View proposed changes or submit comments on the drafts

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Community Planning and Permitting staff have proposed changes to the Boulder County Land Use Code (the “Code”) related to data centers and detention centers.

Staff also propose to update the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan (the “Comprehensive Plan”) to include information related to strategic growth and water supply to comply with state law.

A brief description of each proposed update is provided below. If you are interested in a specific docket, please visit the docket webpage for more information.

DC-26-0003: Text Amendments to the Land Use Code Related to Data Centers

The Code does not currently define data centers as a specific use, identify the scale at which they may or may not be appropriate in the unincorporated county, or identify zoning districts in which the use may or may not occur. Staff have drafted two options for consideration, both of which define data centers and would allow them up to 75 kW of IT energy. Data centers over 75 kW of IT energy would not be permitted in the unincorporated county under this proposal. For comparison, a 75 kW data center uses as much energy per day as a 50 to 60 average Colorado homes. Additional information and proposed text amendments can be found at boco.org/dc-26-0003.

DC-26-0004: Text Amendments to the Land Use Code Related to Detention Centers

The Code does not currently define detention centers as a specific use, identify the scale at which they may or may not be appropriate in the unincorporated county, or identify zoning districts in which the use may or may not occur. Staff propose amending the Code to define detention centers and clarify that they are not permitted in unincorporated Boulder County by adding text to 4-514.G, Public or Quasi-public Facility Other than Listed. Additional information and proposed text amendments can be found at boco.org/dc-26-0004.

BCCP-25-0001: Water Supply and Strategic Growth

Staff have identified and consolidated relevant existing material and supplemented it as needed to meet the baseline requirements of the law. The Strategic Growth draft identifies existing strategic growth policies, outlines how these policies are applied towards development on vacant and underutilized parcels, and provides rationale supported by the Comprehensive Plan for not considering development on parcels not already adjacent to existing development. The Water Supply draft describes consultation with water providers, identifies existing water conservation policies and identifies future focus areas, and provides an initial estimate of water supply and demand in unincorporated Boulder County. If approved, these documents will append the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan and provide an outline for staffs’ future work. Additional information and the proposed changes can be found at boco.org/bccp-25-0001.

Planning Commission Public Meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 21

The dockets above will be presented to the Planning Commission for review at public hearings on Wednesday, Oct.21, 2026. Information regarding the Planning Commission public meeting and how to participate will be published on the Planning Commission webpage a week before the Oct. 21 meeting.  

Note: The proposed changes are for the unincorporated areas of Boulder County, not municipalities like Boulder or Longmont. Boulder County’s unincorporated areas comprise the rural, mountainous and plains communities that are not part of any incorporated municipality.  

If you would like to comment on the draft text(s), email written comments to longrange@bouldercounty.gov. by Oct. 13. For more information, contact Ethan Abner, Long Range Planning & Policy. 

Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email ada@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. If you need help in another language, please email cppfrontdesk@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-441-3930.