El Paso County’s Mark Gephart is working with the land development code revisions, and he said the revision is under way because of recommendations from an outside consultant who identified areas of the county that needed reorganizing in order to enhance best business practices. The consultant suggested revising the land development regulations, in part, to match the county’s overall operational design.”Land use is regulated through zoning and subdivision regulations as contained within the land development code of the county,” Gephart said. The county has held several work sessions to fine-tune the land-use regulations and the processes utilized regarding building permits, new development, etc.One of the issues that has been heavily discussed is the water supply and how it relates to land development codes. Recommendations for water supply issues, to name a few, include clarifying what constitutes a significant change in water supply, evaluating the relationship of the planning commission in the findings on water sufficiency and encouraging water conservation. Other topics: roadway functions, utilities, animal regulations (do the current county animal allowances meet the needs of the community?), lighting standards (light pollution), second dwellings and rezoning.Gephart said the committee plans to go through an adoption process this fall, which includes a public hearing process followed by the commissioners’ approval.For more information, visit the Web site at www.elpasoco.com.
