The Fremont County Board of Commissioners has adopted changes to the county’s Zoning Resolution intended to clarify requirements of commercial developers and to make the process of zone changes and business development easier and hopefully less costly. The action was taken at the Board’s regular meeting on January 24th. Work on the 4th Amendment to the Zoning Resolution began in 2011 after a Cañon City ad-hoc committee took their concerns about burdensome development regulations to the Board of Commissioners and the Cañon City Council.
The amendment now specifies that developers who face the requirement of a commercial development plan as part of a zone change application to multi-family, business, or industrial zone districts will initially have the opportunity to meet face to face with the Planning Department staff for a pre-submittal meeting to review expectations and to lay out the scope of their project. The Board of Commissioners also put in additional language suggested by County Engineer Don Moore that enables the developer to submit a complete comprehensive design application or submit a preliminary Use Designation Plan that details the concept of the project and basic design plans. Approval of that preliminary plan would then allow the developer to return later with a detailed design plan.
Commission Chairman Debbie Bell said the amendment greatly abbreviates the process and is intended to reflect a more business-friendly attitude by Fremont County. Commissioner Ed Norden said that business friendly attitude is reflected in an introductory statement that says; “Fremont County welcomes new businesses and industrial enterprises to the community. Property owners and other potential applicants are encouraged to meet informally or communicate with Planning and Zoning Department staff to gain familiarity with the application process prior to formal submittal of an application”. The amendment also allows the County Planning Commission to continue taking public comment on an application, but does not require the applicant or citizens to go through a formal public hearing process at the Planning Commission level.
Also at the commissioners’ January 24th meeting, the Board adopted a resolution voicing opposition to sections 1021 and 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which was signed by the President on December 31st. Chairman Debbie Bell said the Board agreed with concerns expressed by Marie Vernarsky on January 10th that the NDAA language threatens the constitutional rights of citizens and their civil liberties to demonstrate peaceably without facing possible military detention. Commissioner Ed Norden said he could support the resolution because the language threatens the due process rights of any citizen arrested based upon a perceived terrorist threat against the government. The resolution urges Colorado's Congressional Delegation to work to repeal the suspect language in the NDAA.
In other action the Board of Commissioners:
- Approved bid awards for road base materials to Kagan & Sons for $40,375 and Tezak Heavy Equipment for $25,500;
- Reappointed Bill Fleming to a second term on the Penrose Community Library District Board of Trustees;
- Approved a request by Conrad and Sandra North to vacate a public right of way and alley next to their property on the northeast corner of Broadway and Fremont Street in Penrose. It allows the Norths to reclaim property on the sweeping corner of the street which was originally designed that way many decades ago when the “Boy with the Boot” statue was displayed in the center of that intersection.