Project Description:

The Town of Ridgway has a successful downtown rooted in being a Colorado Main Street community and a Creative District. By developing public-private partnerships, the Town has leveraged local financing to attract outside investment. The result was increased development applications and population growth over the last decade.

In recent years, the Town has increasingly heard from the development community and applicants that the development review process was arduous, unpredictable, and was a major barrier to reinvestment in properties. With CPS as their contracted planner, the Planning Commission sought to pursue targeted updates to Chapter 7 Planning and Zoning over a multi-phased process. Following some listening sessions, education, and work sessions between Town staff, CPS, and the Planning Commission, the primary objectives of updating Chapter 7 were to: 1) clarify the zoning and subdivision review process; 2) remove contradictions and duplication between code sections; and 3) create a structure that can easily be updated in the future. Over the course of the eight-month process, CPS, in close collaboration with the Planning Commission, developed a phased approach resulting in a restructuring of Chapter 7, fully revamped and clarified review procedures, and a list of standards to be updated in the near future. Upon adoption of the revised Chapter 7, it was understood that this was not the end, but the start of annual targeted updates to address standards and other provisions as needed.

With the updated process being adopted a short three months ago, there haven’t been a significant number of applications received, however, incorporating additional processes that respond to market demands such as a site plan, a condominium plat, and administrative adjustments, the feedback is turning positive and the community is excited to partner with developers in a more fair, equitable, and predictable manner.