Planning & Zoning

Planner of the Day:

Please check our POD FAQ for a list of common planner questions with their respective answers.

Planner of the Day (POD) is a service provided to all community members to assist with understanding the Pitkin County Land Use Code requirements for property located within the unincorporated area of Pitkin County.  Planning Staff is available to answer questions about relevant zone district requirements and necessary land use review processes for a particular property, or more general questions about development in Pitkin County.

Most questions will be addressed within 48 hours (one business day) from the initial inquiry, though more detailed or complex questions may take more time.  Additionally, questions beyond typical may be subject to an hourly fee, or may require you to conduct research independently or through a professional planning firm.

You may access the Planner of the Day service by any of these options:

  1. Leaving a message on the Planner of the Day voicemail at 970-429-6108
  2. Sending an email message to our Planner of the Day email account.  planneroftheday@pitkincounty.com
  3. Visiting us in person at our office on the 2nd floor of the County Administration Building.  A Planner may not always be available.  It is preferable to contact the Planner of the Day by phone or email to schedule a time to meet.

Planning Pre-Application Conference Request:

In an effort to improve efficiency and service, Pre-Application Conferences will be scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 - 11:30. To request a Pre-Application Conference with a Planner, please complete and submit the Planning Pre-Application Conference Request. You will be required to set up a User Account if you have not already done so.  How-to videos and documents to set up a User Account can be found at this link. Once the User Account has been established, log in using your email/username and password. Once you have logged in, under the header "Planning and Zoning" select the "Planning Pre-Application Conference Request".  This will provide staff with the necessary background information to allow for a  more productive conference. Once you have submitted the form, a planner will contact you to request additional information and/or to schedule a meeting. If you need help submitting a Planning Pre-Application Conference Request, please see the how-to-video and how to document provided here: how-to video and how to document (pdf). If you need further assistance please send an email message to our Planner of the Day (POD) email account at: planneroftheday@pitkincounty.com.

Activity Envelope/Site Plan Review Exemptions:

Certain development may be exempt from the Activity Envelope and/or Site Plan Review process, pursuant to Land Use Code (LUC) Sec. 7-10-30.  Please use this checklist (PDF) to determine if your development may be eligible for an exemption. To submit a request for an exemption, follow the steps above to submit a Planning Pre-Application Conference Request, and specify "Exemption Request" in the Description. With the request, submit the completed checklist, and provide plans of the proposed development and documentation to demonstrate compliance with the applicable exemption.

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