Visions and strategies for growth management: Teller County/Woodland Park example

Abstract

ABSTRACT/This article is the third in a series prepared to explain the Teller County growth management planning process. Once it was determined by local decision-makers that Teller County, Colorado, would pursue a policy of directed growth, concepts based on this policy were developed. These concepts presented visions and options for the future. Landscape plans then were developed for Teller County and the City of Woodland Park planning area so that these options could be visualized by local leaders and the public. The landscape plans were used as part of the ongoing citizen involvement process to inform the public about the options for growth management. To provide even more information, detailed designs were developed for specific areas in the county. From the landscape plan, public involvement effort, and detailed designs, specific implementation measures were identified, discussed, and adopted. These measures included guidelines for administration, so that county and city goals could be linked to the actual day-to-day management of development proposals.Teller County has a number of distinctive or typical attributes which define its character. These attributes also act as opportunities and constraints tor future land use and for the management of growth. In the development of a landscape plan, integration of all these features is important. The character of a place is inherently dependent upon the arrangement of natural and built environments. Landscapes are comprised of meadows, forests, fields, roads, villages, and towns. The landscapes are dominated by the built human spaces, but held together by the natural spaces that give a sense of unity.The natural spaces of Teller County are of paramount importance when identifying the unique character of this place. These spaces are a tapestry of flowers, trees, and grasses. Bobcat, raccoon, mountain KEY WORDS: Landscape planning; Planning implementation; Citizen involvement; Environmentally sensitive areas *Paper 3 in a series of 3.?Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.lion, deer, and elk find refuge here on and about the alpine tundra, mountain meadows, lakes, streams, and forests. The vistas are often noteworthy. Douglas fir, aspen, and ponderosa pine; sunshine of the high mountain country; falcons, hawks, and eagles are all present. Although the natural spaces in the county appear to be beautifully pristine, humans have left their marks in many places. The landscape today is very much a human manipulated landscape. A closer look at seemingly untouched areas reveals old fence posts, rusted strands of barbed wire, or survey markers hidden beneath ferns and grasses--all reminders of previous residents.The present form and function of space in Teller County has a 19th-century origin. The small communities of Divide, Victor, Cripple Creek, and Florissant show a patterned yet organic landscape, resembling countless other American western communities. These towns developed along rivers, railroads, and roadways. Towns were laid out in an orthogonal plan, us...