Colorado Springs Planning Commission Public Hearing – August 12, 2026
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Colorado Springs Planning Commission Public Hearing – August 12, 2026
The Colorado Springs City Planning Commission convened on August 12, 2026, at 4:00 PM UTC (local morning) with eight members present. The meeting covered approvals of minutes, consent calendar items, a development standards adjustment, a non-use parking variance, and a use variance for a coffee shop. Key discussions centered on parking, density calculations, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse.
Consent Calendar
- Sugar Bowl Grove Street Name Change (SUBD 26-0049): Approved unanimously. This item is appealable within 10 days.
- 501 North Wasatch Avenue Development Standards Adjustment (DVSA-25-0003): Pulled from consent by public speaker Robert DePignac and heard separately.
Public Comments & Testimony
- 501 North Wasatch Avenue (DVSA): Robert DePignac opposed, citing parking concerns, setbacks, and the area’s limited street parking due to school and ongoing projects. Zachary Gates opposed, noting increased traffic from Boulder Street closure and the property’s ongoing neglect. Julie Johnston expressed conditional support, asking about historic preservation and the density calculation rationale.
- La Kitchen Parking Variance (NVAR-26-005): Robert Bronte, adjacent property owner, opposed, stating that one on-site ADA space would not suffice and that employees and patrons would congest on-street parking, burdening his tenants.
- Woodman Valley Chapel Use Variance: No public comments were received.
Discussion Items
- 501 North Wasatch Avenue DVSA: Staff presented a request to allow 13.33 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) on a 9,800 sq ft lot (R4 zone, 8 du/ac allowed) to convert a former laundromat into three single-family homes. The applicant explained that the building’s interior had been gutted and updated, and the density adjustment was needed to comply with a 2024 UDC policy. Commissioners debated the math (actual calculation yields 13.34 du/ac) and parking sufficiency (six off-street spaces provided). Historic preservation was not required as the property is not in a historic overlay. The applicant clarified that no structural changes or density increase beyond the three existing units were planned.
- La Kitchen Parking Variance: The applicant sought a variance to reduce required parking from seven spaces to one (ADA) for a 22-seat coffee shop at 2001 West Colorado Avenue. The 3,600 sq ft lot (MXM zone) has a historic 1901 home. Staff supported the variance, citing exceptional physical constraints (small lot, corner configuration, alley access) and the availability of street parking, transit, and bike routes. The applicant noted ongoing discussions to lease church parking across the street. The motion included a condition that outdoor seating not exceed 20% of indoor seating area.
- Woodman Valley Chapel Use Variance: The church requested a variance to allow a public-facing coffee shop (Holdfast Coffee Co.) as a second principal use on its 0.91-acre R5-zoned property at 16 East Platte Avenue. Staff determined the coffee shop could not be considered an accessory use due to its public storefront and independent operation. The applicant argued the variance was necessary to fulfill their ministry model of gathering and connecting with the community. No public comment was received. Commissioners debated whether the variance criteria were met, particularly regarding exceptional hardship. The Planning Director clarified that a use variance is narrowly tailored and would expire if the coffee shop ceased, unlike a rezoning.
Key Outcomes
- 501 North Wasatch Avenue DVSA: Approved unanimously (8-0) with a density of 13.34 du/ac, based on compliance with UDC criteria. The motion included a finding that the request meets the criteria for a development standards adjustment.
- La Kitchen Parking Variance: Approved unanimously (8-0) with the condition that outdoor seating ≤20% of indoor seating area.
- Woodman Valley Chapel Use Variance: Recommended for approval to City Council by a vote of 8-1 (Commissioner Cecil opposed). Commissioner Cecil stated that the variance criteria were not met, suggesting an accessory use determination or rezoning would be more appropriate. The item will move to City Council for final action.
- Appeal Instructions: For appealable items, affected parties must file a notice of appeal and pay a $176 fee with the City Clerk within 10 days (by August 24, 2026).
- Other Updates: Director Walker noted that the Project Taurus hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2026, at the Pikes Peak Center, and the annex COS project has been removed from the city council calendar.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Good morning. If you all are here to speak on an item, please make sure you sign in at the table and indicate, put your name and indicate uh your position, whether it's your support or opposed of an item. If you were here just to observe, you do not need to sign in. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to come ask myself on Melissa or Solange at the table over here. I'm going to call the Colorado Springs City Planning Commission public hearing for August 12th, 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. City planning staff facilitates the process for applications. Some applications require the planning commission to be the final decision authority, and for others, the planning commission is a recommendation body to the city council. Throughout the hearing, we will require that everyone conduct themselves respectfully. Understand others may have views different from your own. Speaking out of order when not recognized, and using and the use of profanity will not be tolerated. 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 applicant will be given equal time. Public comment will be taken after the presentations, starting with public comments in support of the application, followed by 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 respect other attendees' rights to both be to both listen and be heard. Once public comment is complete, the applicant will have a rebuttal period of 10 minutes to respond to and to respond to and address any comments. And at the conclusion of the applicant's rebuttal, the discussion will move to the dais for commissioner consideration. Solange, could you do our uh roll call, please? Chair Hansler here. Commissioner Robbins. Here. Commissioner Clements. Here. Commissioner Didiano. Commissioner Willoughby. Here. Commissioner Case. Here. Commissioner Engel. Here. Commissioner Cecil. Here. Commissioner Egbert. Here. Thank you. We have eight members person. Great. Thank you so much. Do we have any changes to our agenda or postponements? And looking at city staff and our commission. I think not. Okay. Um. Oh. Who might be speaking? Can we mute those online? Or oh, it's the security with their okay.
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