Wright's Mesa Master Plan - San Miguel County

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Chapter 4. Future Land Use PlanSan Miguel County Wright’s Mesa Master PlanHeavy Industry Locational Criteria:The Future Land Use Plan does not designatelocations for heavy industrial uses. However, it ispossible for heavy industrial activity to occur onWright’s Mesa only if it meets the followingcriteria. It will locate:1. where land is already impacted by heavyindustry or mining;2. away from Highway 145 on a pavedcounty road;3. where it will minimize visibility andskylining from Highway 145 and countyroads, especially for heavy equipment andfacilities;4. outside the Source Water Protection area:and5. where prevailing winds will not affecttown population or existing developedneighborhoods.Heavy Industry Standards:If a landowner identifies a suitable location forheavy industry (using the locational criteriaabove), the proposed activity must also meetcertain performance standards to ensure it doesnot negatively affect adjoining properties orhealth and safety of Wright’s Mesa’s residents.Standards should address issues including but notlimited to:• Minimum setback of 200 feet from anyexisting or future residential property.• Screening of outside storage, waste andrefuse facilities, mechanical equipment,and loading facilities from public right ofway.• Maximum height of outdoor storage andstructures.• Vibration or noise beyond the propertyline (specific quantifiable measures to bedetermined).• Pollution prevention plan to address useof chemicals, types of waste generated,disposal methods, and potential impactson water and air.Why Do Farms and Ranches and ConservationMatter?Productive ranch and farm land is a valuable resourcethat can help provide jobs and an economic mainstayto a few people who work the land and provide manybenefits to the economy, environment, and heritage ofthe Norwood community. Yet, agricultural and ranchland is being developed at a rate higher thanpopulation growth around the west, especially nearpublic lands.To remain viable, ranch land should be retained inlarge, contiguous blocks to maintain a “critical mass”of farms and ranch land.A multitude of tools must address economic viabilityand options for landowners. (See Appendix B forsome discussion of tools.)The problem with 35-Acre Pattern of DevelopmentColorado’s 35-acre exemption law , passed in 1972,has proven to be a “savior and a curse” to farmersand ranchers, according to the Colorado FarmBureau, American Farmland Trust, and otherorganizations.On one hand, the law gives landowners the right tosubdivide and sell land. Although farmers often hateto see a neighbor's ranch being sold to newcomerslacking knowledge about farming. Land subdivisionand sales also can drive up property values and makea farm worth more or provide operating capital in theshort-term.On the other hand, the 35-acre subdivision isproblematic land use type because it creates lots thatare too large to manage for residential purposes buttoo small for viable farms and ranches. These lots canbecome “weed patches” that are a real nuisance tofarms and ranches nearby. The pattern of ranchettesalso contributes to:• Homes in potential wildfire areas.• Fragmented lot dividing and homes in wildlifehabitat areas, with roads and driveways thatobstruct migration paths and impede accessto public lands.• Counties with fiscal shortfall between theproperty tax new homeowners pay versus theactual costs incurred by counties in providingservices for homeowners in remote areas.• An opportunity for developers to skirtsubdivision laws.30
San Miguel County Wright’s Mesa Master PlanChapter 4. Future Land Use PlanRural Land Use OptionsOption A. Non-ContiguousDensity TransferHow Does it Work?To conserve agricultural lands or other resourcesand to place development in locations closer totown where it can be served by Norwood WaterCommission and town services, property ownersmay transfer density (units) from one property toanother.Either one property owner or more than oneproperty owner may work together to transferpotential development units from one “sendingproperty” to another “receiving property.” This isprovided that the owner of a sending parcel andthe owner of a receiving parcel can agree to aprice for the dwelling unit rights to be transferredthat the receiver pays. In addition, the owner ofthe sending parcel must agree to permanentlyreduce its development capacity (e.g., throughdeed restriction) and continue agriculturaloperations after the sale. The county will processsuch a development as a plat subdivision for upto 20 lots on the “receiving property.”Bonus Residential Lots and UnitsThe base density is 1 unit per 35 acres. Toprovide an incentive for land conservation,farmers and ranchers are eligible for bonusresidential units of up to 3 units per 35 acres, ifthey transfer these potential residential unitsaway from agriculture and ranch land to anotherparcel that is more suitable for development, asdescribed in the criteria that follow.Irrigated or productive agriculture land.An example of non-contiguous density transfer. The landowner of the 160-acre parcel conservesthat land, except for the original house. The receiving parcel is developed closer to town.31
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Wright's Mesa Master Plan - San Miguel County

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