In a highly unusual joint planning process, the Town of Estes Park and Larimer County located in Colorado, collaborated to rewrite the quarter-century old 1996 Estes Valley Comprehensive Plan. This coordinated effort—Estes Forward—is a model for joint planning and partnership between town and county jurisdictions. The future land use framework and recommendations work in tandem to address population growth and development pressure while protecting rural landscapes and values.

The collaborative nature of Estes Forward establishes the plan as an innovative guiding document for both the town and county. The Future Land Use Categories unifies the town and county’s framework for the built and natural character. This works to prevent development sprawl, and requires extensive infrastructure investments and long-term maintenance. The plan recommends unprecedented levels of residential density through mixed use, taller building heights, infill development, and new attainable housing and mixed-use near existing commercial centers and key transportation corridors.

The plan prioritizes the preservation of the open and rural character surrounding Estes Park that county residents value. The joint plan provided a unique opportunity to collectively define a vision for one of Colorado’s most iconic regions and gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.