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Land Use Regulations
In the spring of 2018, our community adopted a new Master Plan that defined a vision for Delta County’s future. The Master Plan establishes the vision, goals, and strategies as guidance for us to take action. Our vision includes six goals with strategic recommendations intended to promote a higher quality of life, stewardship of natural resources, and a fair and predictable land development process.
However, master plans are advisory documents only. Implementation occurs through public investments, program development, policy changes, and regulatory changes. Now it is time for the next step. The County, with support from RPI, is initiating a yearlong project to update our development regulations and align them with our Master Plan.
The County Commissioners want new land use regulations that find common ground around the appropriate regulatory tools and processes that will support economic investment, protect what we love about living here, and respect property rights.
Land use regulations are vitally important as they determine how, when, and where future development occurs across unincorporated Delta County. Land use regulations contain a toolbox that can be tailored to achieve a community’s goals by applying a variety of tools along a regulatory spectrum including rules, incentives, and guidelines. In our update process, we need to identify what we want to do better in our land use process, what barriers exist to achieve our goals, and what the right level of regulatory oversight should be for each tool to achieve our goals. To learn more about land use regulations, read our FAQs.
This land use regulations update process aims to:
The project includes three phases. One of the first tasks in the process is to build a solid understanding of where we are right now. First, we will review the Master Plan for all the strategy recommendations that are regulatory. Next, we will develop a better understanding of the current development pattern using a GIS assessment. Our goal is to understand how different our vision is from our existing conditions.
The Board of County Commissioners will have an opportunity to look at some of the GIS data, during a work session scheduled for Monday, February 4th at 1:00 pm, in room # 234 of the Delta County Courthouse.
While we are just getting started, the County will provide a variety of ways for residents to engage in this important discussion:
However, master plans are advisory documents only. Implementation occurs through public investments, program development, policy changes, and regulatory changes. Now it is time for the next step. The County, with support from RPI, is initiating a yearlong project to update our development regulations and align them with our Master Plan.
Why Is the Update Necessary?
The County Commissioners want new land use regulations that find common ground around the appropriate regulatory tools and processes that will support economic investment, protect what we love about living here, and respect property rights.
Land use regulations are vitally important as they determine how, when, and where future development occurs across unincorporated Delta County. Land use regulations contain a toolbox that can be tailored to achieve a community’s goals by applying a variety of tools along a regulatory spectrum including rules, incentives, and guidelines. In our update process, we need to identify what we want to do better in our land use process, what barriers exist to achieve our goals, and what the right level of regulatory oversight should be for each tool to achieve our goals. To learn more about land use regulations, read our FAQs.
This land use regulations update process aims to:
- Ensure due process with a fair and predictable development process for property owners.
- Provide clarity and assurances for residents and property owners about how land around them might develop.
- Create consistency between the vision and goals in the Master Plan with the land use regulations.
- Support decision making that better responds to unique infrastructure and needs around the county rather than one size fits all.
- Fosters more coordination between the County and municipalities on accomplishing shared goals.
What is the Process to Update the Regulations?
The project includes three phases. One of the first tasks in the process is to build a solid understanding of where we are right now. First, we will review the Master Plan for all the strategy recommendations that are regulatory. Next, we will develop a better understanding of the current development pattern using a GIS assessment. Our goal is to understand how different our vision is from our existing conditions.
The Board of County Commissioners will have an opportunity to look at some of the GIS data, during a work session scheduled for Monday, February 4th at 1:00 pm, in room # 234 of the Delta County Courthouse.
How Can I Be Involved?
While we are just getting started, the County will provide a variety of ways for residents to engage in this important discussion:
- Sign up for project update emails at www.deltacountyplan.com.
- Follow Delta County on Facebook.
- Participate in community learning events.
- Share your thoughts via email or the community online forum at any time during the process.
- Participate in scheduled meetings.
- Host a dialogue with County staff and your organization.