Stable land use rules: Low score wins

FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- The more points a stable earns, the harder it would be to get approval for doing business under a proposal before the group developing new stable land use rules.
Points would be assessed against a stable for revenue-generating horses, number of horse owners, lesson clientele, workers, paid-for events, and property size, according to the draft points system presented at Tuesday night's meeting of the Larimer County Horse Facilities Study working group.
If a stable earned:

• less than 20 points, it would have  "use by right"
• 21 - 40 points, it would undergo minor special review
• 41 or more points, the stable would face a full special review

Special review costs currently run at $2,300 in county fees, plus whatever professional consulting rates a stable would have to pay in order to provide the county with proper documentation. According to working group member Suzanne Bassinger, consultant costs could run well past $10,000 for minor or full special reviews.
"I feel like we’re going in the wrong direction," said Bassinger, as the group refined policy objectives early in the meeting. "I’m really going to have to dissent with what we’re doing."

Disagreement over exact numbers caused the group to run out of time and members planned another meeting September 2nd or 3rd to nail down numbers before public feedback meetings later in the month.
Bassinger urged the group to consider horse operations protected under the Right to Farm Act. However, according to Linda Hoffman, county rural land use center director, and other working group members, this approach will not satisfy the goal to achieve "enduring land use compatibility." Bassinger's remarks came under criticism for coming too late in the process, and several working group members said the Right to Farm had already been discussed.
The group also gave a "thumbs up" to using the existing historical limit of one horse per half acre to automatically trigger a minor special review for a stable.
County staff proposed the points system, which it cited as being more flexible than earlier suggestions by working group members for a matrix. The working group gave the new points system a mixed, but majority "thumbs up" with the understanding that it needs to be refined.
The group agreed that standard parcel size as opposed to occupied parcel size is a better way to measure acreage in the points system.
A number of working group members struggled with running scenarios using the formula and raised questions about vague language and affordability for small-to-medium businesses. Some members raised concerns about assessing points for stable owners that may have other non-stable jobs, and assessing points for stable owners that own schooling horses.
"We need to make this fair and affordable for everybody," said working group member Trisha Swift.
"I really ask this committee to keep things simple," said group member Jill Cook.
"We've already created an enforcement nightmare with this," said another member.
According to Hoffman, county commissioners and planning commissioners are pleased with the group's progress, but are concerned about making sure the public knows about feedback opportunties, and that stables are well informed of any new rules.
A design review team made up of county staff will provide formal comments to the county commissioners on whatever proposal the working group produces.
At the group moved into refining objectives at the meeting's start, the Hoofprints article, On guard: Dark side of new land use rules was declared false by Cook. Hoffman noted that the article's "if handled badly" hypothetical scenario could point the working group to what it does not intend to do.  
Next land use meetings:
Public meeting – Thursday, September 10, McKee 4-H Building at the Larimer County Fairgrounds.
Public meeting – Tuesday, September 15, Hearing Room, 200 W. Oak,
Next working group meeting: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 6-9 p.m.; Topics: Review public input received at September meetings; review draft language for code changes; agree on recommendations for transition program.
Hoofprints' earlier coverage on horse property issues