Park County commissioners are moving forward with one new more restricted zoning area to account for the feedback received at a series of June public input sessions, but at this point they’re not willing to add another area for more restrictive larger lot sizes. 

That has been a hope of a number of Clark residents. 

For many in the area, Park County leadership has moved in the right direction in terms of proper zoning in the area, but it’s not far enough. 

On a Clark community Facebook page some residents have expressed their concerns, especially with the fact that zoning areas still allow lot size averaging — meaning lot sizes could be smaller as long as the average lot size of a subdivision is 20 or more acres in a GR-20 zone — and the ability for more commercial uses in the 20 and 30 acre zones planned for Clark. 

“If you moved to Clark for its rustic, still mostly pristine environment & location, including the views and wildlife... If you moved here to Clark to be "Rural" in look, feel and reality... If you moved here to Clark to enjoy the purity of well water that in its source comes from the mountains above Clark. If you moved here to Clark for a lifestyle that you grew up with or maybe longed for that's different than "back home"... Please know that life as we know it here in Clark is in jeopardy of serious change,” a post by Noble Handley reads in part. 

Planning Director Joy Hill said if they hear more chatter from people who want a larger lot zoning area with more restrictions, they have the ability to add another. She said the consultant has advised not to have more than 12 zoning areas. The county will have nine with the addition of the new zone, Rural Residential 5 acre. 

While the commissioners were not ready at a July 21 work session to add a large lot residential zoning area ahead of the publication of an adoption draft — which will go back to the public for review — they did agree to move forward with a RR 5 acre zone for areas where there are already smaller lot subdivisions with covenants that call for solely residential uses, such as the many subdivisions south of Powell and places such as Buck Creek Estates between Powell and Cody. 

The zoning area, similar to Rural Residential 2 acre, does not allow industrial or most commercial aside from small, home-based businesses. Subdividing standards are the same as GR-5, in that there is a 5 acre minimum average, 1 acre minimum with lot size averaging.