Draft Earthwork Regulations
The draft text amendment is being referred to agencies and members of the public so that feedback can be provided to staff. The docket review process for the proposed text amendment to the Code will include public hearings before the Boulder County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Public comment will be taken at both hearings. Confirmation of hearing dates and times will be published on this webpage and in local newspapers once they are scheduled.
View the proposed Text Amendment here: Draft Code Text, May 13, 2026
Background
On Aug. 12, 2025, Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting staff received authorization from the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to pursue text amendments to the Boulder County Land Use Code (the Code) related to earthwork and grading, including Article 4-516.Q (Grading of More than 500 Cubic Yards), and any other related Articles and provisions necessary to integrate these changes.
Staff are proposing updates to grading regulations that have remained largely unchanged for over 30 years. The current review processes—Site Plan Review for projects over 50 cubic yards and Limited Impact Special Use Review for those over 500 cubic yards—do not adequately reflect the wide range of grading project types or scales. Staff aim to develop clearer and more flexible standards and processes that better align with the nature of proposed projects while maintaining appropriate evaluation of environmental and neighborhood impacts.
Proposed updates will consider the geographic context of projects, allow for more context-sensitive review criteria, and streamline processes where appropriate. These changes are intended to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Code and eliminate unnecessary public hearings where possible. Staff also evaluated the proposal through the Boulder County Racial Equity Impact Assessment Tool and concluded that the amendments are technical in nature and expected to improve accessibility to the Code for all users.
The anticipated timeline for this code update is as follows:
- Authorization: Aug. 12, 2025
- Code development and outreach: August – December 2025
- Finalize draft and publish staff report: December 2025 – January 2026
- Planning Commission Public Hearing: February 2026
- Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing: February 2026