After four months of meaningful conversation with the community, the One Community Project (OCP) is thrilled to share a first draft of the Leadville & Lake County Community Values! OCP is a year-long initiative designed to create a shared vision and comprehensive plan for the future of Leadville and Lake County.
So, what exactly is a community value? Values are the shared beliefs and priorities that reflect what matters most to people in a community. They speak to the customs, qualities, and experiences that give life here meaning – and help define our identity as a place. Think of values as a North Star: They guide our decisions, shape how we respond to change, and reflect how we want to show up as a community on our best days. Values can be somewhat aspirational—something we strive toward, even if we don’t always get it right.
“Including community values in our next comprehensive plan will help us preserve the unique character, culture, and priorities of our community instead of a one-size-fits all solution,” noted Lake County Community Planning & Development Director Anne Schneider. “They provide a moral and cultural framework that guides policy choices across land use, housing, economic development, and more.”
Leadville and Lake County’s community values were shaped by the voices of hundreds of locals gathered through surveys (more than 600 submitted), one-on-one interviews, small group conversations, and community events for more than 800 total individual interactions. Your perspectives have illuminated what matters most to this community, as well as what challenges we should address going forward.
“The One Community Project does community engagement differently, breaking through the boundaries of traditional comprehensive planning,” City of Leadville Community Development & Planning Director Chapin LaChance explained. “Our collaborative process builds community capacity, empowering us to tackle the tough issues that may lie ahead.”
Throughout May, the OCP team geeked out on values data – tapping into our brains, AI tools, and data analysis software to uncover key themes and connections. We then worked to craft the values statements presented below:
Draft Community Values
- CONNECTION TO NATURE AND OUTDOORS. We value our connection to nature and our access to the mountains, water, and outdoor spaces where we adventure, spend time together, or find quiet alone. This gives us a deep appreciation of the natural world and fosters a sense of responsibility to care for it.
- RUGGED MOUNTAIN CHARACTER. We value the grit of hardy mountain living, where actions and character matter more than image. We’re not flashy and we like it that way.
- GETTING THINGS DONE TOGETHER. We value being a community where people roll up their sleeves, work hard, and solve problems together. We don’t always agree, but we value showing up, listening to one another, and doing the work to get things done.
- A CONNECTED COMMUNITY. We value being part of a community where people know, support, and look out for one another. We value living in a place where everyone has the opportunity to feel seen, welcomed, and connected to our neighbors.
- HONORING OUR ROOTS. We value the people, cultures, places, and traditions that shape who we are. By caring for our shared history, diverse backgrounds, and the land we call home, we build pride, deepen understanding, and forge stronger connections across our community.
- OUR ABILITY TO STAY HERE. We value stability, opportunity, and belonging across the full arc of life here, where people can put down roots, feel involved, and thrive from childhood to old age.
Now it’s your turn, Leadville and Lake County, to tell us – did we get it right?To provide feedback online, visit https://bit.ly/3HohHHN. Stay tuned for upcoming in-person values feedback opportunities!