Contact: April Kroner, Planning Director

SUMMIT COUNTY – Summit County is seeking local applicants to serve on five planning commissions and the Summit County Board of Adjustment. These six bodies play vital roles in shaping the community, through decisions and guidance on land-use planning and development.

“Our planning commissioners serve in key decision-making roles in the community,” Summit County Planning Director April Kroner said. “They help set the vision for our built environment and ensure that development takes place in a way that safeguards our community character and natural resources. Their decisions influence what Summit County will look like for decades to come.”

Summit County has four basin planning commissions (Lower Blue, Snake River, Tenmile and Upper Blue), which all have review, approval and recommendation authority for various types of developments in the unincorporated areas of Summit County. The Countywide Planning Commission reviews proposed amendments to the Summit County Land Use and Development Code and makes recommendations on countywide policies related to land use, growth, environmental protection, open space, housing and economic development. Planning commissioners also have significant influence in the periodic updates to the four basin master plans and the Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

Each planning commission is scheduled to meet one evening per month, with occasional field trips as needed. Regular meetings are canceled from time to time, when there are no development applications or other business items to bring before the commission. Members of each basin planning commission must reside in the respective basin.

The Summit County Board of Adjustment interprets development codes and considers variance requests when a property owner or developer can’t meet zoning regulations and has applied for relief. The Board of Adjustment has the authority to grant relief from the requirements of certain regulations in cases where compliance would result in exceptional practical difficulties or undue hardships related to the development and use of property. The board meets as needed, no more often than one evening per month.

The five planning commissions and the Board of Adjustment will have the following number of open seats when current terms expire in March:

• Board of Adjustment: 1 seat
• Countywide Planning Commission: 2 seats
• Lower Blue Planning Commission: 3 seats
• Snake River Planning Commission: 1seat
• Tenmile Planning Commission: 2 seats
• Upper Blue Planning Commission: 1 seat

To apply for a seat, and to view the boundaries of each basin, visit www.SummitCountyCO.gov/PlanningCommissions. Applicants may fill out an online application or submit a letter of interest via email to the Summit County Planning Department. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 29.

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