Brighton staff outline options for zoning and controls on natural medicine businesses under Senate Bill 23-290

Brighton councilmembers heard a staff presentation on July 15, 2025, about how the city can regulate natural medicine businesses after the passage of state Senate Bill 23-290 and its implementing rules.

The presentation matters because Senate Bill 23-290 creates state licensing and operational rules for natural medicine services and businesses while limiting local governments to time, place and manner restrictions; Brighton must decide how to incorporate those uses into its land use code without conflicting with state law.

Assistant City Attorney James Gallagher and Senior Planner Summer McCann told the council that the state initiative that led to SB 23-290 was approved by voters in November 2022 (53.64% statewide; 56.2% locally) and that the legislature enacted Senate Bill 23-290, signed by the governor on 05/23/2023. Gallagher said the final state rules became effective 10/01/2024 and that local governments may “enact ordinances or regulations governing the time, place, and manners manner of licenses issued pursuant to this Article 50 within its boundaries,” but may not “prohibit natural medicine facilities or create regulations that are unreasonable or conflict with state law.”

Staff summarized four use types the state statute contemplates: natural medicine healing…