The proposed and approved but as yet un-built 70-lot subdivision on Running Deer Road has created some question about who needs to take responsibility for the intersection at Running Deer Road and Highway 65.

Last week, the county commissioners said they don’t want to be the ones responsible for shepherding an access permit through CDOT’s approval process.

Although the subdivision on the town’s western border is actually in the county, the BoCC and the county planning department think the town should delegate the chore of dealing with CDOT to the developer.

CDOT isn’t going to pay for any road improvements required for the subdivision at the intersection. While the state’s road building agency will decide what improvements are required and to what specifications they will be built, someone else will pay for the work.

All of the parties involved are in agreement that should be the developer.

The Town of Orchard City would like the county to at least apply for a highway access permit for the subdivision. Running Deer is a town road. The town says it has no tax base to pay for CDOT fees, road improvements or potential liability.

Still, the county isn’t interested in being involved. County planners tried hard to get Orchard City to annex the proposed development.

Orchard City has agreed to be the domestic water provider for the Orchard Mesa subdivision, but the town refused to annex the subdivision because with no sales or property tax the town board concluded they would end up spending more money providing services, especially snow plowing of roads in winter, than the development would generate in revenue.

The developer is John Peters of Ridgway. His plan is to phase develop 70 large lots on a dry bench overlooking Tongue Creek Valley.

The commissioners decided they didn’t want CDOT permit application chores delegated to them by the town, and decided the town should instead delegate that responsibility to the developer.

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