The Moffat County Planning Department operates under the authority, and policies established by the Moffat County Board of Commissioners, and the Moffat County Planning Commission.

In 1972, the Colorado Legislature adopted Senate Bill 35, which required Colorado Counties to establish a "County Planning Commission" no later than September 1, 1972. CRS #30-28-133. The Moffat County Planning Commission and Planning Department were formed during this period. The Planning Commission is a five-member board, which conducts business/hearings at regularly scheduled public meetings the first and third Tuesday of each month. Planning Commission members review items on the agenda, and make their recommendations to the Moffat County Board of Commissioners for approval/or disapproval of the same. The planning clerk acts as support staff and presents the Planning Commission's recommendations and other business to the Board of County Commissioners at their regular business meetings each month.

Moffat County adopted the following regulations: The Moffat County Zoning Resolution, Moffat County Subdivision Regulations, Moffat County Minor Subdivision Regulations, and the Moffat County Comprehensive Master Plan.

Moffat County Zoning Resolution is a 90-page document and covers all of the County's zoning requirements. Call the Planning Department for all zoning information, i.e. "uses permitted in each zone", "building set-backs", "size requirement of parcel/or lot", " how to apply for a conditional use", "variance", or "zone change".

Moffat County Zoning Districts:

A Agricultural District
Minimum lot/parcel size, 5 acres, private water/septic

R-R Rural Residence District.
Minimum lot/parcel size 3 acres, private water/septic system. Where community water or public septic system is provided, minimum 2 acres. Where both community water and septic system are provided-minimum lot size is 1 acre.

Remaining County Zoning Districts:

Subdivision Regulations of Moffat County, and Minor Subdivision Regulations of Moffat County:

Under Senate Bill 35 county planning commissions were mandated to develop and recommend subdivision regulations to the board of county commissioners, who were required to adopt and enforce the subdivision regulations. These regulations involved all unincorporated land within each county's boundaries. This law was to be in place no later than September 1, 1972. Moffat County's subdivision regulations reflect the statutory provisions mandated by CRS 30-58-133. CRS 30-28-101 10 b and such subdivision does not involve land divided into parcels of 35 acres or more.

Example: A 350-acre tract of land may be subdivided into ten (35-acre parcels), and the County's subdivision regulations would not effect the development. On the other hand, if the acreage is subdivided into smaller tracts, let's say seventy (5-acre parcels), the subdivision process would apply, and the owner/developer would follow procedure outlined in the county's subdivision regulations for the development. Planning department staff reviews applicants' proposals for major and minor subdivision, and provides assistance with the subdivision process. Minor Subdivision Regulations are for small subdivisions containing no more than four (4) parcels or lots. Minor Subdivision Regulations basically follow the same criteria as Subdivision Regulation with the exception the landowner/developer may combine the Sketch and Preliminary Plan.

Exemption from Subdivision Regulations: A landowner may apply for an Application for Exemption from Subdivision Regulations for splitting land into a parcel smaller than thirty-five acres, (Minimum of 5 acres is required for a home site in an Agriculture Zone). A good example would be a natural division, such a county road splitting the property, settling an estate, a divorce settlement, or some other situation that constitutes a hardship. Other conditions for eligibility may apply.

Time Frame for Placement on the Planning Commission Agenda

Planning Department Policy and Procedures request all applications requiring legal notification and a public hearing be completed and filed with the planning clerk no later then 15 days prior to being heard by the Planning Commission. Other agenda items must be filed 10 days prior to the meeting date. The planning commission meets every first and second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at the Moffat County Planning Department 200 West Victory Way, Craig, Colorado (Moffat County Courthouse Annex Building)

Please contact the Moffat County Planning Department for complete information on all zoning, and land division/ subdivision issues.