Colorado Springs Planning Commission Work Session – July 2, 2026

The Colorado Springs City Planning Commission held a work session on July 2, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Nine commissioners were present. No official actions were taken; items were discussed for future hearing. The session included a consent calendar, updates on Banning Lewis Village B2 and C, an overview of an upcoming appeal hearing for a data center at 1565 High Tech Way, and a presentation on the Annex COS policy update.

Consent Calendar

• Conditional Use (Airport Road): Staff recommended approval for warehousing and light industry uses within the streamside overlay. No public comments; placed on consent.
• Parking Variance (2001 W. Colorado Ave.): Applicant seeks to convert a home to a restaurant; variance for one off-street parking space (seven required). One public comment in opposition. Staff recommended consent.
• Conditional Use for Heavy Vehicle Storage (752 Clark Place): For waste/recycling trucks; staff added a condition to prevent leaks. No public comments; on consent.
• Conditional Use for Light Vehicle Sales/Repair (1883 Sheldon Road): To allow sales and repair of OHVs/ATVs. No public comments; on consent.
• Rezone (5325 Mark Dabbling Blvd.): From MXN to MXN SSO to allow multifamily and recreational camping. No public comments; on consent.
• Rezone (Buckingham Industrial Area): From BP/COR to LI with conditions to restrict certain uses. Pulled from consent for a hearing due to residential adjacency and concerns from nearby businesses.
• Conditional Use (4725 Galley Road): For office, light industry, warehouse, and outdoor storage in BP with streamside overlay. No public comments; on consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Banning Lewis Village B2: Six written comments during initial review; 12 additional after neighborhood meeting. A neighborhood meeting in December 2023 had ~100 attendees; residents expressed concerns about traffic and future development.
• Banning Lewis Village C: Six written comments; a neighborhood meeting in September 2025 had ~60 attendees, with concerns about traffic on Woodman Road and density.
• Appeal Hearing (1565 High Tech Way): Over 1,000 public comments received since the administrative approval. Two neighborhood meetings drew 400 and 600 attendees. Comments ranged from support to opposition, with concerns about noise, water use, and wildlife attractants.
• Annex COS Survey: Over 250 responses collected; survey remains open.

Discussion Items

• Banning Lewis Village B2 & C: Staff presented details on two large annexation areas. B2 (511 acres) proposes PDZ and MXM zoning for residential and commercial, with a master plan amendment and road vacation. C (658 acres) proposes R-Flex Medium and MXM zoning, with four neighborhood parks, one community park, school sites, a fire station, and a 50-foot corridor for the Rock Island Trail. Density ranges: 3.55–7.99 du/ac in B2, and up to 16 du/ac in C (with a development standards adjustment). Parks and traffic will be discussed at the next hearing.
• Special Appeal Hearing (July 23, 2026): Staff proposed procedural rules for the appeal of an administrative approval for a data center. Proposed time limits: 60 minutes for appellants (five separate appeals) to present jointly or transfer time; 60 minutes for applicant; 3 hours public comment (in-person only, 2 minutes per speaker); total expected 8–10 hours. Venue moved to the UCCS Ent Center for the Arts to accommodate up to 800 people. Commissioners agreed on 60 minutes for appellants/applicant, with flexibility up to 75 if needed. Public comment will be first-come, first-served with sign-in sheets. Security measures will be in place. The decision will be based on appeal criteria, not the original modification criteria.
• Annex COS Update: A comprehensive update to the 2006 annexation plan, required every three years. Key policy areas include contiguity, enclaves, fiscal sustainability, infrastructure efficiency, housing diversity, and cooperation with other jurisdictions (county, Fountain, Manitou Springs). The city will not pursue aggressive annexation; property owners remain the trigger. Next steps include developing a model fiscal impact analysis template, updating the intergovernmental agreement with the county, and annual monitoring. The policy will be presented for a vote at a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

• All consent calendar items were placed on consent except the Buckingham Industrial rezone, which was pulled for a future hearing.
• The appeal hearing rules were provisionally established; staff will finalize and communicate to appellants and applicant.
• The Annex COS policy update will be presented to the commission for a recommendation at the next meeting.
• No formal votes were taken; the work session was informational and preparatory.