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Longmont council directs staff to study raising development height limits
Summary
The Longmont City Council voted 4–1 to ask staff to return with study-session options for increasing building height limits in select zoning districts, with the aim of concentrating multifamily development in denser corridors and improving economic feasibility for affordable housing incentives.
The Longmont City Council voted 4–1 on April 22 to direct city staff to prepare a study-session presentation exploring concepts for raising development height limits in specific zoning districts.
Council member Rodriguez moved the directive, saying the city should examine whether modest increases — for example from the current four stories up to seven or higher — could make multifamily projects economically feasible and help concentrate dense housing along corridors rather than adjacent to single-family neighborhoods. “Economically speaking, there’s a difference in height limits between, say, four stories and seven stories on economic feasibility of a project,” Rodriguez said during the meeting.
The motion asked staff to return with conceptual scenarios showing where higher height limits could be appropriate without blanket changes across the city. Rodriguez said he did not anticipate wholesale rezoning but wanted analyses for specific commercial or higher-density districts and an economic comparison of construction types (wood vs. steel) and story-count thresholds.
Council members followed with clarifying questions about whether the study should focus on land-use code changes versus building-code changes and whether the city should consider targeted adjustments rather than an across-the-board increase. The council’s discussion emphasized protecting single-family adjacency while creating incentives that “pencil” for developers when affordable-housing bonuses are offered.
The final vote passed 4–1, with Council member Christ recorded in opposition; Mayor Peck and Council member McCoy were absent. The council recorded the motion as a directive to staff for a study-session return rather than a binding code change; any later zoning or ordinance changes would require additional hearings and formal votes.
The study will be considered a staff deliverable for a future work session; no implementation decisions were made at the April 22 meeting.
Votes at a glance: Motion to direct staff to bring a study session on concepts for increasing development height limits — moved by Council member Rodriguez; seconded by Council member Yarbrough; outcome: approved 4–1 (Council member Christ opposed; Mayor Peck and Council member McCoy absent).
