Colorado Sprawl Action Center's
Growth Management Toolkit

Table of Contents | Introduction | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA)
Regional Planning:
Problem | Solution | Applications | Internet Resources

A lack of long term planning and coordination between local governments can turn growth into sprawl. Without coordinated planning, local governments can come into conflict and the long term plans of each may be thwarted by the actions of the others. This situation allows landowners and developers to play local governments off against one another. At the same time, it creates an environment where it is very difficult for local governments to properly manage growth and plan for the future. As a result there is a lack of long term vision and certainty for communities.

For instance, a parcel of undeveloped land may lie between two cities and a developer may wish to develop the parcel for commercial purposes. Development of the parcel may become a source of competition between the two cities due to the potential sales tax revenue from the project. This may be true even though neither city had intended to develop the parcel in the near future as it is far from existing developed areas. Without coordinated planning and agreement, development may occur in a pattern that is not ideal for either city. Further, even if the cities agree to not approve the proposed development, the surrounding county may approve the proposal.

	The rapid development along I-25 resulted from communities competing for tax revenue from new developments.

Communities can work together to reach common ground and plan for the future. One tool to achieve a common vision for the future is the intergovernmental agreement (IGA). Local governments may enter into IGAs in order to accomplish common goals or to solidify compromises they have negotiated. An IGA is essentially a formal contract between governmental entities. Such entities may include cities, towns, counties, and quasi-governmental bodies such as special districts.

IGAs are written documents that set forth the purposes, powers, rights, obligations, and responsibilities of each of the parties to the agreement. The purposes of IGAs can include long range planning, managing growth and development, revenue sharing, increased cost efficiency of development or delivery of services, and protection from the adverse actions of other public entities.

IGAs can cover a broad range of growth-related issues, including annexation policy and procedure, zoning, fire protection, police and safety services, planning and development, easements and rights-of-way, road construction and maintenance, and transportation. Local governments may create comprehensive development plans (CDPs) through IGAs that address land use planning and development. CDPs allow for the joint exercise of regulatory powers including planning, zoning, subdivision and building regulation, and revenue sharing. They “may contain master plans, zoning plans, subdivision regulations, and building code, permit, and other land use standards, which, if set out in specific detail, may be in lieu of such regulations or ordinances of the local governments.” (Colorado Revised Statutes 29-20-105). IGAs may be used to establish and manage urban growth areas so that future growth and development occurs in an orderly and agreed upon manner.

Local:
Local governments can enter into IGAs, negotiated agreements that allow local governments to create a coordinated plan for the development of areas within their jurisdictions. These written agreements can cover a wide range of land use and growth related issues including planning, zoning, annexations, subdivision and building regulation, revenue sharing, provision of public services, and urban growth areas. This common vision not only reduces competition between local governments, but also allows for greater certainty as to future development patterns.

The local governments must first reach agreement as to their respective purposes, powers, rights, obligations, and responsibilities. Then the written document or contract reflecting the agreement must be approved by the legislative body of the local government (or another entity vested with the appropriate powers).

IGAs must adhere to other relevant laws and process requirements such as open meetings and public records requirements. Finally, IGAs may contain provisions regarding the enforcement rights of each local government.

State:
At the state level, the legislature could require the use of IGAs under specified circumstances to limit sprawl. Thus, rather than simply authorizing the use of IGAs, the state could actually mandate their use in certain situations. Circumstances subject to the IGA requirements may include instances where cities are growing into one another, where there are multiple growing communities in close proximity to one another, where development in one jurisdiction has significant impacts on neighboring jurisdictions, or where there is a pattern of conflict between local governments (for example, between a city and surrounding county).


When neighboring governments work together they are able to shape sustainable and prosperous futures for their communities.

www.state.co.us
State of Colorado website, contains Colorado Revised Statutes relevant to IGAs (29-1-201 et seq and 29-20-101 et seq).

www.bouldernews.com/news/local/14asiga.html
Boulder County’s example of successful Intergovernmental Agreements

www.sprawlwatch.org/newmexico.html
Sprawl Watch gives an example of IGAs in New Mexico

www.sprawlwatch.org/minnesota.html
Sprawl Watch gives an example of IGAs in Minnesota

www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/
Sierra Club’s website and resources on sprawl

Table of Contents | Introduction | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11