The Board of County Commissioners of Albany County, WY (Board) hereby gives notice of its intent to adopt amendments to the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ) Regulations, Ch. 3, Sec. 2.D of the Albany County Zoning Resolution following public hearing on the amendments at the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting on February 21, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom, 4^th floor of the Albany County Courthouse, 525 Grand Ave, Laramie, WY 82070 and via Zoom. The public hearing may also be viewed on the Albany County Government YouTube channel.

The proposed amendments to the APOZ Regulations:

-Further define the purpose and basis for the APOZ Regulations;

-Amend certain definitions specific to the APOZ Regulations;

-Amend procedures for the delineation and amendment of the APOZ boundary;

-Provide a minimum lot size of 35 acres and density of 1 dwelling per 35 acres for future APOZ development;

-Provide criteria for lessening on-site wastewater treatment system setbacks from vulnerable features;

-Amend requirements, standards, review, and exemptions for site specific investigations of APOZ properties;

-Provide procedures and requirements for modifying existing APOZ developments;

-Amend provisions for on-site wastewater treatment system design standards and inspections;

-Amend standards for nonconforming uses within the APOZ boundary; and

-Amend language throughout the APOZ Regulations for clarity.

The principal reason for the adoption of the proposed amendments is to promote public health, safety, and welfare by further protecting the Casper Aquifer from contamination caused by development through the regulation of the location and use of buildings and structures and the use of lands within the area of unincorporated Albany County where the Casper Aquifer is vulnerable to contamination. The Casper Aquifer is a critical resource for Albany County, supplying a significant amount of water to public water systems and residences. These amendments utilize scientifically based zoning and small wastewater system regulatory tools to advance the purposes and goals of the Albany County Casper Aquifer Protection Plan.

The proposed amendments meet the minimum substantive statutory requirements of county zoning authority, W.S. §§ 18-5-201–208, and county small wastewater facility permitting authority, W.S. §§ 35-11-301, 304. The proposed amendments do not introduce more stringent setback and inspection standards, beyond those already contained in the APOZ Regulations, for on-site wastewater treatment systems than the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s standards for small wastewater system permits.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available for public review at the Albany County Planning Office, 1002 S. 3^rd St, Laramie, WY 82070 and may be obtained from the County’s website at https://www.co.albany.wy.us/261/Projects. Interested persons may present their data, views, or arguments at the public hearing and in writing to the Albany County Planning Office or directly to the Board through the County’s website at https://www.co.albany.wy.us/FormCenter/Commissioners-8/Public-Comment-Aquifer-Protection-Overla-69. All comments received prior to or at the public hearing will be part of the public record for the proposed amendments.