Assure that adequate public services are provided to support the land use recommendations for the North Mountains area.
1. Construct community/service facilities appropriate in scale, design, etc. for this mountain community.
2. Ensure that all areas in the North Mountains are served by public fire protection providers.
3. Minimize risk of fire damage and loss.
4. Allow all group homes which are compatible with the services and constraints of this mountain area.
5. Ensure adequate, consistent, reliable public services.
6. Maximize shared use of community/service facilities.
7. Expand information programs on fire dangers.
8. Improve intergovernmental, interdistrict cooperation for fire, law enforcement, emergency/disaster, and school services.
9. Expand law enforcement in public land areas.
10. Avoid overcrowded school programs.
In addition to the following policies, the criteria in the Mountain Site Design Criteria section which apply to public facilities, services and utilities should be followed.
Red text identifies policies which can be applied in the land use review processes.
1. The scale and siting of new service facilities should be appropriate for this mountainous area and should be in compliance with other policies in this Plan, including the Mountain Site Design Criteria section.
2. New service facilities should be sited and located in compliance with the North Mountains Community Plan policies including criteria in the Mountain Site Design Criteria section.
3. Applicants are encouraged to involve community representatives in the location and design of new and expanded service facilities.
4. Adaptive reuse and shared use of existing structures and facilities should be considered before new facilities are constructed.
Additional community facilities which serve area residents should be considered when the demand and community support for them exists.
1. New facilities should be designed to complement the mountain environment in scale, building materials, and architecture. Separate and distinct facilities and activities should be close to each other to create true community centers, i.e., youth centers, senior resource centers, and libraries.
2. The demand for community facilities, e.g., libraries and community centers, increases as an area grows. When the need for these facilities has been determined by the residents in the North Mountains area, the location should be selected in accord with the Community Plan recommendations and community representatives.
3. Shared use of community facilities should be explored by community organizations. This would minimize the need for new structures.
The conditions relevant to fire protection are the location of wildfire hazards, road network, proximity of fire stations to development, training of personnel, the type of equipment, and availability of water. It should be recognized that fire protection and rescue services are provided by volunteer personnel in this community.
1. The potential for damage and loss from fire should be reduced and fire protection and/or wildfire mitigation measures should be provided to all development in the North Mountains area.
2. All areas of the community and all development should be served by a fire protection provider.
3. Fire protection service for the community should be maintained or improved as new development occurs. New development should pay for service in proportion to its needs when those needs exceed the capacity of the district, i.e., buildings, equipment and training.
4. New development, including exemptions from platting, should be required to provide an adequate onsite water supply for fire fighting purposes, as required by the fire district of jurisdiction, prior to the issuance of a building permit.
5. Fire protection providers should continue to review development proposals and exemptions referred to them by the Jefferson County Planning Department prior to approval of new development and exemptions. This review should include an assessment of the:
a. adequacy of the proposed water supply and water storage facilities;
b. accessibility, external and internal, to the site for emergency vehicles;
c. capacity of the personnel and equipment to serve the development; and
d. developer's fire reduction program when the site has a wildfire hazard. The "Wildfire" section in the Hazards section of this Plan has more specific recommendations.
6. All public thoroughfares, access roads, and driveways should be designed to meet fire district equipment access requirements.
7. Fire district master plans should be considered as an Addendum to this Community Plan as they are developed. The fire districts should be encouraged to include in the master plans, a capital improvements and training budget, map of the district, etc.
8. Intergovernmental and interdistrict agreements on joint responsibility for outlying areas should be adopted to ensure that response time is as short as possible.
9. Consolidation of fire districts should be explored to maximize fire protection capabilities.
10. Employment centers in the North Mountains should cooperate with local fire districts to support fire protection service. Example: water storage, employee release time as fire volunteers, etc.
11. Installation of sprinkler systems should be encouraged in new development, residential and commercial, when there is adequate water supply and pressure. The districts and insurers should consider incentive programs for the installation of sprinkler systems. When sufficient water pressure is not present, then a modified sprinkler system which protects exit paths should be considered.
12. The Jefferson County Building Department should add to the adopted Uniform Building Code, a classification for residential sprinklers in the mountains.
13. The fire districts, in cooperation with the Jefferson County Planning Department and the Colorado State Forest Service, should identify, map, and maintain current maps of wildfire hazard areas within their district.
14. The fire districts, in cooperation with community representatives, should identify locations and funding to secure large water storage facilities for fire fighting in the North Mountains area.
15. Street addresses should be prominently displayed near the road, preferably in three inch or larger numerals made of reflective material.
16. Local fire departments should apply consistent and reasonable standards in issuing prescribed permits for burning slash, which is a wildfire hazard. These standards should apply to all applicants, whether they are public agencies or private individuals.
17. Prescribed burning should comply with health regulations regarding air quality and fire regulations regarding public safety and welfare.
18. There should be stricter adherence to the regulations governing outdoor burning. This will require information/education, monitoring and enforcement. See the Hazards section for additional information.
19. The fire districts and the Jefferson County Fire Council should undertake informational and educational programs to tell the public about fire prevention techniques and fire protection limitations in the mountain environment.
20. Publicly-owned lands in mountain areas should contribute financially to support the fire district of jurisdiction.
21. Area fire departments should make their standards and requirements consistent, to the maximum extent possible.
Providing emergency medical and disaster services in the North Mountains area could become harder as growth and development occur. County and interdistrict coordination and cooperation could become essential to meet the needs of residents in this community.
1. Emergency service levels should be maintained and improved as new growth and development occurs.
2. Expanded funding sources, intergovernmental service agreements, equipment and training should be sought to meet the increased demands associated with new growth and development.
3. Emergency service providers should map the site and number of incidents, to inform the community of dangerous traffic accident locations.
Because property ownerships cross or abut county boundaries, law enforcement in the North Mountains is complex. Intergovernmental agreements could facilitate law enforcement in this area.
1. Community concerns should be addressed, including response time and the need for improved coordination among County and state law enforcement agencies serving the area.
2. Law enforcement services provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department should be maintained and expanded as new growth occurs.
3. Park security should be improved through increased cooperation and coordination among the agencies with the security responsibility, i.e., Jefferson County Sheriff, North Jeffco Recreation District security, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management.
Overcrowding, lengthy time and distance commutes for students, and coordination between the community, the Jefferson County R-1 School and Boulder County School Districts are concerns underlying the following policies.
1. Planning for school locations should be coordinated with the North Mountains Community Plan to:
a. reduce commuting time and distance;
b. ensure facility design that is sensitive to the mountain environment;
c. ensure facility design that provides for shared use of facilities by the community; and
d. provide continued community involvement in decisions on school facilities.
2. Land use solutions to school problems should be considered when new development results in overcrowded schools, or the Jefferson County R-1 District standards cannot be maintained. Such solutions may include, but are not limited to:
a. phasing development;
b. modifying the project; and
c. changing the project phasing.
3. New development should share the cost of providing major capital improvements and new school facilities that would be required because of the growth impact of new development.
4. Jefferson County R-1 Schools and Jefferson County should continue to monitor growth, the impacts of development proposals on school facilities, and seek alternatives to the overcrowding of schools.
Group homes can be appropriate in the North Mountains when the necessary support services are available, e.g., transportation, medical, and police and fire protection services, etc.
1. Applicants and operators of group homes should be knowledgeable about the unique problems and opportunities associated with mountain living. The adequacy of support services to meet the special needs of group home residents should be carefully considered.
The North Mountains area is served by Public Service Company of Colorado and United Power, Inc. Adequate and timely provision of services by these organizations will be essential for growth.
1. Utility service providers should review rezoning and exemption proposals prior to approval to ensure the availability of an adequate and timely level of services.
2. Utility facilities should be planned and designed in conformance with the North Mountains Community Plan policies, including criteria in the Mountain Site Design Criteria section.
3. The utilities serving the area should work with residents of the community in site selection and design of facilities.