Council backs final development‑code changes, sends draft to planning commission and schedules public hearings

Thornton City Council reviewed the final draft of the city’s updated development code and directed staff to move forward to the Planning Commission public hearing process, while providing specific policy directions on housing types, TOD guidance, façade standards, drive‑through circulation and parking connectivity.

Staff and consultants presented the update as the product of an approximately two‑year outreach effort intended to increase housing choice, modernize development standards and make review more objective. Karen Wodofsky, the city’s long‑range planning manager, said the ordinance will be followed by a second cleanup ordinance and a public hearing timeline. "This code isn't gonna be perfect," she told council. Staff said the final draft will be renumbered and formatted to match the city's codification service prior to hearings and that any substantive additional changes after the packet deadline would have to await future amendments.

Housing and lot standards Council directed staff to add cottage‑housing as an allowable use in the new Residential Low (RL) district with a recommended cap of roughly four to six units per lot and to permit reduced lot sizes in green‑court and motor‑court configurations, while preserving minimum lot widths for front‑loaded garages. Council members said cottage housing and motor‑court designs can increase attainable options without overturning the neighborhood scale. Staff noted the city will engage a housing‑affordability consultant after adoption to recommend targeted code changes.

Transit‑oriented development and ground‑floor commercial Staff recommended updating station area typologies as a follow‑on project rather than embedding major changes in the code; council agreed. The draft requires a commercial component for large TODs (25% of ground‑floor area of a development), which staff said was reduced from earlier proposals and was acceptable to at least two developers who reviewed it.

Façade materials and architectural standards Council agreed to a compromise on façade requirements to lower developer costs while preserving quality: for multiunit‑residential buildings, staff will allow a single Type‑1 (high‑quality) façade on most buildings, while nonresidential corner buildings should retain two higher‑quality facades. Council also approved lowering the required coverage of the most expensive cladding materials (brick/stone) on multiunit Type‑1 facades from 50% to 40% to allow more design flexibility and cost savings; staff retained authority to approve alternative materials in cases that demonstrate design merit.

Drive‑throughs, circulation and parking Council reaffirmed a standard that generally prohibits drive‑through lanes from wrapping between a building and the public street in pedestrian‑oriented districts. Staff said applicants can pursue special reviews (special use permits or planned‑development overlays) where site constraints exist; drive‑throughs still require stacking studies and a review of traffic impacts. Council also retained the proposed parking‑lot connectivity standard (the draft’s 70% connected drive‑aisle guideline) after staff clarified the rule applies on a lot‑by‑lot basis and will not force cross‑access easements onto uncooperative neighboring property owners.

Sidewalks, pedestrian access and bike parking Staff made modest adjustments after feedback: sidewalks for smaller buildings were reduced from 10 to 8 feet in some cases, but protections for pedestrian connectivity were preserved. Council also directed that when vehicle parking reductions are approved via adjustment, bicycle‑parking requirements should not be reduced proportionally and that long‑term bike parking in individual dwelling units should generally not replace secure common long‑term bicycle parking required for multifamily developments.

Oil and gas Staff reminded council that oil and gas production sites remain subject to state and Chapter 18, Article 5 regulations and that municipalities have limited authority to ban production outright; the city attorney's office will prepare an options report on near‑term local measures.

Schedule and implementation Council instructed staff to take the draft to the Planning Commission on July 1, and the council packet will include a first reading on July 22 and a second reading Aug. 12 if timing holds. Staff said applications submitted before the July 22 vote will be processed under the current code; the city will pause new applications briefly between the adoption steps to prepare the application packet and online materials and will begin accepting applications under the new code on Sept. 1.

Why it matters: The changes aim to expand housing options, streamline review and prioritize pedestrian safety and design quality. Council members stressed balancing neighborhood compatibility, affordability and market realities.

Speakers quoted in this article include long‑range planning manager Karen Wodofsky, planning director Mike Garrett, consultants and multiple council members.