Wellington Planning Commission 4/07/25
by Nanci Wendland
Main Topics
The final Housing Needs Assessment confirms that Wellington requires immediate action to meet the town’s growing needs, says Planning Director Bird.
Planning Director Bird gave the commissioners an overview of the final housing needs assessment report. (The report can be found on the Wellington town website or in the packet.) According to Bird, one of the short-term actions is to make land code amendments to accommodate housing types other than single-family detached homes. Bird said he will present his code amendments to the Board of Trustees at their board meeting, April 8 @ 6:30 p.m.
Planning Director Bird gave the following key findings from the report on Wellington’s housing:
- 90% are single-family detached homes,
- 9% are townhomes and condos,
- 1% are apartments and duplexes.
Bird said the vacancy rate in Wellington is less than 1%, which drives up home purchase and rental costs. The report shows Wellington renters are paying 45% higher rent than the Larimer County average, and 30% of households are cost-burdened by rent and/or mortgages based on their monthly income.
One of the recommended strategies from the report includes making land use code amendments to encourage developers to consider a wider diversity of housing construction in the area. Bird also recommends using multiple grants available from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and other state resources to conduct additional housing studies of the area.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved the final report.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
Questions to Consider:
- How long would it take for changes in code to affect the Wellington housing market?
- How many people are unhoused in Wellington
Next Meeting: May 5, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO
Members Present: Commissioners: Bert McCaffrey; Sherman Stringer; Lisa Chollet; Commission Chair Eric Sartor
Absent: Vice Chair Linda Knaack; Stephen Carman; Tim Whitehouse
Others Present: Planning Director Cody Bird
Documents: Meeting agenda and packet.
From the Wellington Planning Commission website: “The Town of Wellington Planning Commission is responsible for developing, adopting, and implementing the Comprehensive Plan to address community development and growth. This includes creating zoning regulations, land use policies, and other guidelines that help shape the community's physical and economic landscape.”
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