County to host open house on proposed development review changes

Boulder County officials are holding a public hearing next week to discuss proposed changes to development regulations that could significantly impact future home construction in unincorporated areas of the county.

The Community Planning & Permitting Department will host an open house on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. to discuss updates to the Site Plan Review (SPR) regulations, a process used to evaluate development impacts on neighborhoods, ecosystems, and agricultural lands.

The proposed changes come in response to concerns from the Board of County Commissioners about increasing house sizes in unincorporated areas. Key modifications under consideration include reducing the allowable house size from 125% to 100% of neighborhood medians and transforming current size guidelines from flexible presumptions into strict limitations.

The department wants to better address neighborhood character, sustainability, and affordability. The changes would affect only unincorporated areas of Boulder County, including rural, mountainous, and plains communities such as Niwot and most of residential Gunbarrel, but not residents of cities such as Boulder or Longmont.

The open house, which will include a staff presentation, will be held at the Community Planning & Permitting Department, located at 2045 13th Street in Boulder. Officials encourage residents to attend and share their perspectives on the proposed changes.

The department is also focused on clarifying regulations to improve processes and provide greater certainty for applicants navigating the development review system.

Residents requiring interpretation or translation services can contact the department at 303-441-3930 or [email protected].

For more information about Site Plan Review regulations and the proposed changes under Docket DC-24-0003, residents can attend the Dec. 10 open house or contact the Community Planning & Permitting Department directly.