The Chaffee County Commissioners officially adopted the updated Land Use Code on 11/19/24 and it goes into effect on 1/1/25. Chaffee County officially started working on the land use code update in January of 2022. The implementation of the new LUC will end the building moratorium the county enacted in June 2022.
I attended an information session yesterday hosted by County Planning Director Miles Cottom. Here are some of the highlights and links to more information.
- Here is a link to download the complete Update Chaffee County Land Use Code
- The County made some major improvemets to their GIS Mapping System. You can search for a property by address, parcel number, property owner’s name, or by scrolling on the map. On the left side there are a lot of layers you can add or remove from the map. Some of the new ones are: zoning, wildfire risk, FEMA flood plains, slope over 30%.
- Section 2.1.3 – Land Use by Zoning District has been updated. It starts on page 22. The is a table per zoning district that explains what uses are allowed and what approval process is needed.
- Section 2.4.2.1 – Subdivision Density was one of the most debated portions of the LUC update. The county used to have a minimum lot size based on the zoning district. For example, previously the min lot size for a rural parcel with septic and well was 2 acres. The new code specifies subdivision density, not lot size. That gives developers more flexibility in neighborhod design and lot size. There will be no min lot size, but the below max density restrictions apply.
- Section 2.3.3 – Accessory Dwelling Units. For the purposes of Table 2.4.2.1, Maximum Density and Minimum Open Space by Zoning District, accessory dwelling units are counted as:
- 1. 0.5 dwelling units if connected to a water well and OWTS, except as provided in subsection B.2.b., below; or
2. 0 dwelling units if:- a. Connected to a public water system, regardless of whether connected to an OWTS; or
- b. Constructed on a lot of record created prior to January 1, 2025 in the AR or RR zoning district.
- 1. 0.5 dwelling units if connected to a water well and OWTS, except as provided in subsection B.2.b., below; or
The new Chaffee County Land Use Code is easy to search using the pdf document. The County Planning Department is super helpful, so don’t be shy about giving them a call to answer questions.