City Planning Commission Work Session – June 4, 2026

The Colorado Springs City Planning Commission held a work session on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Suite 102, 30 S. Nevada Ave. Eight of nine commissioners were present (Vice Chair Slattery absent). Topics included staff introductions, commission vacancies, a development standards adjustment and plan for the Cottage Court of Costilla project, scheduling discussions for a pending data center appeal hearing, and an update on the AnnexCOS plan.

Consent Calendar

• [No consent calendar items were listed or acted upon.]

Public Comments & Testimony

• [No public testimony is recorded in the minutes or transcript.]

Discussion Items

• Commission Vacancies & Appointment Updates: Chair Hensler reported that interviews were completed for one voting member and two alternate positions. Council action on appointments is expected the following Tuesday, with new members likely seated in August. Commissioners Robbins and Hensler confirmed their desire for reappointment.
• Staff Introductions: Senior Analyst Mellisa Wutzke introduced Samantha Fahnestock, a new Planning Technician I who previously worked as a Planner III in historic preservation for the City of Austin.
• Council Updates: Planning Director Kevin Walker reported that the Boulder Street vacation was approved on a 6-2 vote with one abstention. There will be no Council meeting on June 23 due to the Municipal League conference. The 2027 budget development process has begun.
• Cottage Court of Costilla (Items 4.A & 4.B): Senior Planner William Gray presented a quasi‑judicial Development Standards Adjustment (DVSA‑26‑001) and Development Plan (DEPN‑25‑0164) for 14 single‑family attached units on a 0.51‑acre site at 745 E. Costilla Street and 404/410 S. Prospect Street. The project seeks a reduction from 18 required off‑street parking spaces to 11, applying multifamily parking standards and credits for on‑street parking, transit adjacency (bus route), and bicycle routes. The site is zoned MXL (Mixed Use – Light Industrial / Commercial) and is located near Shooks Run, east of downtown. Gray emphasized the project as a missing‑middle housing example, likely to draw neighborhood concerns about density, parking, and traffic. Commissioners asked about bicycle parking (none currently proposed), HOA/management structure, and site circulation. The applicant presentation will occur at the subsequent hearing.
• Data Center Update (Item 5.B): Walker provided a procedural update only, noting that the administrative review for a pending data center project should conclude the following week. He explained that any decision (approval or denial) is expected to be appealed, triggering a 10‑day appeal period, a mandatory hearing within 7 days, and a hearing window 30–60 days afterward. To meet these timelines, staff requested commissioner availability for dates in late July. A lengthy discussion followed over possible hearing dates. Commissioners favored Thursday July 23 over Friday July 24, but also considered Monday July 27 and Tuesday July 28. After staff confirmed availability at RDC, July 21 (all day) and July 22 (after 9:30 AM) emerged as preferred. Commissioners present signaled they could attend July 21. Staff will confirm and circulate a final date.
• AnnexCOS Update (Item 5.A): Planning Director Walker presented the ongoing update to the AnnexCOS plan, noting state statute requires updates every three years. Work began in 2024, but significant annexations in 2025, a June 2025 election (82% vote against a proposed annexation), and increased military coordination required substantial revisions. The draft now focuses on policy guidance rather than land‑use mapping. Key elements include a stronger fiscal impact analysis, coordination with Colorado Springs Utilities’ forthcoming integrated water resource plan, and updated mapping of the three‑mile line and Area of Planning Influence (AOPI). Walker stressed that annexation is a jurisdictional change, not growth itself, and that the city’s obligations can be modified through annexation agreements. The full draft will be provided to commissioners before the formal hearing, with additional public engagement possible.

Key Outcomes

• Cottage Court of Costilla: No vote was taken; the item will be heard at a subsequent meeting. Commissioners were encouraged to visit the site and review materials.
• Data Center Hearing Date: Commissioners broadly agreed to target July 21 or July 22 for a special hearing, with staff to confirm and circulate final date. Commissioners were asked to respond promptly to scheduling requests.
• AnnexCOS: A full draft will be provided to commissioners before the formal hearing, which is anticipated in July. The commission will consider the update under the usual quasi‑judicial process.