Commission leans toward A/B/C riparian buffer approach after staff research

A staff member told the Bluff Planning & Zoning Commission that federal law does not set a single riparian-buffer standard and that states typically provide toolkits municipalities adapt. "Apparently, there are no federal guidelines for riparian areas," the staff member said, pointing commissioners to a state ordinance toolkit and a San Juan River riparian-corridor template.

Commissioners discussed a three-zone A/B/C approach used in the template: Zone A (0–25 feet) as a no-disturbance area, Zone B (25–50 feet) allowing limited structures such as open patios and fences but restricting primary building footprints, and Zone C as a transition band out to 100 feet. Several members said the ABC framework simplifies enforcement across zoning districts and advised drafting one consistent sentence that applies "to all zones," tied to the annual high-water line. Staff was asked to prepare draft language and to show how state permits or DNR processes interact with any local permit references.