The future land use map of the Comprehensive Plan identifies
village and neighborhood centers, which will have commercial and residential
land uses mixed within a more densely populated environment. Village
centers are generally larger in area and intensity than neighborhood
centers. Two of these centers are identified on Orchard Mesa, a neighborhood
center in the vicinity of the fairgrounds and a village center near
30 Road (Appendix Map 4).
The village center development identified in the 2010 Comprehensive
Plan would be directed to the southeast end of Orchard Mesa along
Highway 50 between 30 Road and Highway 141. A mix of uses is allocated
to the area: commercial, retail, office and residential uses. Densities
are highest near the core of the village center and decrease as distance
from the core increases.
The village center is not expected to be developed until Orchard
Mesa has seen sufficient growth and services have been extended to
the area. Based on existing growth trends, this is not expected until
well beyond the year 2020. The Comprehensive Plan looked at growth
needs for the doubling of the 2010 population for the valley including
a time when Whitewater has grown into an urban community with a village
center. Doubling of the population is not expected to occur until
after 2040.
The neighborhood center on Orchard Mesa is located at B 1/2
Road and Highway 50 where there is an existing City Market grocery
store and other neighborhood businesses and services. The Comprehensive
Plan envisions this area as having a mix of land uses, including higher-density
residential development along with more services. The neighborhood
center serves Orchard Mesa residents as well as those visiting the
fairgrounds or just passing through.
Sometimes conflicts between existing zoning and the designated
future land use need to be resolved before development occurs. For
example, there have been inconsistencies between land use and zoning
in the area of the neighborhood center on Highway 50 at B 1/2 Road,
including some adjacent lands along the corridor as well as the Mesa
County Fairgrounds. In Grand Junction, these conflicts are resolved
prior to development, either by amending the future land use or by
rezoning. Mesa County requires rezoning to be consistent with the
future land use map and Mesa County Master Plan.
In 2010, the fairgrounds was designated a mixture of Neighborhood
Center, Residential Medium High, Residential Medium and Park in the
Comprehensive Plan. Since 2010, a master plan for the fairgrounds
has been adopted. Designating the fairgrounds as one future land use
that best facilitates the implementation of the fairground’s
master plan is preferred. Planned unit development zoning governs
the use of the fairgrounds property in unincorporated Mesa County.
Based on further analysis, the neighborhood center would be
better delineated as the triangular-shaped area north of Highway 50,
south of B 1/2 Road, east of 27 1/2 Road and west of 28 Road. There
are additional properties adjacent to or near this area that should
be considered for inclusion in the neighborhood center and others
best delineated as commercial for highway-oriented land uses outside
the center.
(Ord. 4629, 5-7-14)
The Comprehensive Plan set priorities for growth of the urban
area and annexation into the City of Grand Junction. Specifically,
“The extensive public input of this Comprehensive Plan indicated
strong support for Grand Junction to grow in a sustainable, compact
pattern. To accomplish this objective, rather than continuing to grow
in a random fashion (that is inefficient to serve), the Comprehensive
Plan identifies priority growth areas to focus the extension of new
infrastructure and development.” (Comprehensive Plan, page 29)
For Orchard Mesa, the prioritization is based on accessibility to
existing infrastructure, adequate access, the existence of sub-area
plans and proximity to existing commercial and employment areas. Areas
of Orchard Mesa classified as infill or vacant and underutilized properties
that may accommodate infill development including the creation and/or
expansion of centers are part of the Comprehensive Plan’s Priority
1. The Priority 2 area includes Central Orchard Mesa within the 2008
Persigo Boundary (201 service area), which extends east to 30 Road
(Figure 5; Appendix Map 1). Priority 3, which includes development
east of 30 Road to 31 Road, discourages new urban development until
2020 or when appropriate circumstances exist.
Figure 5: Priority Areas for Development
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(Ord. 4629, 5-7-14)
Orchard Mesa residents have voiced concern regarding increasing
the amount of area for future industrial uses on Orchard Mesa. This
sentiment was expressed during the 1995 Orchard Mesa Plan planning
process and again during the 2010 Comprehensive Plan process. A large
area in the Whitewater area was identified for future industrial businesses
as part of the 2007 Whitewater Community Plan. With this industrial
acreage in close proximity to Orchard Mesa, only a small area of industrial
lands on Orchard Mesa was designated on the 2010 Comprehensive Plan’s
Future Land Use Map. This small area includes land in and near the
Springfield Estates subdivision located adjacent to Highway 141 (32
Road). The combinations of these lands should accommodate the industrial
needs in the southern portion of the Grand Junction urban area. Adding
more industrial uses than what has been established on the Future
Land Use Map could trigger other issues affecting the industrial market
and create additional neighborhood impacts.
The following graphic taken from the Comprehensive Plan depicts
the differences between the different types of commercial and industrial
land uses:
(Ord. 4629, 5-7-14)