Loveland council holds public hearing on rezoning of 930 O'Bannonville Road for Cardinal Land Conservancy

Loveland City Council held a public hearing on a zoning map amendment for 930 O'Bannonville Road, a parcel the applicant says was annexed into the city in 2022, to reclassify the property from RLD (Residential Low Density) to Agricultural. The request was presented by city staff and by a representative of the applicant, Cardinal Land Conservancy, who described plans for noncommercial, recreational uses on the site.

The amendment request was introduced by city staff during tonight’s meeting; the staff presentation noted the item had been before the Planning and Zoning Commission on June 17, 2025, which unanimously recommended council approval. City staff said the agricultural classification would allow intended improvements and noncommercial recreational uses that are not a conditional use in the RLD district. “We are really excited to have the site here in Loveland,” Cardinal Land Conservancy Director of Operations Susan Spragg said, and she described demonstration gardens, preserved trails and community gathering spaces that the nonprofit plans to continue and expand.

The council opened a public hearing on the amendment and heard brief remarks from Spragg and council members. Council Member Bateman praised the conservancy’s plans, saying the proposal “exceeds our wildest dreams” for the site after annexation and that the change would help protect the land’s long-term future. Council Member Gordon said he toured the site and appreciated the organization’s outreach and landscape plans. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation and the record of the public hearing were entered for council consideration; the hearing was formally opened and then closed by roll-call votes.

This ordinance is listed on tonight’s agenda for first reading; staff indicated the council will take final action at a later meeting (the council noted a scheduled vote on related ordinances for August 12). No rezoning ordinance was adopted during tonight’s session. The record shows the applicant and staff will remain available to answer council questions and that council members expressed support for preservation-minded use of the property.

Background: city staff said the parcel was annexed into the city in 2022 with an initial RLD zoning designation. The applicant told council it seeks agricultural zoning to allow demonstration gardens and other noncommercial recreational activities that would not be permitted under the current RLD conditional-use framework.