[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6162664,"mediaKeyId","5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8","parentId",5437812,"title","County reports fast building-permit turnaround, flags planning delays and revenue rebound","audioSeconds",456,"startMs",564000,"endMs",1020000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8&start=564&end=1020","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8/thumbnail_564000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6162664/Larimer-County/Colorado/County-reports-fast-building-permit-turnaround-flags-planning-delays-and-revenue-rebound","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162664-d3b7c7368cf894e54406890a1a2a63d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770851353&Signature=BjGEAEITntxTtBECuK69oXCfYMqI4U2k2481KCSLtcnt7UqrAYdLdAVWr4E4tPovDh8nLVne652jqzLOa4r~MDYNZMXYGjpPAiy7t4y6WKatHR0zcc3pukw5UtYmJNgIYD~6iyE2eh4HBhAItuoDspNgwxESGBWFY4NPrLZb5BjjIDKFfz5cCrPXCt-Pi2BLhGLtJtRITadpCBUsNwhSS9T~XC8QCykGSIkOJdytttrASvdFKMqReX-Ql569pHJuoes~cr~Zp-4P~aCevl3ds3OLqofLYJshRj-BP2iyqy57doMolaHP0gZPRexayq7QKDp-Du-J5sl1r3MiJiVB3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Larimer County, CO","date","2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","article","Rebecca Everett, Community Development director, told the Board of County Commissioners on July 21 that the department met most of its standing performance measures in 2024 but is refining some metrics to better reflect workloads. \"We are still sitting close to 100% — we're at 99% — for building inspection requests honored within 24 hours,\" Everett said. She reported the department's average time in county hands for a residential building permit declined to 12 days in 2024, well below the department goal of 25 days.

The county presented those measures as part of its annual performance‑measure series and emphasized the distinction between department performance measures (which have goals) and community indicators (tracked but not controlled by the department). Julie Elser, data program manager, said the county is reviewing measures across departments as part of a broader strategic‑planning process.

Why this matters: speedy permit processing affects housing and construction timelines and feeds revenue forecasts used in the county budget. Everett said building revenues dipped in 2023 but rebounded strongly in 2024; staff and the performance‑budget team developed low/mid/high scenarios to inform the 2026 budget.

On planning work, Everett cautioned that two timing charts in the presentation cover only cases submitted and completed in the same calendar year and therefore undercount longer, multi‑year applications. For land‑division applications — the planning case type used in the chart — the 2024 average in county hands was 167 days, above the department goal of 150 days. Everett said the department wants a better metric that captures multi‑year cases.

Commissioners pressed for more disaggregated data. Commissioner Jody Shattuck McNally asked whether building‑activity measures could separate small accessory or agricultural permits (for example pole barns or HVAC permits) from larger residential and commercial work, to better reflect local agricultural trends and housing‑related permitting. \"Breaking out commercial, residential, and some of those more utility permits . . . would be helpful to visualize where our trends are,\" Everett replied.

Commissioner John Cavallis asked whether the reported 12‑day residential permit turnaround is exceptional or related to lower permit volumes; Everett said regional benchmarking is forthcoming through a planned workshop led by the county's performance team.

The presentation also showed planning caseload trends: total planning applications have declined since 2021 to just above 200 applications, with variances and site plan reviews among the most common case types. Everett noted code changes for short‑term rentals contributed to some shifts in application mix. She also said wireless existing‑facility requests — described as equipment swap‑outs rather than new towers — numbered 18 and were not a major workload driver.

Ending: The department will work with the county strategic planning team to revise measures in 2026 so performance indicators better reflect the life cycle of planning cases and the department's workload, and will offer the commissioners more detailed breakdowns by permit and application type on request.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Larimer County BOCC Work Session 7/21/25 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Rebecca Everett, Community Development director, told the Board of County Commissioners on July 21 that the department met most of its standing performance measures in 2024 but is refining some metrics to better reflect workloads.","taxTitle","Larimer County, Colorado","taxId",4545,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162659,"County engineers report good bridge deck ratings, debate capacity standards as severe crash rate rises",289,1467000,1756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8&start=1467&end=1756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8/thumbnail_1467000.jpg","/articles/6162659/Larimer-County/Colorado/County-engineers-report-good-bridge-deck-ratings-debate-capacity-standards-as-severe-crash-rate-rises","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162659-719814da2cd6d0db8766486272cb1239/orig.mp4?Expires=1770851353&Signature=lF9ErqUItIFgzGS8~oRNVYWWUlgIhLKAp7pB66H~eKX-udQb30l8gl5P1KGTh4uxPtX3kcHTau5fpe-mjcBt-ITn4U7zxjK3CtL7KR0VAKIBHY743lGQgaT~lplq5Q84ltnEtF5YnuxlLx2BX0Mq0POll5-hnEGG5d2VjyTGWTwu1i0wKZZhxoV3pIBmog33iW7qYAcz3XFBblyY~0~fwcPVunSKSSt8xV4xwJhZZuWUdG41uVLQXI9I4wvhBcZCfuj6dqkjh1W-J0hDQPTw4pf0CodfdL7SOmfAIzyhMOCfz6l0WXJWpTws~I4hWoM1ip26Tv9y5YOgMTBFo2gVqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mark Peterson, county engineer, and Justin Hirsch, assistant director for Road and Bridge, briefed commissioners July 21 on transportation performance measures and safety trends.

Peterson said the county follows a standard that compares traffic volume to road capacity. He warned that the newest Highway Capacity Manual gives higher capacity values to some narrow, two‑lane mountain roads than earlier guidance, which will raise the computed percent of roads providing \"free‑flow\" capacity when the county recalculates measures for the transportation plan. \"We've potentially given those roads credit for double the capacity,\" Peterson said, noting the change is a national standard the county will use but that it may not reflect local driving conditions on steep, narrow routes.

On bridges, Peterson said the county tracks deck area for structures with spans of 20 feet or greater and currently has about 200 such structures. Roughly 52% of bridge deck area is rated \"good\" and about 2.3% is rated \"poor;\" CDOT hires a consultant to inspect major structures on a two‑year cycle and the county is having all bridges inspected this year.

Hirsch described pavement‑condition measures and a forthcoming methodology change for unpaved roads. The county uses Pavement Condition Index (PCI) targets of 75–85 for paved roads and 80–90 for non‑paved roads, and he said the paved network is in a strong state overall. Road & Bridge has moved its chip‑seal program from a seven‑year cycle to a nine‑year cycle after internal review and will monitor results over several years; Hirsch said national chip‑seal life commonly ranges five to seven years and local practice has been delivering longer life.

For non‑paved roads, Hirsch said the department will transition from PCI‑style visual distress measures to the International Roughness Index (IRI), measured by mobile sensors, to reduce subjectivity and better represent drivability. He explained that IRI collects ride‑quality data and can be weighted for vehicle suspension to address how different vehicles perceive roughness.

Safety trends: Peterson reported that the county recorded zero fatalities on the unincorporated county road system in 2024 but that the severe crash rate (injury or crash requiring medical response) increased roughly 17% from the prior year and about 20% over a five‑year trend. Staff attributed part of the safety work to broader system measures in the county's safety action plan and noted recent investments in low‑cost safety measures such as curve signage, widened edge‑line striping, and other countermeasures.

Why this matters: recalculating capacity using the new Highway Capacity Manual will change where capacity needs are identified and could change prioritization of projects; the IRI transition aims to provide a more objective measure of non‑paved road condition. Commissioners asked how capacity changes affect safety and funding; staff said capacity changes do not directly change road safety but may affect where shoulder widening and multimodal improvements are prioritized.

Ending: Road & Bridge and Engineering will incorporate the new capacity metrics into the transportation master plan footnotes, continue bridge inspections and issue the county safety report when complete, and roll out the IRI‑based KPI for non‑paved roads in the next KPI cycle.","Mark Peterson, county engineer, and Justin Hirsch, assistant director for Road and Bridge, briefed commissioners July 21 on transportation performance measures and safety trends.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162641,"Ranch shows rising self‑sufficiency metrics; demand outpaces current convention and expo space",249,5057000,5306000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8&start=5057&end=5306","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8/thumbnail_5057000.jpg","/articles/6162641/Larimer-County/Colorado/Ranch-shows-rising-selfsufficiency-metrics-demand-outpaces-current-convention-and-expo-space","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162641-28487e9e6eab0a5f66fa819020c150cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770851353&Signature=iWwEHbeK37MssajmgGeAg0T0~t23V~0A3ufRBumN6jrjtt2UI~5feanmXhqXNJkxRDEHjgucwk8hFKJ4YTSt2vMCrp0Pjde0Rhpfscl-e3RMOrqStnwwjJW3hIZKlJu78jAubayi1y1NnUwEXRxXvGBK5cDMuxgOmqWmtb0rzd6yda1x9RrXpSp3m4A4rzXGrHvPpNxYCVmVT9zzvOFdq3t1QRNGETZGub4e7p3IsH2cAQ~AHehSnmJZtiPlucmab~zWik7rhbyD2rgoycxD3sBfAGFvIeIbQmKYKszhnCX7bT4kZPLzsMUUruS-bSy48-2-T1X1D95tORWTvAu9SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Connor McGrath, director of the Ranch, told the board on July 21 that the facility is increasing earned revenue and moving toward the department goal of self‑sustainability. \"We had 78% of operating expenses covered by fees and services in 2024,\" McGrath said, noting that 2020 figures were skewed by COVID and FEMA use of the property.

Utilization and events: McGrath reported corrected reporting for utilization (after software changes) with utilization at 41% in 2024 versus 30% in 2023. Exhibitions and meetings showed 87% utilization against a 65% target. He emphasized that utilization metrics do not always indicate revenue or intensity — one equine event can be a single‑day barrel race or a multi‑day, 24‑hour cutting show that runs for a week. McGrath said the ranch added six multi‑day, 24‑hour equine events to the 2025 calendar.

Sponsorships and naming rights: sponsorship revenue increased to about $3.8 million (combined cash and in‑kind); McGrath said the county secured a new naming‑rights partner for the 4‑H Youth and Community Arena and expected to announce the partner publicly the next day. The department is focused on long‑term sponsorship agreements and aims to have 80% of budgeted sponsorships secured by January 1 of each year.

Capacity limits: McGrath said the facility is turning away business that requires a larger flat‑floor expo footprint; the feasibility study the Ranch commissioned recommends a roughly 165,000‑square‑foot facility (approximately 100,000 flat‑floor expo and 65,000 square feet of support space). McGrath and commissioners said that until a new facility is authorized and funded, the ranch will continue to decline larger conventions and events despite strong local demand.

Why this matters: growth in earned revenue reduces county subsidy needs and supports regional event tourism; lack of larger expo space constrains the county's ability to host larger multi‑day events.

Ending: McGrath said the Ranch will continue to refine KPIs with the county performance team for 2026 and pursue long‑term sponsorships and phased capital improvements under its master plan.","The Ranch reported 78% of operating expenses covered by revenue in 2024, growing utilization and sponsorship revenue up to about $3.8 million (cash and in‑kind), and said it is turning away events that would be served by a larger expo footprint.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162647,"Solid Waste outlines diversion roadmap; household hazardous‑waste and battery programs expand",188,4318000,4506000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8&start=4318&end=4506","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8/thumbnail_4318000.jpg","/articles/6162647/Larimer-County/Colorado/Solid-Waste-outlines-diversion-roadmap-household-hazardouswaste-and-battery-programs-expand","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162647-f4c4c822a29c6ae1ee13999f57462187/orig.mp4?Expires=1770851353&Signature=SHgJKyfAJOpGMliNyXG3wRoLfkIbQL4FYu3A6Q~TJRl2VBCET05-Bl3pQR12LoIbOzE-qIIJlBazdxSrjBA4Zl1CJhj8tG~Fa-qf9QRAALHcXAN0NzwA-enC32Vp-qvyXxN9lcbc8WWTRC7cHAcb3TX7kIchwmcQd7VGhjbH1mmr2Pq8g4gFu955WRGBdvMn1uo1bdEXRHtMnwPAD7HjB3vAMnYS3243PrmhuTd3X5wurNQqIA19vDvIePK21sennks9XkLsLv0b0p-HLKnp~2DPrxDGPx8p2hZ4mlD3ttwnFUKLHtYyLMv5VB6C8KyOyafRCzBuDLuFUs8n9faAkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dwayne Penny, director of Solid Waste, told commissioners July 21 that the Larimer County landfill received about 320,000 tons of material in the prior year and described a multi‑facility infrastructure plan to increase diversion. \"If we build a C&D facility we can increase diversion to 35–40%; adding compost and food‑waste processing could push diversion toward 80%,\" Penny said, describing the master plan's five‑facility approach.

Penny said two facilities are under construction: a new north landfill and a diversion/transfer station at the Larimer County Landfill, both anticipated to be in operation by July 1 (presentation did not state a year). The diversion and transfer capability is intended to enable future recycling and processing facilities, including a construction‑and‑demolition (C&D) processing plant, a compost facility and a food‑waste processor.

Household hazardous waste: Penny said the county's HHW program receives about 20,000 visitors annually and accepts paint, batteries, bulbs, used oil and similar materials. He described a \"swap and drop\" program in which about 31% of 476 tons handled at HHW last year — roughly 147 tons — were redistributed to residents for reuse, reducing disposal volume and costs.

Batteries and extended producer responsibility: commissioners and staff discussed national and international shifts in recycling markets. Penny said Colorado will implement extended‑producer‑responsibility (EPR) programs that require manufacturers to fund recycling of packaging and batteries, which the department expects will improve markets for recycled material and ease local costs for battery recycling. Penny said commercial batteries (for power tools and lawn equipment) remain a concern because batteries embedded in equipment can cause fires if disposed of incorrectly.

Why this matters: infrastructure investments and EPR legislation will influence the county's ability to divert waste from the landfill, reduce air‑emissions reporting burdens and manage hazardous materials safely.

Ending: Penny said the county's goal is 40% diversion by 2030 as an intermediate target aligned with state goals, and staff will use the new transfer/diversion capacity to pursue processing facilities and partnerships.","Solid Waste reported roughly 320,000 tons received in 2024 and described two facilities under construction (a north landfill and a diversion/transfer station) plus plans for C&D, compost and food‑waste processing to increase diversion toward county and state goals.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162654,"Natural Resources: PAVE score steady, conservation on track for 2043 sales‑tax goal",178,2380000,2558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8&start=2380&end=2558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5437812-5934c8817b0579663a1dad1a55588aa8/thumbnail_2380000.jpg","/articles/6162654/Larimer-County/Colorado/Natural-Resources-PAVE-score-steady-conservation-on-track-for-2043-salestax-goal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162654-11f8a9f8e8e79f754f9ea14ab1b88740/orig.mp4?Expires=1770851353&Signature=kG1p7Vdtl-QQSAgLnpCtdQ7V9Sd~13LGrYGPqC8-6aKzc6OjQRc79X6d58X1vd4TgYU44tuWF6fV37zvBVa2RcVqLZcF2HTBK9kqD3VI3Calw9D1Z2FzcI4ig3hFoeB5cGkaIOy02UH-~Q-xth1qutHqHBVTS70Rw1qqYu7WQjkPWTQjuvr8eqRYK~8jVwtTD3-IoZOCxgLO-YRTzM3-a2M9MwRh8NRdwgc0GX~BayEbBLljj0f8IXYYkb8j5rwLbmUDwT2wPwsYz2wpP2zPq~SgitTxuX0tB8uJIOqSozBdazBdkdGevVejDpKZSRHRDmVIkx7~Ydb2MdiJLN8GBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dalen Figgs, director of Natural Resources, told commissioners on July 21 that the department's PAVE pavement‑condition index for county recreational paving stood at 82 in 2024, within the department target range of 75–85. Figgs said a large Federal Lands Access Program grant currently under construction will add and rehabilitate parking lots and is expected to raise the PAVE score when the work is recorded in 2025.

Land conservation: Figgs reported that the county set a goal of conserving 74,000 acres by 2043 (a per‑capita goal tied to population projections and the open‑space sales tax that funds the program). Starting from a 2018 baseline of about 50,000 acres, the county had conserved an additional 7,663 acres by 2024 and reported a total portfolio of 62,141 acres conserved as of the presentation. Figgs noted the county anticipates a shift toward roughly a 50/50 mix of fee‑title ownership and conservation easements over the life of the program, based on landowner preferences and long‑term maintenance costs.

Trails: the department tracks a natural‑surface trail score with a goal of about 75%; the system fell to about 63% after a wet 2023, prompting grant applications and expanded trail‑crew staffing; in 2024 Figgs said the trail score recovered to about 80% after those investments.

Why this matters: land conservation and trail maintenance affect recreation access and long‑term open‑space planning; the sales‑tax expiration date used in the goal setting (2043) drives the time frame for the conservation target. Figgs said the department will revisit its master plan later in the year to confirm priority conservation areas and metric choices.

Ending: Figgs said some community‑facing metrics (for example, on water‑based recreation) are tracked but not yet formalized as department KPIs because they are often outside the department's direct control; the department will continue to refine metrics as Glade Reservoir and other projects come online.","Natural Resources reported a PAVE pavement‑condition index of 82 and said a large federal grant will raise the PAVE score in 2025; the department said it has conserved 62,141 acres toward a 74,000‑acre goal by 2043 and restored natural‑surface trail condition after wet‑year damage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County reports fast building-permit turnaround, flags planning delays and revenue rebound

County engineers report good bridge deck ratings, debate capacity standards as severe crash rate rises

Ranch shows rising self‑sufficiency metrics; demand outpaces current convention and expo space

Solid Waste outlines diversion roadmap; household hazardous‑waste and battery programs expand

Natural Resources: PAVE score steady, conservation on track for 2043 sales‑tax goal