Communities scramble to meet new 90 day application deadline

During a recent government meeting, officials discussed the challenges surrounding a mandated 90-day timeframe for processing development applications. Concerns were raised about the feasibility of this timeline, with some participants questioning whether any communities in Colorado have successfully met this requirement.

One official noted that while there is a perception that some areas, such as Broomfield, may have made progress, there has been no concrete evidence or communication from other communities confirming successful implementation. The discussion highlighted the importance of the pre-qualification stage, where departments prepare checklists to ensure developers have all necessary documentation before the 90-day clock begins.

The conversation also emphasized that the 90-day period only starts once an application is deemed complete, leading to ongoing debates about what constitutes a complete application. To address these ambiguities, the region plans to engage consultants through a local planning capacity grant to help clarify and define the requirements for developers.

Overall, the meeting underscored the complexities of adhering to the new timeline and the need for collaborative efforts among communities to streamline the application process.