The Town of Norwood is updating their Land Use Code, which was originally adopted in 1994 and recodified in 1995. There have been piecemeal amendments since the last adoption, resulting in a document that is outdated and lacks the clarity and consistency needed for effective and efficient review of development proposals.

The Town of Norwood received funding through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) through the Local Planning and Capacity Grant Program. With this funding, the Town of Norwood is updating their Land Use Code. This grant program has helped Colorado communities to address affordable housing and remain eligible for Proposition 123 funding through the Fast Track Review Process, which includes expediting development review, permitting, and zoning for affordable housing.

Technical work will include a detailed assessment of the Town’s existing development code, recent case activity, and administrative processes. Through the process, KLJ Engineering will evaluate the structure and clarity of the existing regulations to identify duplications, conflicts, gaps, and outdated or unclear language. The existing code will be assessed to determine the compatibility of the code adopted with master plan policies and state regulatory requirements. This process will also analyze trends in development applications to identify common challenges and areas where applicants, staff, or decision-makers experience recurring friction. The result will be a contemporary Land Use Code that is clear, user-friendly, and administratively workable.

During the first phase of engagement, community members shared their concerns and ideas for future growth and development. The Town of Norwood received over 30 combined responses through in-person feedback and the online survey. Some of the most common areas of concern include housing needs and challenges, water efficiency and future changes to the Land Use Development Code. These common themes are summarized below, the complete public engagement summary is also available.

Key Themes & Areas of Need

Housing Needs & Challenges

Preferred Housing Types

Community members were provided with ten different examples of housing types, the most preferred housing types include:

• Cottage courts
• Starter homes
• Mixed-use housing

Housing Challenges

Respondents indicated that the greatest housing challenges include:

• Water availability/reliability
• Code restrictions/limitations: challenging for new businesses and developers
• Rising construction costs/affordability

Water Efficiency

Overall, 80 percent of the respondents indicated they are very concerned about water resources.

Ideas for Improving Water Efficiency

Respondents were asked to share ideas for development-related strategies to help improve water efficiency.

• Native plants/drought tolerant plants/Xeriscape
• Graywater for irrigation/watering plants
  
• Drip irrigation

Changes to the Land Use Development Code

Community members were asked to share feedback related to changes that would make the updated development code more effective or easier to understand. Overall, there were two areas that rose to the top.

• Clarification on each process: instruction for completion, timeframe for process
• Clear and easy to read - no acronyms, legal phrases