Module 2 of Retool deals with development and design standards
This includes things like parking requirements, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and height restrictions. Right now, our overly onerous design standards, particularly parking requirements and minimum lot sizes, raise the cost of housing by making it more difficult and expensive to build.
The comment period for Module 2 opened on November 18th and closes on December 30th. We need as many people as possible to comment so that the city will be forced to incorporate these necessary changes. These comments don’t need to be more than 2 sentences.
How to comment:
Email retoolcos@coloradospring.gov and your city council members (email addresses here).
BCC cspringsphp@gmail.com so that we can keep track of how many comments the city receives.
Emphasize that your primary concern is ensuring that everyone in the city can afford a place to live, which requires that the city do the following:
- Reduce minimum parking requirements more than the Module 2 draft already does
- Make it easier to build missing-middle housing by easing onerous development and design standards such as minimum lot sizes, setbacks, height restrictions, and lot coverages
- Include incentives for affordable housing in the zoning code, such as increased height allowance and lot coverages, and reduced parking requirements
If you’d like to learn more about why these things are so important, and use the information to beef up your comment, click here.
And if you didn’t comment on Module 1, include a sentence at the end saying that you want to see more permitted uses in single-family zones. If you did, reiterate your support for more types of housing in more parts of the city.
Colorado Springs Pro-Housing Partnership 