Government & Politics  February 24, 2017

Windsor, Weld County establish shared development standards

WINDSOR — Weld County and the town of Windsor have finalized an agreement for a set of common development standards that will be used for unincorporated areas of the county that are on the outskirts of the town’s limits.

The proposed standards will make sure that development within the town’s growth-management area is consistent with the county and town’s desires regarding site access, screening, lighting, signs and paving materials.

  • Site access refers to shared access points or other mutually approved alternatives to the adjacent county road to avoid multiple driveways onto future arterial roads.
  • Screening pertains to developers proposing outdoor storage and/or nonresidential uses that may have negative impacts on neighboring residential properties within 1,000 feet. Those structures will need to be screened from view by opaque fencing, earth berms, dense landscaping, hardscaping or any combination. Opaque fencing as defined in the standards won’t include chain-link fencing with slats.
  • All lighting fixtures, including wall-pack lighting and other service area and security lighting, shall be mounted so that light is directed downward.  Light sources shall be concealed or shielded to minimize up-light, spill-light, glare and unnecessary diffusion on neighboring properties.
  • Freestanding signs shall meet a minimum setback distance of 15 feet from the property line and are encouraged to be mounted on a monument base. Pole-mounted signs are prohibited.  Signs will not exceed 16 feet in height or 72 square feet per side of sign.
  • All parking lots and driveways that are designed to be used for employee, visitor or customer parking with direct access to a town street shall be paved with asphalt, concrete or other material mutually approved by the county and town. All parking lots and driveways shall include an approved method of tracking control to prevent tracking of mud and debris onto town streets.

“Completing this agreement with Windsor is a great step toward working together on development,” said Weld County commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer, coordinator for the planning department this year. “This agreement will help us maintain consistent design and development goals for projects near Windsor’s boundaries, which is beneficial for both the town and for the residents.”

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Tom Parko, manager of Weld County’s planning department, said the county will first ask a developer who wants to build on a site within the common area to reach out to the municipality and discuss annexation.

“If the municipality and developer cannot agree on terms of an annexation, the developer can proceed with the project under the county’s process,” he said.

“It is at this point when the common development standards come in to play – ensuring the development, while not in the municipality, is consistent with the municipality’s development goals.”

Windsor is the first municipality to take partner with the county for this process, Kirkmeyer said.

The county is hoping to work with all municipalities to develop agreements to match each municipality’s development and growth goals.

“It’s always good planning when the county and a municipality work together to achieve common standards and work cooperatively on regional issues,” Parko said. “That’s what these agreements will allow us to do.”

 

WINDSOR — Weld County and the town of Windsor have finalized an agreement for a set of common development standards that will be used for unincorporated areas of the county that are on the outskirts of the town’s limits.

The proposed standards will make sure that development within the town’s growth-management area is consistent with the county and town’s desires regarding site access, screening, lighting, signs and paving materials.

  • Site access refers to shared access points or other mutually approved alternatives to the adjacent county road to avoid multiple driveways onto future arterial roads.
  • Screening pertains to developers proposing outdoor storage and/or nonresidential…

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