Larimer County schedules lengthy land‑use hearing on PRPA item; commissioners set public-comment rules

Leslie Ellis, director of Community Planning, Infrastructure and Resources for Larimer County, updated the Board of County Commissioners on March 10 about procedures for a scheduled land‑use hearing related to a PRPA item and asked the board for direction on public testimony timing.

Ellis told commissioners that roughly 28 people had signed up to testify — similar to the planning commission hearing — and asked whether the board wanted two or three minutes per public commenter. "We currently have about 28 people signed up, which is roughly equivalent to what we saw at the planning commission hearing," she said. The board chose three minutes to allow fuller public statements.

Commissioners discussed hearing order and procedural safeguards for a quasi‑judicial hearing. Staff described the planned sequence: staff presentation, applicant presentation, clarifying questions, public testimony, then commissioner deliberation. Chair Kristen Stevens said the applicant had requested additional presentation time and the board granted the applicant an extra five minutes, bringing the applicant's total to 15 minutes; legal staff advised that offering rebuttal time to the applicant is customary because the applicant bears the burden of proof in quasi‑judicial land‑use hearings.

County Attorney staff said whether rebuttal is used is up to the applicant, but the county should offer rebuttal to avoid procedural challenges. Commissioner John Kefalas asked staff to ensure that the public understands the application process — how completeness reviews and the 60‑day completeness window operate — and to describe the referral process and which agencies were asked for input. Commissioners noted letters from the mayors of Fort Collins and Loveland were received and asked staff to confirm whether neighboring jurisdictions, such as Longmont and Estes Park, had been contacted as referral agencies.

Ellis also outlined logistics: four items are on the consent agenda (with no public requests to pull them at present), administrative staff will run the public‑hearing sign‑in, legal staff will be present for the hearing, dinner will be delivered during the hearing and the hearing could take roughly an hour with the expected speakers. The chair said she would allow a brief recess during the hearing if the board needed time to deliberate.

Ending: With the procedures settled — three minutes per public commenter, a 15‑minute applicant presentation with an offered rebuttal option, staff presentations and legal support in place — the board adjourned the work session and prepared to convene the scheduled land‑use hearing later that day.