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• Capability of the Land to Support a Variety of Uses <br />Physical and social constraints at the present time severely limit the <br />variety of uses suitable for lands within or adjacent to the permit <br />area. The potential of the area to support alternative use other than <br />undeveloped land, some limited residential use, and existing mining is <br />somewhat questionable. Because of the permit area's proximity to State <br />Highway 133 and the town of Somerset, the area has historically been <br />available for small mining operations and single resident housing <br />locations for individuals working at the mines. However, because of the <br />narrow valley, which is dissected by State Highway 133, the North Fork <br />of the Gunnison River, and existing or past underground mining <br />activities, major housing development or other uses have been at a <br />minimum in the area. <br />Likewise because of the limited amount of space, the historic population <br />of the area tends to reflect a centralization of the population in towns <br />• such as Paonia where more room is available for housing and development. <br />Recreational opportunities in the permit area, particularly for the <br />hunting of deer, are somewhat limited because of the availability of <br />access, The possibility for recreation on the permit area, as long as <br />mining activities are ongoing, is highly unlikely due to the problems <br />involved with safety and potential vandalism. At the conclusion of <br />mining and reclamation activities, the recreational opportunities of the <br />area such as hunting, will probably remain somewhat limited due to the <br />area's proximity to Highway 133 and the town of Somerset. It is <br />anticipated that the majority of the recreation activities will remain <br />to be situated in national forest lands located to the north or to the <br />south of the permit area, but at some distance from the actual permit <br />area. <br />No major commercial or residential development other than some minor <br />amounts associated with the mining is expected to develop in the permit <br />• or adjacent areas mainly because of the compact nature of the valley <br />~ area. <br />2.04-4 <br />