A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the creation of a regional planning roundtable
Page 1, Line 102commission.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Section 2 of the bill creates the regional planning roundtable commission (commission) within the department of local affairs. The commission is a 15-member board with members who serve 2-year terms. The purposes of the commission include:
- Assisting local governments in complying with statutory housing, land use, or other planning requirements;
- Assisting local governments in accessing state and federal resources and technical assistance for complying with statutory housing, land use, or other planning requirements;
- In cooperation with local governments, creating, managing, and revising regions as necessary for the purpose of establishing a regional roundtable to address regional housing, land use, or other planning challenges and opportunities; and
- Assisting local governments in establishing a regional roundtable to address regional housing, land use, or other planning challenges and opportunities.
Section 3 allows money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund to be used for the planning, establishment, and implementation of the commission.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Uncoordinated and unplanned growth, together with a lack of
Page 2, Line 4common goals expressing the public's interest in the wise use of state
Page 2, Line 5lands, poses a threat to economic resources and resiliency, the
Page 2, Line 6environment and climate, affordable and decent housing, access to
Page 2, Line 7adequate public facilities and services, and the health, safety, and high quality of life enjoyed by Colorado residents;
Page 2, Line 8(b) It is in the public interest that communities, local governments,
Page 2, Line 9regional and state agencies, and both the public and the private sectors
Page 2, Line 10take integrated and comprehensive actions to manage growth and economic opportunity;
Page 2, Line 11(c) It is in the public interest to ensure that the use of land, the
Page 2, Line 12provision of adequate facilities and services, wise use of resources, and
Page 2, Line 13the availability of housing for all occur in a manner that protects citizens,
Page 2, Line 14communities, economic interests, businesses, and the environment from preventable threats and hardships;
Page 3, Line 1(d) Local governments, in partnership with regional and state
Page 3, Line 2agencies, are key to providing support, knowledge, insight, and
Page 3, Line 3encouragement to help communities thrive and to be sustainable, resilient, and equitable;
Page 3, Line 4(e) Laws, rules, and regulations addressing local master planning,
Page 3, Line 5as well as regional and state strategic planning, have been developed at different points in time and vary in their content, character, and intent;
Page 3, Line 6(f) Some laws, rules, and regulations that address planning are
Page 3, Line 7advisory, while others address requirements of statewide, regional, and local significance;
Page 3, Line 8(g) There are many state laws that address planning issues
Page 3, Line 9incrementally and independently of other related issues, which leads to planning that is piecemeal and often one-dimensional;
Page 3, Line 10(h) Contemporary planning requires integrated approaches to complex interrelated challenges through a more unified framework;
Page 3, Line 11(i) Successfully and efficiently addressing 21st century planning challenges require an integrated and comprehensive approach;
Page 3, Line 12(j) A unified planning framework that recognizes
Page 3, Line 13interrelationships among contemporary topics and issues is needed to achieve truly comprehensive planning;
Page 3, Line 14(k) A unified planning framework will simplify the planning
Page 3, Line 15process by addressing challenges that are interdependent and mutually reinforcing;
Page 3, Line 16(l) A unified planning framework makes planning more accessible
Page 3, Line 17and easier to understand for community members, decision-makers, and
Page 3, Line 18staff and for both the public and private sectors;
Page 4, Line 1(m) Where there are common borders and related regional issues
Page 4, Line 2among jurisdictions, regional roundtables provide an opportunity to
Page 4, Line 3provide consistency and compatibility among planning policies and implementation;
Page 4, Line 4(n) A unified planning framework allows for local customization and tailoring among Colorado's distinct regional and local places;
Page 4, Line 5(o) A common planning framework provides a mechanism for
Page 4, Line 6ensuring that interrelated topics and issues can be addressed in distinct regional and local contexts; and
Page 4, Line 7(p) Resource lands, rural lands, urban lands, and resort
Page 4, Line 8communities are each distinct and have their own challenges and opportunities that require customized planning approaches.
Page 4, Line 9SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-32-3709.5 as follows:
Page 4, Line 1024-32-3709.5. Regional planning roundtable commission -
Page 4, Line 11establishment - facilitating - notice to revisor - definition. (1) The
Page 4, Line 12regional planning roundtable commission is created in the department of local affairs.
Page 4, Line 13(2) The commission is a type 2 entity, as defined in section
Page 4, Line 1424-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs its duties and functions under the department of local affairs.
Page 4, Line 15(3) (a) The commission consists of twenty-one members appointed as follows:
Page 4, Line 16(I) One member representing the Colorado Municipal
Page 4, Line 17League, or any successor organization, appointed by the Colorado municipal league or the successor organization;
Page 4, Line 18(II) One member representing Colorado Counties, Inc., or
Page 5, Line 1any successor organization, appointed by Colorado counties, inc., or the successor organization;
Page 5, Line 2(III) One member representing the department of agriculture, appointed by the commissioner of agriculture;
Page 5, Line 3(IV) One member representing Counties and Commissioners
Page 5, Line 4Acting Together, or any successor organization, appointed by
Page 5, Line 5the executive director of Counties and Commissioners Acting Together or the executive director's designee;
Page 5, Line 6(V) Three members representing community planning
Page 5, Line 7professionals, appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
Page 5, Line 8(VI) One member who is a Colorado resident representing
Page 5, Line 9an Indigenous community, as defined in section 24-33.5-2601 (2),
Page 5, Line 10and who is a member of a federally recognized tribe with historic ties to Colorado;
Page 5, Line 11(VII) One member representing the department of natural
Page 5, Line 12resources, appointed by the executive director of the department of natural resources;
Page 5, Line 13(VIII) One member representing the Colorado energy office, appointed by the director of the Colorado energy office;
Page 5, Line 14(IX) One member representing the Colorado department
Page 5, Line 15of transportation, appointed by the executive director of the Colorado department of transportation;
Page 5, Line 16(X) One member representing the department of local
Page 5, Line 17affairs, appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
Page 5, Line 18(XI) One member representing the Special District
Page 6, Line 1Association of Colorado, or any successor organization,
Page 6, Line 2appointed by the Special District Association of Colorado or the successor organization;
Page 6, Line 3(XII) One member with expertise in affordable housing,
Page 6, Line 4appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
Page 6, Line 5(XIII) One member representing a regional council of
Page 6, Line 6governments, appointed by the regional council of governments selected for this purpose by the governor;
Page 6, Line 7(XIV) One member with expertise in climate and
Page 6, Line 8environmental issues, appointed by the executive director of the department of public health and environment;
Page 6, Line 9(XV) One member with expertise in tourism, appointed by the Colorado tourism office; and
Page 6, Line 10(XVI) Four members, each representing a distinct region
Page 6, Line 11of the state, each appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs.
Page 6, Line 12(b) Appointments to the commission shall be made with a
Page 6, Line 13consideration of the ethnicity, gender, and geographic representation of the members of the commission.
Page 6, Line 14(c) The initial appointments to the commission shall be made no later than September 30, 2025.
Page 6, Line 15(d) Each member of the commission who is appointed
Page 6, Line 16pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section serves at the
Page 6, Line 17pleasure of the relevant appointing authority. The term of
Page 6, Line 18appointment is three years; except that the term of the members
Page 6, Line 19initially appointed pursuant to subsections(3)(a)(XIII)and(3)(a)(XVI)of this section is two years.
Page 7, Line 1(4) Members of the commission serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
Page 7, Line 2(5) (a) The member of the commission appointed by the
Page 7, Line 3executive director of the department of local affairs pursuant
Page 7, Line 4to subsection(3)(a)(X)shall convene the first meeting of the
Page 7, Line 5commission as necessary to elect a chair and establish the commission procedures and operation framework.
Page 7, Line 6(b) After meeting pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this
Page 7, Line 7section, the commission shall only meet when a local
Page 7, Line 8government requests assistance in addressing a regional
Page 7, Line 9opportunity or challenge. When meeting to provide this assistance, the commission shall:
Page 7, Line 10(I) Define a region for purposes of establishing a regional
Page 7, Line 11roundtable to assist in addressing the regional opportunity or challenge;
Page 7, Line 12(II) Considering local expertise, suggest who should serve
Page 7, Line 13on the regional roundtable established in connection with addressing the regional opportunity or challenge; and
Page 7, Line 14(III) Identify state resources available to assist in addressing the regional opportunity or challenge.
Page 7, Line 15(6) The commission may:
Page 7, Line 16(a) Consider assisting in the establishment of an
Page 7, Line 17integrated framework for planning, which framework shall consider the following topics, at a minimum:
Page 7, Line 18(I) Natural environment systems;
Page 7, Line 19(II) Development patterns;
(III) Housing and housing needs;
Page 8, Line 1(IV) Transportation;
(V) Sustainable infrastructure;
Page 8, Line 2(VI) Economic opportunity and employment; and
(VII) Healthy communities; and
Page 8, Line 3(b) Hear presentations from and have discussions with relevant persons.
Page 8, Line 4(7) On or before December 31 of the year after which the
Page 8, Line 5commission first meets, and on or before December 31 each year
Page 8, Line 6thereafter, the commission shall report to the transportation,
Page 8, Line 7housing, and local government committee of the house of
Page 8, Line 8representatives and the local government and housing
Page 8, Line 9committee of the senate, or any successor committees. The
Page 8, Line 10report must include a description of any assistance that the commission has provided to local governments.
Page 8, Line 11(8) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
Page 8, Line 12requires, "commission" means the regional planning roundtable commission.
Page 8, Line 13(9) (a) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts,
Page 8, Line 14grants, or donations from private or public sources to
Page 8, Line 15implement this section. The department shall not implement this
Page 8, Line 16section until it receives an amount of gifts, grants, and donations that it deems necessary to implement this section.
Page 8, Line 17(b) Notwithstanding section 24-75-1305, for state fiscal
Page 8, Line 18year 2026-27 and any subsequent fiscal year, the general
Page 8, Line 19assembly may appropriate money from the general fund for the
Page 8, Line 20implementation of this section.
Page 9, Line 1(10) Subsections (1) to (8) of this section will take effect
Page 9, Line 2if the department receives an amount of gifts, grants, and
Page 9, Line 3donations that it deems necessary to implement this section. The
Page 9, Line 4director shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing of the
Page 9, Line 5date on which the condition specified in this subsection (10) has
Page 9, Line 6occurred by emailing the notice to
Page 9, Line 7revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. Subsections (1) to (8) of this
Page 9, Line 8section take effect upon the date identified in the notice that
Page 9, Line 9the department has received an amount of gifts, grants, and
Page 9, Line 10donations that it deems necessary to implement this section or,
Page 9, Line 11if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.
Page 9, Line 13SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date.(1) Except
Page 9, Line 14as provided in subsection (2) of this section, this act takes effect at 12:01
Page 9, Line 15a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after
Page 9, Line 16final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum
Page 9, Line 17petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state
Page 9, Line 18constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within
Page 9, Line 19such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless
Page 9, Line 20approved by the people at the general election to be held in November
Page 9, Line 212026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
Page 9, Line 22(2) Section 1 of this act and sections 24-32-3709.5 (1), (2), (3),
Page 9, Line 23(4), (5), (6), (7), and (8), Colorado Revised Statutes, as enacted in section
Page 9, Line 242 of this act, shall only take effect upon receipt of the notice to the
Page 10, Line 1Revisor of Statutes required by section 24-32-3709.5 (10), Colorado Revised Statutes, as enacted in section 2 of this act.