HomeMy WebLinkAbout20170174.tiffSUMMARY OF THE WELD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
A regular meeting of the Weld County Planning Commission was held in the Weld County
Administration Building, Hearing Room, 1150 O Street, Greeley, Colorado. This meeting was called to
order by Chair, Bruce Sparrow, at 12:30 pm.
Roll Call.
Present: Bruce Johnson, Bruce Sparrow, Cherilyn Barringer, Gene Stille, Jordan Jemiola, Joyce
Smock, Michael Wailes, Terry Cross, Tom Cope.
Also Present: Chris Gathman, Department of Planning Services; Hayley Balzano, Department of
Planning Services — Engineering Division; Lauren Light, Department of Health; Janet Lundquist, Public
Works; Bob Choate, County Attorney, and Kris Ranslem, Secretary.
ID* Motion: Approve the December 20, 2016 Weld County Planning Commission minutes, Moved by
Tom Cope, Seconded by Joyce Smock. Motion passed unanimously.
I' CASE number: USR16-0035
APPLICANT: Otto & Karen Luhrs
PLANNER: Chris Gathman
REQUEST: A Site Specific Development Plan and Use by Special Review Permit for any use permitted
as a Use by Right, an Accessory Use, or a Use by Special Review in the
Commercial or industrial zone districts (parking and storage of construction
vehicles, materials and equipment along with offices associated with the
construction company and a campground for five (5) spaces RV/camper
spaces, provided that the property is not a Lot in an approved or recorded
SUBDIVISION PLAT OR LOTS PARTS OF A MAP OR PLAN FILED PRIOR
TO ADOPTION OF ANY REGULATIONS CONTROLLING SUBDIVISIONS IN
THE A (AGRICULTURAL) ZONE DISTRICT.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: PART S2NW4 SECTION 25, Ti N, R68W of the 6th P.M., Weld County,
Colorado.
LOCATION: East of and adjacent to CR 11 and approximately 1,300 feet south of CR 6.
Chris Gathman, Planning Services, presented Case USR16-0035, reading the recommendation
and comments into the record. The Department of Planning Services recommends approval of this
application with the attached conditions of approval and development standards.
Commissioner Stille referred to Section 23-2-220.A.6 and asked to review the language for a situation
like this where the property is defined as "prime" farmland; however it is not farmed.
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Janet Lundquist, Public Works, reported on the access to the site.
Hayley Balzano, Engineering, reported on the drainage conditions for the site.
D` Lauren Light, Environmental Health, reviewed the public water and sanitary sewer requirements,
on -site dust control, and the Waste Handling Plan.
Otto Luhrs, 1672 CR 11, stated that he is proposing to store equipment onsite for a concrete
company. He added that the campground is proposed for the employees that travel from project to
project.
Commissioner Smock asked to clarify if only the companys employees are allowed to stay overnight in
the RVs. Mr. Luhrs said that it is not open to the public. He added that it is only for the employees for
the company. He said that they could stay for up to a month or longer depending on the project that
they are working on.
Commissioner Cope asked if they should consider a time limit of how long an RV/camper is allowed to
stay on site so it doesnt become a full-time living space for someone. Mr. Luhrs said that if there is a
time limit he would like to request six (6) months. Mr. Gathman stated that there has previously been
an approved RV campground for a 30 day stay or less; however he added that it isnt defined in the
code.
Mr. Gathman said that there have been some previous discussions regarding man camps, which is
more of a permanent housing at a facility. He added that there have been USRs approved with a
limitation on how long they can be out there to avoid man camps. The Board of County
Commissioners indicated that they didnt want a man camp defined in the code; therefore Mr. Gathman
recommended that there be a limitation on how long they are allowed to stay. Mr. Gathman indicated
one possible difference with this facility is that employees will be living at the same site as the business
versus living at a site and commuting to work sites.
Commissioner Stille said it is a great idea; however he is concerned on how it will be regulated.
Mr. Gathman said that instead of specifically tying the RV to the employees he suggested that we
could just list the five (5) RV camping spaces related to the business.
Bob Choate, County Attorney, said that it is virtually unenforceable if you are going to use time limits.
He said that the two options are to either tie it to the construction business through a development
standard or it is entirely separate. He added that if the construction business goes away then the RV
permission would go away. Mr. Choate said that he can recommend language if the Planning
Commission wants to tie it to the construction business.
Commissioner Wailes said that he was concerned with the potential of full-time living campgrounds.
He would like to see it tied to the construction company; however the RVs dont necessarily need to be
owned by the company.
Mr. Choate recommended amending Development Standard 3 to read "Hours of operation for the
construction business are 5 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday. The campers and RVs may only
be occupied by persons associated with the construction business."
Commissioner Jemiola said that he feels the hours of operation should be changed to a 24 hour
operation because there will be vehicles outside of those hours accessing the site. Commissioner
Stille agreed with Mr. Choates recommendation as well as the hours of operation.
The Chair asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to speak for or against this
application. No one wished to speak.
Motion: Amend Development Standard 3 to read "Hours of Operation are 24 hours per day, 365
days per year. The campers and RVs may only be occupied by persons associated with the
construction business, Moved by Michael Wailes, Seconded by Gene Stille. Motion carried
unanimously.
The Chair asked the applicant if they have read through the amended Development Standards and
Conditions of Approval and if they are in agreement with those. The applicant replied that they are in
agreement.
Motion: Forward Case USR16-0035 to the Board of County Commissioners along with the
Conditions of Approval and Development Standards with the Planning Commissions recommendation
of approval, Moved by Jordan Jemiola, Seconded by Bruce Johnson.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 9).
Yes: Bruce Johnson, Bruce Sparrow, Cherilyn Barringer, Gene Stille, Jordan Jemiola, Joyce Smock,
Michael Wailes, Terry Cross, Tom Cope.
The Chair asked the public if there were other items of business that they would like to discuss. No
one wished to speak.
The Chair asked the Planning Commission members if there was any new business to discuss.
The Chair referred to Commissioner Jemiolas statement that he would like the violation process to be
more transparent in knowing how the violations are initiated. Mr. Gathman said that a lot of times
Zoning Compliance doesnt know who initiated the complaint as they are submitted anonymously.
The Chair asked about reviewing the language in the county code regarding prime farmland. Mr.
Gathman said that in his staff report he put in the caveat that this is a site that is already improved and
developed. Commissioner Stille said that even though the soil tests says it is prime the County needs
to have some language to say that it is not prime as it is not farmed.
Commissioner Johnson asked if there is still consideration of reducing the number of meetings per
month since there has only been one case per hearing. Mr. Gathman stated that next couple hearings
will have three to five cases per hearing. Commissioner Sparrow noted that there are 13 cases listed
for current planning cases.
Commissioner Jemiola asked staff to update him on what is happening with transportation, specifically
with 1-25 and MPO. Ms. Lundquist provided updates on CDOT plans and grants as well as for
Highway 85 and County Road 49 improvements.
Meeting adjourned at 1:36 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
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Kristine Ranslem
Secretary
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