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Broomfield council directs staff to draft EV‑charging ordinance with setbacks and public review
Summary
Council largely supported allowing EV charging as a primary permitted use in commercial, mixed‑use and industrial zones, backed minimum setbacks and site‑distance limits, and directed staff to pursue a draft ordinance with a public review path rather than fully administrative approvals.
Broomfield staff asked council for direction on proposed municipal code updates to implement a 2024 state law on electric vehicle (EV) charging stations; council provided conditional direction and asked for a public review process.
Alex Bradshaw, senior planner, summarized state requirements and staff recommendations: add EV charging as a primary permitted use in commercial, mixed‑use and industrial districts; introduce new code definitions separating EV stations from gasoline stations; adopt minimum setbacks and site‑distance rules; and codify administrative review for accessory installations while allowing administrative review for primary uses in planned unit developments.
Council members diverged over whether EV charging as a primary permitted use should be allowed in transit‑oriented development (TOD) and mixed‑use zones. Several members argued that concentrating a primary charging facility (a standalone, gas‑station‑like site) in a TOD undermines the goal of walkable, transit‑oriented neighborhoods and that TOD parcels should be preserved for higher‑density, pedestrian‑oriented uses. Others warned that excluding primary use chargers from TODs could disadvantage residents who lack private garages and limit EV adoption.
On setbacks, staff said a five‑foot setback from adjacent property lines is standard for accessory structures and protects easements and underground utilities; council supported that approach. On decision authority, council moved away from purely administrative approvals and indicated they want an opportunity for public review: staff summarized a consensus to route many applications to council review (or by default notify council) so Council can decide whether an administrative approval is appropriate.
Bradshaw said staff will post a Broomfield Voice page for public feedback and finalize a draft ordinance for first reading in April. The draft will reflect council direction to permit primary EV charging in commercial/mixed‑use/industrial districts, maintain accessory charging across all districts, include setbacks, and add limits on the size of commercial accessory uses alongside a public process.
