Elbert County commissioners approve Meadowbrook Ranches rezone in 2-1 vote
The Agriculture-to-Agriculture Residential change covers about 35 acres near Parker; county records reviewed do not show final action on a related minor plat.
The Elbert County Board of County Commissioners approved a rezone Aug. 12 for about 35 acres at 43248 Meadowbrook Circle near Parker, changing the property from Agriculture to Agriculture Residential and allowing 10-acre minimum lots. Commissioners Dallas Schroeder and Mike Buck voted for the change; Byron McDaniel voted against it, according to the county’s meeting minutes.
The property is in Meadowbrook Ranches, where surrounding lots generally are about 35 acres. The rezone itself does not approve a subdivision or plat. Application materials describe two new 10-acre lots and an existing approximately 15-acre homesite, the county’s application materials show.
The Planning Commission recommended the change 8-0 on Aug. 4, its meeting minutes show. Opposition recorded at that hearing focused on potential effects on ranching and farming, development within Meadowbrook Ranches and the precedent the change could set. Residents and commissioners also raised questions about access, private-road maintenance, homeowners association issues and compatibility with surrounding properties.
Public Works required clarification that the private access provide a 16-foot all-weather driving surface, professionally stamped final plans and private-road maintenance arrangements because Elbert County does not maintain private roads. Questions raised at a Feb. 3 community meeting included fire protection, access, well and septic requirements, and whether existing 35-acre properties could be subdivided. County referral materials say the Rattlesnake Fire Protection District raised no stated objection, but do not establish its capacity to serve future development, the referral materials show.
The Colorado Division of Water Resources said the existing well permit would have to be re-permitted under Water Court case 03CW0102 or plugged and abandoned before subdivision approval. The two new lots would need separate well and septic permits, with soils reports and engineered designs if required, the county’s planning staff report says.
The rezone conditions include removing public-notice signs, paying fees, completing required conditions and recording documents within 180 days of BOCC approval. The posted resolution describes those conditions but is unsigned and leaves its resolution number and individual vote fields blank; it is not the source of the 2-1 tally, the resolution document shows.
The final status of related minor plat MP-2026-0002 remains undocumented in the records reviewed. The Aug. 4 Planning Commission record and Aug. 12 BOCC action address the rezone, not a separate plat approval or denial. No signed plat decision, recorded plat, plat-specific action date or official record of postponement or withdrawal was located. The rezone approval should not be read as approval of the minor plat.