Wellington Planning Commission 8/04/25
by Nanci Wendland
Main Topics
Commissioner Stephen Carmen resigned effective June 30, 2025, leaving a position open on the planning commission.
Wellington must respond to the State of Colorado by Dec. 31, 2025, declaring which action they will take to comply with Colorado House Bill HB24-1173, requiring municipalities to accommodate electric vehicle charging stations.
Planning Director Bird reviewed State legislation addressing Housing Affordability and Funding opportunities.
The governor approved House Bill HB24-1173 addressing EV charging stations in May of 2024, effective Aug. 7, 2024. All Colorado state municipalities, including Wellington, must decide on one of the following options by Dec. 31, 2025:
- Adopt the EV Charger Permitting Model Code developed by the Colorado Energy Office as part of this bill.
- Adopt changes to Land Use Codes to meet minimum requirements for compliance with HB24-1173; or
- Adopt an ordinance or resolution stating the Town’s intention to not take either of the above actions. Wellington could decide to opt out of the state’s options and develop its own code; however, Director Bird doesn’t recommend this.
Planning Director Bird and his staff recommends option #2: meet the minimum requirements for compliance. According to Director Bird, option #1 is more suitable for larger cities such as Denver and Boulder. Option #2, minimum standards, are below:
- All electric vehicle (EV) charging projects must be approved administratively.
- Denials/conditions can only exist for the purpose of reasonably protecting public health or safety.
- All reviews must be predicated on conditions established on a publicly accessible checklist.
Director Bird said Land Use Codes will need to be updated for C-1, C-3, LI and I districts. These codes are for commercial and light industrial land use and don’t include the downtown Main Street C-2 code. Bird said the downtown area would fall under accessory use, which includes both private residential and commercial requests. If a homeowner or business wanted to provide an EV charging station on their private property, they would apply for approval as an accessory use.
Commissioner Stringer asked if the town has the capacity to accommodate EV chargers on the electrical grid. Director Bird said he will reach out to Poudre REA and Xcel Energy for confirmation of Wellington’s electric capacity.
Final approval is needed by the town Board of Trustees.
Planning Director Bird and Planner III Lenoir presented an overview of recent legislative action for Housing Affordability and Funding opportunities. State Proposition 123 and SB24-174 require municipalities with more than 1,000 residents to complete housing needs assessments. Wellington completed and approved their needs assessment in April of 2025.
Based on Wellington’s housing needs assessment, the town can commit to Proposition 123, which would provide grant funding up to a maximum of $250,000 with an additional 20% town match. Commitment requirements are as follows:
- Water supply
- Consult and coordinate with local water provider(s)
- Review of water conservation policies
- Estimate the range of water supplies and facilities needed to support growth outlined in the Comprehensive Plan
- Strategic Growth
- Promote developments
- Conserve open space
- Support efficient infrastructure
- Additional Updates
- Transportation
- Parks and Trails
- Implementation plan
Wellington can also choose to “Fast-track” a commitment to Proposition 123. Committing to Fast-Track would allow for a 90-day expedited review for complete affordable housing applications where 50% or more of the units are affordable. The commitment would have to be communicated to the state by Nov. 1, 2025, and creation of a fast-track policy by the end of 2025. If this is completed on time, the town could receive up to $50,000 additional monies from the Local Planning Capacity Grant Program with no local match required.
Director Bird is recommending the town commit to Proposition 123 to increase affordable housing in Wellington and pursue the Fast-Track option. Bird said he believes all of this is feasible and his team is ready to begin applying for grants and updating Land Use codes and policies.
Final approval is needed by the town Board of Trustees.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:02 p.m.
Questions to Consider
- Who are the likely replacements for Commissioner Carmen; when is the deadline for replacement; and will voters of Wellington be able to influence this?
- Does the town have a list of requests for EV charging stations?
- Which developers are likely to work with Wellington to fulfill affordable housing needs, and where?
Next Meeting
TBD due to the holiday on Sept. 1, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO
Members’ Present
Vice Chair Linda Knaack; Commissioners: Tim Whitehouse; Bert McCaffrey; Sherman Stringer; Lisa Chollet. Chair Eric Sartor was absent.
Others Present
Planning Director Cody Bird; Planner III Brittany Lenoir; and Planner I Aidan Checkett.
Documents
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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