Public Hearing scheduled for June 28

Boulder County, Colo. - The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on June 28 concerning proposed Boulder County Land Use Code amendments to address the residential cultivation and processing of marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county.

View the staff report to Board of County Commissioners (12 MB, PDF)

What: Public Hearing on Docket DC-16-0002

When: Tuesday, June 28 at 3:15 p.m.

Where: Boulder County Commissioners' Hearing Room, Downtown Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder (map)

The Land Use staff and County Commissioners value comments from the public. Comments or questions on this proposed Land Use Code amendment may be sent via our Ask a Planner form.

Background

The State of Colorado’s legalization of marijuana has presented numerous land use challenges as the new laws have been implemented. The county has acknowledged the voters' consent to legalize marijuana and has undertaken sensible regulations to address the impacts, while allowing various associated uses.

Through the evolution of these uses it has become evident that there are certain aspects of the county’s regulations which do not fully address the impacts and potential hazards present.

In addition, the current land use regulations may permit more than what is allowed under state laws thus creating a situation where marijuana cultivations/grows are for activities not permitted under state law. In regards to this, the county has received several complaints about residential cultivation and processing of marijuana in unincorporated parts of Boulder County. Complaints raise concerns about odors, safety concerns from fire, explosions and potential exposure to hazardous materials.

The current Land Use Code allows personal cultivation and caregiver cultivation as Accessory uses and limits the area for the activity to no more than 300 square feet. The provisions also prohibit the use of flammable gases during any extraction process. Staff is proposing to address the adequacy of the current regulations and draft amendments to address any shortcomings.

The goal is to amend the current Land Use Code text to ensure the safety of county residents and meet the intent of zoning regulations. Land Use staff also wishes to ensure that the home marijuana uses under the code are roughly comparable to the regulations of other jurisdictions within the county.

For questions regarding Docket DC-16-0002, please contact Senior Planner Bryan Harding at 303-441-3984 or bharding@bouldercounty.org.