Larimer County commissioners approve four consent land-use items in single 3-0 vote

The Larimer County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-0 Monday to approve four public hearing consent land-use items in a single action. The package included an extension of the county’s temporary data center moratorium, the Bartel easement vacation in Bellvue, the Meadows at Prospect Storage appeals near Fort Collins and the Klawiter appeal in west Loveland.

The items were approved after Chair Jody Shadduck McNally asked both commissioners and the public whether anyone wanted to pull an item from the consent agenda for separate discussion, and no one did. Chair Pro Tem John Kefalas then moved to approve the consent agenda as presented, subject to the conditions in the staff reports, and to authorize the chair to sign the findings and resolutions for the applicable items.

Before the vote, one audience member asked what the Bartel easement item involved. Shadduck McNally said it concerned vacating a utility easement, and another speaker added that it proposed vacating an existing 14-foot utility easement on a property where no utilities are currently present. County staff had recommended approval of that request, File No. 26-LAND4554, for 179 Greyrock View Dr. in Bellvue, where the staff report said a house, attached deck and part of the septic system encroach into the easement.

The other consent items also carried with the conditions recommended by county staff. The data center item extends the temporary moratorium on accepting applications and pre-submittal activity for data center facilities in unincorporated Larimer County until Feb. 25, 2027, or until code amendments are adopted, whichever comes first. Planning staff said the extension would give the county more time to finish research and draft land-use regulations for what it described as a complex issue.

Commissioners also approved the Meadows at Prospect Storage appeals, File No. 26-GNRL0585, for a proposed RV and boat storage project at 1700 SE Frontage Rd. The approved appeals allow use of the TrueGrid permeable paving system in the fenced storage area and waive electric-vehicle and bicycle parking requirements, subject to staff conditions including product specifications, dust-mitigation measures and a future development agreement before site plan approval.

The fourth item, the Klawiter appeal, File No. 26-GNRL0587, allows existing retail shops and an apartment building at 4855 W. Eisenhower Blvd. to continue using on-site septic systems instead of connecting to City of Loveland sanitation service. Staff recommended approval with revised conditions requiring a new septic system or systems, an engineer-designed septic proposal demonstrating no negative impact to the adjacent river and wetlands, and completion of the appeal terms within three years or the approval will lapse.