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Long Range Planning promotes future development in Adams County that is aligned with the vision and goals of the community, in conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Adams County, and other adopted plans. Long Range Planning achieves the vision of the County’s long range plans by:
- Participating in regional, county-wide and neighborhood planning efforts
- Adequately and appropriately involving all of the key stakeholder groups
- Providing various economic and demographic analyses to County departments and outside agencies
- Coordinating the implementation of plans through capital improvement projects
Use the map below to identify the plan(s) that outline the vision for your neighborhood. There is also a table with a link and description of each of the plans the County as adopted, or reach out to us today.
Recent Projects
Advancing Adams Comprehensive Plan
The Advancing Adams Comprehensive Plan was adopted on Sept. 8, 2022 and ratified by the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 27, 2022. Thank you for participating and providing input. You can find the plan here or a lower resolution version for faster download here. Please visit www.AdcoDSO.com to stay up-to-date and participate in the next project to update the county’s Development Standards and Regulations.
Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP) Subarea Plan
Adams County and CASP have partnered with Kimley-Horn, Bryce Space and Technology, and ArLand Land Use Economics to produce this community-driven Subarea Plan. The vision for CASP is to serve as the nation’s hub for commercial space transportation, research, and development. Download the final CASP Subarea Plan document.
Square Lake Subarea Plan
Adams County and the City of Arvada are working together to create a Subarea Plan that will envision future development and redevelopment opportunities within the Square Lake Subarea to ensure this gateway area is thoughtfully master planned. The plan will evaluate current land uses and constraints and build on opportunities for quality of life and economic growth around the transit line, Clear Creek corridor, and context-sensitive planning in underutilized and vacant parcels within the subarea. View the Square Lake Subarea Plan.
2018 Balanced Housing Plan Ratified on July 10, 2018
Visit www.adcogov.org/bhp for more information.
Applicable Plans Map
Click on a point on the map or search by address to find what plans apply to a property.
Long Range Plans
|
Date |
Plan Name |
|---|---|
|
2002 |
The Strasburg Plan was a joint effort between Adams and Arapahoe Counties to maintain the small town, agricultural character of the Strasburg area. The plan seeks to control growth by focusing development within the area to prevent sprawl and create a new activity center to provide jobs and services to residents. |
|
2005 |
State-mandated Master Plan that is limited in scope to limestone, coal, sand, gravel, and quarry aggregate materials. The Plan describes known and probable mineral resources in the County and typical extraction techniques for each of the five minerals. |
|
2005 |
Seeks to preserve the South Platte River valley and to prevent urban growth and development from spoiling the natural and scenic beauty of the area by providing a vision and implementation policy framework to guide future development and conservation efforts in the corridor. |
|
2005 |
The 2005 Southwest Adams County Framework Plan provided an outline for future planning and redevelopment efforts in southwest Adams County. It is intended to serve as a guiding document throughout the many years it would take to complete the neighborhood plans, corridor plans, and other redevelopment efforts needed to improve southwestern Adams County. |
|
2008 |
Through community involvement, local government attention, and general resident awareness, the Berkeley Neighborhood developed objectives to address some of the biggest goals and concerns of the community: maintaining the character and visual appeal of the single-family neighborhood, improving transportation options and infrastructure, providing better enforcement for code issues, improving relations with Regis University, and promoting better opportunities for youth in the neighborhood. |
|
2008 |
Weld/Adams County Line Crossroads Alignment Study The border between Weld and Adams Counties is known as Weld County Road 2 (WCR 2), or East 168th Avenue. Due to survey correction lines, many of the north-south roadways along this border are offset, making it difficult for traffic to smoothly travel across the joint county boundary, as well as complicating how multiple jurisdictions can properly plan for future transportation needs. This study, completed in October 2008, establishes preferred north-south alignments that will provide a smooth transition across East 168th Avenue for the following five major intersections. |
|
2009 |
Clear Creek Valley Transit Oriented Development Plan Adams County completed this study in September 2009 to plan for development that will evolve around the two transit stations in southwest Adams County – the Clear Creek at Federal station and the Pecos Junction station. The plan focuses on encouraging sustainable, mixed-use development to maintain, enhance, and revitalize existing commercial corridors and industrial areas, creating new connections with surrounding areas, and improving open space and recreational opportunities to enhance the area’s role as a gateway into southwest Adams County. Click on the link for more information about Transit Oriented Development, www.adcogov.org/transit-oriented-development. |
|
2011 |
I-70 Corridor Economic Assessment The eight-mile-long corridor along I-70 from approximately E-470 to Deer Trail represents the communities on the eastern edge of the Denver Metro Area, including portions of Aurora and the communities of Bennett, Byers, Deer Trail, Strasburg, and Watkins. This economic assessment, completed in 2011, summarizes the existing economic conditions, infrastructure capacity, historic and future growth trends, and economic drivers in the corridor. |
|
2012 |
Comprehensive Plan - Imagine Adams County The Adams County Comprehensive Plan, updated in December 2012, is the official policy document of Adams County’s elected officials. The Plan provides a concise statement of the County’s objectives for future development within unincorporated areas of the County and in municipal growth areas. It establishes goals, policies, and strategies to in day-to-day decision-making regarding land use applications, capital improvement planning, and regional coordination efforts with other jurisdictions and agencies. This update, completed in 2012, includes four distinct, but closely integrated components: the Comprehensive Plan update, the Transportation Plan update, the Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the Open Space, Parks, and Trails Master Plan. Integrating these three efforts represents a significant departure from previous planning efforts in Adams County and around the country. This level of integration reflects Adams County’s commitment to a more resilient and sustainable future. |
|
2012 |
Open Space, Parks & Trails Master Plan The vision for the 2012 Master Plan promotes an open space system that conserves agricultural lands throughout the County; preserves and enhances important wildlife habitats and corridors; and protects and improves important natural and scenic resources such as wetlands, floodplains, and unique land forms. The plan identifies corridors for trail development and open space conservation that link to the open space systems of adjacent counties and communities while retaining the natural, cultural, and agricultural qualities of the County. |
|
2014 |
In order to thoughtfully manage growth and redevelopment anticipated with pending openings of rail lines in southwest Adams County, the Federal Boulevard Framework Plan was developed in 2014. Completed in tandem with a Health Impact Assessment, the Framework Plan evaluated the corridor in terms of urban design and streetscape environments, bicycle and pedestrian safety, the context of market feasibility, and engagement of the many communities along the corridor. Based on a detailed inventory and analysis of these four factors, the Plan identifies a set of 20 recommendations to be considered to address findings. |
|
2014 |
The Welby Plan represents the product of hard work and innovative ideas on how to build on and transform existing assets, reinvest, and maintain a vibrant community that attracts investments from both inside and outside of Welby. It envisions vibrant corridors and neighborhoods built on community pride. The Plan includes seven strategic goals, including: economic development; environment; history and culture; infrastructure; public safety; recreation, open space, and agriculture; and vibrant neighborhoods. |
|
2015 |
The Sustainable Adams County 2030 identifies four cornerstones of sustainability and sixteen goals that are integral to ensuring the long term environmental, social and fiscal sustainability of Adams County. The four cornerstones are Responsible and Innovative Regional Leadership, Waste Management and Reduction, Conservation of energy and Resources, and Respect for Adams County’s Heritage. |
|
2016 |
District Plan Adams County and the City of Brighton partnered in 2016 to create the District Plan to study the feasibility of preserving farmland in southern Brighton that remains valuable for food production, while allowing for a range of development opportunities that consider the most efficient and sustainable use of the land. This plan helps decision-makers guide investment in the area for compatible residential, commercial, and industrial development, as well as farmland conservation, and local food and agritourism promotion. |
|
2016 |
Focuses on formulating a sound and rational basis for guiding development, redevelopment and supporting infrastructure for 13,177 acres of unincorporated southwest Adams County. The Plan includes projects ideal for multi-jurisdictional and public-private partnership and investment. The Plan focuses on economic return on investment while being strategic and equitable for the existing community, neighborhoods, and businesses. |
| 2018 |
Balanced Housing Plan & Appendix 2017 Housing Needs Assessment Recognizes the need to address housing challenges identified in the 2017 Housing Needs Assessment, and has set the stage for working towards providing housing opportunities for all individuals at all income levels and stages of life. The Balanced Housing Plan’s purpose is to take the information collected from the HNA and stakeholder input, and present defined goals and outcomes through a multifaceted and collaborative approach. The Plan’s strategies focused on changes that could be made at the County level to provide better housing outcomes, including the expansion and leveraging of existing resources, balancing supply with demand through incentives and flexible regulations, maintaining existing affordable housing stock, decreasing the affordability gap through better wages, and providing greater predictability and the development process. |
| 2022 |
Colorado Air and Space Port Subarea Plan The Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP) is poised to serve as one of the nation's hubs for commercial space transportation, research, and development. Colorado and the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area has a robust aerospace industry, including 280 aerospace related companies and more than 500 suppliers providing space-related products and services. The CASP is located six miles from Denver International Airport (DEN) with regional connectivity provided by I-70 and is in proximity to the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) mainline. The CASP is surrounded by multiple jurisdictions, including unincorporated Adams County, the City of Aurora, the Town of Bennett, Arapahoe County, and the City and County of Denver. Each of these jurisdictions play a key role in development around the CASP and will be integral to the success of the airport-related mixed-use employment area surrounding DEN (also referred to as the aerotropolis region). |
For more information about Long Range Planning in Adams County, please contact:
Libby Tart, AICP
Senior Long Range Planner
720.523.6858
Email
