Land Use Code: Phase 2

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The City of Fort Collins is undertaking Phase 2 of its Land Use Code update. This phase is part of the larger effort to modernize the City's Land Use Code, which governs how land is used and developed in our community.

Phase 2 is focused on updating commercial zone districts, corridors, and development standards to ensure they align with current city policies and community needs. Phase 2’s goals:

  • To create a more intuitive, easy-to-use Land Use Code
  • To enable the creation of resilient commercial centers that support local business and are adaptable to future community needs
  • To enable more mixed-use development, especially along transit corridors and within commercial centers

How to use this page

You can use this webpage to learn more about Phase 2. During fall 2024 we’ll be gathering feedback from the community about Phase 2; you can engage with us on this webpage or attend one of our Neighborhood Visits in October.

More about Phase 2

Building on the foundation of Phase 1, which was adopted by the City Council in May 2024 and focused on housing-related updates, Phase 2 will explore a broader range of topics. There's a long list of potential updates that could be tackled in Phase 2, including many potential updates that have already been identified through various Council-adopted plans and City Council priorities.

To summarize Phase 2 focuses, here are some of the areas we'll be exploring:

  • Advancing the City’s 15-Minute City goals: How can we use the Land Use Code to create neighborhoods where residents can access essential services, jobs, and recreation within a 15-minute walk or bike ride?
  • Aligning with existing City policy plans: How can the Land Use Code be more aligned with our policy plans to ensure consistency and effectiveness in urban development?
  • Balancing desired outcomes: How do we balance multiple desired outcomes, such as economic growth, environmental sustainability and community well-being through our development standards?
  • Adding clarity to the City's Development Review Process: Are there opportunities to clarify and add predictability to the development review process?

Why we’re updating our Land Use Code

Our current Land Use Code, established in 1997, has served us well but needs significant updates to meet the changing needs of our City. Over the years our community’s wants and needs have evolved. You, the residents of Fort Collins, have shared your hopes and visions for the future of the places where you live, work and play. As we continue this effort together your input is important in shaping our city’s future. It's time to update our code to better align with the growing and changing community we’re all a part of.

Para una versión en español de esta página, toque o haga clic en el botón en la parte superior derecha para seleccionar un idioma.


The City of Fort Collins is undertaking Phase 2 of its Land Use Code update. This phase is part of the larger effort to modernize the City's Land Use Code, which governs how land is used and developed in our community.

Phase 2 is focused on updating commercial zone districts, corridors, and development standards to ensure they align with current city policies and community needs. Phase 2’s goals:

  • To create a more intuitive, easy-to-use Land Use Code
  • To enable the creation of resilient commercial centers that support local business and are adaptable to future community needs
  • To enable more mixed-use development, especially along transit corridors and within commercial centers

How to use this page

You can use this webpage to learn more about Phase 2. During fall 2024 we’ll be gathering feedback from the community about Phase 2; you can engage with us on this webpage or attend one of our Neighborhood Visits in October.

More about Phase 2

Building on the foundation of Phase 1, which was adopted by the City Council in May 2024 and focused on housing-related updates, Phase 2 will explore a broader range of topics. There's a long list of potential updates that could be tackled in Phase 2, including many potential updates that have already been identified through various Council-adopted plans and City Council priorities.

To summarize Phase 2 focuses, here are some of the areas we'll be exploring:

  • Advancing the City’s 15-Minute City goals: How can we use the Land Use Code to create neighborhoods where residents can access essential services, jobs, and recreation within a 15-minute walk or bike ride?
  • Aligning with existing City policy plans: How can the Land Use Code be more aligned with our policy plans to ensure consistency and effectiveness in urban development?
  • Balancing desired outcomes: How do we balance multiple desired outcomes, such as economic growth, environmental sustainability and community well-being through our development standards?
  • Adding clarity to the City's Development Review Process: Are there opportunities to clarify and add predictability to the development review process?

Why we’re updating our Land Use Code

Our current Land Use Code, established in 1997, has served us well but needs significant updates to meet the changing needs of our City. Over the years our community’s wants and needs have evolved. You, the residents of Fort Collins, have shared your hopes and visions for the future of the places where you live, work and play. As we continue this effort together your input is important in shaping our city’s future. It's time to update our code to better align with the growing and changing community we’re all a part of.

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  • Share The neighborhood visits seem concentrated on the central and south parts of town. Will there be any visits to commercial areas on the north side of town? on Facebook Share The neighborhood visits seem concentrated on the central and south parts of town. Will there be any visits to commercial areas on the north side of town? on Twitter Share The neighborhood visits seem concentrated on the central and south parts of town. Will there be any visits to commercial areas on the north side of town? on Linkedin Email The neighborhood visits seem concentrated on the central and south parts of town. Will there be any visits to commercial areas on the north side of town? link

    The neighborhood visits seem concentrated on the central and south parts of town. Will there be any visits to commercial areas on the north side of town?

    ncoffman asked 12 days ago

    ncoffman, thanks for your comment! We appreciate your feedback about the focus of our neighborhood visits. We selected one commercial center within each City Council District. We did our best to select places in different areas of Fort Collins, but realize that the size and diversity of the commercial centers across Council districts (especially Council District 1, on the northeast side of town) is challenging. That's why we'll be hosting an additional event at the beginning of November in Old Town, held at a more accessible location and open to everyone. Stay tuned for details! In the meantime, we encourage you to use our interactive map tool here on the webpage to share your thoughts on the commercial zones across the city. We’re particularly interested in your feedback on aspects like street access, walkability, bikeability, landscaping and the physical layout of these areas. You can access the map HERE.

  • Share What is being done to build affordable housing for ownership in Fort Collins? on Facebook Share What is being done to build affordable housing for ownership in Fort Collins? on Twitter Share What is being done to build affordable housing for ownership in Fort Collins? on Linkedin Email What is being done to build affordable housing for ownership in Fort Collins? link

    What is being done to build affordable housing for ownership in Fort Collins?

    vday asked 14 days ago

    The City partners with non-profits like Habitat for Humanity and Elevation Community Land Trust to provide restricted for-sale homes. Many of these homes are in a community land trust model, meaning they will be affordable to generations of low-wage homeowners. In this model, the homeowner buys the home and rents the land for a nominal fee. Upon sale, the appreciation in the home is split with some of it staying in the home as equity to keep the home affordable for the next buyer. Habitat for Humanity is currently building condos (hard to find in this market), as well as single family and duplex homes. Elevation Community Land Trust purchased scattered public rental housing sites from the city’s Housing Authority, Housing Catalyst, is renovating them and offering them for sale. They also have new townhomes for sale at Birdwhistle Townhomes built on a City Land Bank parcel. For more information on affordable homes for sale in Fort Collins visit: elevationclt.org.

  • Share Will there be a neighborhood visit for the Downtown neighborhoods including Oak 140 affordable housing residents and businesses? The area has become crime central and city codes need to be updated and enforced. on Facebook Share Will there be a neighborhood visit for the Downtown neighborhoods including Oak 140 affordable housing residents and businesses? The area has become crime central and city codes need to be updated and enforced. on Twitter Share Will there be a neighborhood visit for the Downtown neighborhoods including Oak 140 affordable housing residents and businesses? The area has become crime central and city codes need to be updated and enforced. on Linkedin Email Will there be a neighborhood visit for the Downtown neighborhoods including Oak 140 affordable housing residents and businesses? The area has become crime central and city codes need to be updated and enforced. link

    Will there be a neighborhood visit for the Downtown neighborhoods including Oak 140 affordable housing residents and businesses? The area has become crime central and city codes need to be updated and enforced.

    Downtown Concerned Business Owner asked 24 days ago

    Hello - thank you for your question! For Land Use Code: Phase 2 we're hosting one neighborhood visit per City council district, plus a dedicated visit for business owners that has yet to be announced.

    Downtown is a part of Council District 6; Neighborhood Visit 6 (info in the sidebar of this webpage) will be held in District 6 on Oct. 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cedarwood Plaza Shopping Center at Taft Hill and W. Elizabeth.

    We'll announce details about the dedicated visit for business owners soon, on this webpage. You can subscribe to this webpage for updates if you'd like!

  • Share I keep reading about the "15 minute city" goals, and I'm curious, has the city studied the percentage of people who work near to where they live? on Facebook Share I keep reading about the "15 minute city" goals, and I'm curious, has the city studied the percentage of people who work near to where they live? on Twitter Share I keep reading about the "15 minute city" goals, and I'm curious, has the city studied the percentage of people who work near to where they live? on Linkedin Email I keep reading about the "15 minute city" goals, and I'm curious, has the city studied the percentage of people who work near to where they live? link

    I keep reading about the "15 minute city" goals, and I'm curious, has the city studied the percentage of people who work near to where they live?

    CD Reynolds asked about 1 month ago

    Hi CD! Thanks for reaching out. That's an interesting question that you pose and while we've performed a lot of analysis on commuting patterns, we haven't studied where people work as part of the 15-minute city analysis. The general concept of the 15-minute city analysis has focused more on people’s opportunity to reach daily destinations, like being within a 15-minute walk of a school or grocery store. The 15-Minute City is a concept of City Planning that aims to provide the structural support (land use code, infrastructure, etc) to enable cities to develop in such a way that allows citizens to have walkable access to their most common amenities (food, healthcare, entertainment, schools, potential employment, etc), reducing vehicle miles traveled and increasing localized, walkable neighborhoods - and is a concept that's typically adopted to change existing development or commuting patterns in order to enable long-term change, not in reaction to existing development or commuting patterns. While it would be great for more people in Fort Collins to be able to access their place of employment within a 15-minute walk or ride, people tend to select their job by other factors such as qualifications, salary, benefits, profession, etc. as opposed to solely location - therefore the ability to reach other types of daily destinations is where more of our analysis has focused.

    We've performed a Fort Collins Travel Diary Study that found the average commute trip for Fort Collins commuters was 6.5 miles. The City uses 3 miles as the average distance that a person can cover on bike or another micromobility device within 15 minutes.

    Here's a link to that study if you're interested: https://www.fcgov.com/fcmoves/files/fort_collins_travel_diary_report_2022_final.pdf?1697133832

Page last updated: 14 Oct 2024, 08:59 PM