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The city of Colorado Springs is expected to adopt a new zoning code in October that could reshape the look and feel of the community in the years to come. 

The city of Colorado Springs is expected to adopt a new zoning code in October that could reshape the look and feel of the community in the years to come. 

A new zoning code for Colorado Springs that could reshape the look and feel of the city for years to come is nearing completion. 

The proposed rewrite would allow for new flexible zone districts that could allow for a greater variety of housing, a new appeal process that limits who can appeal zoning decisions and allow for building and overlay districts that could help existing neighborhoods set expectations for redevelopment. 

"It is a significant piece of legislation that really will leave a mark on the city," said Peter Wysocki, director of planning and development.

The zoning code has not been fully rewritten in about 30 years, and the new version will shape the feel of the city through building height, lighting and parking. The City Council could vote on the new zoning code in October. 

The update is important to help embrace new building trends toward smaller lot sizes and greater housing diversity, Wysocki said. It will also help the city realize some of the big goals in its comprehensive plan, such as greater infill development. A large portion of the city is zoned for single family homes and this change could allow for a shift toward greater variety.

No existing neighborhoods will be rezoned in the rewrite of the code for greater density, but the city will allow developers to request new flexible zoning that allows for various lot sizes in the same neighborhood, city officials told the Colorado Springs Planning Commission Friday. 

The flexible zoning is similar to planned-unit developments that have been common in the city for years, such as those near Woodmen Road and Powers Boulevard. A planned unit development typically has a custom plan by the developer, as opposed to older parts of town where all the lots were initially the same size. For example, in some older areas all the lots were 6,000 square feet, a trend the city is no longer seeing, said Morgan Hester, planning supervisor. 

The code also anticipates more interest in alternatives to single-family homes. For example, it includes guidelines for tiny house parks, a housing trend that has gained in popularity nationally as more affordable housing option.

The outdoor space around new homes could also feature less high-water-use grass because the proposed rewrite would limit grass to 25% of a new home's yard to help conserve water use into the future, the presentation said. 

For existing neighborhoods, the new code provides a tool for residents to craft their own protections. For example, neighborhood organizations could work with the city to craft specific requirements for building heights, materials, architecture and setbacks, the draft states. 

When new development projects, such as apartment buildings, are proposed that neighborhoods disagree with, the process for appealing the decision also is changing. 

Only those that live within 1,000 feet or that own property within 2 miles of a project could appeal it, the draft states.  

The new appeal process would also allow the planning commission and City Council to vote to dismiss an appeal without holding a hearing, if the appeal is found insufficient. 

Contact the writer at mary.shinn@gazette.com or 719-429-9264.

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