3-40-20 RR (Rural and Remote)

(b) Locational Criteria

Areas within the RR zone district should exhibit some or all of the following characteristics:

1. Location more than one-half (1/2) mile from winter-maintained public roadways,
2. Absence of traditional utility service districts, such as electric, gas and phone,
3. Limited availability, or absence of rapid, traditional Pitkin County emergency services,
4. Little or no development existing in the surrounding area,
5. Presence of natural hazard areas or important environmental or historic resource areas,
6. Location within subalpine or alpine ecosystems, and/or location at or above the nine thousand (9,000) foot elevation, and/or
7. Location adjacent to U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management owned properties.

(c) Minor Uses and Activities

1. In addition to those uses permitted by right as shown in Table 4-1, the following minor uses are permitted by right in the RR zone district:
   • (a) Shared water systems,
   • (b) Individual water supply systems,
   • (c) Individual sewage disposal systems,
   • (d) Above-ground generators in compliance with County regulations,
   • (e) Gardens outside of the Activity Envelope up to two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet in size,
   • (f) Fences that meet County wildlife standards and are located outside of critical wildlife habitat and/or migration corridors,
   • (g) Termination of noxious weeds.
2. In addition to those uses permitted by right, as shown in Table 4-1, the following minor uses are permitted in the RR zone district by special review:
   • (a) Parking areas that centralize resident parking adjacent to existing roadways in order to allow alternative access to residences beyond that point (i.e., by skiing, hiking, snowmobiling, biking),
   • (b) Driveways,
   • (c) Helicopter access (for construction use only),
   • (d) Extractive operations,
   • (e) Fences that meet County wildlife standards and are located in critical wildlife habitat and/or migration corridors,
   • (f) Hydro plants (to service a single residence only),
   • (g) Extension of utilities (i.e., electricity, water, sewer, telephone and cable), provided that extensions comply with the special review criteria in Secs. 2-30-30(h)(2), and
   • (h) Improvements to existing roadways, including, but not limited to, widening, grading and drainage improvements.

(d) Legally Created Structures

1. Legally created structures in the RR zone district, existing prior to January 2nd 1996, may be retained, subject to compliance with one (1) of the following criteria:
   • (a) If the existing structure contains a dwelling unit, a new structure containing a dwelling unit may be built, provided that either the new or the existing unit is deed-restricted for occupancy by residents pursuant to the employee housing guidelines. Year-round occupancy of the unit shall not be required. The deed-restricted unit shall be exempt from GMQS pursuant to Sec. 6-30-40(b).
   • (b) If the existing structure does not contain a dwelling unit, then a new structure containing a dwelling unit may be built, provided that the existing structure is retained as an accessory structure and accommodates accessory uses only. In this case, the existing structure may not be used for either seasonal or year-round dwelling purposes.
   • (c) If the existing structure contains a dwelling unit, then, in lieu of constructing a new structure with an additional dwelling unit, one (1) transferable development right may be severed subject to approval and compliance with criteria and standards in Sec. 2-40-30 and 6-70.

(e) Prohibited Uses

In addition to all uses that are not specifically listed as uses allowed by right or by special review (including those listed in Table 4-1 or in subsections (c) or (d) above, the following uses are specifically prohibited in the RR zone district:

1. Winter maintenance of roadways and driveways, except for access to residential development sites approved prior to January 2, 1996, that have been historically and continually served by privately winter-maintained driveways or roadways, and except if the prohibition on plowing of limited service area roads is varied by the BOCC pursuant to the Asset Management Plan.
2. New accessory structures, other than those allowed by special review,
3. New roadways,
4. Disturbance of all living native vegetation outside of the Activity Envelope, except as required by County wildfire regulations for wildfire mitigation, provided that one (1) standing dead tree per five (5) acres shall remain undisturbed, if present, for bird of prey perching and nesting and for songbird perching and feeding (this provision shall not prohibit the general gathering of firewood from deadfall, nor the grazing of animals that have historically grazed the parcel prior to January 2, 1996), and
5. Caretaker and employee dwelling units.