The city of Glenwood Springs extended the survey deadline for zoning changes until Wednesday.

“With an estimated shortfall of around 1,300 housing units, the city is pursuing multiple strategies to create more affordable housing,” said Director of Community and Economic Development Hannah Klausman in a news release.

Glenwood Springs is asking residents to fill out a survey for what kind of housing zones they want to see in town, like allowing duplexes and triplexes in places where the zone currently restricts them, and potential tweaks to the density bonus program. 

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The city is asking about two potential changes to the city’s zoning regulations as part of efforts to address the local housing crisis. 

“One of the tools available to the city is looking at opportunities in our zoning codes to address our community’s housing needs through small infill projects,” Klausman said in the release.

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People can fill out the survey online through the city’s website at bit.ly/ZoningSurveyCOGS or in-person at City Hall at the Community Development Department on the second floor at 101 W. Eighth St. until Sept. 20. 

The survey is offered in Spanish online and in-person at City Hall.

The information gathered from this survey will be presented on Oct. 3, during a Planning & Zoning Commission special meeting, where P&Z will offer a recommendation on proposed changes. Council will be the deciding body for whether these zoning changes will be adopted.

Data from the recent Strategic Housing Plan Update show that the median home sale price rose 93% between 2015 and 2022, and about a third of all households in Glenwood Springs are cost-burdened by the price of housing, the release states.

“It is important to remember that these are proposed policy changes that would change what is possible in Glenwood Springs,” Klausman said in the release. “The hope is to change the rules that decision-makers use in evaluating applications that are submitted to the city to be more in line with the needs and type of housing the community wants.” 

Greater allowance for duplexes, triplexes

Allowing property owners to build duplexes and triplexes in more places in the city is one possible change the city is asking public input on. 

Currently, there are three residential zone districts that do not allow triplexes, two that do not allow duplexes and one that allows duplexes only with a special use permit, the release states.

Tweaks to density bonus program

To guide development toward filling community housing needs, the city is also considering changing its density bonus provisions in the zoning regulations. 

Currently, the program provides incentives for property owners to build deed-restricted housing. Other strategies could include expanding the density bonus program to allow bonus units for things such as creating units available for purchase, units appropriate for people with disabilities, units large enough for families, units that are deed-restricted for those employed in Glenwood Springs and units with affordability price caps.