Routt County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to tweak the county’s recently adopted Unified Development Code by adjusting safety setback minimums for golf courses and changing language related to maximum house size limits.

The commissioners approved the new code in June, replacing zoning and subdivision regulations enacted in the 1970s.

With their approval, however, the commissioners left the door open to making future amendments around key elements of the code including those related to home size limits and golf course setbacks.

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The unified development code adopted in June limited the size of new home construction at 7,500 square feet, but the rules, set to go into effect Jan. 1, included an exception whereby home sizes may exceed the limit so long as they are a part of a land preservation subdivision and meet net zero energy standards as defined by U.S. Department of Energy.

Commissioners changed that language Tuesday, opting to drop the specific Department of Energy standards in lieu of those defined in the county’s “building code resolution as adopted by the Routt County Commissioners.”

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County planning staff provided background on the reasoning behind the change, explaining that net zero energy standards are offered from sources outside of those laid out by the federal energy department.  

“it’s not just the Department of Energy that have reputable standards, but there are other organizations that have reputable standards as well,” said Senior Planner Alan Goldich.

Goldich added that the county’s building code would amended to include facets from multiple zero energy standards to provide more flexibility to home builders seeking to go beyond the limit of 7,500 square feet. County Commissioners would ultimately need to vote to approve the amendments before their adoption.

“Removing the reference to the Department of Energy allows those other reputable standards to be met,” he added. “It’s the language in the building code that is really going to hold people’s feet to the fire.”

In addition to the change made to energy standards with respect to maximum home size limits, County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to reduce safety setback minimums for golf courses from 500 feet to 225 feet.

The new safety setback limit only applies to fairways and greens and is measured from a golf hole’s centerline to existing adjacent property lines.

Minimum safety setbacks for tees are set at 100 feet and minimum setbacks from bodies of water are at 300 feet under the unified development code — those elements of the codes were not changed by commissioners on Tuesday.

County Commissioners noted the adjust minimum golf course safety setback represented a substantial change from the one adopted in June, but the code also gives commissioners latitude to impose a greater set back on individual applications submitted by golf course developers.

Commissioners can also order independent studies to be performed on a case-by-case basis for golf course applications to help inform their decisions.

“Going from 500 feet to 225 feet is a pretty radical move,” said Commissioner Sonja Macys.

“That being said, I do think the inclusion of an independent review … gives us more flexibility to increase those standards if it is actually narrated by an independent review or study so its not sort of a willy-nilly, throwing darts at the dartboard,” she added.

Commissioner Tim Corrigan said he was “perfectly happy” imposing the new golf course safety setback minimums and he would rather the county be able to impose greater minimums for a particular applicant versus granting waivers for developers who “claim they can’t get something done because it costs too much money.”

“I just don’t think that a 225-foot setback somehow represents some clear and present danger to the public’s health and safety,” said Corrigan. “I think the 225 feet is reasonable, and we have the ability to extend that if necessary.”

While the county’s unified code, which encompasses both zoning and subdivision regulations, applies to all of unincorporated Routt County, the adjustments made Tuesday carry particular importance to Discovery Land Company’s plans to develop a private luxury resort in Stagecoach.

Discovery has yet to submit a formal planning application for its project, known as Stagecoach Mountain Ranch, but has held public meetings describing its plans to construct 700 luxury homes across 6,500 acres and would include amenities including a private ski resort and a private golf course.

Plans presented by Discovery at community meetings in Stagecoach in July and August noted the luxury real estate company, which owns 35 private clubs worldwide including the Yellowstone Club in Montana, anticipates roughly 90% of the planned homes at Stagecoach Mountain Ranch would be second homes.

Some of those homes would be as large as 12,500 square feet, the company said.

The company also detailed its plans to build private golf course on land adjacent to Stagecoach Reservoir, with representatives suggesting the course would be designed in a way that would adhere to water quality standards and may even improve the reservoir’s health.

But how the amended safety setback limits might affect the design of the golf course is unclear.

An email inquiry about the change in setback minimums sent to Divita Thursday was not returned before the deadline for this newspaper.

Earlier this month, Discovery Land Company Partner Ed Divita said where the county landed on the safety setback limits would ultimately affect the timing of the company’s planning application and its proposed golf course design.

“I suppose there is a shadow of a chance we could get it in on (Aug. 31),” he said. “We are interested in seeing how the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners land with regards to the golf course setbacks.”

“I don’t think we will submit until we know what it is because depending on what they decide we will have to make sure we are in conformance,” added Divita.