15 Mar Delta County Eliminates Upper North Fork Representation on Planning Commission

At a meeting on March 5^th, the Delta County Commissioners made the decision not to renew Upper North Fork Representative Jen Sanborn’s term on the Planning Commission, instead appointing a new member from Cedaredge. This decision was made without any public consideration, and without any proper notice to Sanborn.

The decision effectively leaves the Upper North Fork area without a vote as the Planning Commission nears the end of its year-long revision of the Master Plan.

This timing couldn’t be worse. The Master Plan will guide land use decisions in Delta County for the foreseeable future. That includes decisions on oil and gas development.

The Upper North Fork Valley has the highest oil and gas development potential in the county, and its residents are the most likely to be immediately impacted by those decisions. Taking away our community’s vote on a document as influential as the master plan or future development decisions leaves us without a voice. We have a right to representation and we have a right to be heard.

Here is everything you need to know:

• CHC’s fact sheet describing the role of the Planning Commission, the history and makeup of the Planning Commission, and the impact this decision could have on oil and gas development and the Upper North Fork Valley.
• Planning Commission Bylaws (not revised to indicate changes in the resolutions passed in July 2017)
• Planning Area Map
• Commissioner District Map
• BoCC Resolutions passed July 3, 2017 increasing number of Planning Commissioners
• BoCC Resolution passed July 3, 2017 on equalizing representation across the 3 Districts
• Planning Commission Resolution passed August 16, 2017 (this is in the Planning Commission minutes, scroll to the end of page 3)

Next BoCC Meeting is Monday, March 19th at the Delta County Courthouse in the Commissioners Room. Constituent time begins at 9am. Plan to be there a little early. Please attend the meeting to make your voice heard.