HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-172-11/17/1987-LAND USE PLAN LARIMER COUNTY RESOLUTION 87-172
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
SETTING FORTH FINDINGS, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS
ON THE PROPOSED LARIMER COUNTY LAND USE PLAN
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins City Council has had the opportunity to
review the goals, objectives, policies, and map of the proposed Larimer
County Land Use Plan; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Fort Collins comprise approximately 45% of
the population of Larimer County and are directly affected by Larimer
County land use policies and philosophy; and
WHEREAS, the effective provision of public facilities and services,
the planned pattern of development expansion, and planning for areas
adjacent to the City of Fort Collins is of concern to the citizens of the
City; and
WHEREAS, since 1980, the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County have
cooperated in land use planning matters through the INTERGOVERNMENTAL
AGREEMENT FOR THE FORT COLLINS URBAN GROWTH AREA; and
WHEREAS, several goals and policy statements in the proposed County
Land Use Plan cause concern over the integrity and continuation of a viable
UGA Agreement; and
WHEREAS, urban densities and concentrations of land uses requiring
urban levels of service should be permitted only in urban growth areas
surrounding the municipalities of the county; and
WHEREAS, the Council would like to see the UGA principles strengthened
through the goals and policies of the proposed County Land Use Plan; and
WHEREAS, on Tuesday November 10, 1987, the Council conducted a work
session to discuss the elements of the proposed Larimer County Land Use
Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS that in the spirit of continued cooperation in land use planning
with Larimer County within the Fort Collins urban area, the Council forward
the attached set of comments and concerns on the proposed Larimer County
Land Use Plan to the Larimer County Planning Commission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution and attached set
of comments and concerns be sent to the Larimer County Board of
Commissioners.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of
Fort Collins held this 17th day of November, A 19
ATTEST:
Lii\t\tyy CCllgerk
STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED LARIMER COUNTY LAND USE PLAN
The City of Fort Collins has had the opportunity to review the proposed
Larimer County Land Use Plan. In reviewing the Plan's overall goals, the
City finds that it can support many basic goals and objectives of the Plan.
The most important goals to the City are those dealing with the cost
effective provision of public facilities and services, the planned pattern
of development expansion , and planning for areas adjacent to
municipalities. The City believes that the current UGA Agreements are the
appropriate implementation devices to address these goals.
While the City can support the overall goals of the Plan, it is some of the
policies of the Plan that we are having difficulties understanding. In the
our opinion, the policies are unclear. It is difficult to understand what
the clear intent of the Plan is in terms of it's land use philosophy.
Perhaps there is not a difference of philosophy between the City and County
about land use policies, but the vagueness of the policies leads the City
to voice several concerns.
As viewed by the City, the plan should set the stage for actions which will
prevent urban sprawl and the costly duplication of services; or additional
pressure on the County government to become an urban service provider. The
City feels urban development should be concentrated within the areas of
municipal expansion where the cities of the county can adequately and
economically provide the full range of urban services. We are willing to
work with the County to help clarify the areas of concern.
The City is interested in the Plan because the constituencies of the County
and City governments overlap, City taxpayers pay County taxes and are,
thus, directly affected by County land use philosophy and policies. The
citizens of the City represent more than 45% of the total County
population,and when combined with Loveland, the two cities represent 65% of
the county's population. The vast majority of the county's residents thus
live in an urban, and not a rural , environment.
Since 1980, the County and the two cities have operated successful urban
growth management programs through the adopted Intergovernmental Urban
Growth Area Agreements. The City would like to see the effectiveness of the
UGAs strengthened by the goals and policies of the proposed Plan. The
cities should be responsible for providing for urban growth management and
urban services while the County should focus on rural development and the
provision of rural services. This is based on the sound economic logic of
economies of scale and avoids duplication of planning efforts and service
provisions between the two governments.
The City interprets the Plan as setting forth policies which could allow
the establishment of new areas of urban development outside of municipal
expansion areas and the reliance on special districts to provide services
to future residents. The City believes the UGA Agreements have been an
excellent tool in managing urban development. They have reduced sprawl and
the environmental and fiscal impacts of unfettered development. The City
would not like to see the effectiveness of the UGA concept reduced by
establishing a plan which would allow the consideration of new urban
development areas.
In addition to the above general statements the City has the following
specific comments:
1 . Fort Collins/Loveland Corridor.
The preservation of a separation between the cities of Fort
Collins and Loveland has been a goal of the Comprehensive
Plans of the County and the respective cities for some time.
While the Plan describes the intent and allowable density of
the area (low density residential ) , the City thinks
additional work is needed for the corridor area, including
the proposed employment center at its eastern edge, and
suggests a joint planning effort similar to the effort
devoted to the foothills area last year. This work would
need to define specific land uses, open space, or development
design policies providing guidance as to how the corridor is
to be achieved. The City feels the Plan should incorporate
more specific development design policies for the area which
are equitable for all parties, both public and private,
concerned with development of the area.
2. Rural Non-Farm Area North of the Fort Collins Municipal
Expansion Area.
The designation of the Rural Non-Farm area north of the
City's Municipal Expansion Area may not be consistent with
the basic premise that areas needed for municipal expansion
should be protected from development which would to deter
future urbanization. This particular area has a close
proximity to the City's Central Business District that could
make it attractive to urban development in the future. The
City thinks additional planning work is necessary to
investigate its urban potential and would like to work with
the County to establish mutually beneficial public policy
guidance for the area.
The draft Larimer County Land Use Plan is vague in many details. It could
be said that our concerns come from not what it says, but what it doesn't
say.
Therefore, we believe it is important to clarify language in the Land Use
Plan on page 37, to ensure that the plan continues to maintain the major
precepts of the UGA Agreements. Simply stated the cities are the urban
service providers, the county the rural service provider.
The following changes are proposed to clarify the interface of the UGA
Agreement and the County's land use policies.
LAND USE PLAN
The basic premises of the Plan and land use map can be described
succinctly:
- Urban development will occur only in the cities, or in the
municipal expansion areas adjacent of the cities where
urban-level services can be provided by the city governments,
thereby, reducing the demand for urban services from the
County government. Areas needed for municipal expansion will
be protected from development which would deter future
urbanization and the economical provision of urban services.
- The County will follow the traditional separation of
governmental roles -- cities providing urban services and
counties providing rural services -- in order to avoid
duplication of effort. The County government will encourage
cooperation among governmental entities and service providing
agencies involved in urban growth management.
- The County will work with other governmental entities and
service providing agencies to promote and encourage job
creation and desirable economic growth within the cities of
the county or in their adjacent municipal expansion areas.
Major employment centers may require locations at key sites
along major transportation corridors within municipal
expansion areas.
- Demand will continue for non-urban residential development.
Low-density residential uses should locate in areas not needed
for urban expansion, where existing services are adequate, and
where residential uses will not conflict with existing or
potential agricultural uses.
- Agriculture and other rural development will locate in areas
not needed for urban expansion, where they can be protected
from the encroachment of incompatible urban uses.
- Foothills and mountain development will in-fill areas where
existing services, appropriate to the use are located, or will
locate in new planned communities where adequate service
capability can be economically developed.
- All future development must be planned to be harmonious with
the natural environment.
The intent of the Land Use Plan and map is to establish a rational basis
for decision-making which will be useful to the many public and private
parties responsible for building the future over the next 25 years.
The City appreciates the opportunity to present the County with our
thoughts and reactions to the proposed Plan. The City looks forward to
working with the County in the resolution of these issues and the adoption
of this Plan.