THIS PAGE IS ARCHIVED AND REFERS TO THE SUCCESSFUL DECEMBER 2022 CITIZEN REPEAL PETITION
Why Repeal?
Unfortunately, to repeal is the only option City Council gave the citizens of Fort Collins when they refused to extend the final vote, and quickly passed this ordinance on November 1, 2022.
City Council could still choose to respond to the sincere questions and suggestions of the citizens of Fort Collins, repeal the ordinance, make reasonable revisions, and forego an election process! Please join us in asking them for that common courtesy!
SIGN THE PETITION!! If City Council refuses repeal on their own, this Land Development Code needs to be decided by a city election and we’ve been given only 20 days to get the necessary signatures to make that happen. The people’s voice must be heard.
Please consider the following to understand why a repeal was necessary:
No city-wide notification was sent out to the general public to indicate such sweeping zoning changes were being considered or voted on in November, 2022. All residents receive a utility bill with city notifications included for any number of issues. Why was this one not included?
July 28, 2022 - First draft version of the now 472 page ordinance was first posted to read online.
No notification or website link was provided to the general public, in an obvious way, to know the ordinance was in process, let alone available to read.
Residents, however, were welcome to talk to the Planning Office during their posted hours!
October 18, 2022 – City Council’s first reading
A very small number of people attended this first reading in the Council Chamber. Even so, there were a handful of dissenting voices during the comment period, only because they were alerted by a neighbor involved with the planning and zoning commission.
October 25, 2022 - A Fort Collins resident posted a notification on the NextDoor website indicating a significant zoning change was being considered. It stated if you live in Old Town or close to CSU you are affected.
October 31, 2022 - Old Town residents, being alerted by the website posting, distributed just 500 flyers, notifying a small portion of Old Town neighborhoods to attend the November 1st meeting. That flyer was the first indicator, for most, that zoning was changing.
November 1, 2022 – City Council’s second reading and final vote
The Council Chamber was full of concerned residents
More than 25 people gave comments against the ordinance that night and requested:
1) An extension/pause until January of 2023 so the residents of Fort Collins could have time to understand the ordinance and to propose revisions
2) To slow down the process, to get more citizen input, but not to eradicate the entire plan – it is understood that there are good, and needed, changes that have been developed in this several-year process.
3) Consideration of density issues within various zoning districts.
6-plexes in Old Town?
3-plexes in single-family neighborhoods?
4) Better understanding of the new notification system when a development is planned.
5) To know how infrastructure can handle the new density increases, especially in established neighborhoods. In some zoning districts, up to a 53% density increase?
6) To know how affordable housing is guaranteed, since that is the ultimate goal.
There are no requirements that developers build affordable housing in this plan. Suggestions, but not requirements.
For instance, developers can build a 5-plex in Old Town, or they can voluntarily add one more unit and make it a 6-plex, IF one unit is affordable housing. Why would they make that choice when they can build 5 larger units that will sell/rent for more?
7) To know why Old Town is considered the best location for the most increase in affordable housing.
Where are the most available jobs? Where are the transportation corridors? Where are the schools that can handle the increased population? Is that really in Old Town when it is a very small portion of the entire city? Historic Old Town cannot be recovered, once lost.
8) To know WHY THE RUSH? Why has City Council allowed only two weeks from first public reading to final vote?
Even after an impassioned plea by 2 of the Council Members to slow down the process for more inclusive citizen in-put, the request for extension was DENIED by our Mayor and 4 Council Members. 5 people made the final decision of what the best plan forward is for the beautiful city of Fort Collins and its citizens. Therefore, our only re-course, according to city law, is to repeal the ordinance (petitions/election), with great citizen effort, and expense to the city, because 5 City Leaders will not respond to our reasonable concerns.
No one wants to reject the entire plan and start over on the process. Good work has been done, and needs to be done. South Fort Collins, in particular, needs controls in place before more new development PUDs are approved. Old Town and single-family neighborhoods need much more time and consideration to fully consider best practices. Can we work on separate areas of Fort Collins and not do an all or nothing plan?
The residents of Fort Collins simply want to be heard in considering revisions that more realistically limit density, and more clearly establish infrastructure, true housing affordability and design review parameters.