House Committee of Reference Report

Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources

All text that will be removed from the bill will be indicated by strikethrough as follows:

This is text that is removed from law.

Text that is added to a bill will be indicated by either all capitals or bold & italic as follows:

  • This all capitals text would be added to law.
  • This is bold & italic text that would be added to law.

March 12, 2026

After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:

HB26-1253   be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation:

Page 1, Line 1Amend printed bill, page 3, lines 18 through 20, strike "to the tract of

Page 1, Line 2land that is the subject of the disconnection application." and

Page 1, Line 3substitute "by an affected special district or any interference

Page 1, Line 4with the implementation of an urban renewal plan of any

Page 1, Line 5affected urban renewal authority.".

Page 1, Line 6Page 4, line 2, strike "commissioners" and substitute "authority".

Page 1, Line 7Page 4, line 20, strike "that covers" and substitute "with an urban

Page 1, Line 8renewal area described in an urban renewal plan that includes".

Page 1, Line 9Page 4, after line 21 insert:

Page 1, Line 10"SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 31-12-601

Page 1, Line 11as follows:

Page 1, Line 1231-12-601.  Petition to disconnect territory.

Page 1, Line 13(1)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this

Page 1, Line 14section, when a tract or contiguous tracts of land, aggregating twenty or

Page 1, Line 15more acres in area, are embraced within the municipal limits of any city,

Page 1, Line 16which are upon or contiguous to the border thereof of the city, the

Page 1, Line 17owners of said the tracts of land may petition the district court for the

Page 1, Line 18county in which such the land, or any part thereof, is situated to have the

Page 1, Line 19same land disconnected from said the city.

Page 1, Line 20(2)  The process for disconnection from a city as provided

Page 1, Line 21in this part 6 is not available for any tract of land that is

Page 1, Line 22included within the boundaries of:

Page 1, Line 23(a)  An urban renewal area described in an urban renewal

Page 1, Line 24plan approved pursuant to part 1 of article 25 of this title 31; or

Page 2, Line 1(b)  A special district that, by its service plan or pursuant

Page 2, Line 2to an intergovernmental agreement, is or will be expected to

Page 2, Line 3provide service to the tract of land.

Page 2, Line 4SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 31-12-602, amend

Page 2, Line 5(1) introductory portion and (1)(f); and add (1)(g) as follows:

Page 2, Line 631-12-602.  Contents of petition.

Page 2, Line 7(1)  The petition shall must contain the following:

Page 2, Line 8(f)  An allegation that all taxes or assessments lawfully due upon

Page 2, Line 9the land up to the time of the filing of the petition have been fully paid;

Page 2, Line 10and

Page 2, Line 11(g)  An allegation that the tracts of land are not located

Page 2, Line 12within the boundaries of an urban renewal area described in an

Page 2, Line 13urban renewal plan approved pursuant to part 1 of article 25 of

Page 2, Line 14this title 31 or a special district that, by its service plan or

Page 2, Line 15pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement, is or will be

Page 2, Line 16expected to provide service to the tract of land.

Page 2, Line 17SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 31-12-603 as

Page 2, Line 18follows:

Page 2, Line 1931-12-603.  Hearing - decree - proviso.

Page 2, Line 20(1)  Upon the filing of such petition in the district court, the judge

Page 2, Line 21thereof shall set a date for a hearing, not less than forty days nor more

Page 2, Line 22than sixty days thereafter. It is the duty of The clerk of said the court to

Page 2, Line 23cause shall serve a copy of such the petition and a notice of the date

Page 2, Line 24and the time set for such hearing to be served upon the mayor of the city

Page 2, Line 25The same shall be served at least thirty days prior to the hearing of such

Page 2, Line 26petition. by the court Upon the hearing and proof of the facts set forth in

Page 2, Line 27said the petition, it the court shall be determined determine whether

Page 2, Line 28said the tracts of land should be disconnected from such the city, and the

Page 2, Line 29court shall enter an order or decree accordingly.

Page 2, Line 30(2)  When a city has maintained streets, lights, and other public

Page 2, Line 31utilities for a period of three years through or adjoining said tracts of land,

Page 2, Line 32The owners shall are not be entitled to disconnect the land under the

Page 2, Line 33provisions of this part 6 when:

Page 2, Line 34(a)  The city has maintained streets, lights, and other

Page 2, Line 35public utilities for a period of three years through or adjoining

Page 2, Line 36the tracts of land; or

Page 2, Line 37(b)  The tracts of land are included within the boundaries

Page 2, Line 38of:

Page 2, Line 39(I)  An urban renewal area described in an urban renewal

Page 2, Line 40plan approved pursuant to part 1 of article 25 of this title 31; or

Page 2, Line 41(II)  A special district that, by its service plan or pursuant

Page 2, Line 42to an intergovernmental agreement, is or will be expected to

Page 2, Line 43provide service to the tract of land.

Page 3, Line 1(2) (3)  If an area has been annexed to a city for a period of two

Page 3, Line 2years and then successful action is undertaken to disconnect such the

Page 3, Line 3area, the disconnected land shall be made subject to the applicable

Page 3, Line 4county's zoning resolution and map and other land development

Page 3, Line 5regulations within ninety days after the effective date of the disconnection

Page 3, Line 6as described in section 31-12-501 (5).".

Page 3, Line 7Renumber succeeding sections accordingly.

Page 3, Line 8Page 5, line 7, strike "statutory".

Page 3, Line 9Page 7, line 22, strike "statutory" and substitute "city or".

Page 3, Line 10Strike "the commissioners of" on: Page 3, lines 5, 14, 23, and 26 and

Page 3, Line 1127.

Page 3, Line 12Strike "authority created" and substitute "area described in an

Page 3, Line 13urban renewal plan approved" on: Page 5, line 10; Page 6, line 2;

Page 3, Line 14and Page 7, line 2.