In April, the town of Mancos plans to begin the long process of updating its land-use code, for the first time in about 20 years.
On Tuesday, Town Administrator Heather Alvarez announced the town will hold two meetings on proposed changes to the land-use code, on April 17 and 18. They will be the first of a series of meetings throughout the project, which Alvarez estimated would take at least a year. The town also plans to create a link on its website where residents can submit feedback online.
Alvarez said the last time the town updated the code in its entirety was in the late 1990s. The code establishes zoning districts within town limits and a wide range of construction regulations, from electricity requirements for various buildings to building permit applications.
The city recently secured a $25,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs to cover part of the update’s $60,000 cost. The rest of the funding will come from the 2018 town budget.
Public feedback will be essential throughout the update process, Alvarez said. Later meetings haven’t been scheduled yet, but she said the meetings on April 17 and 18 would be the first of many through February 2019.
“I don’t want to rush anything, and I want to make sure everyone has a chance to comment,” Alvarez said.
The town originally planned to start soliciting public feedback earlier in the year, she said, but she decided to wait until the Planning and Zoning Commission became more stable. The Town Board has shrunk the commission to five members, including alternates, and plans to appoint new commissioners on April 25.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will be responsible for reviewing proposed changes and offering suggestions to the Town Board, although the mayor and trustees have the final say on the update.
Public-input meetings will begin at 1 p.m. on April 17 in the Mancos Community Center on Grand Avenue and at 7 p.m. in Mancos Town Hall, 117 N. Main St. Alvarez didn’t give a date when people will be able to submit feedback online, but she said the link should be up on the Mancos website sometime in April.
The current land-use code can be found on the Mancos website by clicking the “Government” tab, then the “Municipal Code” tab.