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What is your long-term vision for Elbert County?
Elbert County is embarking on the exciting process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, a crucial roadmap for the county’s future. This plan serves as a long-term vision, guiding decisions on land use, infrastructure, housing, and environmental preservation while ensuring the community’s values and priorities are at the forefront.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A Comprehensive Plan is a strategic blueprint that helps communities shape their future. It outlines goals, policies, and priorities for development, striking a balance between growth, sustainability, and the quality of life for residents. Typically spanning 20 years, the plan provides direction for future zoning regulations, transportation improvements, economic development, environmental conservation, and capital investments.
By updating the Comprehensive Plan, Elbert County ensures that it remains a thriving and well-balanced community, one that addresses the needs of its residents while preserving its rural character and natural beauty.
The Comprehensive Plan addresses the following topics:
Community Engagement
Community engagement is crucial to the success of implementing the Comprehensive Plan, as the Plan should reflect the community’s needs and vision. To achieve this, there will be a series of opportunities for community engagement. The goal is to reach as much of the Elbert County community as possible.
See the timeline below for project happenings and opportunities to meet with the Project Team!
Open House #2
More information to come
Open House #1
October 16, 2025, at 6-8pm
Elbert County Fairgrounds Agriculture Building (95 Ute Ave, Kiowa, CO 80117)
Simla Days
Come visit our booth in Simla on September 1 from 9am to 12pm.
There will be engagement activities to collect thoughts and comments.
Elbert County Fair
Come visit our booth at the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa from 9am to 12pm.
There will be engagement activities to collect thoughts and comments.
Online Community Survey
Open House #2
More information to come
Open House #1
October 16, 2025, at 6-8pm
Elbert County Fairgrounds Agriculture Building (95 Ute Ave, Kiowa, CO 80117)
Simla Days
Come visit our booth in Simla on September 1 from 9am to 12pm.
There will be engagement activities to collect thoughts and comments.
Elbert County Fair
Come visit our booth at the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa from 9am to 12pm.
There will be engagement activities to collect thoughts and comments.
Online Community Survey
Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
The Board of County Commissioners has appointed 16 Steering Committee members to guide the development of the Comprehensive Plan by offering input, reviewing draft materials, and ensuring the plan reflects the community’s goals. Steering Committee members represent long-term residents, new residents, landowners, business owners, and local professionals, bringing a wide range of perspectives to the table. Their collaboration helps create a plan that is practical and rooted in the community’s shared vision.
Steering Committee members:
Andrea Richardson
Chris Hatton
Danny Willcox
Jeanine Foster
Jim Marshall
Joe Pepper
Ken Madsen*
Kevin Kirkwood*
Kim Wills
Larry Gable
Lee Benjamin
Nicole Hunt*
Pres White
Shelly Manning
Steve Balcerovich
Tyler Dreisbach
*Planning Commissioners
Steering Committee meetings are open to the public for viewing and listening. Meeting dates, times, and locations are posted below a week in advance.
Click on the meeting date to see time and location. If the meeting is virtual, a Zoom link will be provided. Meeting recordings and materials will be made available after the meeting has occurred.
Meeting details will be posted one week in advance. Stay tuned!
Meeting #1 – Introduction to the Steering Committee & Comprehensive Plan Vision and Goals.
The meeting recording is available on YouTube.
PowerPoint presentation is available here.
Meeting #2 – Comprehensive Plan Vision and Core Principles.
The meeting recording is available on YouTube.
PowerPoint presentation is available here.
Meeting #3 – Comprehensive Plan Vision and Core Principles.
The meeting recording is available on YouTube.
PowerPoint presentation is available here.
Meeting #4 – Land Use Categories.
The meeting recording is available on YouTube.
PowerPoint presentation is available here.
Community Survey Overview
A successful survey represents the collective voice of the community. This means ensuring that all segments of the community are provided with the opportunity to provide their thoughts and ideas. The County and project team made extensive efforts to ensure that as many residents as possible had access to both digital and print options to take the survey. Distribution included:
- Online access via the Comprehensive Plan Project Website
- In-person outreach at the Elbert County Fair and Simla Days with print copies available
- Social media promotion on the Elbert County Government’s Facebook page
- News Articles:
- The Elbert County News Flash
- Colorado Community Media
- Denver7 (ABC)
- Paper copies available at:
- Pines & Plains Libraries in Simla, Elbert, Elizabeth, and Kiowa
- Elbert County DMV
- Elbert County Fire Rescue
- Elbert County Admin Building
The Community Survey was open from July 22 – September 5, 2025, and it collected a total of 925 responses, of which 882 were from Elbert County residents, representing 94% of total survey participants.
(Note that not all 925 survey respondents answered each and every question. The Full Survey Results include the number of respondents who chose to answer or skip each question. The first two questions were the only ones that required an answer in order to move on.)
Access the Full Survey Results using the link below:
Access the Survey Results Summary using the link below:
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the Comprehensive Plan does not directly change zoning. The future land use map will assist in guiding future development decisions; however, County Regulations would not be amended upon Plan adoption. The Plan serves as a guiding document to identify where land use types are appropriate and guides future updates to the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations.
Land use refers to how land is actually utilized (e.g., residential, agricultural, commercial), while zoning refers to government regulations that dictate how land can legally be used.
The following topics are covered in the Comprehensive Plan:
- Comprehensive Plan Vision
- County Character
- Land Use and Strategic Growth
- Housing
- Transportation
- Parks, Trails, and Open Space
- Natural Environment, Sustainability, and Resilience
- Infrastructure and Utilities
- Public Safety and Wellbeing
- Community Resources
To stay informed, please visit the website regularly and attend community engagement events to share your input on the Plan. You can also provide your email address through this site to be added to the project’s email list to receive project updates.
The Comprehensive Plan process will go through 2025 and conclude in early 2026.
Resources
Contact us!
What ideas would you like the team to consider for the Elbert County Comprehensive Plan?
Community input is a key component to developing a Comprehensive Plan. Share your input with the team using the form.