City proposes river ‘buffer’

MONTROSE  — Preserving the river corridor was one of the most important objectives stated by the community during the 2008 Comprehensive Plan update process — so, the city is getting to work on it.

Montrose city staff presented its recommendations for a future river buffer ordinance to the community Wednesday during an open house at the Montrose Pavilion.

The pavilion’s meeting room was filled with large aerial maps of different sections of the Uncompahgre River, along with other creeks and waterways within city limits.

Buffers, which are natural vegetation areas along waterways, were highlighted on the maps and information was provided with detail on uses for the proposed River Corridor Overlay Zone (RCOZ).

Three RCOZs were proposed.

A 100-foot buffer, measured from the edge of the average yearly high water mark, would provide open space, room for recreation trails, and help to preserve the natural state of the river, said Senior City Planner Garry Baker.

“The (comprehensive) plan is clear about the 100-foot buffer, but we needed to elaborate on that,” he said.

The proposed conditional uses described by the city include bridge crossing, public streets and public utility crossing. It also includes plazas, outdoor cafes, kayak parks and other similar uses.

“Every (city) plan since 1978 has identified the river as an asset,” Baker said. “It’s asked for development that takes advantage of the river ... bait shops or cafes next to the river, they can make economic use of the river in an environmental way.”

Proposed prohibited uses include buildings, parking lots, feedlot operations, and detention/retention basins.

Staff plans also included a buffer averaging and incentives. The distance of a buffer may be reduced to 50 feet for up to 50 percent of the river frontage if different features, such as orientating a building towards the river or a 20-foot public trail corridor, are incorporated into the site.

Montrose resident Wayne Quade, who is also a retired Forest Service employee and member of FORU (Friends of the River Uncompahgre), said he would like to see an absolute minimum variance such as not within 50 feet of the river.

The maps also showed a 300-foot river corridor managed-use area proposed by the city. This buffer would include the 100-foot buffer, but extend pass that, prohibiting hazardous or sanitary waste landfills, auto or mobile home sales and wrecking yards to be placed within that area.

This buffer area is in line with the comprehensive plan, which states that the city will encourage low impact, environmentally friendly land used adjoining the river corridor zone.

“This is a good idea because it allows for drainage and wildlife corridors,” Quade said.

The proposed stream and creek buffer would be a 50-foot minimum area from the high water mark and the 300-foot buffer would not apply.

Along with public interest, the city is also considering the buffer zones now because there is less than half a dozen buildings within the boundaries of the 100-foot buffer.

“It’s something we need to do sooner than later,” Baker said. “We’ll compile comments (from the open house) and see where that puts us.”

Depending on the comments, there may or may not be more work on the ordinance. Baker said staff needs to know first if they are on the “right track.”

Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com