7-20-120 Scenic View Protection

Preservation of the character of Pitkin County requires careful attention to the visible impacts of proposed development. In general, the standards of this Sec. 7-20-120 are designed to minimize the visual impact of new development (including expansions to existing structures) when viewed from designated road corridors, as well as to preserve the rural character of all Rural Areas of the county. Scenic View Protection Areas shall be considered at the time of Site Plan approval and Building Permit issuance.

(a) Intent

The intent of this Sec. 7-20-120 is:
1. To establish a Scenic View Protection Area that includes lands that are proximate to and most visible from specific roads in the County, with specific concerns for the areas that constitute the visual entrance "image" and passage through Aspen and Pitkin County as well as views of ridgelines from those roads.
2. To maintain a natural ridgeline silhouette against the sky and to steer development away from ridgelines and skylines throughout the County as viewed from public roadway corridors.
3. To insure that new development is designed and located to complement the natural landscape and the natural features within the public viewplane in order to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, rural atmosphere.
4. To reduce visual damage to the natural landforms and views throughout the County.

(b) Applicability

All areas shown on the County’s Scenic View Protection Area maps, which are maintained in the Community Development Department, shall comply with the standards of subsection (d) below. The Scenic View Protection Area map includes scenic foreground areas, public viewplanes, and ridgelines. The mapped areas are identified as viewed from the following rights-of-way:
- (a) State Highway 82;
- (b) Brush Creek Road;
- (c) Capitol Creek Road;
- (d) Snowmass Creek Road;
- (e) State Highway 133;
- (f) Frying Pan Road;
- (g) Castle Creek Road;
- (h) Maroon Creek Road;
- (i) West and East Sopris Creek Roads;
- (j) Owl Creek Road;
- (k) Upper and Lower River Roads;
- (l) McLain Flats Road; and
- (m) Woody Creek Road.
- (n) Emma Road
- (o) Coal Creek Road
- (p) Thompson Creek Road (North, Middle, and South Forks);
- (q) Watson Divide Road
- (r) Prince Creek Road; and
- (s) Lime Creek Road
All development in the Rural Area shall be sited in consideration of the rural character guidelines of subsection (e) below.

These standards shall not apply to:
1. Activity or development that is covered by a valid building permit.
2. All interior remodels that do not change any outside visual aspect of the structure.
3. Lots within platted subdivisions approved by the County, which have designated Activity, Building or Development Envelopes, unless the terms of the approval require ridgeline or scenic review prior to construction.
4. Any proposed development for which the Community Development Director determines that:
  - (a) The proposed development is not visible from those rights-of-way listed in subsection (b) above; or
  - (b) A proposed addition to or remodel of an existing structure or a proposed accessory structure has been located to minimize perceived mass when viewed from those rights-of-way listed in subsection (b) above and has been placed so it does not project above a ridgeline. The new or remodeled/expanded structure shall not silhouette against the sky when viewed from those corridors listed in subsection (b) or
  - (c) The development is exempt from Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review pursuant to Sec. 7-10-30(a), (b), (e), (f) and (g).
  - (d) For purposes of this section, visible means that a structure or use is discernible to the naked eye from the designated roadway.
  - (e) Standards for Development within Scenic View Protection Areas

All non-exempt development located within a mapped Scenic View Protection Area shall comply with the following standards.
1. The proposed development shall utilize existing topography and natural vegetation, such as ridges, hills, and existing trees, to screen buildings to the maximum extent practicable when viewed from those right-of-way listed in subsection (b) above.
2. The proposed development shall avoid the location of structures within the Scenic View Protection Areas, and shall avoid the location of structures within any Viewplane identified in the State Highway 82 Corridor Master Plan and Down Valley Comprehensive Plan if possible. If location outside the Scenic View Protection Area and defined Viewplanes is not practicable, then the proposed development shall not be located on the highest ground or most visible portion of any site as viewed from those corridors listed in subsection (b) above.
3. The proposed development's height and bulk shall be designed to avoid, to the maximum extent practicable, the visibility of buildings from those corridors listed in subsection (b) above. This may include, but shall not be limited to, breaking the mass of the building down into a series of smaller forms, articulation of the building façades to avoid a wall or row effect, and staggering rooflines to avoid a long unbroken plane.
4. The proposed structure shall be placed so it does not project above a ridgeline. The structure shall not silhouette against the sky when viewed from those corridors listed in subsection (b), unless there are no alternate building sites on the lot or parcel.
5. The proposed development shall be designed to complement the natural topography of the land through the use of techniques such as earth-sheltered design, the use of natural materials and coloring, the use of low-reflectance materials, or clustering of structures on the least visible portions of the site. When a building is proposed near a ridgeline, then its form (particularly its roof form) shall replicate, parallel, or complement the natural form of the ridgeline so that it appears to be an element of the natural ridgeline.
6. The proposed development shall preserve natural vegetation and avoid development within irrigated meadows, to the maximum extent practicable.
7. The proposed development shall install utilities in locations and through procedures that minimize visual impacts to the maximum extent practicable.
8. All satellite dishes in the proposed development shall be located to minimize visibility from those rights-of-way listed in subsection (b), and shall use earth tone colors and/or screening to minimize their visual impact.
9. The proposed development shall not use earth moving and berms as the primary means of compliance with these regulations, but earth moving may be utilized in conjunction with other techniques to comply with standards in this section. Where earth moving techniques are necessary, man-made forms should be undulating and natural in appearance.
10. In the Rural Areas only, development shall be located so that activities and development occur in at least one of the locations specified in subsection (e) as they may apply to the particular property.
11. Earth Tone Materials
  - The exterior of all development, except development located and designed in the form of a ranch compound, shall be built or painted with indigenous earth tone materials or colors. The exterior of a ranch compound should be built or painted with indigenous earth tone materials, or shall be painted or stained using local, traditional ranch colors, which shall include shades of red, brown, or white. Paints or stains that simulate weathered barn wood also shall be permitted.
12. Roofs
  - All roofs shall have a non-reflective color or composition. Reflective roof materials shall not be used unless the materials are treated prior to installation to eliminate reflection, with the exception of materials associated with solar or photovoltaic equipment.
13. Revegetation of Disturbed Areas
  - Lands disturbed by earth moving or berms should be revegetated using native species that are already growing on or near the site. Topsoil shall be stockpiled and placed on disturbed areas. Irrigation shall be provided to the revegetated areas if it is necessary to ensure survival of planted native species.
14. Driveways Avoid Dividing Meadows and Pastures
  - To the maximum extent practicable, roads and driveways shall be located to skirt the edge of and avoid dividing meadows and pastures and to avoid major road cuts. Roads and driveways should take advantage of the screening potential of natural topography and existing vegetation. Existing roads and driveways shall be used where practical. To enhance screening, a row of trees may be planted along the roads or driveways. To the maximum extent practicable, roads and driveways located around the edge of or in meadows shall be laid out with soft, curving edges and shall avoid straight line corridors that are incongruous with the natural setting.

(e) Rural Character Guidelines for Building Location

In addition to complying with the standards of subsection (d) above (if applicable), all development in Rural Areas should be located so that activities and development occur in one or a combination of the following locations as they may apply to the particular property: (1) at the edge of an open meadow or pasture; (2) behind an existing stand of vegetation; (3) behind or built into a change in natural topography; or (4) within a pasture or meadow, clustered in the form of a ranch compound, or adjacent to or integrated into an existing ranch compound. Where guidelines reference distances from a road, and more than one road borders the property, the guideline applies to the road carrying the greater amount of traffic. Guidelines for each of these locations follow:

Development Located at Edge of Meadow or Pasture
- When located at the edge of an open meadow or pasture, the development shall comply with the following standards:
  - (a) Distance
    - Located at the greatest practicable distance from the road and, where applicable, it shall be located adjacent to existing development.
  - (b) Edge of Meadow or Pasture
    - Located along the edge of the meadow or pasture, where the meadow or pasture meets the toe of a hillside, or on a relatively less steep, lower hillside area adjacent to the meadow.
  - (c) Separate Developed Areas
    - Located so as to separate developed areas that from natural areas and pastures, and to preserve open space in the largest contiguous tracts practicable, taking into account the allowed densities and uses.
Development Located Behind Existing Stand of Vegetation
- When located behind an existing stand of vegetation, the development shall comply with the following standards:
  - (a) Scale of Development
    - The scale of the development shall not interrupt or obscure the existing occurring stand of vegetation behind which it is located.
  - (b) Supplementary Vegetation
    - Where natural vegetation does not adequately screen the development as determined by the visual analysis, native vegetation shall be planted to augment the existing vegetation and maintain the visual integrity of the protected view.
Development Behind or Built into Natural Topographic Break
- When located behind a natural topographic break or built into the natural topography in an earth-sheltered design, development shall comply with the following guidelines:
  - (a) Scale
    - Scale and height of the development shall be subordinate to the natural change in topography.
  - (b) Earth Moving
    - Earth moving shall be used to the minimum extent practicable to extend a naturally occurring topographic change and screen the development, but not to create a new, man-made landform.
Ranch Compound within Irrigated Pasture or Meadows
- When development is located within an irrigated pasture or meadow in the form of a ranch compound or adjacent to or integrated into an existing ranch compound, it shall comply with the following guidelines.
  - (a) Views to Rear Portion of Property
    - It shall not preclude views from the public road to the rear portions of the pasture or meadow.
  - (b) Clustering Structures
    - Structures shall be clustered together in close proximity to preserve the maximum amount of the meadow or pasture as open areas.
  - (c) Native Vegetation
    - Native vegetation shall be planted to mimic either the existing species composition and pattern of growth or traditional farm and ranch-stead planting patterns (e.g., clustered or linear tree plantings to act as windbreaks). Applicants are strongly advised to use native plant materials and consider Colorado Division of Wildlife recommendations with respect to their relative attractiveness to wildlife.
Partial Impracticability
- If a portion, but not all, of the proposed activity or development can be located in conformance with the guidelines in subsections (1) through (4) above, then the portion that cannot be located in conformance with such guidelines shall be located in accordance with the following guidelines:
  - (a) Along Front Edge of Meadow or Pasture
    - To the extent practicable, it shall be located along the front edge of the meadow or pasture and in proximity to similarly situated development on adjacent lands.
  - (b) Maintain Contiguous Open Space
    - It shall be located so as to maintain the largest amount of contiguous open space practicable, in relation to the scenic view being protected.
  - (c) Screening of Development
    - The development shall be screened with native vegetation planted to mimic either the existing species composition and pattern of growth or traditional farm and ranch-stead planting patterns (e.g., clustered or linear tree plantings to act as windbreaks). Applicants are strongly advised to use native plant materials and consider Colorado Division of Wildlife recommendations with respect to their relative attractiveness to wildlife.
Alternate location
- Proposed development may be located in an area of the property that is not in conformance with the guidelines in subsections (1) through (5) above, if the applicant can demonstrate that the proposed location will have less scenic impact than if the development was sited in conformance with the guidelines.

Report abuse

7-20-120 Scenic View Protection

How To Documents

Return to Title 8 Directory