Montrose Citizens for Responsible Growth

Senator Jim Isgar & Rep. Ray Rose
Colorado State Legislature
200 E. Colfax
Denver, CO 80203

Dear Senator Isgar & Rep. Rose-

We are long-time Montrose residents, and are writing to urge you to support the “Predictability in Planning Act”- HB 07 1246. It is
undisputed that the rural west is experiencing unprecedented growth; and this bill allows local citizens and their elected representatives the flexibility to deal with it in a way that meets their local needs. It allows each community to choose whether its Master Plan will be used as an advisory document, or an adopted plan to be implemented.

We believe that good local planning is the key for each community to determine its future. This law will allow a degree of predictability and certainty which benefits everyone. Each community is free to choose the path which best reflects its citizens’ vision. Furthermore, the bill does not penalize or limit growth, change zoning powers, nor increase state influence over local communities.

We hope that you will lend your support to this bill’s passage, thereby giving local governments another option in carrying out their
citizens’ wishes.

Over the past several months we have watched - with considerable embarrassment, frustration, and dismay - as the Montrose County Planning Commission (dominated by three members) has struggled to proceed with our Master Plan revision… now belatedly, even debating the need for the revision. That need – mandated in the document itself – was reinforced approximately a year ago by a public declaration from legal and professional land use counsel – that our current version did not possess “sufficient exactitude” to be usable.

As it stands now, our county essentially has NO plan. The only beneficiaries of this status quo are the short term speculators and developers who will soon move on to other special places – leaving all of us to pick up the tab and live with the consequences. Everyone else benefits from the certainty of a plan.

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Notice: Please take the time to make public comment re: the wetlands permit request by Matt Miles now under review by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Sunday, March 4th, issue of the Montrose Daily Press has an article titled, ‘River Landing wetlands permit under review by Army Corps.’ It states:

“The federal agency that regulates the nation’s waterways has opened its review of the effects the River Landing Shopping Center will have on the Uncompahgre River and its associated wetlands.”
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Friends of the Uncompahgre (FORU) meeting this Tuesday, March 6th, 7 pm, Alpine Bank, East Main St., Montrose.

Our business will include:

Reports from the Board and discussion re:

• Water quality
• Wetlands permit request to Army Corps by Matt Miles
• Montrose City Comprehensive Plan Forums
• FORU Brochure
• Partnership Contact List and Letter of Invitation
• B.U.G. Water Symposium, Ridgway, 2/24/07
• URSA Uncompahgre River Stewardship Alliance
• Memorial for Tina Mayfield
• Other business

Planning Commission meeting at the County land use Bldg. (across from downtown City Mkt.)