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Fruita Looking To Change Downtown Zoning District

by KREX News Room
by Courtney Griffin

Story Created: Mar 19, 2013 at 4:31 AM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 19, 2013 at 7:04 AM MDT

The City of Fruita is looking to change their downtown zoning restrictions to make it easier for more businesses to develop.

Fruita adopted a code in 2009 which lists certain requirements that need to be met by developers in the downtown zone, but what's considered in that zone includes businesses off of Highway 6 & 50.

"The land use code has very specific standards pertaining to things like parking, landscaping, the finished material on the outside of the building where the doors and windows are placed," said Dahna Raugh, community development director of Fruita.

The City of Fruita is looking to change their Downtown Mixed Use Zone district, to allow businesses outside the downtown district to have different standards.

"We're realizing that those areas that are located on Hwy 6 & 50, or those areas that are quite a distance from from the downtown core; the design standards aren't maybe appropriate," said Raugh.

The city wants to make the standards more reasonable for future developers, as more request to build along Hwy 6 & 50 come in.

"We'd like to get the design standards more close to what would ultimately be approved instead of having to have a developer try to decide what standards might be able to be relaxed, and what might not be able to be relaxed. We'd like to have those standards in place
ahead of time to be able to help the development community," said Raugh.

They hope to create businesses along the highway to be more vehicle friendly rather than pedestrian friendly.

"They're still design standards there just not as pedestrian oriented as they would be in the downtown," said Raugh.

The city says after receiving feedback from the public and business owners, their next step will be to create a land use code amendment, followed by a public hearing. If city council approves it, they'll create an ordinance.

To give feedback call (970)-858-0786, or submit comments by email at downtown@fruita.org.

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