Adopted in August 2023, Albany County and the City of Laramie Wyoming collaborated on the Laramie Growth Area Plan (LGA Plan), a joint growth plan focusing on the unincorporated area immediately surrounding Laramie. While over 90% of Albany County’s 38,000 residents live within the city or the immediate surrounding area, continued growth pressure is affecting this rural-urban interface. The LGA Plan was initiated following a change in state statute which previously allowed for extra-territorial planning application review for the one mile “donut” or “gap” area outside the City of Laramie. The LGA Plan developed a clear plan for growth for the area surrounding the City, based upon technical infrastructure capacity and fiscal impact analyses, zoning entitlements, current County and City zoning, and most importantly, public input.

The purpose of the LGA Plan was to ensure logical patterns of development and cost-effective provision of services such as roads and utilities, as well as create a clear and consistent process for development within the “donut” through joint planning between the City and the County. The LGA Plan is supplemental to both the City of Laramie and Albany County Comprehensive Plans and is one of the first of its kind in Wyoming.