FORT COLLINS LAND USE CODE OVERHAUL: What Property Owners, Developers, and Investors Need to Know

By James Godbold, real estate attorney

Fort Collins is rewriting the rules of growth, and for anyone developing, buying, or investing in the city, the playbook is changing fast. Whether you’re mid-project or eyeing your next site, understanding how these new zoning standards reshape density, parking, and land use could be the difference between staying on schedule and getting stuck in review limbo.

The city’s proposed land use code overhaul, its most significant in decades, aims to align growth with sustainability, housing diversity, and smart urban design. But like any large-scale reform, it brings a mix of opportunity and uncertainty that will ripple across the development community.

Key Changes at a Glance

Among the most consequential updates are revisions to the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) overlay and the General Commercial (GC) districts.

• TOD Overlay: The elimination of parking minimums is designed to encourage mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development along high-frequency transit corridors.
• GC Districts: Height limits are increasing to allow five-story buildings, expanding options for vertical density and redevelopment.

New building-type definitions and revised use tables further clarify which uses are “by right” versus “conditional.” Collectively, these adjustments are meant to simplify approvals and promote compatibility, but they also change long-standing assumptions about what can be built…and where.

Reading Between the Lines

These aren’t just technical tweaks. They affect how projects are financed, designed, and phased. For example, a mixed-use infill site near a transit line that once required structured parking might now have more flexibility, and more leasable space. On the other hand, a retail redevelopment in a GC zone could face new compatibility standards or procedural requirements that didn’t apply before.

Having guided clients through similar municipal transitions across Northern Colorado, our team at Lyons Gaddis has seen how quickly details like these can alter project timelines or feasibility. Small changes in definitions, building types, or procedural steps can have big implications for entitlement strategy and site design.

How to Stay Ahead

1. Revisit entitlements and zoning. Confirm that existing or proposed projects still comply and look for new allowances that could enhance value or density.
2. Reevaluate parking and access plans. The removal of parking minimums changes both design assumptions and financing models.
3. Understand the transitional provisions. Timing matters. Knowing when and how the new code applies can protect entitlements.
4. Engage early. Conversations with city staff and design partners now can prevent costly redesigns later.
5. Align legal, engineering, and planning teams. A unified strategy helps projects adapt efficiently as the new standards roll out.

Turning Transition into Opportunity

While navigating change can be challenging, this overhaul also reflects Fort Collins’ commitment to sustainability and innovation. For forward-thinking developers and investors, it’s an opportunity to be part of shaping the city’s next chapter, to bring projects that meet community goals and respond to a market demanding walkability, affordability, and mixed-use vibrancy.

Drawing on decades of experience in land use, entitlement, and real estate law across the Front Range, the team at Lyons Gaddis understands that success during a regulatory transition comes down to preparation and perspective. Those who take the time to interpret the nuances now will be best positioned to move quickly, and confidently, when the final code takes effect.