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May 28, 2010
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Congress Expected To Address Rural Housing Loans This Week
Federal legislation has been introduced in the House by Reps. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) and Shelley Capito (R-WV) to restore the rural housing Section 502 single family mortgage insurance. The legislation will increase the upfront guarantee for the program, which will allow the loan program to be self-sustaining. Borrowers will continue to be able to finance the upfront fee. This legislation will prevent further disruptions to the program this year. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to mark-up the legislation this week, with House passage shortly thereafter. The Senate is also working on a similar bill. The USDA used nearly all of its federal appropriations for the rural housing loan program this year by last week.
Routt County Commissioners and Steamboat City Council To Discuss TDRs, Density Tuesday
On Tuesday, the Routt County Commissioners and the Steamboat Springs City Council will hold a joint meeting to discuss a new county plan for transferable development rights (TDR?s). The County?s plan is intended to provide guidelines for conserving outlying rural parcels, including those with working agricultural operations, valuable wildlife and scenic beauty by shifting development to designated areas close to the city limits. The plan would also would allow owners of receiving parcels to petition the county for development permits to build rural subdivisions consisting of 5-acre lots. According to county requirements, 5 acres is the minimum lot size for individual septic systems. The plan was created by the County without input by the City, under the belief that the city would not be interested. However, the plan does reach, and extend, the City?s urban growth boundary with the intent of creating a buffer between areas west of the City and rural areas further out. Public comment on the proposal has been consistently concerned about the level of density, and how much density would be allowed in the areas west of Steamboat. With citizens recently voting down the Steamboat 700 project partially over density concerns, the City may find itself actively involved in drafting the regulations with the County. If so, it may require the County to start from scratch with the City involvement. The meeting will begin at 5pm on Tuesday, April 20th at Centennial Hall.