Wright's Mesa Master Plan - San Miguel County

San Miguel County Wright’s Mesa Master PlanChapter 4. Future Land Use PlanChapter 4. Future Land UseOverviewThis chapter describes the Future Land Use Planwhich illustrates how and where to bestaccommodate future growth on Wright’s Mesaand how to balance growth and conservation in asustainable manner. Overall, the Future LandUse Plan will foster orderly development that isefficient to serve logical town growth aroundNorwood while protecting the naturalenvironment and retaining desirable ruralqualities of Wright’s Mesa. The Future Land UsePlan does not apply to existing land uses, unlesslandowners are proposing new development, andit does not propose changes to stable developedareas or neighborhoods. It also upholds therights of property owners by maintaining currentzoning and a certain level of flexibility.Future Land Use PlanPrimary ConceptsThe Future Land Use Plan has five primaryconcepts, described below. They are:1. Concentrate town growth within theNorwood Master Plan Area.2. Promote Norwood as the commercial“center” for Wright’s Mesa.3. Provide options for landowners, includingagriculture support uses.4. Promote rural residential patterns that fitthe character of Wright’s Mesa.5. Protect sensitive resources.Concept 1. Concentrate TownGrowth in the Norwood MasterPlan AreaNorwood’s Master Plan Area is the appropriatelocation for logical expansion of town-leveldensity for housing, light industry, andcommercial activity. Ideally such futuredevelopment will also be connected to publicwater and sewer services provided by NorwoodWater and Sanitation Districts. The county hasworked with the Town of Norwood to ensureconsistency between the plans to achieve orderlyand compatible growth and development onWright’s Mesa and distinguish between rural andtown areas.The Town of Norwood’s Master Plan says:“In response to the problems posed by low density“rural development” and to provide for an orderly andefficient transition from rural to urban uses, the townhas developed a Master Plan Boundary to identify andseparate urbanized land from rural land. The MasterPlan Boundary anticipates and guides growth andannexations over the next ten to twenty years. There ismore than adequate land within the boundary forforeseeable future needs without going outside theboundary for development. The Master Plan Boundaryincludes over three hundred acres of raw land plannedfor residential development, which will accommodatemore than twice the current population of Norwood.”(See Town of Norwood Major Streets and FutureLand Use Plan, p. 11.)Town Hall Park, Norwood.19