Fort Collins Council Approved Housing Ordinance
The city passed a new housing-by-right measure to streamline development and lower review fees.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in City Hall
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The Fort Collins City Council has approved a housing-by-right ordinance in a 5-2 vote. This policy allows qualifying developments to bypass public hearings and neighborhood meetings to increase efficiency.
Why it matters
Council members enacted the change to address local housing affordability and make the development process more predictable. By moving to a basic review model, the city aims to reduce the time and cost barriers associated with new projects.
The ordinance applies to single-unit, two-unit, multiunit, and mixed-use dwellings in zones where they are already permitted. City Planning Director Clay Frickey estimated the new review process will result in $873,400 in lost fees over five years.
The players
Fort Collins City Council
This is the primary legislative body responsible for establishing municipal policy and local ordinances in the city of Fort Collins.
Clay Frickey
He serves as the City Planning Director for Fort Collins and provided fiscal impact estimates for the new review process.
Ad Hoc Committee on Affordable and Sustainable Growth
This committee was tasked with providing recommendations to the council regarding local housing and development strategies.
The details
Under the new ordinance, development proposals will undergo a basic development review instead of the previously required Type 1 or Type 2 reviews. While the Planning and Zoning Commission requested thresholds for public hearings on larger projects, the council moved forward without including those requirements.
Timeline
In 2025, the city began efforts to increase housing density along corridors.
On September 1, 2026, the City Council postponed an initial vote on the proposal.
On September 15, 2026, the council voted 5-2 to approve the ordinance.
Political Context
The city's recent ordinance follows the policy direction set by the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee on Affordable and Sustainable Growth. Opposition centered on the Planning and Zoning Commission's request for public hearing thresholds, which council members ultimately rejected.
Residents should be aware that qualifying future developments in their neighborhoods may now move forward without public hearings or city-led neighborhood meetings. Those wishing to challenge a basic development review decision may still appeal the outcome to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The takeaway
The move to housing-by-right signals a shift toward administrative oversight in local development to expedite housing delivery. Homeowners are encouraged to monitor city development announcements to stay informed about projects moving forward under this new, streamlined process.
Further reading
Learn more about local legislative updates on the City Hall section of our site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Coloradoan.
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