Fort Collins Council Member Questions Climate Commitment, Warns of 'Virtue Signaling' on Emissions Goals
Fort Collins Council Member Kelly Ohlson delivered pointed criticism during an October 28 work session, telling colleagues the city should "stop with the climate thing" if officials aren't prepared to implement regulatory policies that meaningfully reduce emissions from buildings—the single largest source of greenhouse gases in the community.
"Instead of talk, talk, talk, talk, we need some action," Ohlson said. "It's really frustrating to me. This is our chance to do it."
The blunt remarks came during council discussion of Building Performance Standards, a proposed regulatory framework requiring commercial and multifamily buildings over 5,000 square feet to meet energy efficiency benchmarks by 2032. Staff presented data showing buildings account for approximately 50 percent of Fort Collins' total greenhouse gas emissions, making them the most significant lever available to local government for climate action.
Ohlson specifically challenged colleagues who participate in climate conferences and serve on committees to back their public commitments with regulatory action rather than continuing to delay implementation of policies with proven emissions reduction potential.
"A lot of members around the table are members of organizations. They go to conferences, they speak climate, climate, climate, climate," Ohlson said. "A lot of virtue signaling. And this is our chance to actually do something."
Climate Emergency Declaration Dates to 2019
Fort Collins formally acknowledged the climate crisis through Resolution 2019-091 on August 20, 2019, declaring a climate emergency and reaffirming the city's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The resolution directed periodic review of emissions goals to align with scientific findings.
The city previously adopted Resolution 2015-030 on March 3, 2015, establishing targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Council added an interim target through Resolution 2022-108 on October 25, 2022, setting an aspirational goal of 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2026.
The comprehensive Our Climate Future plan, formally adopted March 16, 2021, consolidated climate, energy and waste objectives while emphasizing equity and resilience alongside emissions reductions.
Despite these formal commitments spanning more than five years, Fort Collins has not yet implemented Building Performance Standards—a regulatory policy used in Denver, Boulder, and other Colorado municipalities to mandate energy efficiency improvements in large existing buildings.
Building Sector Represents Largest Emissions Source
Buildings in Fort Collins generate approximately 50 percent of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions when combining electricity and natural gas use for heating, cooling, and operations, according to the city's most recent greenhouse gas inventory. Covered commercial and multifamily buildings over 5,000 square feet account for 40 percent of all Fort Collins building electricity use.
Transportation contributes roughly 30 percent of local emissions, while waste and other sources make up the remainder.
Brian Tholl, Fort Collins energy services director, emphasized to council that buildings represent "the biggest lever that we have as a local government" for emissions reduction given local authority limitations over other sectors like transportation and industrial operations.
The building sector's outsized emissions profile mirrors patterns in Denver, where buildings contribute 50-56 percent of emissions, and Boulder, where buildings account for approximately 48 percent, according to municipal greenhouse gas inventories.
Boards and Commissions Recommended Action
Multiple Fort Collins advisory bodies urged council to adopt Building Performance Standards during the policy development process, according to meeting records included in council materials.
The Natural Resources Advisory Board, Energy Board, and Air Quality Advisory Board all submitted recommendations supporting regulatory approaches to building efficiency, noting that voluntary incentive programs have failed to produce sufficient emissions reductions over nearly 25 years of city efforts.
The Economic Advisory Board expressed more cautious support, emphasizing concerns about cost impacts on businesses and property owners.
Ohlson referenced the board and commission feedback during his remarks, noting that technical advisory bodies consistently pointed to regulatory frameworks as necessary to achieve meaningful progress toward adopted climate goals.
"Incentives alone have never worked 99 percent of the time in the history of the planet to get to the goals that people wanted to go to," Ohlson said, citing examples from vehicle safety to air quality standards. "You get the good players trying to do it and the bad players ignoring it all, and then the good players are the ones that are punished."
Council Divided on Regulatory Versus Incentive Approaches
Council members expressed a range of preferences during the October 28 discussion, with general agreement on removing multifamily residential buildings from proposed requirements due to concerns that compliance costs would be passed to renters.
Mayor Jeni Arndt and Council Member Susan Gutowski indicated preference for incentive-based approaches that partner with the business community, citing concerns about economic uncertainty and legal challenges to building performance standards in other jurisdictions.
"I feel like we would get the biggest overall reduction by partnering with the business community," Arndt said, though she acknowledged the need to "use it extremely judiciously, wisely" when government employs regulatory authority.
Council Member Julie Pignataro expressed support for a regulatory framework with flexibility for implementation timing and support services for building owners.
"I think the climate emergency is an emergency," Pignataro said. "I do know there will be pain points. We do have dollars available to us to help soften the blow."
Council Member Emily Francis requested additional policy options that would provide more predictable timelines and cost-effective pathways for compliance, emphasizing the need to make the program accessible for small business owners navigating what she described as an overwhelming 17-step compliance roadmap.
Legal Uncertainties Cloud Decision
Staff emphasized that Building Performance Standards face legal challenges in Denver, where business groups and property owners filed suit alleging constitutional violations including regulatory takings and due process concerns. The case remains pending as of October 2025 with no final judicial ruling.
Fort Collins City Attorney's Office staff indicated courts have generally upheld municipal authority to regulate building energy performance when policies include multiple compliance pathways, hardship waivers, and reasonable timelines.
Staff plan to return to council with refined policy options in late 2025 or early 2026, potentially bringing draft ordinance language for first reading in December or January. The timing would allow the current council to vote on the measure before three members—including Ohlson—leave office in January 2026.
Ohlson emphasized the significance of acting before the current council's term ends, noting extended discussions spanning multiple years.
"We've done the work and I think it would be appropriate," Ohlson said. "I just think it'd be good because I think we can get there on what we talked about tonight."
Fort Collins Planning and Development Services can be reached at 970-221-6750 or fcgov.com/planning-development-services for questions about proposed building performance standards.