Fort Collins council approves first reading of housing review changes that could lower project fees

Fort Collins City Council approved on first reading an ordinance that would move five residential uses to Basic Development Review in most districts where they are allowed, potentially lowering development review fees for affected projects.

Staff said the proposed changes would move single-unit detached, single-unit attached, two-unit, multi-unit and mixed-use dwellings to Basic Development Review where those uses are already permitted, without adding them to districts where they are not currently permitted. A council member said the staff recommendation would retain a higher level of review for low-density projects in areas where the city calls for higher density. Staff said the change would send many projects that normally go to the Planning and Zoning Commission to staff for approval. The ordinance document gives October 16, 2026, as its effective date.

The proposed fees are $16,900 for Basic Development Review, $49,250 for a Project Development Plan and Final Plan, $27,675 for a combined Project Development Plan and Final Plan, and $6,925 for Limited Scope Review. The agenda item summary says the changes could reduce development review fee collections by $32,350 per project for projects that currently submit both a Project Development Plan and Final Plan. The agenda item summary identifies 31 projects that would have had lower fees, including 25 that submitted both plans, four Project Development Plan submittals that did not proceed to Final Plan, and two combined Project Development Plan and Final Plan applications. The agenda item summary estimates that the city would have received $873,400 less in development review fees if those projects had been submitted as Basic Development Review. The ordinance document says Ordinance No. 118, 2026, was considered favorably on first reading on September 15, 2026, and approved on second reading for final passage on October 6, 2026.

The Ad Hoc Committee on Affordable and Sustainable Growth directed staff on July 8, 2026, and August 5, 2026, to prepare Land Use Code changes moving five residential use categories to Basic Development Review. The agenda item summary says staff recommends adopting its version rather than the committee’s all-district version. The agenda item summary says staff would keep the current review level for single-unit dwelling, single-unit attached dwelling and two-unit dwelling in commercial and employment districts because City Plan envisions denser development in those corridors. The agenda item summary says City Plan envisions denser housing along transit, downtown and near Colorado State University.

The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended retaining Type 2 review for large multifamily and mixed-use developments while allowing Basic Development Review for smaller, less complex housing projects. The commission said large projects can have substantial, long-term effects on transportation, infrastructure, neighborhood connectivity, building form and surrounding properties. The commission said neighborhood meetings and public hearings provide transparency and meaningful engagement that written comments during administrative review cannot fully replace. The commission recommended a tiered review framework with thresholds based on unit count, acreage, building size or anticipated community impact.

A Hartford Homes vice president said, “land use decisions are best determined by staff and director-level personnel that are as close to the design and review process as possible.” The vice president said projects can spend up to a year working through design solutions and that early public feedback helped change the Tapestry site-plan layout before the final public hearing. She said late comments, conditions and changes can jeopardize a project’s viability, while redesigns carry major financial obligations. A public commenter endorsed the staff recommendation and said the proposal would make development easier, quicker and more predictable without adding costs that do not add value to the process.

A council member said, “an ad hoc committee should inform judgment of council, not substitute for it.” The council member said she wanted more opportunities to understand alternatives, trade-offs and reasoning and wanted council to receive committee minutes and discuss Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations. A second council member said the Ad Hoc Committee’s Teams discussions were not recorded and had no meeting minutes, making it difficult to determine who was involved and what information was discussed. The second council member said she wanted to better understand the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation for tiered review levels and thresholds.