To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Acting Director, Public Works & Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager, Public Works & Development
end
presenter
Presenter: Clarion Associates and Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager, Public Works & Development
end
Subject:
title
11:15 AM *SB24-174 - Comprehensive Plan Strategic Growth Element
end
Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of the study session is to present a proposed update to the 2018 Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan specifically incorporating a new strategic growth element as mandated by recent state law. The proposed amendment is intended to meet statutory requirements for the strategic growth element to the Comprehensive Plan. Staff is seeking Board comments on the proposed Strategic Growth Element chapter and support for proceeding with the proposed amendment.
end
Alignment with Strategic Plan: Good Governance - Plan for future service, infrastructure, and fiscal needs.
Background and Discussion: In Colorado, if a municipality, county or region has an established planning commission, that commission is required to prepare and adopt a comprehensive plan, subject to approval by the governing body. See C.R.S. § 30-28-106(1) (applicable to counties). Comprehensive plans serve as a framework for expressing a community’s vision, values and long-term direction, guiding future growth and development of land, public facilities and services, preservation of rural character and agriculture, as well as environmental protection. Senate Bill 24-174, Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance (“the Act”), was passed by the legislature and became effective on May 30, 2024. The Act requires that, by December 31, 2026, local governments include a strategic growth element in their comprehensive plans, with mandatory updates every five years thereafter. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) oversees, guides, and enforces local government compliance, including reviewing local jurisdictions’ strategic growth elements for statutory compliance.
The Act provides the following definition for a strategic growth element:
“A strategic growth element that integrates elements of the [comprehensive] plan to discourage sprawl and promote the development or redevelopment of vacant and underutilized parcels in urban areas to address the demonstrated housing needs of the [municipality,] county or region and mitigate the need for extension of infrastructure and public services to develop natural and agricultural lands for residential uses.”
The strategic growth element considers how a community will guide future growth to support housing and use land efficiently. The element must include three components: strategic growth policies and tools, identification of vacant and underutilized sites, and an assessment of development potential for greenfield/undeveloped sites.
Component #1 - Policies and Tools The strategic growth element must include a description of existing and potential policies and tools to promote strategic growth and prevent sprawl. C.R.S. § 30-28-106(3)(a.5)(III)(A).
Component #2 - Analysis of Vacant and Underutilized Sites This component identifies vacant and underutilized land near transit and job centers that could be used for development, redevelopment, and new development of housing. C.R.S. § 30-28-106(3)(a.5)(III)(B).
Component #3 - Analysis of Undeveloped/Greenfield Sites This component identifies undeveloped sites that are under consideration for future development, including land outside census urban areas. C.R.S. § 30-28-106(3)(a.5)(III)(C).
Analyses for elements #2 and #3 can be conducted as one of two models: “Low Tech Pathway” that leverages qualitative analysis and convening stakeholders, or “High Tech Pathway” that uses quantitative data, including geospatial analysis and technical capacity.
Using DOLA’s (Colorado Department of Local Affairs) guidance for developing the Strategic Growth Element, Arapahoe County is undertaking a planning process to develop the new element. This includes all three required components: (1) inventory and evaluate its current growth policies, (2) evaluate infill and redevelopment opportunities and related feasibility assessments for future growth, and (3) evaluate undeveloped lands that could be appropriate for future growth. Both components #2 and #3 will utilize DOLAs “High Tech Pathway” by using GIS-based analyses. This element could also include a set of goals, policies, and actions to support future strategic growth efforts. With a focus on the potential for growth within the Urban Reserve area and consideration of Tier 1 of the Rural planning area, public engagement will be conducted the week of November 2, 2026. The Planning Commission adoption hearing will occur November 17, 2026, and the Board of County Commissioners public hearing on December 8, 2026.
Consultants and county staff are conducting the required technical analysis before the public open house on November 5, 2026. The draft Strategic Growth Element is organized to both provide clear compliance with the statutory requirements and easily integrate within the County’s established Comprehensive Plan (2018). Given the accelerated timeline to develop and adopt the Strategic Growth Element, the plan is partially complete, with Component #1, Policies and Tools drafted. Please see attached draft for the Policies and Tools, as well as an outline for Components #2 and #3.
Alternatives: Senate Bill 24-174 requires local jurisdictions to adopt a strategic growth element by December 31, 2026. Communities who have met that deadline will receive priority in state grant funding considerations. This project could be continued into 2027; while Arapahoe County would not meet the statutory deadline, DOLA has indicated that only two communities have pending or approved strategic growth elements. Many jurisdictions will likely be reporting that their strategic growth elements are “in progress.” Adoption and “full compliance” by the deadline would help Arapahoe County’s scoring for grant applications.
Fiscal Impact: No direct fiscal impact if the strategic growth element is adopted.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Staff Recommendation: Staff seeks board direction to continue with adoption of a strategic growth element by the year-end deadline.
Concurrence: N/A