for paying the cost of any cattle guard and the installation, the cost and frequency of routine cleaning and maintenance, and the cost of any cattle guard repairs. A copy of the new policy can be reviewed on the Fremont County Department of Transportation’s web page by clicking the D.O.T. Department page and locating it on the department links.
The Commissioners last week also approved a final plat for the Sweetwater River Ranch subdivision. Mark Rowland is developing his campground property to include saleable lots. Rowland decided to develop the campground similar to condominiums with a mix of individually owned travel trailer spaces and cabin sites along with his other leased campground spaces. Phase 1 of the project covers 6.8 acres on the 31 ½ acre piece of property along U.S. Highway 50 west of Texas Creek.