Larimer land use rules loom
February 10, 2009
Pull leather buckaroos, your land use rights are about to change.
For the uninitiated, land use rules affect your property's value, your ability to operate, and what you might like to do with your horse property in the future. Naturally, everyone wants to protect their land use rights.
The conflict develops however, as communities expand and the dusty, smelly side of horses along with an occasional owner who trashes the land, begin to offend newly-arrived neighbors. Horse owners, as well as those seeking horse activities, start to find themselves squeezed.
Hay fields give way to other development, and businesses that depend on the horse industry (an annual $1.6 billion and 21,300 jobs in Colorado) see shrinking clientele. Eventually, the rural – and often historic -- horse culture goes the way of the Native American Indians.
I know because I saw it happen in Santa Clara County -- home of Silicon Valley -- where I grew up.
The great horse-industry-disappearing-act plays out yet another scene today
as Larimer County government struggles with its horse business owners. Larimer’s efforts to institute general livestock restrictions failed three years ago following a bitter grass-roots battle and a clear directive from county commissioners, who tossed out the proposed restrictions.
Now Larimer has narrowed the target to horse businesses only, and plans two meetings this month to air the issue.
Jillian L'Ecuyer, President of the Larimer County Horseman's Association, encourages everyone to attend. Notes L'Ecuyer, “This will affect all those folks in Larimer County who board more than five horses at their facility, hold any public event at their facility, give riding lessons, etc ... Regardless, within the next year, there will be regulations in place that will be enforced by the county.”
It could be that Larimer has figured out a way to achieve its goals without destroying an industry or way of life. Find out by sharing your two cents’ worth 6 p.m., February 17 at the Larimer County Courthouse, Offices Bldg, 1st Floor 200 W Oak Street, Fort Collins, Colorado, or 6 p.m., February 19 at the Thomas M. McKee Building, 5260 Arena Circle (aka: The Ranch, aka: the county fairgrounds), Loveland, Colorado.
More information: L'Ecuyer -- 970-568-9526; Larimer -- 970-498-7681.
Other links:
Larimer County officials to review horse business rules
Larimer County Land Use Meeting Dec. 8, 2008
Larimer County Rural Land Use Center
Sponsored by: Poudre River Stables, KarinLivingston.com