The Alamosa County Board of County Commissioners voted to accept the deed of the 113-year-old Alamosa Spanish Cemetery and lease it back to the cemetery association, approved two land use code amendments, conveyed a county-owned parcel to the City of Alamosa for a childcare facility expansion, and updated an intergovernmental agreement with the regional trauma advisory council at its May 27 meeting. The board also received a tourism update from Visit Alamosa and a Stop the Bleed equipment report. No executive session was held.
Special Use Permit Approved; Subdivision Hearing Tabled
The board approved Special Use Permit 26-2 with amended conditions following a public hearing that drew no public comment. Land Use Director Richard Hubler outlined nine conditions, including requirements that the applicant obtain a CDOT access permit, install an ADA-accessible parking space, and show a zero tax balance. One condition was modified: the original requirement that the applicant apply for a CDOT access permit prior to the hearing changed to require the permit be obtained prior to operation. The board voted 3-0 to approve.
A second public hearing — conditional review of Minor Subdivision 25-007 for applicant Lily Munoz — was tabled to the June 10 meeting after Munoz did not appear. County Attorney Jason Kelly advised that tabling to a date certain would preserve the existing public notice and avoid the need to re-notice.
Land Use Code Amendments Approved
The board approved text amendments 26-02 to the county’s land use code, updating regulations governing accessory structures, storage containers, and temporary uses. Hubler said the amendments originated from questions between the board and the Planning Commission and carried a Planning Commission recommendation. The changes treat storage containers under 200 square feet the same as accessory sheds, remove prior requirements that containers be placed on a foundation or tied down, and address unpermitted containers already in the county.
The board debated a provision requiring a permit for Christmas tree sales, with commissioners expressing a preference for less regulation on small seasonal operations. One noted that if permits were not required for one type of temporary sale, they should not be required for farm stands either. The board approved the amendments with one modification: Christmas tree sales would be allowed without a permit under Section 3.72. The vote was 3-0.
Two members of the public commented during the hearing. One asked whether removing a permit requirement for Christmas tree sales would affect the county’s ability to collect sales tax — staff said sales tax is a state matter unrelated to land use permits. A second speaker asked how existing unpermitted shipping containers would be treated; Hubler said the more permissive rules would largely resolve prior compliance issues.
Historic Cemetery Deed to Transfer to County
The board voted 3-0 to enter a lease agreement with the Alamosa Spanish Cemetery Association contingent on the association deeding the property to the county. Katie Dokson of History Colorado and association representatives appeared before the board and presented minutes showing the association had recently reconstituted its membership, adding three new members — Sharon Chacon, Sarah Quintana, and Jackie Vigil — to achieve a five-member quorum.
Frank “Boogie” Romero Jr., the cemetery’s caretaker, told the board the cemetery dates to 1913 and holds 13 veterans. It serves anyone regardless of background and charges minimal burial fees — ranging from $100 to free — so cost is not a barrier. He said the transfer was driven by the advancing age of current caretakers and the desire to ensure the property has a permanent institutional home if the association were ever to dissolve.
Kelly said the mechanism would be a quitclaim deed from association president Charlie Griego, who holds signing authority under the bylaws, followed by the county immediately leasing the property back to the association to continue managing all operations. One commissioner raised the possibility of a deed restriction requiring the property remain a cemetery for at least 100 years. The board approved the agreement to proceed on that framework. A landscape architect has been hired to develop improvement plans for the cemetery, which is listed on both the Colorado and National Registers of Historic Places.
County Parcel Conveyed to City for Childcare Facility
The board voted 3-0 to deed a narrow county-owned parcel to the City of Alamosa to facilitate the Gingerbread House childcare facility’s planned expansion near Adams State University. Kelly told the board the parcel, originally deeded to the county in 1941 for cemetery purposes, had never been developed. Engineers staking the Gingerbread House project discovered planned modular buildings may encroach on the county property.
Commissioners discussed whether to deed the property outright, attach a reverter clause, or lease access. One commissioner expressed concern about setting a precedent of giving county property to nonprofits, but Kelly clarified the conveyance would be to the City of Alamosa — a government-to-government transaction — with the city then leasing to the Gingerbread House. The city’s representative said the city would accept a reverter clause. Commissioners found the parcel had no foreseeable county use and approved the deed unanimously.
Visit Alamosa Reports Strong Early 2026 Tourism
Cale Mortenson, executive director of Visit Alamosa, and board chair Deb Hankinson presented quarterly tourism data. National Park visitation reached approximately 432,000 in 2025, and lodging tax collections hit $1.08 million. Early 2026 showed a strong February and continued high occupancy through April, which Mortenson attributed in part to a warm, dry winter that pushed travelers toward the San Luis Valley when mountain ski destinations underperformed. The organization approved approximately $93,000 in event grant funding across 29 applications. Visit Alamosa launched a new marketing campaign built around five pillars — nature, people, culture, history, and flavor — and identified Arizona as an emerging target market based on new spending-pattern data.
RETAC Presents Stop the Bleed Kits; IGA Approved
Raina Martinez of the Regional Trauma Advisory Council presented Stop the Bleed bleeding-control kits installed in county buildings. Martinez said the 2026 national campaign focused on the theme “minutes matter” and that county employees across multiple departments had received training. Funding for the kits came from sales to community members who completed training. The board voted 3-0 to update its intergovernmental agreement with RETAC, extending the term from two to four years. Martinez also reported the county received a $170,000 CDOT grant to support regional trauma response, noting competition for the one-year grant was significant.
Floodplain Mapping and Levy Update
Hubler briefed the board on two floodplain-related processes. On the CWCB remapping effort, state water conservation board staff have completed most of Phase 1 baseline elevation work and asked the county whether to proceed to Phase 2 hydrological mapping, given federal funding for the regulatory Phases 3 and 4 has been suspended. The county’s position is that completing the data phases provides useful updated mapping for internal planning purposes even without a new FEMA flood insurance rate map. The county’s current map dates largely from 1974. A separate levy recertification involving a $3 million Army Corps feasibility study, jointly with the city, is expected to come before the board at the June 10 meeting for approval of a cost-share intergovernmental agreement.
Board and Staff Reports
Commissioners reported on recent activities including a police academy graduation, EMS week events, a ribbon cutting at the ValleyWide Support Services and Behavioral Health facility, opioid settlement meetings, and the Independent Ethics Commission. County Administrator Roni Wisdom reported a productive visit with West Centric Aviation at the San Luis Valley Regional Airport, noting the operator adopted a fuel discount for San Luis Valley Pilots Association members, waived landing fees for association members, and is close to hiring a mechanic. The county’s 911 dispatch center handled nearly 9,806 calls in the past month, including 1,400 emergency calls, while operating five to six positions short of full staffing.
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