Planning and Zoning Commission

David Roesch Chairman

The purpose of this Chapter is to conserve and promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the present and future residents of the City, by encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout the city, creating a vital, cohesive, well-designed community to enhance the City's character and further the citizens' goals as identified in the City of Walsenburg's Comprehensive Plan.
To accomplish this end, this chapter establishes zoning districts and appropriate regulations for the control of the height, area, bulk, location and use of buildings and premises. These regulations are held to be minimum requirements designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population in certain areas; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements; and to maintain stable values of land and buildings. This Chapter is designed to:

Encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the City;
Encourage innovative, quality site design, architecture and landscaping;
Encourage new developments to relate to City's historic development pattern;
Promote compact, well-defined, sustainable neighborhoods that enhance City's character;
Create livable neighborhoods that foster excessive community and reduce dependency on private vehicles;
Encourage the proper arrangement of streets in relation to existing and planned streets and insurers that streets facilitate safe, efficient and pleasant walking, biking and driving;
Provide a variety of lot sizes and housing types every neighborhood;
Protect sensitive natural and historic areas in the City's environmental quality;
Integrate a high-quality natural environment into the developed portions of the community;
Facilitate the adequate and efficient provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, parks and other public requirements; and
Provide protection from geologic, flood and fire hazards and other dangers.

Description

The Planning and Zoning Commission is an organization established to assist residents to comply with ordinances associated with the development process in Walsenburg, CO.

Mission Statement

The overall mission of the Planning &, Zoning Commission is to improve the safety, quality of life, and environment for the present and future generations. We will accomplish this mission by ethically and without prejudice, assisting our residents in understanding and complying with the ordinances and dealing with the environmental and development process in Walsenburg.

Article 1. - General Provisions | Municipal Code | Walsenburg, CO | Municode Library

This chapter establishes zoning districts and appropriate regulations for the control of the height, area, bulk, location and use of buildings and premises. These regulations are held to be minimum requirements designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population in certain areas; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements; and to maintain stable values of land and buildings. View this important chapter.

Commission Meetings

The Walsenburg Planning &, Zoning Commission meets in Regular Session on the 2nd Wednesday of each month starting at 6:00pm. They may meet in Special Session at other times throughout the year and generally holds a second meeting on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 6pm.

The Most Popular

Special Use

Please click here: Article 3. - Procedures | Municipal Code | Walsenburg, CO | Municode Library

Variances

Please click here: Article 3. - Procedures | Municipal Code | Walsenburg, CO | Municode Library

Rezoning

Please click here: Article 3. - Procedures | Municipal Code | Walsenburg, CO | Municode Library

Membership and Terms of Office

The Walsenburg Planning and Zoning Commission is governed by Ordinance No. 1119 with the membership and terms of office defined as follows.

The Planning Commission consists of the Mayor, a member of City Council and 5 members who shall be bona fide residents of the City of Walsenburg. The Commission nominates members and City Council makes the appointments.
Resident members serve 3 year terms commencing on July 1st and ending on June 30th. Terms are staggered so the term of no more than two members expire each year.
Resident members may not hold any other elected or appointed position in the City of Walsenburg.
The City Administrator is required to attend meeting and act in an advisory role but has no vote.

Duties

The principle duty of the Planning Commission is the creation and maintenance of the municipal master plan. see CRS 31-23-206

In Walsenburg the Planning Commission also acts as the Zoning Board of Adjustment. see CRS 31-23-307

The Walsenburg Planning Commission was originally created in 1960 through Ordinance No. 532 under the authority granted by Article 59 Chapter 139 Sections 1-24 of the 1953 Colorado Statutes.

The state law allows certain local modifications may be made by ordinance and the City has done so in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018.

Colorado law has subsequently changed and Planning Commissions are currently authorized by Title 31 Article 24 Section 202 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.

In 2011 through Ordinance No. 997 the Planning Commission was enlarged to 9 members but otherwise made to conform to the guidance in statute. (3 ex-officio 6 resident)
In 2013 through Ordinance No. 1037 the Planning Commission was reduced to 7 members (2 ex-officio 5 resident)
In 2015 through Ordinance No. 1066 the Planning Commission structure was modified to remove the Council representative (1 ex-officio 6 resident)
In 2018 through Ordinance No. 1119 the existing Planning Commission structure was established (2 ex-officio 5 resident)

References

ZONING MAP
Title 31 Article 23 Part 2 - Municipal Planning Commissions
In 2010 City Attorney Dan Hyatt outlined how the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment works in 2 emails which are attached to Ordinance No. 532