ROCC Accomplishments
- Received State of Colorado Governor’s Award for Outstanding Efforts in Smart Growth & Development in 1998
- Helped organize the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership, dedicated to the cleanup of abandoned mine sites and monitoring the water quality in the river
- Through persistent efforts of ROCC’s Dark Sky Committee and a receptive town council, Ridgway earned certification as a dark sky community from the International Dark-Sky Association, the leading organization combating light pollution worldwide.
- Worked to get Top of the Pines designated as an International Dark-Sky Park
- Fought to preserve ranching-friendly zoning
- Supported public acquisition of mining properties and preservation of historic structures
- ROCC’s Land Use Committee achieved a positive outcome to a prolonged dispute about winter access to public lands by way of Upper CR5 in the form of a parallel winter recreational trail to the forest service boundary. It was paid for by landowners and is maintained by the County.
- Organized and provided volunteer labor and some funds for the placement of LED bulbs in Ridgway Schools and all public buildings in Ouray and Ridgway
- Led the drive for curbside recycling in Ridgway
- Actively involved in creation of responsible federal lands management policies
- Worked on the creation of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area
- Mounted a successful campaign to prevent excessive residential development on high alpine zone mining claims
