Larimer County adopts expedited review for qualifying affordable housing to meet state measure requirements
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Summary
The county adopted a resolution establishing a 90‑day expedited review process for qualifying affordable housing projects tied to 'Proposition 1 23,' clarifying that the process applies to site plan and building permit review (not subdivisions or rezoning) and securing a $50,000 Department of Local Affairs bonus for early completion.
Larimer County commissioners on Dec. 9 adopted a resolution formalizing an expedited-review process for qualified affordable housing developments to comply with a state ballot requirement referenced in the staff presentation as "Proposition 1 23." The board approved the resolution 3–0.
Matt Lafferty, principal planner with the county’s Community Development Department, told commissioners the expedited review would commence when a complete application is verified and would run continuously for 90 days. "The expedited review process will take 90 days," Lafferty said, explaining that referral agencies would be asked to complete reviews within 21 days and applicants would be asked to return responses within 21 days to maintain the timeline. Lafferty also described extension processes for more complex projects, including applicant-requested extensions up to 90 additional days and referral-agency requests that can add 30 days.
Staff explained that a qualifying affordable housing project, under the cited ballot measure’s definition, must have at least 50% of housing units meet affordability thresholds tied to area median income (AMI). Housing stability manager Aliyah Rodriguez clarified that Larimer County uses a single AMI for the county and that qualifying units do not have to be deed‑restricted to count toward the 50% threshold for this expedited review. "We get one area median income identified for Larimer County," Rodriguez said.
County staff noted the county opted into the state program in 2023 and that adopting the resolution now would make Larimer eligible for a $50,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for completing the policy a year early. Commissioners and staff said the resolution implements code changes adopted in a prior land-use hearing and will help accelerate certain affordable-housing projects through site plan and building-permit reviews while preserving standard review for subdivisions and rezonings.
Commissioner John Kefalas moved to adopt the resolution; the motion passed 3–0.
