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Commerce City to pursue ordinance limiting vinyl siding on new construction, staff to fast‑track language
Summary
Planning staff proposed limiting vinyl siding and other lower‑cost exterior claddings in the draft Land Development Code; commissioners and council members asked staff to fast‑track a separate ordinance prohibiting vinyl on new construction while allowing existing homes to repair or replace like‑for‑like.
Commerce City planning staff presented proposed language on building materials as part of the draft Land Development Code and sought direction from the Planning Commission and City Council on whether to restrict low‑cost exterior finishes.
Staff said they had solicited input from the development community and the Home Builders Association and summarized tradeoffs: vinyl siding is lower cost and easier to install but has lower long‑term durability, can fade and warp and cannot be repainted; fiber cement and other materials are more expensive but generally more durable. Staff also showed a chart comparing material costs and noted there are different grades and thicknesses of vinyl siding (staff cited commonly used premium mid‑tier gauges such as 0.044–0.046 inches and a highest thickness at 0.055 inches).
Council members and commissioners framed the issue as both aesthetic and safety related. Several members noted repeated incidents of vinyl panels lifting or hail damage and emphasized community character. Mayor Douglas and Mayor Pro Tem Noble recalled prior council intent on the issue and asked staff to move more quickly. Commissioner Ingleson and Council member Teeter raised technical points about hail resistance and fire behavior; staff clarified that siding performance behind a cladding is determined partly by what is behind the siding and that external hardening and fire‑resistant plantings were separate topics to be addressed in other code updates.
After discussion council members asked staff and the city attorney to prepare a standalone amendment to the existing 2009 Land Development Code (rather than waiting for the full legislative rezoning) that would prohibit vinyl siding and similar low‑quality claddings on new construction and allow existing properties to remain nonconforming and to repair or replace “like for like.” City staff and the city attorney said drafting a separate ordinance and running it in parallel with the 2025 code adoption is feasible and a relatively low lift.
What happens next
Staff said they will prepare a draft ordinance to amend the current code to restrict vinyl siding on new construction, publish it for public hearing, and present it to Council as a council business item to authorize formal drafting.
Ending note
The Planning Commission and City Council signaled support for removing vinyl siding from new construction in Commerce City’s code while preserving maintenance and replacement rights for existing homes; staff will return with draft ordinance language and public hearing dates.
