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HomeMy WebLinkAbout740613.tiff TCp q iiq.ry zp,P iT'�T Glen sin. 77e0 R ✓;i(ti. .0 f/counjh he w op 4.1(M2 f k qpp Ss. the p 18 7 d JO/°tnrh eof ase board ''JJ . D. Arehart JOHN D. HOOF DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAI 4J Governor Ezacuti a Director 1550 Lincoln St.. Room 208, Denver, Colors al)f1205""m.r, 303-892.2771 \\ ^'e "rc°mo x June 19, 1974 TO: All County Commissioners: • - The purpose of this letter is to spell out as clearly as possible what is required for participation in the 1041 program. About a month ago we furnished you an application form for participation in H. B. 1041. Since then the requirements of the law have been clarified by an Attorney General's opinion. We have also been able to develop some administrative policies. • Under Section 106-7-403 (2) (b) (II) county participation is dependent upon the county having a work plan for the use of technical and financial assist- ance and acceptance of that plan by this Department. Any plan that meets the following minimum requirements will be accepted and at least $25,000 will be paid promptly to that county. Any county that wishes to complete more than the minimum program is encouraged to do so, of course. MINIMUM 1041 WORK PLAN To participate in the program, a county must adopt a resolution setting forth the prominent features of the work plan and forward a copy to this Depart- ment. A sample resolution is enclosed. We are requesting that this step be completed by July 20, 1974. If there are any problems with a work plan which you send us we will contact you immediately. Section 106-3-9 sets the purpose of the money made available to counties under H. B. 1041: "To prepare, as a part of the comprehensive plan provided for in Section 106-2-5 and Article 59 of Chapter 139, C.R.S. 1963, a complete and detailed identification and designation of all matters of state interest within each county by June 30, 1976." The matters of state interest are to be selected from the following: Mineral Resource Areas Natural Hazard Areas (flood, geologic, forest fire) Historic and Archaeological Sites Wildlife Habitats Airports and Airport Areas Public Utilities Highways and Interchanges (These areas and activities are Mass Transit Facilities described more precisely in Water and Sewage Facilities Sections 106-7-201 through 204 Solid Waste Sites of the bill.) New Communities Water Projects Nuclear Detonations 740613 -2- Identification and formulation of guidelines are the first steps and designation and issuance of permits are the later steps in the procedures set out in Sections 106-7-401 through 502 of the act.' Certain counties will want to proceed as rapidly as possible to complete the designation of the most critical matters of state interest. Many other counties, however, will want to place their initial emphasis on comprehensive planning, identi- fication and formulation of guidelines. The act contemplates completion of the program by June 30, 1976. The work plan for the current year need not include a commitment to complete the designations during this first year. Minimum requirements are: 1. County must be committed to development of a comprehensive plan. • Section 106-3-9 in the bill requires that the identification program be a part of a comprehensive plan being developed under Section 106-2-5. There- fore, the resolution must include a commitment to develop a comprehensive plan as part of the work plan. Counties are encouraged to pool their funds for their identification and comprehensive planning programs through their regional organizations. - 2. County must submit examples of development pressures. The county must submit some examples to show "that current or reasonably foreseeable development pressures exist" within the county. The Attorney General's opinion notes that in Section 106-7-403 (2) (b) (I), the words "development pressures" have "an extremely broad meaning and encompass almost all types of activities affecting the character or use of land. . . It is noted that the amount of 'development pressures' or their nature do not affect the eligibility or amount of aid given as long as some 'development pressures' exist." 3. Use of financial and technical assistance. It should be understood that moneys received under H. B. 1041 may not be used simply for ordinary administrative expenses by local governments. The moneys must be used for matters related to the matters of state interest program specified in the act. Comprehensive tl r"ing is a necessary past of the identification step. The work plan should specify whether the funds, or any portion of them, will be transmitted to the regional organization, whether funds will be used for county planning staff or consultants, and priority matters in the county identification program can and should be listed from the total list. While a precise budget is not required, the general outline of your program for the year should be clear. 4. Agreement to meet standards for scope, detail, accuracy and compara- bility. Section 106-3-9 requires that the Department, in cooperation with applicable state agencies, "shall establish standards relative to the scope, detail, and accuracy of the program and shall insure that all information is comparable for each county." The resolution of the county should commit the county to abide by the standards developed by the Department in cooperation with applicable state agencies. Additional information on this, prepared by our Division of Planning, is enclosed. Other statutory requirements. Several other portions of the act and existing statutes are pertinent: (1) The last sentence in Section 106-3-9 states that "Each county shall, upon request of the municipality, assist the municipality in its identification and designation program." Participating counties must be willing to abide by this requirement of the statute. • (2) Section 106-7-405 requires that each local government submit a progress report to the Land Use Commission by November 13, 1974, (180 days after the effective date of the act:). (3) • The Local Government Audit Law requires that all .funds expended by a local government entity be audited annralty and this includes moneys received nndnr 1041. Additional information concerning H. B. 1041, together with suggestions for the preparation of the work plan, is enclosed. Additional information concerning standards, criteria, and guidelines and technical assistance being developed by the various appropriate state agencies will be forwarded as soon as possible. If you have any questions about these four items, please contact the Division of Plarning at 892-2178 immediately. I am sorry that we have been so long in developing this procedure, but because of the complexities in H. B. 1041, you can appreciate our concern in doing this correctly according to the law. Yours truly, J. D. Arehart JDA:jm Enclosures BEFORE THE BOARD OF (SAMPLE) =3OUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF STATE OF COLORADO WHEREAS, this Board has received a letter dated June 19, 1974, from the Executive Director, Department of Local Affairs, setting forth requirements of counties for eligibility for financial assistance pursuant to H. B. 1041 (1974), and WHEREAS, this County desires to participate in the program and to fully comply with the requirements of H.B. 1041 to effectuate proper planning within this county. " NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that: 1 . This County will make the program of identification and designation of matters of state interest a part of this county's compre- hensive planning program. • 2. This County will meet standards established by the Department of Local Affairs relative to scope, detail, accuracy and comparability. • 3. This County hereby finds that the following are examples of development pressures within the County: a. b. c. etc. 4. This County will submit a detailed work plan in compliance with the requirements of said letter indicating how financial and technical assistance will be used for identification and designation of matters of state interest within the territory of the county, including all municipalities. ***This Resolution should be returned to the Division of Local Government, Department of Local Affairs, Room 210, 1550 Lincoln, Denver, Colorado 80203, after Commissioner's signature. Hello