Table of Contents

Active Transportation

This city’s land use code requires developers to consider all modes of transportation when planning for on-site circulation (§3.2.2(E)). In general, the code takes a complete streets approach, though on-site pedestrian routes are to be segregated and oriented to pedestrian networks. The code also includes illustrations of its ideal standards.

Biophilic Planning

This city’s land use code uses the protection of urban wildlife habitats as a biophilic element. The Protection Standards for Natural Habitats and Features implement protection standards to new developments that are located within 500 feet of a natural habitats on the city’s natural habitat map. Fort Collins includes a wide variety of natural habitats on its protection map, increasing the biodiversity of the area.

Marijuana-Related Uses

The city’s land use code permits multiple medical- and recreational-marijuana-related uses by right, subject to licensing standards (Article 4). It defines “medical marijuana center,” “medical marijuana-infused products manufacturer,” “medical marijuana optional premises cultivation operation,” “retail marijuana cultivation facility,” “retail marijuana product manufacturing facility,” “retail marijuana store,” and “retail marijuana testing facility” (§5.1.2).

The city’s licenses and business regulations code includes separate licensing requirements for medical- and recreational-marijuana-related uses. The requirements for both cover locational and operational standards (Municipal Code Article XVI & Article XVII). These standards stipulate that only licensed medical marijuana centers may operate retail marijuana stores (§15-608), and only licensed marijuana retail stores or marijuana products manufacturing facilities may operate a retail cultivation facility (§15-609). Furthermore, the locational standards for medical marijuana centers and retail marijuana stores address separation from schools, playgrounds, child care centers, churches, park and recreation facilities, halfway houses, correctional facilities, substance abuse treatment centers, residential units, and other marijuana centers or stores (§15-475 & §15-615).

Outdoor Lighting

The city's land use code includes exterior site lighting regulations that establish four lighting context areas that functional like zoning overlays (§3.2.4). Provisions address purpose, general standard, design standards, existing lighting, conformance with applicable codes, exceptions, prohibited lighting, lighting context areas, and limits to off-site impacts. 

Shared Mobility

The city’s codified ordinances include parking standards that address car-share spaces and shared micromobility devices.

The city’s land use code authorizes reducing the number of parking spaces in projects that provide car-share strategies. It allows for the reduction of 5 parking spaces for every car-share provided in projects within the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) overlay zone (§3.2.2(K)).

Its municipal code regulates the parking of shared micromobility devices and shares parking restrictions of these devices to ensure public safety (§24-179). 

Solar Energy

The city's zoning code defines small, medium, and large solar energy systems (§5.1.2).

Small and medium rooftop, building-mounted, and freestanding systems are permitted by right in all zoning districts (Article 4), subject to standards addressing minimum lot size, placement, height, visual appearance, and maintenance (§3.8.32).

Large systems are permitted in two industrial districts, subject to administrative review (Article 4) and standards addressing minimum lot size, placement, height, visual appearance, security, parking, and maintenance (§3.8.32).

The city's site design standards require solar-oriented residential lots and site plans to protect access to sunlight to maximum extent feasible (§3.2.3).

Food Systems | Urban Agriculture

The city's land use code addresses urban agriculture. It was amended in 2013 and 2014 to provide supplementary regulations for urban agriculture uses (§3.8.31). The term "urban agriculture" is defined in the code (§5.1.2) and a license is required for urban agricultural land uses.

Urban agriculture is allowed as a permitted use subject to standards, which address mechanized equipment, parking, chemicals and fertilizers, trash and compost, maintenance, water conservation and conveyance, identification/contact information, produce distribution, floodplains, hoop houses, and additional impact mitigation. In residential zones, for uses greater than one-half acre in size that will have a significant impact on the neighborhood, a public meeting may be required.