The following is a guest column written by Routt County Commissioner Angelica Salinas.

All commissioners have had those moments: bumping into someone at the grocery store, receiving a phone call, or being stopped on the street — when a neighbor asks: “Hey, what’s going on with that new development?”

As Routt County Commissioners, we welcome these conversations and deeply value hearing from our community. Lately, more and more of these questions are about projects actively moving through the planning process, and that’s where things get tricky.

It’s not that we don’t want to talk about them. It’s that, legally, we can’t.

Many development applications — especially subdivisions — go through what’s called a quasi-judicial process. That means we are required to act like judges: we can’t discuss the details of a project privately or outside of a public hearing. This is to ensure fairness, transparency, and that all parties — residents, applicants, staff and decision-makers — have access to the same information at the same time.

So if we politely say, “I can’t talk about that right now,” please know it’s not because we don’t care. It’s because we do care — about the integrity of the process and about making sure your voice is heard in the right way, at the right time.

Here’s a quick look at how the planning process works and how you can be part of it.

What is the planning process?

For large developments, like subdivisions, the process typically involves three stages:

1. Sketch Plan: This is the earliest stage. The layout is reviewed for general alignment with the county’s master plan and any applicable area plans. It’s about big-picture feedback—no engineering yet.
2. Preliminary Plan: This is where the details come in. Traffic, water and sewer, neighborhood design, wildlife, wildfire risk, open space—it all gets looked at here.
3. Final Plan: If the project gets this far, final documents and agreements are reviewed, and surety is provided to guarantee completion of required improvements.

It’s important to know: an approval at one stage doesn’t mean the next step is guaranteed. Each phase has its own review criteria.

Who’s involved?

The Planning Department leads the coordination of each application. They work with referral agencies like Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Division of Water Resources, and departments within Routt County such as Public Works, Environmental Health, and the Building Department.

Once ready, the application goes to the Planning Commission, (a volunteer board that makes recommendations), and then to the Board of County Commissioners — that’s us — for the final decision.

When can the public engage?

The best time to engage is early in the process—once an application is complete and in the review stage. Why is early input so important? Because it gives Planning staff time to review your comments, follow up with questions, gather additional information from the applicant, and fully consider your perspective.

That said, public input is welcome throughout the process, including before and during the public hearings at the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. This is your opportunity submit the online public comment form, write letters, or speak at the hearing.

All public input becomes part of the official record and helps inform the final decision.

Where do I find information?

Everything starts on the Routt County Planning website where you can find application materials, hearing dates, and instructions for submitting comments. You can also reach out to Planning staff with general questions. They’re here to help.

We know it can be frustrating to hear “I can’t talk about that,” especially when you’re trying to advocate for your neighborhood or understand what’s going on. We hope this gives you a better picture of why that is, and more importantly, how you can still be involved.

We’re here to listen, and we’re committed to making sure every voice in Routt County has a fair chance to be heard.