City Planning Commission Meeting: Rezoning, Conditional Use, and Vice Chair Election on May 13, 2026
City Planning Commission Meeting – May 13, 2026
The Colorado Springs City Planning Commission met on May 13, 2026, from 9:00 AM to approximately 3:15 PM. The meeting included the election of a Vice Chair, approval of minutes, a consent calendar item, and two major public hearings: a conditional use for a retail marijuana cultivation facility and a rezoning and land use plan for a multifamily development at Briargate/Voyager. The commission heard extensive public testimony, deliberated on traffic, safety, and compatibility concerns, and ultimately approved both items with conditions.
Consent Calendar
- Austin Bluffs Pump Station – Zone Map Amendment (ZONE-26-0004): Approved unanimously. The ordinance rezoned 5.24 acres at 4535 Marconi Heights from R-E/PF/HS-O and PDZ/PF/HS-O to PF/HS-O (Public Facilities with Hillside Overlay).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Colorado Chronic Retail Marijuana Cultivation (Item 9A): No public comments were submitted in support or opposition.
- Briargate/Voyager Rezoning & Land Use Plan (Items 9B & 9C): Over 20 speakers addressed the commission, with the majority opposing the project. Key concerns included:
- Traffic congestion on Springcrest Road and Voyager Parkway, especially during school drop-off/pickup.
- Emergency evacuation risks due to limited road access (one primary exit) and potential for wildfire or other disasters.
- School safety: proximity of a multi-story apartment building to The Classical Academy (TCA) playground, citing risks of voyeurism, unauthorized photography, and active-shooter scenarios.
- Incompatibility with surrounding low-density residential and rural character.
- Odor and health concerns from construction dust and potential marijuana smoke.
- Supporters included: Amanda DeMarco (Apartment Association of Southern Colorado) and Jill Gaebler (Pikes Peak Housing Network), who emphasized the region’s housing shortage (27,000-unit deficit) and the need for rental options for teachers, healthcare workers, and military families. They noted that the existing business park zoning would allow more intense uses (e.g., gas stations, truck terminals) that generate higher traffic and safety risks.
Discussion Items
- Colorado Chronic Retail Marijuana Cultivation (Item 9A): Staff presented the application for a conditional use to add a retail cultivation license to an existing medical marijuana grow at 2926 Wood Avenue. The proposal involved no expansion of the building, plant count, or employees. The site has operated since 2012 with zero citations. The applicant, Austin Edmondson, described odor mitigation measures and stated no intensification would occur. The commission discussed the parking encroachment condition and the legal attachment of the conditional use to the business. Commissioner Engel noted no negative impacts. Commissioner Cecil, Slattery, Robbins, Case, Willoughby, and others expressed support. The motion passed unanimously with conditions requiring a revocable permit or restriping within 90 days and a note on utility requirements.
- Briargate/Voyager Rezoning & Land Use Plan (Items 9B & 9C): The applicant, Blackburn Communities, proposed rezoning 7.93 acres at 1625 Springcrest Road from Business Park (BP) with a 68-foot height allowance to Mixed-Use Medium Scale (MX-M) with a 50-foot height limit, to develop 236 multifamily units. Staff presented the site’s context, traffic improvements (right-in/right-out on Voyager, turn lanes), and community outreach (70-person neighborhood meeting, Change.org petition with ~1,000 signatures). Traffic engineer Todd Frisbie stated no significant traffic concerns and noted that school pickup queues could be managed with double-stacking. Fire and police representatives confirmed code compliance and low crime rates in the area. The applicant rebutted concerns, emphasizing lower trip generation compared to office use and the ability to restrict uses through conditions. Commissioner discussion centered on compatibility, safety, and the need for use restrictions. Commissioner Slattery proposed a motion to recommend approval with conditions prohibiting marijuana-related, heavy commercial, industrial, and adult uses, and requiring the development plan to return to the Planning Commission. The motion passed unanimously for the rezoning (9-0). The land use plan was approved 8-1 (Commissioner Robbins dissenting) with the condition that the future development plan be reviewed by the Planning Commission.
Key Outcomes
- Vice Chair Election: Commissioner Slattery was elected Vice Chair unanimously.
- Minutes Approval: The April 8, 2026, minutes were postponed to June 10, 2026 (7-0-2, with two abstentions).
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
- Colorado Chronic Conditional Use (CUDP-25-0009): Approved unanimously with conditions (parking encroachment resolution within 90 days, utility note).
- Briargate/Voyager Zone Map Amendment (ZONE-25-0023): Recommended approval to City Council unanimously with conditions of record prohibiting the following uses: Marijuana-Related Services, Heavy Commercial, Storage, and Industry; Industrial Hemp; Natural Medicine; adult retail; and liquor sales.
- Briargate/Voyager Land Use Plan (LUPL-25-0010): Recommended approval to City Council 8-1 with a condition requiring the future development plan to be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission.
The item will now proceed to City Council for final action.
Meeting Transcript
Hi, folks. If anybody else is going to be seeding time to allow to have that person speak longer, please go ahead and indicate that now on the sign-up sheet before we get started with our meeting so that we can be as organized as possible. If you have any questions, please come see me. Thank you. Okay, good morning. I'd like to call the Colorado Springs City Planning Commission public hearing for May 13th, 2026 to order. The planning commission is comprised of nine members appointed by City Council to review various development applications and proposals. Planning commissioners are community volunteers with expertise across a wide variety of areas. Each commissioner acts independently and carefully assesses all the information and evidence presented to make their decision. The city planning staff facilitate the process for applications. This commission reviews those applications and proposals governed by city code. Some applications require the planning commission to be the final decision authority, and for others, the planning commission is a recommended recommendation body to the city council. Just a bit about ground rules and procedures. Throughout each hearing, we will require that everyone conduct themselves respectfully, understanding that others may have different views from your own, disrespectful words or actions, speaking out of order when not recognized by the chair, and use of profanity will not be tolerated. I will also say we have a very full room today, and we have quite a bit to get through, so just um being as quiet as possible and respectful of others that are speaking. For items presented on today's agenda, the city planning staff will give a presentation on the application, followed by the applicant who will have 30 minutes to present the details of the application. For any items that are being heard on appeal today, the appellant and the applicant will be given equal time. Public comment will be taken after these presentations, starting with public comments in support of the application, followed by public comments in opposition of the application. Each citizen will have three minutes to speak, and please keep your comments brief and focused on the issues at hand, and again, respect other attendees' rights to both listen and be heard. We will allow, as we just mentioned, the seeding of time for items. Those seeding time must be present and must state their name and who they are seeding time to. No more than four individuals may cede their time to any one party for a total of 15 minutes. And again, if you haven't signed up to seed time and you wish to do that, which in general is giving up your time for someone else to speak, if that isn't clear, please go sign up or uh be sure that you want to speak individually. Once public comment is complete, the applicant will have a rebuttal period of 10 minutes to respond and address to any comments. And at the conclusion of the applicant's rebuttal, the discussion will move back to the dais for commissioner consideration. So we'll now move to uh call to order and roll call salonge. Chair Hansler, here. Commissioner Sisu. Here. Commissioner Slattery. Here. Commissioner Robbins. Here. Commissioner Clements. Commissioner Jidiana? Here. Commissioner Willoughby. Here. Commissioner Case. Here. Commissioner Ingle. Here. Thank you. We have nine members present. Great. Thank you. Are there any um changes or postponements to the agenda? Seeing none. Shiva. Ah.
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