Review by the Current Planning Department is only one aspect of the Development Review process in Fort Collins. Proposals are also reviewed by a number of other city departments. The Development Review Center was created to be a "One Stop Shop" in an effort to bring representatives of these various city departments into one location. We are located at 281 N. College where our Building and Development Review Technicians can assist customers for any of the departments listed below the "News" section.
NEWS Updated September 10, 2008
Front Range Village Update
The City's long-time plan for a regional shopping center on Harmony Road is finally coming to fruition! Front Range Village at Harmony and Ziegler continues to bring more retail opportunities to Fort Collins. The first stores began opening in July and August and the public response has been tremendous. The grand openings of Super Target and Sports Authority netted these businesses some of the highest sales figures nationwide when compared to their other grand openings. Stores and restaurants will continue to build and open over the coming months. When you're out there, be sure to notice the improvements made along Ziegler in cooperation with the developer of Front Range Village, including the new traffic circle at Horsetooth and Ziegler.
The Development Review Guide wins award!
The new Development Review Guide has been on-line for several months now and the response we are getting is very positive. The Colorado chapter of the American Planning Association presented a 2008 Project Award to the City of Fort Collins for this innovative way of helping people understand the City's Land Use code and development processes. This exciting new feature shows all the steps in our Development Review process with color-coded chapters and explanations for each step of the process. We are very excited about this new website and hope that it will help the community to better understand the development review process. But no worries! We are still here in person to answer your questions, too.
Foothills Mall Update
Unfortunately, while Front Range Village is taking off, Foothills Mall continues to wait for its planned upgrades. The mall is owned by General Growth Properties who plans, eventually, to make changes to this property but improvements have not yet been scheduled. We will keep you posted if we learn more regarding changes to the mall.
Chicken Ordinance Update
At their September 2nd meeting, City Council voted 5 - 1 to amend the definition of farm animals to allow up to six chicken hens per parcel in residential neighborhoods. No roosters are allowed and there are minimum requirements for the chicken coop and enclosure. A one-time registration fee of $30 is required to be collected by the Larimer Humane Society which will also distribute information regarding proper care, feeding and maintenance of a backyard flock. Enforcement will be on a complaint basis by the animal control officers of the Humane Society. For further information, please contact Captain Bill Porter, Larimer Humane Society, 226-3641 or
If you would like to read the agenda and the final wording of the ordinance, it is available on City Docs at: 9-2 Agenda
Development of Choice Center
Plans are moving forward for the development of a student oriented housing project coupled with redevelopment of the commercial properties along College, south of Prospect. Plans were submitted for initial review in July and continues to move through the development review process. A site plan and colored elevation of what is currently being reviewed is available here. (This project has not had a public hearing so it is not yet approved and these drawings are not final)
Charrette for the Harmony-Shields Shopping Center:
The City hosted a design charrette in July and August to examine the development site at the northwest corner of Harmony and Shields. This property had been rezoned from Medium Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood (MMN) to Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning. When a developer contacted the City recently with interest in developing a shopping center anchored by a Safeway on this site, the City wanted to make sure that neighbors ideas and concerns were taken into consideration during the design of this project. See what happened on the Charrette page.
The Current Planning Department coordinates the Development Review process. We review and evaluate all Project Development Plans (PDPs) and Overall Development Plans (ODPs), as well as Annexations, Re-zonings, Subdivisions, Site plans, Landscape plans, and Lighting plans. We provide information and advice on land use, urban design, and choosing the most appropriate review process for each project. We use the review processes and standards for development that are found in the Land Use Code. More information about what we do can be found in the online Development Review Guide. We are also the primary staff support for the Planning and Zoning Board
The Zoning Department reviews Sign Permits, Basic Development Reviews, Minor Amendments, Home Occupations, setbacks, parking requirements, and permitted uses. We respond to concerns regarding possible zoning violations and work with property owners to remedy any problems. We use the Land Use Code when completing reviews and making decisions. Zoning is also located in the Development Review Center at 281 N. College. You can reach us at 416-2745. We are also the primary staff support for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Building Services Department is responsible for a wide variety of services associated with construction. We review building plans, issue building permits, perform building inspections, license contractors, issue demolition permits, enforce health and safety issues as related to structures (including wiring, plumbing, etc.), and enforce the Rental Housing Standards, including the "three unrelated" law. We use the Building, Land Use, and Municipal Codes during the course of our work. More information can be found in the NBS Guide (pdf) and on our websites.
(The City's Neighborhood Services Department deals with many nuisance problems that generally occur in neighborhoods such as weeds, junk, snow shoveling, etc. These are code compliance problems related to ordinances that are a part of the City's Municipal Code rather than the Land Use Code. Neighborhood Services is located upstairs at 281 N. College; they are not in the Development Review Center, although they work closely with Building Services and Zoning to insure compliance.)
