PLANNING PROCESS

Comprehensive Community Plan Process
Download this Comprehensive Community Plan Process PDF and find out where we are in the process.

The CommunityByDesign consulting team is approaching the preparation of the La Plata County Comprehensive Community Plan in a four step process, each step building and evolving on the outcomes of the successive steps, as the process continuously informs itself.

FIRST is an extensive Community Visioning process that will kick off the planning process, educate and inform the residents on the process, determine their values and aspirations, define common ground for the future and develop a comprehensive shared vision for the county.

SECOND is to develop a Comprehensive Plan that is the overall policy framework and direction for the County. The Comprehensive Plan will build on the framework of the La Plata County Compass: Charting the County’s Future strategic plan. The six plan elements of the Comprehensive Plan are:

Economic Vitality
Sustainable Development
Transportation
Healthy Natural Environment
Healthy Community/Housing
Organizational Excellence
For each of these Elements, we will prepare a vision statement, research existing conditions, develop applicable goals, and define prioritized implementation strategies to achieve the goals.

THIRD is creating a County Future Land Use Plan identifying land use suitability and sensitivity through our interactive GIS modeling, and create a Future Land Use Plan proposing land use intensities and settlement patterns that are appropriate to the land, water and community character.

FOURTH is preparing a draft Sustainable Development Code that will implement the Future Land Use Plan through a regulatory framework based on incentives and performance measures. This Sustainable Development Code will focus on best management practices related to livable neighborhoods, green building, greenhouse gas emissions, food planning systems, renewable energy production and water conservation.