by Beecher Threatt

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This is the third part in a three-part series examining the history of visual impact. This part summarizes 2000-2013.
As the county gears up for another in its infinite list of hearings on visual impact regulations, the Plaindealer looks back at the history of visual impact in Ouray County. We have studied Plaindealer electronic and hard copy story files, minutes of past Board of County Commissioners and Ouray County Planning Commission meetings, BOCC resolutions and Land Use Department files. The BOCC has land use jurisdiction in the entire county, outside the municipal boundaries of Ouray and Ridgway. Two weeks ago we summarized 1971-86. Last week we looked at the years 1993-99. This week we conclude with 2000-2013.

At the Jan. 17 county planning commission meeting, Commissioner Randy Parker was saying a 2010 Board of County Commissioners resolution gave the OCPC 12 specific areas to address in revising visual impact regulations, and he felt the OCPC should explain to the BOCC how each one was completed.
"But this is a different BOCC," Commissioner Tim Currin said.
"Yes, but they didn't change the resolution," Chair Ken Lipton countered.
So there you have it. It's out in the open, stated in a public meeting—it's a different BOCC. The sentiment first appeared in a letter Currin wrote to the BOCC in October, along with alternate planning commissioner John Baskfield. The letter stated their opinion that neither the current BOCC nor the succeeding one would support the draft Section 9 advocated by the majority of the OCPC.

A Rob Pudim cartoon in the June 9, 1994 Ouray County Plaindealer depicted rapidly increasing development issues overwhelming the county.