Community Development – Garfield County

Garfield County amends Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan

Garfield County has approved a second amendment to its Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan, including an updated habitat map and the addition of new factors impacting populations in the Parachute, Piceance Basin, Roan Plateau (PPR) area. The county worked with the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and the Bureau of Land management (BLM) to refine and update the habitat maps to best reflect the unique, varied terrain in the PPR region, which is 77 percent privately owned land. The new maps, which have been adopted by CPW and the federal government, cover 89,743 acres of

Supervisor checking building permits at new construction site.

Unincorporated Garfield County has experienced an increase in the number of residential building permits issued in 2021. Through October of this year, the Garfield County Community Development Department (CommDev) has issued 242 permits, which is the most since 2007, prior to the Great Recession. In 2007, 281 residential permits were issued for the entire year, and 226 were issued in all of 2020. Residential permits include single-family dwellings, manufactured homes, and other work, such as additions, alterations, and remodels. Overall, 453 total building permits have been issued through October in unincorporated Garfield County, compared to 508 all of last year.

Community Development, Residential building permits

Garfield County earns SolSmart gold designation

Garfield County has earned a SolSmart gold-level community designation for its efforts to promote solar energy. A national designation program funded by the Department of Energy, SolSmart recognizes cities and counties that are actively encouraging the development of solar markets. Garfield County Community Development Department spent the past several months working to ensure the county earned the designation. Community Development Director Sheryl Bower presented the Board of County Commissioners with the designation during its regular meeting this week. She told the board that Community Development strived to help the county achieve the SolSmart designation through efforts to make the permitting