The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
301 home sites on 450 acres along Highway 135
By Katherine Nettles
The Lower Verzuh property between Crested Butte South and Brush Creek Road is the latest focus for major new potential development in the North Valley. Lacy and Dow LLC submitted a sketch plan application to Gunnison County earlier this month for the 450-acre parcel. The proposal calls for subdividing 301 new residential lots of various types and sizes, including some recreational spaces and ball fields, adding a trail system and leaving 50 acres for agricultural use along Highway 135.
The property is currently cattle ranchland. Lacy and Dow own the property, located on Highway 135 just southwest of Buckhorn and north of the Hidden River subdivision. The parcel is adjacent to private residential and agricultural properties, to conserved ranch properties and it borders the East River Regional Sanitation District property on the southeast corner. Two access points to the property would be constructed directly off Highway 135, one already in place and one to be developed.
The sketch plan application, submitted February 7 to the county’s community development department, includes 45 1/8-acre lots, 165 ¼-acre lots, 74 half-acre lots, eight one-acre lots and nine three-acre lots. The application describes that “Home sites are envisioned as a mix of denser townhouse/duplex style properties to single family residential properties.”
The application also states that most homes would have the potential for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and “a diversity of lot sizes that can house a range of ownership demographics.” The densest housing cluster would be located closest to Buckhorn.
The development also calls for a soccer field, a baseball field, parks and playgrounds, a fitness center, 5.7 miles of trails and 275 acres of open space. No commercial development is proposed as part of the project.
The application describes being sensitive to the area, views, ranching legacy and needs of a growing community. “The design is rooted in a desire to create a place for families that preserves views from Highway 135 and adjacent parcels and maintains a portion of the site in agricultural production,” as stated in the application.
“To accomplish this, the design includes large open space buffers, landscape restoration in the form of native meadows, carefully sited neighborhood clusters, strict adherence to dark skies ordinances, and protective covenants that are in keeping with the standards for mountain development.”
This is the beginning of the review process for the major impact land use change. A subsequent public hearing will be held prior to any considerations for sketch plan approval or denial.
The sketch plan proposal was compiled by Design Workshop of Aspen, and Jessica Garrow of the company said that at this time they do not have a comment on the pending application.
Assistant Gunnison County Manager for Community and Economic Development Cathie Pagano said her department has 30 days to review the application for completeness. From there, referral agencies will be asked to supply comments. It could then go the planning commission but there is no estimated time for that to happen. Pagano did say the county and applicant had a pre-application conference in the past several months.
