LEADVILLE, Colo. — The Lake County Planning Commission on Monday, April 20, reviewed a proposed future land use map for the county’s updated comprehensive plan during a special meeting.
Planning Commission members present included Joey Edwards, Heather Lindh, David George and others. Jason Marufo and Ryan Hill were absent. The commission reviewed and discussed minutes from the April 6 meeting but took no formal action on them.
Community Planning & Development Director Anne Schneider and GIS Technician Shelby Seitzinger presented the draft map, which will be unveiled at a community meeting on April 28. The map uses color-coded place types to show the county’s vision for future development and conservation. It is distinct from the zoning map and serves as a policy guide.
Schneider explained the map’s main categories and referenced a matrix document in the chat for Zoom participants that details intensity, character, primary uses and discouraged activities for each place type. The map shows parcel boundaries for clarity.
Key designations on the map:
- Yellow: Existing residential neighborhoods.
- Gold/orange: Residential infill areas near utilities and services, primarily around Leadville.
- Black/gray: Mixed-use corridors along highways.
- Green: Conservation development areas protecting valley floors, floodplains, viewsheds and sensitive habitats.
- Pink: Rural and remote areas for very low-density uses.
- Brown: Commercial and industrial areas, including near the airport.
- Blue: Mining resource and recreation areas.
- Reclamation redevelopment areas: Sites with historic or ongoing mining activity suitable for future redevelopment.
- Hot pink: Rural node at the intersection of Highways 82 and 24 for mixed uses serving surrounding rural areas.
- Light gray: Civic, institutional and county-owned properties.
Heather Lindh discussed how the map builds on the previous version with refinements based on existing conditions, parcel data and community input. Commissioners asked questions about the rural and remote designation, its relation to backcountry zoning, potential transfer of development rights, and how the map handles long-term projects such as the Aurora Water Box Creek Reservoir proposal.
No public comments were offered during the meeting. Online participants included Jason and Matt. The full recording is available on YouTube.
The commission encouraged members to review the map and matrix and bring questions to the next meeting.
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