Gunnison County, Colorado Photo courtesy of John Chorlton Photo courtesy of John Chorlton Photo courtesy of John Chorlton Photo courtesy of John Chorlton
Gunnison County Planning Department



Regulations & Guidelines

Copies of the following are available in the Planning Department:


Land Use Resolution

The regulation that governs most land development in the unincorporated areas of Gunnison County. Gunnison County established zoning in the early 1960’s, then abandoned zoning to adopt a "performance-based" (or "form-based") land use regulation in 1978. The Gunnison County Land Use Resolution evaluates applications on their ability to mitigate the impacts they create, based on locational, design, infrastructure and resource protection standards.

Forest Solitude
Forest Solitude
Photo Courtesy of Bev Alexander
  • Click  HERE for a zipped .pdf version of the Resolution.  In its .pdf form, the document is approximately 3.1 MB. We are unable to post the document for viewing online due to limited size alloted for our website bandwidth. You must have a software program on your computer that will unzip the document.   We apologize for the inconvenience. 
  • The Resolution is available in hard copy for $35, on disk in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat .pdf for $35. The disk and the hard copy version can be purchased together for $50.
  • Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Errata Sheet for the Resolution that lists corrections and amendments since its February 15, 2006 printing date.

    The regulation that governs most land development in the unincorporated areas of Gunnison County.
  • See the bottom of this page for disclaimer regarding electronic versions of documents available from the Gunnison County Planning Department.

ISDS Regulations

The Individual Sewage Disposal System Regulations include standards and requirements for installing an individual sewage disposal system (septic tank/leachfield; composting toilet; grey water systems, etc.).Offline; amendments and reformatting of the document are ongoing. Hard copies of the current document are available in the Planning Department.

These Regulations govern all aspects of permits, performance, location, construction, installation, maintenance, alteration, use and repair of individual sewage disposal systems (ISDS) in Gunnison County except those aspects that are specifically reserved by law solely to the State of Colorado. Whenever it is uncertain as to whether an ISDS should be reviewed under these Regulations or State regulations, the more stringent and restrictive applies.

The purpose of these Regulations is to protect public health, safety and welfare; to protect the quality of the environment; to eliminate or control the causes of diseases and infections; to reduce the pollution of the air, land and water; and to regulate waste from residences, businesses, industrial buildings and other uses. It is declared to be in the public interest to establish regulations regarding individual sewage disposal systems in Gunnison County, Colorado and to provide the authority for the administration and enforcement of such regulations.

These Regulations are currently offline; amendments and reformatting of the document are ongoing. Hard copies of the current document are available in the Planning Department.


Special Development Project Regulations

Regulations for projects of significant impact, and those that involve matters of state interest.
  • Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the current regulations; the County is just beginning the process of amendment.
The Gunnison County Special Development Project Regulations govern a proposed development, including all of its components and associated elements, that involves either: " a municipal or industrial water project, " a major new domestic water or wastewater treatment system, " a major extension of an existing domestic water or wastewater treatment system, " a major facility of a public utility, " a private power project, " a major mining project, or " a recreational development, or " any matter of state interest as hereafter designated by the Board pursuant to Part 2 of these regulations; and that will either: " result in additional direct and indirect employment within the county, whether temporary or permanent, equal to at least two percent (2 %) of the County's permanent population at the time of the application, or " involve total capital expenditures of more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) arising from development of project components and associated elements within the County, or " increase the population of the County, whether temporarily or permanently, by at least five percent (5%).

A project cannot be segmented to avoid the requirements of these regulations.   If a project is to be phased over time or is composed of distinguishable elements, the impacts of all phases or elements of the development must be considered together when determining whether the project constitutes a special development project under these regulations.
  • Click HERE for a .pdf format version of the Regulations; a hard copy may be obtained from the Planning Department.

Gunnison Sage-grouse Regulations

Regulations included within the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution that affect development within "occupied habitat," or within 0.60 miles of a Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek.

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Development in Gunnison Sage Grouse Habitat Information Sheet

The Gunnison Sage-grouse, a unique species of North American grouse, is a year-around resident of Gunnison County. In 1995 local Stockgrower’s, environmental groups, Gunnison County and State and Federal agencies formed a “Local Working Group” to address concerns about the future of this species. This group presented the Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation Plan in 1997. In response to a petition in 2000, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated the Gunnison Sage-grouse as Candidate species for threatened or endangered status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA.) In 2005 the status of the species was upgraded on the Candidate list for consideration of listing.

On April, 12, 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that after review, the Gunnison Sage-grouse was not warranted for listing under the ESA, stating that threats to the species are “neither imminent nor of such magnitude that they threaten or endanger the existence of the species.”

Gunnison County is working to ensure the listing does not occur in the future. As part of that effort, regulations were adopted to guide the locations of buildings, driveways and roads, individual sewage disposal systems, and other land development activities, as much as possible, out of the bird's habitat, mating and brooding areas.

Development within 0.60 miles of a Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek, or within "occupied habitat" for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse is regulated by the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution.
  • Click HERE  for a .pdf copy of the Request for Sage-Grouse Pre-Application Conference form: If your parcel is shown on the County/Division of Wildlife maps as being in Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat, or within 0.6 miles of a Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek, you may request a pre-application conference with the County staff (and, as available, a representative from the Colorado Division of Wildlife) to review your potential development design.
  • Click HERE to link to the Colorado Division of Wildlife's web page about the Gunnison Sage-Grouse.
  • Click HERE for more information about the Gunnison Sage-grouse and Gunnison County's involvement in protecting the bird.

Temporary Regulations for Oil & Gas Operations

Regulations governing exploration for and installation of oil and gas wells.

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Temporary Regulations.


North Fork Valley Coal Regulations

Regulations governing the development of coal mining operations in the North Fork Valley of Gunnison County.

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Regulations.


Gunnison/Crested Butte Airport Light Industrial Special Area Regulations

Regulations governing the use of leased sites in the Gunnison/Crested Butte Airport Industrial Special Area south of Gunnison.

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Regulations for this Special Area.


Guidelines for Reviewing Land Use Change Permit Applications Within the Gunnison Three-Mile Area

Gunnison County and the City of Gunnison have adopted an intergovernmental agreement concerning land uses within the three-mile area outside the city limits of Gunnison. The agreement required that the County's review of Land Use Change Permit applications proposed within that three-mile area include a defined review by the City. While the City does not have "veto power" over those applications, its review and recommendation carries significant weight in the County's review. The two Planning Commissions, in July, 2003, defined and agreed to a review process.

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Guidelines for Reviewing Land Use Change Permit Applications Within the Gunnison Three-Mile Area.


"Are You Firewise?": Guidelines for Protecting Against Wildfire

Click  HERE for a copy of the Colorado State Forest Service's guidelines for protecting your home against wildfire.

See the bottom of this page for disclaimer regarding electronic versions of documents available from the Gunnison County Planning Department. 


Essential Housing

Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Workforce Housing Fee amendment to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution, approved June 13, 2006.

  • Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Board's resolution approving the amendment.

  • Click HERE for a .pdf copy of the Essential Housing Fee Information Sheet.

  • You may contact the Gunnison County Housing Authority for questions about qualifying for exemption from the fee, or for general information about affordable housing resources.


  • Office Staff

    Director
    Joanne Williams
    970-641-7929
    Email Joanne
    Assistant Director
    Neal Starkebaum
    970-641-7930
    Email Neal

    Services Manager
    Beth Baker
    970-641-7932
    Email Beth

    Planner
    Cathie Pagano
    970-641-7985
    Email Cathie

    Building Inspector
    Rich Wojdakowski
    970-641-7934
    Email Rich

    Environmental Health Specialist
    Richard Stenson
    970-641-7933
    Email Richard

    Bldg., Env. Health & Planning Assistant
    Eric Jansen
    970-641-7688
    Email Eric


    Administrative Assistant
    Michelle Spain
    970-641-7982
    Email Michelle

    Office Hours

    8:00 a.m. - 12:00; 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
    Monday through Friday (except holidays)

    Our public computer is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F, upstairs outside our meeting room. Here you can access our  Building, Individual Sewage Disposal System and Land Use Permit databases, the databases for the County Assessor's and County Clerk and Recorder's Offices, and searchable copies of County regulations that are administered by the Planning Department.


    Contact Information

    Gunnison County Planning Department
    Blackstock Government Center
    221 N. Wisconsin, Ste. D (upstairs)
    Gunnison, CO  81230

    Email the Planning Department


    Main Office:  (970) 641-0360
    Building Inspection: (970) 641-1011
    Environmental Health: (970) 641-5105

    (Voicemail is available 24 hours per day) 
    Fax:  (970) 641-8585
    Disclaimer Regarding Electronic Versions of Documents Available from the Gunnison County, Colorado Planning Department

    When there is a question about the accuracy of language in a downloaded or other electronic copy of a document retrieved in any form from this site or otherwise distributed to the public, the official copy of the document is the document located in and administered by the Gunnison County, Colorado Planning Department.

    Electronic versions of any documents offered on this website have been checked for viruses, and as of the date of the file, tested virus-free. Gunnison County provides the electronic versions of these documents without warranty or conditions of any kind concerning the quality, safety, or suitability of the related software, either express or implied.

    In no event is Gunnison County  liable for any indirect, punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages however they may arise out of or in connection with the use or performance of any files, downloads or other information, including, without limitation, those resulting from (1) reliance on the materials presented, (2) costs of replacement goods, (3) loss of use or data, (4) delays or business interruptions, (5) and any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of information.

    There are inherent dangers in the use of any software and we caution the customer to make sure they completely understand the potential risks before downloading, modifying, using and/or distributing any part or the whole of these documents. The purchaser or user of the electronic versions of these documents is solely responsible for adequate protection and backup of the data and equipment used in connection with any of the related software required to open and read the documents, and Gunnison County is not liable for any damages in connection with downloading, using, modifying and/or distributing any part or the whole of these documents.