Community Canvas - Steamboat Springs Community Plan
The City of Steamboat Springs, in partnership with Routt County, is engaging the entire Steamboat Springs community to co-develop a new long-range guiding document that will capture our shared values and describe a framework for unified action. The new plan will provide the policy framework for regulatory tools like zoning and other policies and programs designed to address current and long-term needs identified during the community-driven process.
The current Steamboat Springs Area Community Plan was adopted in 2004 and that plan's vision was reconfirmed through a public process in 2014. Routt County adopted a new Master Plan in August 2022, setting the stage for a new locally relevant and regionally responsible Steamboat Springs Community Plan.
The following sections provide information on the plan's study area, the proposed timeline, and opportunities for engagement and input.
Project Goals
- Document a shared understanding of opportunities and needs as informed by community members.
- Build on the analysis and findings from previous and contemporary plans (e.g., Climate Action Plan).
- Create an accessible and values-driven plan that supports informed and consistent decisions that reinforce community values and identity.
- Identify and drive achievable actions while leaving room for innovation as we continue to observe and learn.
- Establish approaches, methods, and tools to monitor performance and successfully manage change.
Project Team
Through a competitive bidding process, the City of Steamboat Springs selected a team of consultants led by SE Group to assist in creation of the new Steamboat Springs Community Plan. The Area Plan Coordinating Committee, comprised of elected and appointed officials from both the city and Routt County, will oversee the project, while a new Community Plan Advisory Committee will be formed to guide the development to plan-specific strategies and priorities.
Study Area
This plan is focused on the City of Steamboat Springs and areas where future growth of an urban density may be deemed appropriate and annexation into the city encouraged, when annexation criteria are met.
Timeline
Public Engagement Opportunities
This project will gather input from community members and interested stakeholders through a variety of different mediums.
- Community Plan Open House | June 5, 2024 - The Community Plan Open House will be the first public engagement opportunity. This open house will include a series of informational posters related to various planning topics (transportation, housing, economic development, recreation, etc.) as well as a series of questions aimed at identifying related values, priorities, and community observations.
- Community Plan Vision and Values Survey | June 5, 2024 - July 5, 2024 - For community members who couldn't make it to the Open House, or want to provide more in-depth responses, a Community Plan Vision and Values Survey will be available for approximately 4-6 weeks following the Community Plan Open House.
- Community Plan Pop-Up Events | Summer 2024 - Couldn't make it to the Open House but want to learn more about the project and chat to a member of the project team? Find us at the weekly Farmer's Market throughout the summer. As other pop-up events are added to the engagement schedule, they will be posted here.
- Topic Area Focus Groups | June 2024 - July 2024 - After the initial results of the Community Plan Vision and Values Survey are summarized, the planning team will determine a few plan topic areas that need more attention due to their complexity and level of community interest. These technical working groups will meet to review findings of our analysis and provide direction on preliminary recommendations.
- Scenario Planning Workshop | August 2024 - September 2024 - The project team will host an interactive discussion to help community members explore the trade-offs between key policy choices. These workshops could include topics such as housing, land use, traffic management and parking, recreation and tourism, and economic development.
- Draft Plan Presentation | November 2024 - December 2024 - Once the team has created a draft plan, we will host an in-person presentation and feedback session. During this session, the team will also facilitate a conversation around identifying measures and metrics that could help track progress and success.