Water Supply and Strategic Growth Drafts
Colorado law requires Boulder County to adopt strategic growth and water supply elements by Dec. 31, 2026. State law does not specify what form these elements must take as part of the Comprehensive Plan and guidance from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) notes that there are multiple paths for communities to include strategic growth and water supply in their comprehensive plans, in addition to creating a new standalone chapter.
Strategic growth is a key focus of the Comprehensive Plan and policies are found throughout existing elements. Staff have consolidated relevant existing material that discusses the topic of strategic growth and supplemented this information where necessary. This draft identifies existing strategic growth policies, outlines how these policies are used to consider development on certain vacant and underutilized parcels, and explains why the county has not conducted an analysis of undeveloped sites that are not adjacent to developed land. For water supply, staff have described outreach and consultation with water providers, considered existing water conservation policies and identified potential focus areas for the future, and provided an initial estimate of water supply and demand in unincorporated Boulder County.
If you have questions or comments regarding these drafts, please email longrange@bouldercounty.gov.
Planning Commission Public Hearing on BCCP-25-0001, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
Staff will present on an update to the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan to include water supply and strategic growth elements as required by Colorado law by Dec. 31, 2026. Public testimony will be taken. View the Staff Recommendation Packet for Docket BCCP-25-0001, Oct. 21, 2026.
Action Requested: Decision
Staff Planner: Ethan Abner
View the Oct. 21, 2026 Planning Commission calendar event for information on how to attend or participate.