Chaffee County commissioners approved $564,450 in discretionary funding for 11 community partners at their February 3 meeting and unanimously appointed Beth Helmke as permanent county administrator pending contract negotiations. The board denied Kurt and Jayme Baumgardner’s appeal to reduce creek setbacks from 300 feet to 100 feet on their County Road 306 property west of Buena Vista. Commissioners also approved waste diversion agreements with three municipalities, denied a rezoning fee refund request, and authorized carrying forward Private Activity Bond allocation for affordable housing. The board held four executive sessions for legal advice on litigation and personnel matters.
Setback Appeal Denied
The board denied the Baumgardners’ request to reduce their required setback from Cottonwood Creek from 300 feet to 100 feet. The land use code, effective January 1, 2025, requires the 300-foot distance based on wildlife habitat mapping that combines waterway and high-quality habitat designations.
Planner Nick Gomer presented the staff denial, noting wildlife habitat maps use 150-foot resolution pixels that may not provide appropriate detail for individual properties. Colorado Parks & Wildlife recommended a 100-foot setback during consultations with the couple’s ecological consultant. Neighboring properties sit approximately 100 feet from the creek under grandfathering provisions.
Adjacent property owner Mark Carvey opposed the variance. A motion to modify the setback to 200 feet failed. A subsequent motion to formally affirm the staff denial also failed for lack of a second.
With both motions failing, the original administrative denial stands. Planning Director Miles Cottom said staff will prepare a resolution documenting the hearing for the February 17 meeting.
Administrator Appointment
Beth Helmke’s appointment as permanent county administrator follows a 14-day public posting period after commissioners selected her as sole finalist from internal candidates. She progressed through county positions from public information officer to deputy administrator to interim administrator. The board will negotiate contract terms for the next meeting.
Rezoning Fee Denied
Commissioners unanimously denied Bill Alderton’s request for a $2,500 refund of his April 2025 rezoning application fee for property on East Highway 50. The application was rendered moot when the property was rezoned through the legislative glitch bill process, but staff had already completed substantial work.
Staff advised Alderton before he filed that he could wait for the glitch bill legislative rezone process, but he chose to proceed with the individual application anyway. The property is in the Salida municipal planning area, requiring referral to the city.
The City of Salida requested a pre-annexation agreement before the rezoning could proceed. Staff completed technical review, held a neighborhood meeting, coordinated with the city on the pre-annexation agreement, and conducted agency referrals before the application became moot.
The application never reached public hearing at either the planning commission or board level. Staff estimated typical rezoning applications require approximately 20 hours of work. Commissioners determined the county performed services warranting the fee.
Community Partner Funding
The board authorized $564,450 in discretionary funding for community partners including Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition, Chaffee County Community Foundation, Early Childhood Council, Economic Development Corporation, Housing Trust, Greater Arkansas River Nature Association, Energy Smart Colorado, Mountain Valley Transit, Recycle Colorado, Salida Mountain Trails, and Southwest Conservation Corps.
Waste Diversion Agreements
Commissioners approved agreements with Salida, Buena Vista, and Poncha Springs to channel Extended Producer Responsibility funding through the county for regional waste diversion programs. The state provides fees from packaging producers to local governments for recycling goals. Municipalities will direct their allocated funds to the county for coordinated waste diversion services.
Tourism Management
Commissioners approved the destination management council budget, consolidating previous contractor arrangements through Destination IQ. The council will focus on shoulder season initiatives, agritourism, heritage tourism, dark sky programming, and family-focused visitation. The plan includes ongoing monitoring and reporting.
Other Actions
The board approved filing IRS form 8328 to carry forward the county’s 2025 Private Activity Bond allocation of $1.3 million by the February 15 deadline. The process allows aggregation of amounts over three years for affordable housing projects.
Commissioners approved a geographic information system services contract with Custom Geospatial Solutions for up to 10 hours weekly as a bridge contract. The firm’s principal is Eric Lubell, the county’s former GIS coordinator.
The board approved a letter joining more than 50 Colorado counties expressing concerns to state legislators about unfunded mandates, particularly landfill regulations and state directives without corresponding funding.
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