Long-Range Planning

Ordinance 2024-18 - State-licensed natural medicine facilities

Weld County recently adopted zoning regulations relating to state-licensed natural medicine facilities, as permitted under Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act of 2022 and the Colorado Natural Medicine Code. Such facilities will only be allowed in the unincorporated area of Weld County if the property is zoned Industrial (I-1, I-2, I-3, or PUD with I uses) and if the facility is at least 1,000 feet from any school, day care, hospital, church, alcohol or drug treatment center, campus of a college, university, or seminary, or state-licensed assisted living residence or nursing home. Approval of a Site Plan Review (SPR) would be required prior to operation. 

If you have questions, please contact the Planner-On-Call at (970) 400-6100 or email Jim Flesher, Long-Range Planner, at jflesher@weld.gov.

Ordinance 2023-18 - Repealing and Re-enacting Chapter 27, Planned Unit Development, of the Weld County Code

Weld County recently updated its regulations on Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) for the unincorporated area of the County.  Below is a summary of some of the changes.

1. No new PUDs are allowed.
2. Existing PUDs that are considered phased developments at the time of approval will be able to continue with proposed phases in the future.
3. If two or more owners within a PUD want to adjust the lot lines between their properties, they will be able to apply for an amendment to the final plat. The change would only affect their lots and they are the only ones who would sign. All owners within the PUD would be notified of the public hearing, however, it would not affect allowed uses and the PUD zoning plat would not be required to be amended. The Board of County Commissioners would need to approve the change to the final plat.
4. If the owners within a PUD want to change the allowed uses within the PUD, they will be able to apply for an amendment without having a survey performed. Since the owners bought into the PUD with the allowed uses described on the zoning plat, all owners within the PUD would need to sign to apply for the amendment. The Board of County Commissioners would need to approve the change.
5. Uses by special review (USRs) and zoning permits are not allowed in PUDs unless specifically stated as allowed on the PUD zoning plat. 

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Flesher, Long Range Planner, at (970) 400-3552. You can also Submit your Question and we will be happy to help answer your questions.

Ordinance 2024-04 - Accessory Dwelling Units and changes to the R-1 Zone District

The Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2024-04 on June 3, 2024, with an effective date of June 14, 2024.

Below is a summary of the changes.  Some of these terms are defined in Section 23-1-90 of the Weld County Code.

1. Animal Units.
   • Add a Use by Special Review option for more than the allowed number of animal units in the R-1 zone district. This change applies to livestock, not to household pets. The Use by Special Review process is covered by Division 4, Article II, Chapter 23.
2. Occupancy Limits.
   • Remove definitions of “family”, “foster care home”, and “living unit” and revise definitions of “dwelling unit”, “dwelling, duplex”, “dwelling, multi-family”, and “dwelling, single-family”. This would allow any number of people to occupy a dwelling.
3. Noncommercial Junkyards.
   • Allow as an accessory use in the R-1 zone district, if screened. No permit required.
   • Clarify screening requirements to be an opaque privacy fence made of uniform material such as wood, composite, masonry, or similar traditional fencing materials. Chain link, with or without slats or windscreen privacy mesh, is not acceptable screening.
4. Cargo Containers.
   • Allow one per lot in the R-1 zone district, if screened. No permit required.
   • Change the code to explicitly state they must meet bulk requirements (setbacks and offsets).
   • See Section 23-4-1100 of the Weld County Code.
5. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
   • No zoning permits.  Building permit only.  One ADU per lot.
   • Remove Auxiliary Quarters and Second Single-Family Homes in the A (Agricultural) zone and replace with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
   • Properties zoned A (Agricultural) would have to be at least an acre with public water or 2.5 acres with well water to have an ADU.
   • Allow in R-1, R-2, and R-5, as long as the lot has public water and sewer and is not allowed with a duplex. May be allowed on septic with water if the lot is at least an acre and is located at least 400 feet from a public sewer line.
   • Allow in Estate zone.
   • The ADU must use an existing driveway access.
   • Could be a second house, within a house, attached to a house, or over a garage, for example.
   • Existing Auxiliary Quarters, Zoning Permits for Second Dwellings, and Zoning Permits for Manufactured Homes for Medical Hardship may be considered ADUs.
6. Definition of Gardening.
   • Allow the use of tractors and other heavy machinery for "gardening" in Residential (R) zone districts.

   If you have any questions, please contact Jim Flesher, Long Range Planner, at (970) 400-3552.  You can also Submit your Question and we will be happy to help answer your questions.