How to take part in Larimer County land-use hearings

For Larimer County residents, land-use hearings are streamed live on YouTube and Zoom and broadcast on FCTV. Recordings are available afterward through FCTV or YouTube.

Here's how to tell whether a project has a hearing, find its case materials, submit a public comment and speak at a hearing.

Does every proposed land-use project in Larimer County have a public hearing?

Larimer County development review applications are decided either administratively or at a public hearing. Not every project is noticed to the public or heard at a public hearing.

Where can I find a Larimer County land-use case's notices and materials?

A postcard about a project gives you its project name and plan number. A property sign gives you the plan number. You can use a plan number to access project materials in the Community Development Online Portal, or search the portal by parcel number or address.

If a neighborhood meeting is scheduled, its time and place appear on the project page three weeks before the meeting. Not all projects require a neighborhood meeting. A scheduled public hearing’s time and place also appear on the project page three weeks before the hearing.

The county’s planning website lists upcoming meetings and agendas. To view or download an agenda or packet, select the meeting in the Coming Up section and click the Download arrow in the left-side menu.

Agendas and packets are available one week before the scheduled meeting. Agendas list proceedings and topics. Packets include the agenda and supporting materials the board or commission will use to make a decision or recommendation.

How can I submit a public comment on a Larimer County land-use case?

During the neighbor-notice stage, you can share comments, questions or concerns about a proposed development with staff and decision-makers. Larimer County directs you to Engage.Larimer.Gov for public comment. Each project has its own planning page, email address and phone number.

You can comment in these ways:

• Submit a comment on the project page.
• Email the case-specific address listed on the postcard and project page.
• Leave a voicemail at the case-specific number listed in those places.

Larimer County does not accept anonymous public comments. All public comments become part of the public record.

How can I speak at a Larimer County land-use hearing?

Public hearings are open to the public and are generally held in a hybrid format at the Larimer County Administrative Services Building in Fort Collins or on Zoom. In-person hearings are at 200 W Oak Street in Fort Collins, and the hearing-specific Zoom link is at the top of the hearing agenda.

Unless a county calendar listing says otherwise, you can attend hearings and meetings in person or virtually. To attend virtually, register through Zoom; you’ll receive an access link by confirmation email.

You are encouraged to sign up to speak before a hearing through the county website or by calling county staff. You can also sign up at the hearing-room entrance before the meeting.

Speakers are generally called in sign-up order, with people who signed up in advance called first. You must be present in person or on Zoom when called.

On Zoom, attendees are muted until recognized by the chair. If you want to speak or ask to move an item from the consent agenda to the discussion agenda, use the raise-hand function or press *9 on a phone.

What deadlines and speaking rules apply to public comments at a Larimer County land-use hearing?

Public testimony is generally limited to three minutes per person. The Board Chair may allow less time based on the number of commenters or agenda items, and may set an overall time limit. Any limits must apply equally to commenters.

You may speak only once during public testimony, even if a hearing continues on another date. A matter heard separately by the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners provides two opportunities to testify.

You may not pool speaking time, but you can sign up as a group and arrange to speak in a chosen order as individuals. Comments and testimony should be directed to the Board, not staff or the audience. Audience members may not approach commissioners before or during the hearing.

If you provide hard-copy materials during testimony, you should give county administrative staff at least seven copies before the meeting. The materials will not be returned and become part of the project’s official record.

Presentation files must be emailed to [email protected] by 12 p.m. on the hearing day. They may not be accepted after that deadline and must address the land-use item being considered. The county does not accept presentation files on flash drives, and the Board Chair may disallow slide shows or other electronic presentations.

What happens after a Larimer County land-use hearing?

Larimer County’s hearing procedures say the Land Use Code requires staff to notify the applicant of a decision in writing within 10 days, typically by email. The decision is then finalized through a Findings & Resolution document presented for approval at a public meeting after the hearing.