Foundation 5 - Celebrating Our Character and Varied Heritages

The Cheyenne area is a livable community with a rich history and heritage representing the best of the West. Residents have had access to culture in the city and wide open spaces outside of the city. Our history and culture is important to our quality of life and economic well‐being.

As Cheyenne grows, we will celebrate and enhance our character and heritage by focusing on preserving our historic areas and downtown, creating and maintaining public places, supporting cultural events, and preserving our rural ranching and cultural landscapes. Cheyenne area citizens will continue to have opportunities for cultural exchange, recreation, and learning—it fosters our well‐being as a community, strengthens community involvement, and makes Cheyenne a unique places for residents and visitors. In addition, our natural areas and wildlife are part of our character and heritage, and we aim to conserve natural landscapes to the extent we are able and support continuing farming and ranching.

Principles and Policies


Principle 5.1: Our community will preserve our historic districts.

Policy 5.1.a: Historic Building Restoration Our historic districts are our urban heritage. The city will support restoring historic buildings to house vibrant businesses. In addition, the city will enhance historic preservation programs, education, awareness, and outreach. Preservation also includes the construction of complimentary new structures that add to the overall character.


Principle 5.2: The Cheyenne community will preserve our cultural resources and heritage.

Policy 5.2.a: Archaeological and Cultural Sites Protected
The community will protect significant archaeological and cultural sites, to the extent possible and using a variety of techniques,. These sites are generally identified as part of the Natural/Cultural Resource areas on the Future Land Use Plan and on Laramie County's Cultural Resources Map, as updated from time to time.

Policy 5.2.b: Conservation Design and Development
The city and county will encourage development to be directed away from cultural sites and for developers to use site sensitive design that takes into account these resources. (See Rural Design Principles, in Chapter 3: Land Use Plan.)

Policy 5.2.c: Cultural Resources Education and Awareness
The city and county will support public education about cultural resources and heritage.


Principle 5.3: Our community will conserve natural resources and landscapes.

Policy 5.3.a: Natural/Cultural Resource Areas Designated
Natural/Cultural Resource Areas (including ridgelines, steep slopes, and riparian areas and draws) identified on the Future Land Use Plan, are a priority for conservation. Other significant areas may be identified during the development review process or in subsequent planning.

Policy 5.3.b: Limited Development in Natural/Cultural Resource Areas
This Plan encourages developers to keep development out of the Natural/Cultural Resource Areas to the extent feasible (using a variety of techniques, including clustering and conservation design). These designated areas are not intended to restrict landowners' rights, but to encourage better, more creative planning and conservation.

Policy 5.3.c: Use a Variety of Tools to Conserve Natural/Cultural Areas
The community should use a variety of tools to conserve natural/cultural areas that are fair to property owners and that achieve the goal of conserving these landscapes. For instance use the following measures: 􀂃 Establish an overlay zone for conservation site planning and design to avoid resources; 􀂃 Allow density transfers out of the natural and cultural areas to other parts of the property, if feasible; 􀂃 Encourage clustered development away from resources; and 􀂃 Establish guidelines for wildlifefriendly development.

Policy 5.3.d: Restricted Future Development in Hazardous Areas
To the extent possible, the community should limit or restrict development in potential natural hazard areas, including floodplains and steep unstable slope areas.

Policy 5.3.e: Preserved Historic Landscaping and Tree Canopy
The community should strive to preserve, maintain, and replace the historic tree canopy and landscapes that define our neighborhoods and streets.


Principle 5.4: Our community will manage its natural resources that are part of our heritage and legacy and economic sustainability for use by current and future generations.

Policy 5.4.a: Water Conservation
The city and county will work with partners in the community to encourage water conservation and reduce water use and support drought‐tolerant planting and efficient watering techniques and use of nonpotable water for landscapes.

Policy 5.4.b: Water Quality
The city and county will protect water quality (i.e., by protecting well fields and streams).

Policy 5.4.c: Air Quality
The community will continue to support air quality measures through development patterns that reduce reliance on automobiles. Policy 5.4.d: Energy Efficiency The city and county will work with partners to promote energy efficiency building and design and use of renewable energy. This Plan promotes environmentally‐friendly building techniques, such as solar‐orientation, and energy‐efficient and recycled materials.


Principle 5.5: Our community will maintain its ranching and agricultural heritage.

Policy 5.5.a: Functioning Agricultural Lands to the South
To the extent possible, the south part of the Cheyenne area (outside the Urban Service Boundary) should continue to be a functional agricultural and ranching area. Because of large land parcel ownership, limited road access, and lack of cost effectiveness to provide services, it is the intent of this Plan to limit rural residential development in this area and to conserve land for agriculture and ranching. Some residential development could occur on large lots, but alternative patterns (including clustered development), or density transfer out of this area is preferred.

Policy 5.5.b: Rural Residential Development to the North Only
The community should allow continued expansion of rural residential development (on lots ranging from one to 35 acres) north of the Urban Service Boundary only.

Policy 5.5.c: Support Agriculture and Ranching
The county will work with landowners, ranchers and farmers to develop tools that support the business of agriculture and ranching (e.g., Right to Farm and Ranch; remove barriers in the County Code, and support agricultural activities, such as home and farm‐based operations, barns, fences, roadside stands, and tourism‐related agriculture and ranching).

Policy 5.5.d: Alternative Development Patterns Encouraged
The community will work with landowners to master plan for any future development to conserve range and cropland. This Plan encourages cluster development or density transfers to minimize land consumed by rural development.


Principle 5.6: Our community will identify and enhance our gateways.

Policy 5.6.a: Gateway Districts
The community will work to protect the positive qualities of our gateways and improve their appearance. The Structure Plan identifies Regional Gateways along I‐25 (from the north and south), along I‐80 from the east and west and on S. Greeley Highway. It also identifies smaller landscape and Community Gateways. The community should use a variety of tools to improve these gateways, such as: 􀂃 Special funding options like Tax Increment Financing; 􀂃 Guidelines for quality development; 􀂃 Strategies to limit expansion of billboards and signs; and 􀂃 Coordinated public and private investment and development.

Policy 5.6.b: Cohesive Gateway Design
Develop our gateways with cohesive design, landscaping, and unified signage, as suggested in the Structure Plan.

Policy 5.6.c: Open Space and Vistas Around Gateways
The community should conserve open space and vistas around gateways, to the extent feasible, as shown on the Future Land Use Plan.


Principle 5.7: Our public spaces will be "designed for people" to support local gathering and events that contribute to reinvestment in our community.

Policy 5.7.a: Attractive, Inviting Public Spaces
Public spaces are the building blocks of a thriving community. They should be designed to meet the needs of a variety of people, including youth, families, young children and seniors. They should also be attractive and reinforce the sense of community. A great public space builds on community assets, values and historical perspectives, and is a meaningful place. It makes people feel comfortable and welcome and relates to businesses and activities around it. (See also the Structure Plan design principles.)


Principle 5.8: Our community will recognize and celebrate arts and culture and the diversity of our people.

Policy 5.8.a: Partnerships to Recognize and Support Arts and Culture
The city and county will continue to work with variety of arts and cultural organizations in the community.

Policy 5.8.b: Art in Public Places
The city will support arts and culture in public places (such as downtown or near the Depot) and the Art in Public Places Program. Visual arts should be integrated into the context of a development project or outdoor space—not added as an afterthought.

Policy 5.8.c: Heritage and History Learning Opportunities
The community will provide opportunities for the public to learn about our history and heritage so that Cheyenne will become even more of a destination for the arts and festivals.

Policy 5.8.d: Facilities for Cultural Activities and Arts
The community will continue support for the Civic Center and performing arts and provide facilities for cultural activities (i.e., music and visual arts) and education (including libraries, LCCC, Botanic Gardens, and other facilities). It is important to ensure programs are geared for our diverse public and multiple generations, including youth, young professionals, elderly, and families. When possible, arts activities should be concentrated into a district or focal point. Finally, creating a Local Arts Council may be one approach to provide leadership in coordinating the arts community.

Policy 5.8.e: Events and Festivals
This Plan supports events throughout the community, including in parks, and other smaller public gathering spaces (i.e., Frontier Days, other events). Our community will also continue to support cultural events, festivals and public gathering in Downtown.

Policy 5.8.f: Funding
The community should identify dedicated funding sources to ensure on‐going support for arts programs and to recognize importance of arts and culture for economic development and community livability goals.