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Littleton planning commission backs mailed notice for rezoning and adds occupants to list
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Summary
The commission voted 5-1 to recommend a Title 10 amendment that requires mailed notice to affected addresses, units and property owners for certain zoning text changes and rezonings; commissioners debated scope, renter notice and the cost and timing tied to a citizen charter petition.
The Littleton Planning Commission voted 5-1 on Aug. 25 to recommend that City Council adopt an amendment to Title 10 of the Unified Land Use Code requiring mailed notice for rezonings and text changes that affect residential uses in certain zoning districts.
The change, forwarded as PC Resolution 11-20-25, requires notice by U.S. mail to addresses, units and property owners within the applicable zoning districts at least 14 calendar days before the public hearings. Commissioners also approved an amendment to explicitly include occupants in the mailed notice list.
The amendment was the product of weeks of public interest and a citizen petition to place a charter amendment on the November ballot. That petition would lock in the list of allowed residential uses as of Jan. 1, 2025, for several residential zoning districts and prompted city staff and commissioners to propose the targeted notification change as an alternative to putting notification requirements in the charter.
“This ordinance before you tonight . . . says that anytime that our City Council decides that they would comprehensively rezone or do any zoning map amendments or . . . text amendments that change or remove or add residential land uses to the ULUC, we will be required and we will send out notification via the mail to every household that is impacted or affected by that,” said Matt Knight, Community Development Director.
Commission debate focused on how broadly the notice requirement should apply and how to reach renters and digitally connected residents. Commissioner Roethlisberger asked whether the ordinance could allow an opt-in email alternative; Knight said staff lacks a citywide infrastructure for a universal email opt-in and recommended retaining mailed notice now while developing other channels. Commissioner Coronado moved an amendment to mirror existing mail-notice language (addresses, units and property owners) and add occupants; that amendment passed unanimously and was adopted into the final recommendation.
The commission kept a 700-foot affected-property radius in place for parcel-level notices and maintained the 14-calendar-day minimum for mailed notice. Knight told commissioners that a single public hearing mailed notice for all affected parcels in the city would cost on the order of $10,000–$12,000 if sent to roughly 11,000–12,000 households; that figure reflects first-class mail costs discussed in the presentation.
Commissioners also addressed legal and policy consequences tied to placing land-use rules into the city charter. Staff told the commission that the citizen petition had gathered more than 1,800 verified signatures and will appear on the Nov. ballot, and that staff is preparing a possible pre-election judicial review to test constitutionality under recently enacted state law. Staff and commissioners discussed potential conflicts with state mandates, including accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) requirements added after Jan. 1, 2025, and a recent governor’s executive order and state legislation limiting local anti-growth measures and tying grant eligibility to certain land-use compliance.
Commissioner Goodman proposed — and the commission rejected — expanding the mailed-notice requirement to all zoning districts and all land-use changes; the motion failed 5–1. Supporters of keeping the change narrowly targeted argued that the petition’s principal concern was residential land-use changes in specific residential districts and that a broader requirement would inadvertently capture minor nonland-use code changes.
Vice Chair Almond moved the main recommendation to City Council; Roethlisberger seconded. The Planning Commission approved the recommendation as amended, 5 in favor, 1 opposed (Chair Reynolds voted no). The staff presentation and discussion record show the commission’s intent is to increase direct mailed notice for certain residential land-use changes while continuing other public-notice methods (signs, newspaper, Littleton Report and online postings).
The recommendation will go to City Council for final consideration. Staff advised commissioners that the county requires finalized ballot language and materials about 60 days before the election, a timetable commissioners said limits the window for any pre-election judicial relief staff might seek.
Votes at a glance - Motion: Recommend City Council adopt amendment to Title 10 (PC Resolution 11-20-25) requiring mailed notice for specified rezoning/text amendments. Mover: Vice Chair Almond. Second: Commissioner Roethlisberger. Outcome: Approved 5–1 (Reynolds opposed). - Amendment: Add “addresses, units and occupants” to the mailed-notice recipients (mirroring §10-9-3.5). Mover: Commissioner Coronado. Second: Commissioner Ullman. Outcome: Approved unanimously.
Why this matters: The commission’s recommendation responds to an active citizen petition and widespread public concern about notice of zoning and land-use changes. If adopted by City Council, the change would expand direct mailed notice for some rezonings and text amendments in Littleton and change how renters and nearby residents are informed about major residential land-use decisions.
