• Fairfax Park

    This public urban pocket park was constructed in the middle of a redeveloped mixed-use, higher density block. Features in the park were designed to meet the multi-generational needs of adjacent residents based on an extensive public engagement process. Park amenities will include a splash pad, custom shade structures, and a unique urban play structure centered in the park. Surface drainage and runoff will be filtered through a bioretention planter medium before being released to downstream storm drains. The University of Colorado Denver partnered with Logan Simpson to prepare baseline data that can be used to measure the performance of the park after its construction.

  • Summit County Open Space Plan and Comprehensive Plan

    Logan Simpson prepared the first update of the Summit County Open Space & Trails Master Plan since 1996. The previous Plan focused on land acquisition for a newly conceived program; the new Plan guides the acquisition, trail development, maintenance, and resource management into the next decade to proactively address challenges and adapt to change. It provides policy guidance on open space, trails, and other outdoor recreation topics across jurisdictional boundaries. This Plan works with the Countywide and Basin Master Plans to reflect the community’s vision for open space and trails throughout the County. It is focused on non-developed, nature-based recreation and provides guidance to federal, state, and local agencies that collaborate with Summit County, with each able to set its own policy on lands under their respective jurisdiction. The planning process integrated partners, land managers, resource interests, and recreation stakeholders to address acquisition, stewardship, and visitor priorities. Multi-lingual in-person and online public input was a driving force in the development of this Plan.

  • Navigating Farmington’s Future Comprehensive Plan

    Logan Simpson completed an update to the City of Farmington, New Mexico’s 2002 Comprehensive Plan to reflect the City’s transformation from an economy traditionally reliant on oil, gas, and coal extraction, to one that is much more diverse. Policies within the draft plan highlight an economic future that strengthens key assets such as: outdoor recreation opportunities; a burgeoning film industry; and access to regional healthcare and higher-level education; increased tourism; and becoming an active lifestyle destination for its influx of retirees. The Plan provides recommendations to assist Farmington’s governing bodies in decision-making, moving policy and development forward in a productive way conducive to transforming Farmington into a healthy, sustainable economy. The Plan is reflective of public outreach efforts by integrating what residents and business owners love and the issues they identify. Based on public input, the update includes new elements such as planning for healthy and socially sustainable communities, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and environmental quality.

  • Buckeye Wildlife Corridors, Best Practices Guide

    Logan Simpson developed the first-of-its-kind Wildlife Corridors Best Practices Guide, a set of best management practices and tools for development that considers harmony with wildlife corridors and the natural environment within the City of Buckeye’s growth area. While much of land surrounding the City remains undeveloped and provides essential habitat for wildlife, Buckeye is evolving rapidly, and the population increase warrants thoughtful planning. With the goal of maintaining and enhancing existing biodiversity while ensuring community prosperity, a case study-based approach was taken to organize this Guide around three strands – environmental, growth, and quality of life. The Guide’s is to advocate for wildlife connectivity throughout the City and encourage collaboration between all groups involved in developing Buckeye. Groups and individuals with local expertise helped inform the planning process, including landowners/developers, utilities, local/state agencies, and conservation advocacy groups.

  • Frisco Bay Marina Master Plan

    Logan Simpson developed the vision and master plan for the Frisco Bay Marina on Lake Dillon. The plan, which was approved in July 2018, is a community-supported guide for the Town to implement components of the design as funding allows. Short- and long-term goals and implementable actions include making the park an extension of Main Street and addressing connectivity and access concerns around the waterfront. The marina’s capacity will be expanded to accommodate all types of boating, and recommendations were made to both activate and support year-round uses. In addition, actions were outlined to enhance and restore the ecology at the shoreline and overall site.

  • Uniquely Driggs Comprehensive Plan, Idaho

    Located between the Tetons and the Big Hole Mountains, Driggs has a thriving community of 1,800 residents. Logan Simpson developed a comprehensive plan update with a primary focus on health, with opportunities to improve health in the built environment integrated in to every element of the document. The boom and bust tourism economy has impacted Driggs since the 2008 recession, which led to several platted and unbuilt lots resulting in a housing shortage.  Logan Simpson and our team of consultants took a targeted approach to reviewing multiple housing program options to find solutions for workforce housing and supporting a balanced economy.

    As an inter-city airport, the land use component of the plan needed to take into account all of the ITD requirements in regard to crash and transition zones. Close coordination with the Driggs Airport Board was necessary to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, and to ensure continued operation and expansion of airport operations and associated industry, as residential uses continue to encroach upon the boundary. The Airport Master Plan was completed by the Board, and in tandem with the Comprehensive Plan in order to ensure consistency in these regulations and vision.

    Incorporation of health metrics and a focus on dedicated Hispanic outreach for the Uniquely Driggs Comprehensive Plan helped the project to win a 2020 Western Planner Rural Innovation Award. Outreach to minority communities were a focus of the plan. Through bilingual outreach materials, working with the Hispanic Resource Center, and meeting with middle and high school students, the project team proved to be highly successful in reaching the historically under-represented population.

    WINNER of the 2020 Western Planner – Rural Innovation Award

    The Plan highlighted the thoughtful housing approaches, pragmatic focus on infill, and sensitivity to critical habitats and neighboring jurisdictions. “It’s a plan that I will examine to provide ideas to other communities I work with and in addition I appreciate the thoughtful approaches for a beautiful place.” – Paul Mobley, AICP, PCED, The Western Planner

  • Pagosa Springs Land Use Development Code Update

    The Logan Simpson team is working with the Town of Pagosa Springs to update the Pagosa Springs Land Use Development Code (LUDC). Pagosa Springs has experienced an uptick in growth over the past five years growing from approximately 1,800 residents in 2015 to 2,147 in 2020. With a well-established downtown, medical center, regional airstrip, outdoor recreation, and the popular hot springs, Pagosa Springs is quickly becoming a desirable place for people and businesses to establish. In order to continue to encourage development in a way that is respectful of the community vision as set forth in Pagosa Springs Forward, Comprehensive Plan, the current Land Use Development Code (LUDC) is being updated to streamline application processes and better address housing attainability, short term rental impacts, parking, environmental protections, and general design standards throughout the code. Additional topics up for discussion include stormwater management, solar priorities, electric vehicle charging, and low water landscaping.

  • Jackson Teton County Growth Management Plan

    Logan Simpson worked with the Town of Jackson and Teton County on the Growth Management Program (GMP) Review and an update to the forward-thinking 2012 Comprehensive Plan, previously completed by Logan Simpson staff Bruce Meighen and Megan Moore. The area is located on the edge of Yellowstone and includes the Town of Jackson and many smaller communities. The GMP Review was an in-depth statistical and community-based check-in on how the plan has been functioning over the last seven years and allows the team to systematically revise the plan through the identification of corrective actions necessary to better implement its vision. For this update, tasks have included an overall audit of the plan, using a three-tiered priority rating system based on seven years of indicator data, trend analysis, and an outreach campaign to understand the community’s perception. Looking back, the Plan shifted growth from rural areas into complete neighborhoods (over 60% into complete neighborhoods) and resulted in thousands of units of new workforce housing (over 65% of people who work in Jackson/Teton live there). Our work developing the Character Districts, Code, and Housing Action Plan has ensured growth is directed to the correct places. Fundamental changes to the Plan will be a limit on greenhouse gases, no new single-occupancy lane miles constructed, and an environmental keystone indicator. The Plan update process can be found at http://www.jacksontetonplan.com/315/Growth-Management-Program-GMP-Review-Upd, and the overall plan is located at http://www.jacksontetonplan.com/270/Comprehensive-Plan.

  • Teton View Regional Plan for Sustainable Development

    Residents in the rural, diverse landscape of Teton region rely on regional resources for employment, recreation, and housing—making a regional plan for sustainability and resiliency a necessity. Working together, four counties in Wyoming and Idaho created the Teton View Regional Plan for Sustainable Development. The plan highlights what the region shares in common while respecting the varied economic, political, and cultural views of each community. It presents a voluntary “livability roadmap” to guide each jurisdiction in its future development. The plan outlines parallel paths that each locality may travel independently or through coordinated, region-wide implementation. It outlines high-priority community-scale projects and multi-sector initiatives to be led voluntarily by local cities, counties, and organizations. Additional projects are summarized that may be implemented by localities over the long term. The plan’s regional approach is designed to help city and county officials, and public land managers better coordinate land-use planning, resource management, and community development efforts for the region’s long-term benefit.

    The Teton View Regional Plan for Sustainable Development earned Idaho Smart Growth’s 2016 Planning & Policy Award and the 2015 Gem Award from the Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association.

  • West Central Mountains Economic Development Strategy

    Logan Simpson’s community planning team helped communities throughout Idaho’s West Central Mountains Region build the West Central Mountains Economic Development Strategy (WCMEDS), a plan for economic resilience. Just 10,800 residents live in the 3 million-acre region. Over the past 40 years, the area’s economy has changed dramatically. WCMEDS contains short- and long-term goals that address six elements affecting the region’s quality of life and economic future. The strategy identified five key industries for which the region is well-positioned. An adaptive management program with associated metrics allows the region’s communities to  check progress against goals.

    There has been consistent progress against the plan since its adoption, demonstrating the strong spirit of collaboration between the region’s communities. A regional economic summit has taken place; a housing trust has been established; development of a parks and recreation district is underway; and an area sector analysis project are reaching the point of completion. The group has effectively enhanced youth activities and formed partnerships to address veterans’ needs. Progress is also being made in other areas, such as workforce development, construction of bus kiosks, update of the Valley County Pathways Master Concept Plan, establishing business incubators, construction of community gardens, and forest preservation. Implementation of the plan was partially funded by two grants awarded through the America’s Best Communities (ABC) competition. The plan won the 2016 American Planning Association Vernon Deines Merit Award for an Outstanding Small Town Special Project Plan and the 2016 American Planning Association Idaho Chapter Outstanding Plan Award. Read the plan here or watch a video here.