During its regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved a final plat amendment for Rock Ridge Estates on Great West Avenue.
This property borders other properties that are part of a separate proposed development within the town of Pagosa Springs town limits — Ponderosa Mountain.
According to the information attached to the meeting’s agenda, “The purpose of this action is to amend the original plat by subdividing the existing lot to delineate the different land uses.”
The packet explains that “Lot 1Z-1 Block D will be approximately 7.641 acres and accommodates mobile homes, while Lot 1Z-2 Block D will be approximately 2.904 acres and accommodates multiple RV sites.”
It adds, “The Mobile Home Park zoning district allows both uses as a use by right.”
The Archuleta County Planning Commission voted 3-0 during its regular meeting on Sept. 24 to recommend approval of this project with multiple conditions attached.
County Manager Longinos Gonzalez noted that no written public comment has been received regarding this project.
There were no public comments in favor or against this project during the BoCC meeting.
The four conditions attached to the project include that the plat title must read “Rock Ridge Country Estates Amendment,” that a 12-foot-wide easement for the jointly adopted Town-to-Lakes Trail be included on the northeastern boundary of the plat, that the right of way widths of Great West Avenue and Baldwin’s Court be dedicated on the plat, and that each lot would need to meet current codes for its primary use, including development standards for RV park and mobile homes.
Commissioner Veronica Medina offered comments related to housing needs in the community, explaining that housing has been a priority for both the town and the county.
“We can’t do this on our own,” she said, mentioning that people come to Pagosa Country and then end up having to leave “because they can’t find housing.”
She also expressed that it’s not the responsibility of local governments to spend tax dollars on housing.
“I don’t feel like it’s the responsibility of county government to spend tax dollars on housing for the public,” Medina said, adding, “We absolutely need to encourage developers to come to our community and develop reasonably.”
Medina mentioned she recently suggested the county “start over” with its land use code and look at what it required by the state.
“Some may think that’s ignorant, but what’s ignorant is trying to do the same thing that we’ve been doing, and obviously it’s not working, because we still have people that are unhoused,” she said.
Medina also mentioned that multiple organizations are working on housing solutions, and employers are even looking at purchasing housing for their employees.
“It’s just not enough; we need help,” she said, mentioning that the only way to solve housing issues is by the community working together. “And if we have regulations, we need to enforce them, and if we’re not enforcing this regulation, let’s be serious about what we’re doing in our county.”
Commissioner John Ranson indicated that the county has started down the path of rewriting its land use code.
He commented that the county’s current code is more than 300 pages, whereas the state only has 40 pages of requirements.
“I’m looking forward to adjusting it before we bring somebody on in the Planning Department,” he said.
Ranson commented that he’d like to see the land use code cut down to a “reasonable level,” mentioning that with 300 pages of code it’s difficult to abide by every regulation and still get things done.
“No wonder people come here and then leave. It’s too much,” he said.
Commissioner Warren Brown commented, “In my opinion, it’s not the government’s responsibility to house people. It is our responsibility, however, to try to form public and private partnerships.”
Brown mentioned that if “planting seed money” for the private community to address and take care of housing needs is for the betterment of the community, “then that’s what we should do.”
He added, “[The county] shouldn’t ever be in charge of housing.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
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