The City of Glenwood Springs will be hosting an informational webinar and listening session on proposed zoning changes in preparation for the agenda item’s return to city council on May 16, according to a city news release. 

The webinar will take place from 5-7 p.m. on April 29 over Zoom and the City of Glenwood Springs Facebook page, and will discuss zoning, allowed uses, duplexes and minimum lot standards.

The original proposal for zoning amendments, presented by Senior Planner Watkins Fulk-Gray and Community Development Director Hannah Klausman, was first brought to city council during their Nov. 16 regular session and focused on three major topics: 

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• Consideration of allowing duplexes and triplexes in zone districts where they are not currently allowed.
• Consideration of changes to lot standards.  
• Consideration of six changes to the city’s density bonus provisions (resolution, not ordinance). 

The proposal cited the 551 responses received from a community survey on the proposed zoning changes. The survey was available online from Aug. 23-Sept. 20 and was shared through email, the city’s text alert system, on social media and through paper flyers. 

The agenda item received mixed reactions from the 12 residents who gave public comment, though the majority said they felt council should hold off from voting until more residents had sufficient information about the changes. 

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City council passed a motion to table the discussions by a 6-1 vote, and have since then reviewed the proposal in a Feb. 15 city council work session. 

The proposal will now officially return before Glenwood Springs City Council, with the goal of providing more information to residents (as requested by public commenters in November) through a city-hosted webinar before the May 16 presentation.

The updated proposal that will be presented to city council includes a few changes to the original:

• Triplexes have been removed from consideration of the zoning change. The updated proposal would allow duplexes to be built as a use by right in two zoning districts, where they currently require a Special Use Review.
• Action items presented to council will only include the conversation on duplexes and lot size minimums, though their may be some discussion of non-action items as consideration for future proposals.

“As our community looks for ways to address our housing needs, we want everyone to understand what the proposed changes are and how they would be applied,” Director of Community and Economic Development Hannah Klausman said in the release. “We hope that everyone who wants to be involved in this decision will attend the live session or watch the recording before the May 16 meeting.” 

The proposed changes to minimum lot standards and the allowance of duplexes by-right (which are currently allowed only by Special Use Permit) would “add options for property owners that are interested in developing or redeveloping their land,” according to the release. 

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the webinar. Information and meeting recordings will be available online at gwsco.info/ZoningReform. 

To submit public comment for city council consideration, residents may email written comments to CityCouncil@cogs.us by May 10 or attend the May 16 City Council meeting. 

Spanish interpretation will be available on the Zoom call and the Spanish-language webinar recording will be available online on April 30. For accessibility accommodations requests, please contact the city at ADAteam@cogs.us or 970-384-6441. 

Zoom Details

Join online at zoom.us/join or call-in to 719-359-4580. The Webinar ID is 841 9556 4598 and the passcode is 81601. 

Correction: The following information was added to the story for clarity in distinguishing the original proposal from the one to be delivered in May: The item of triplexes has been removed from consideration of the zoning changes, and duplexes would only be allowed by right in two zoning districts that currently require a Special Use Review.