WSP05404

• File Number: 8050.100
• Description: Section D General Statewide Issues - State Policies - General
• State: CO
• Date: 1/1/2001
• Author: Governors Commission
• Title: Agricultural Water Policy Development - Reference Materials - Colorados Legacy to its Children
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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RECOMMENDATION:

Enhance Local Land
Preservation Efforts

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and preservation--mucn like land use planning--is often a regional
L issue ~at requires the cooperation of multiple groups and i~risdic~ion~.
For example. the Custer Heritage CommIttee works with CitiZens I~
Custer County to discuss the area's open space needs and examine potential
solLitions. In Mesa County. the county government decided to outsciurce, its
preservation efforts by hiring a local land trust to help the county ~eet its
open space goals. local efforts su'th as these are often the best way to
priorjtize the local jewels that are most imporum to the region and its
communities.

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As part of Governor Owens' Smart Growth: Colorado's Future initiative, the J
General Assembly recently cre<lted the Office of Smart Growth to add(e?s tIle 1
financial and technical impac.ts of cross-i uris dictional growth. The Com~i~sio.n I
believes that the Office provides a good way for the Sute to assist local,ard'
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preservation efforts and recommends that the Legislature enhance the Office's
abilities to assist local communities in the following ways:

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B'o,den the Colo"do H";tage Commun;t;" g""' p,og,,';' to ;odude I,od I
preservation. The Herluge Communities program, which provides grants fo~' I
regional planning, is one way the state can assist local initiatives to save open
spaces. farms and ranc.hes. Private groups, whIch often spearhead these I
local efforts. should also be eligible-for the grants.

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Encourage the use of cluster development incentives. Under Colorado law,
landowners may develop. one residential lot per 35 acres of land without
going through:county subdivi~ion regulations. Counties have the authdrity
t~ rewardlandow,ners with up to one addltionallor of bonus deve!opme':t if
they protect at least two thirds of the35 acre parcel as open space.-
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Some counties. such as G'-rimer County, already enacted progressive'~luster
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or'dinanc,es that allow far.mers and. ranchers to realize some of the
development value of their land while preserving the majority of the land-
for agricultural use. For example, J clustering p.rogram allows a farmer with
180 acres'of land to iJevelop i6 lots while-preserving over 185 acres of
farmland. The Commission believes that counties can use cluster
development Jaws as another tool to preserve open space.

Assist local com~unities in their land. preservation efforts, In fl.llfitling_lts
charge. the Commission learned that loca.l parwe~hips a.re essentiafto
proteaing Colorado's natura! Ia.nds. However, the knowledge and resourceS
necessary for land preservation deals are often scarce. The Commissio.n:
recommends that the Office of Smart Growth establish a liaison to work! I
with ~c:al governments. civic readers and land' trUSt directors to help i~f!{ify
4l.e tools that best fit each .community's unique preservation needs. iIi'
addition to. locating sources of funding and technical expertise. ..
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RECOMMENDATION,

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Measure the .
Impacts of Growth
on Open Space

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An important pan of preserving
open spaces. farms and
ranches in Colorado is examining
the relationship between Colorado.s
gro.....th and the state's open lands
The Commission believes that better
data-such as mformatlon on
wlldHfe habitat. agrtculturalland.
and watershed areas-.....m help local
communities make land preservation
decisions more efficlently and
educate the public. One way to do
this Is to work with certain federal.
state. and local agencies to inventory
their open space related information
and compile an annual report that
creates a piclufe of how growth .
affects the preservation of natural
landscapes. The Office of Smart
Growth should coordinate the efforts
to collect this dala These agencies
could mclude the Department of
Local Affairs. the Department of
Agriculture, the Department of
:-\aturaI Resources and the
Department of Public Health and
Environment. The Commission also
recommends that county assessors
send property use Infannation to the
Department of local Affairs. as well
as the copies of any open space
master plans This infonnatlon
should include building square
footage !n the county. the number
and size of di\ided parcels of land.
and the number of parcels that are
unimproved j.'

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