On November 1, 2022, with minimal public input or effective notice, the City Council repealed our City’s "Land Use Code” (LUC) and replaced it with a new "Land Development Code” (LDC). This was not a mere name change. Rather, it was a comprehensive rewrite that deregulates residential development and construction throughout Fort Collins and eliminates single family neighborhoods.

The name says it all. By changing the name of the code from Land Use to Land Development, the City Council makes it clear that they are focused on developers and development, and they are no longer focused on the long-term use of the land or the stability of the neighborhoods that inhabit them. This code has been rewritten in a fashion that protects and lines developers’ pockets, whether or not the intent was to protect the citizens who live and use the land.

The new LDC is being “sold” as vehicle to promote affordable housing; However, in reality, it constitutes a gift to developers and investors, and a significant detriment to affordability, single family neighborhoods and HOA oversight.

The LDC contains no requirements for developers to construct affordable housing or to designate any percentage of their new builds as affordable housing. Rather, the LDC relies solely upon “free market” forces and incentives to (supposedly) encourage builders to add affordable units onto new, usually luxury, multi-unit developments in what are currently single family zoned neighborhoods.