Council adopts xeriscape and soil amendment updates to align with state law and water goals

Fort Collins City Council adopted two related code changes on first reading to revise landscape and soil amendment standards for commercial development, aligning local rules with new state legislation and the city’s water-conservation objectives.

City staff presented two connected proposals: revisions to the land-use code to limit high-water-use turf to defined functional areas and to require that 50% of landscape area be living plant material at full growth, and city-code changes clarifying soil-loosening and amendment requirements. Staff said the changes aim to reduce water demand (staff proposed lowering the annual water budget from 15 to 11 gallons per square foot for affected projects), maintain Fort Collins' character and avoid “rock hardscapes” while complying with Senate Bill 24-005, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Catherine Marco and Katie Collins of the water utilities and Jill Oropesa from planning presented project background and stakeholder engagement. Staff noted the proposal applies only to commercial development (defined to exclude single-family, duplexes and accessory dwelling units) and is not retroactive; rules apply to new or redevelopment projects. Staff also described a pathway for site-specific soil amendments and proposed a new requirement for dedicated, non-overhead irrigation for trees to support survivability during drought.

Public comment included concerns about fire risk in native and low-water landscapes and costs of installing and maintaining dedicated tree irrigation. Contractors and designers who worked with staff to model cost impacts told the city that installation costs vary by landscape type (shrub beds were costliest) and that some water districts tie development fees to water demand, which can reduce total upfront costs for low-water designs. A city review of 21 recently approved projects found nearly half already met the proposed 11-gallon-per-square-foot budget and many had already limited high-water grass to functional areas.

Council discussion covered wildfire and Firewise considerations for native grass plantings, the mechanics of on-site verification for soil loosening and the need to fund any additional inspection capacity. Councilmember Rolls urged faster implementation for soil standards and emphasized prior council efforts to require soil amendment; city staff and the city manager acknowledged that field verification is limited under current staffing and that the proposed code clarifies requirements while education, outreach and enforcement remain key next steps.

Council approved the soil amendment ordinance (Ordinance No. 7) and the broader landscaping/irrigation ordinance (Ordinance No. 8) on first reading by unanimous 7-0 votes.