Jefferson County council approves amended contract with planning consultant for UDO rewrite

The Jefferson County Council on Monday approved an amendment to the county's contract with Hausch Levin Associates LLC to revise the scope of work for the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) rewrite at no additional fee.

Councilman Grodeky, who read the ordinance aloud and summarized the firm's revised proposal, said the change replaces members of the project team and offers an updated scope of work without increasing cost. "This is a very important, piece of legislation ... that affects all the residents of Jefferson County and it deserves close, attention by all our residents," he said.

Members said they moved the item off the consent agenda to allow additional public and council scrutiny. Several public speakers had urged caution: Alan Leaderbrand and others questioned the consultant's responsiveness and schedule, arguing the county should withhold final payment until a completed deliverable is received. Leaderbrand said the consultant had provided "cut and paste" materials and appeared behind schedule, and he asked the council to require completion before final payment.

Council debate emphasized oversight and process. One council member said staff would continue to provide drafts and work sessions so the council can review the UDO thoroughly before any final enactment. The ordinance authorizes the county executive to execute the amendment; the council passed the measure by a vote of 7 yes, 0 no.

The ordinance text included that the revised team will include senior staff (Houssell and Nick Davis named in the amendment) and noted the county reserves the right to terminate the agreement according to the contract terms. The council also directed staff to continue public engagement and to provide updated drafts for additional council review prior to final adoption.