A Guide to Public Commenting - use your voice to take action!
A long and storied method of grassroots activism is the public comment!
You can reach out to your elected officials at any time regarding any topic, and you can also comment on specific projects during the designated comment periods. You can comment at public meetings in-person, and you can also send written comments in most cases.
We encourage you to express your support for important topics in our communities. San Miguel County, the Town of Telluride, and Town of Mountain Village all have regularly scheduled meetings where public commenting is encouraged!
How do I know what’s going on in my community?
Attend a meeting! Most of the time, meetings for locally elected boards, from the Board of County Commissioners, to Town Council, to any of the Town and County Commissions, such as the Planning and Zoning or Open Space Commissions, are open to the public and include a public comment period within the meetings. You can attend the meetings in-person or over Zoom.
The San Miguel County Board of County Commissioners meets regularly on Wednesdays. You can also send a comment to the BOCC by clicking here.
The Town of Telluride Town Council meets regularly every three weeks on Tuesdays. You can also send a comment to the Town of Telluride by clicking here.
The Town of Mountain Village’s Town Council meets on the third Thursday of most months. You can also send a comment via email to mvclerk@mtnvillage.org
What about projects on US Forest Service or BLM land?
Commenting on projects that are on Forest Service or BLM land is SMA’s specialty! You can learn more about upcoming projects and work taking place on our public lands and stay involved throughout the public process.
Check out the Grand Mesa Uncompahgre Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest Projects page and the SOPA register to learn more about ongoing and proposed projects.
Stay up to date on Bureau of Land Management projects here.
What do I say in my public comment?
General comment: do you have feedback for a local entity on their policies, projects, or initiatives? Do you really like something that is currently going on in our community? Let your elected officials know! Feedback, including critiques and also positive responses
Project-specific comment: Be specific, provide reasoning, and justify your position. State your support for your preferred alternative or project outcome. Quality public comments are incredibly important in shaping the outcome of this process. This is your way to make a difference locally! Always reach out to Sheep Mountain Alliance for help or talking points on particular environmentally-related projects.