About
The Project
The One Community Project is just getting underway and will continue through late 2025. Guided by input from the people who live and work here, this project will shape the policies and programs of both the City and County to ensure a future that reflects the values of our diverse community.
It will start with a Vision and Values process to help set a “North Star” for our community. This will help us figure out what matters most and guide our leaders in making decisions. As Lake County and Leadville grow and change, it will ensure we stay true to what makes our community special. The City and County will use this process to create a plan that directs local policies and programs, formally called a Comprehensive Plan.
Process & Timeline
Phase 1: Laying the Groundwork
Phase 2: Where are we today?
Phase 3: Where do we want to go?
Phase 4: How do we get there?
Phase 5: Create the Plan!
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A comprehensive plan is a roadmap that sets the long-term direction for land use, growth, and development over the next 10-20 years. State statutes require communities to develop and maintain a comprehensive plan, ensuring local planning efforts are consistent and well-coordinated. Local leaders use the comprehensive plan to make program, funding, and policy decisions about how we grow and develop. The plan can include and address any of the applicable key elements listed below:
- recreation and tourism (required by state statutes),
- transportation,
- land use (zoning, subdivision, annexations, etc.),
- economic development,
- affordable housing,
- environment,
- parks and open space,
- natural and cultural resources,
- hazards,
- capital improvements,
- water supply and conservation,
- efficiency in government,
- sustainability,
- energy
- historic preservation
1: Policy Framework
A comprehensive plan is not a regulatory tool; instead, it is a policy document providing a framework for a community’s future development. It serves as the foundation for creating and guiding regulatory tools such as zoning, subdivision regulations, and annexations.
2: Consistency
All other County and City plans – such as open space and recreation plans, transit plans, capital plans, etc. – should maintain consistency with the comprehensive plan’s goals and priorities, while adding detail that fits each jurisdiction, and identifying specific projects.
3: Decision-making
A comprehensive plan guides decision-makers (like the city council, county commission, planning commissioners, and city and county staff) when considering discretionary decisions on development proposals, zoning changes, and capital improvements. It helps ensure that all planning and development decisions are consistent with the community’s overarching goals and priorities.
4: Supports Funding
Comprehensive plans are a gateway to new funding opportunities and grants, as they clarify needs and demonstrate public support for projects.
5: Regional Thinking
Comprehensive plans provide an opportunity to think regionally, especially in relation to growth, utilities, community services, and transportation.
Project Teams
The purpose of both the Project Management Team and the Engagement Team is to support your involvement in the One Community Project.
The project is managed by City and County representatives, with the support of Community Builders. This Project Management Team provides week-to-week management and operational support, while the project’s direction will be fully guided by the community and the Engagement Team.
The Engagement Team (E.T.) is a group of community volunteers created to support a key goal of the One Community Project: to bring our community together through a thoughtful, far-reaching, and inclusive process. They will support this goal by helping people learn about and participate in the project and leading engagement activities. If you are interested in joining the Engagement Team, please email a 2-3 sentence statement of interest (why you would like to be involved) to brooke@communitybuilders.org OR contact us here.
Project Partners
The City and County have partnered with the nonprofit Community Builders to facilitate a transparent and robust community engagement process through this planning effort. The process will be driven by the community with support from Community Builders, and the Comprehensive Plan that results from this process will be adopted by elected officials.
How is the plan being funded?
The One Community Project is funded through Lake County and the City of Leadville and matched with contributions raised by Community Builders through Colorado-based foundations.
Community Builders (CB) assistance projects are rooted in a unique partnership that leverages philanthropic resources raised by CB with local funding contributed by project partners . In this way, CB is not acting as a “consultant” that is “hired” by partner communities. Instead, all parties agree to work together based on shared goals, responsibility, and resources.
Who is Community Builders?
