Commissioners streamlines subdivision process

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the San Juan County commission streamlined smaller subdivision approvals, approved a property swap in Monticello, and appointed an interim county health director at their December 30 meeting.
The San Juan County Planning and Zoning Commission has been working on a multi-year project to update the county code.
One aspect of that project was approved by the Commission on December 30.
San Juan County Planning and Building Administrator Kristen Bushnell explained the recent changes are part of a state requirement designed to streamline processes to help developers.
Bushnell explained when she first began working for the county she had more than 20 subdivisions on her plate, with some two to three years old.
“The state legislation with a lot of developers in the mix want to streamline this process. Over this past year, there’s been a few things put in place such as turnaround time periods for our department to get it cranked back out.
“They’ve also put in a four cycle review limit. to help streamline this. It was mandated that this becomes an administrator process and designates the planning administrator to be the approving body for both the preliminary and the final.”
Bushnell says in many cases it that makes a lot of sense, but that the process also requires approval from review committees, noting that the process applies to anything under ten lots, while over ten lots includes plan unit development processes.
The commission acknowledged the challenges posed by the tight deadline and expressed appreciation for the efforts of planning staff and planning commission to develop the new ordinance.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing at the county building on January 9 at 6 p.m., with the intention of recommending a final plan for Commission approval, possibly later in the month.
A long and involved public process, including planning and zoning meetings and public information sessions in area communities, was a compenent of the plan.
A proposed animal density provision in the proposed plan has been the subject of backlash from the community, with administrators and planning commissioners sharing that the controversial portion of the code will likely be pulled from the plan at the planning meeting on January 9.
Commissioners also approved a property swap in Monticello with the San Juan County Community Foundation. The foundation is swapping the old theater building at 249 South Main for an acre of property near the county fairgrounds.
County administrator Mack McDonald explains the foundation approached the county knowing that the property the county will receive would be useful for the remodel and expansion of the jail and public safety building.
The newly acquired property will allow the county to build a smaller attached building and keep costs down.
“The less we perforate the walls, the better it is,” said McDonald. “If we've taken out too many exterior walls, they would require a seismic upgrade, which means we don't have enough funds to actually remodel the jail.
“The builder and the designer said if you build this new building off to the side, only perforate it once, and use the existing doors, then we can save you costs.”
Acquiring the property will allow the county to expand the safety building with court, attorney and sheriff’s offices likely in the expanded building area.
McDonald said the foundation would be responsible for removing the old theater as part of the agreement.
In exchange the foundation will receive an acre of property near 1100 East on the edge of Monticello, near the county fairgrounds.
Members of the commission unanimously approved the property exchange.
The Commission also appointed Mike Moulton as interim director for San Juan County Public Health.
The commission ratified a recommended appointment by the county board of health for Moulton to serve as the interim director.
The board of health noted Moulton served as the interim health officer for nine months in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. He previously served as the Health Promotion Director and as the Emergency Response Coordinator for four years and as the operations manager for the county public health department.
Members of the county commission also approved final changes to the year ending 2024 budget, as well as approved the 2025 budget.