HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/04/2005 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 108, 2005, AMENDIN ITEM NUMBER: 11
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: October4, soon
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Peter Barnes
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 108,2005,Amending the Fort Collins Land Use Code Regarding
Annexation of Uses Not Legally Permitted.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council approved Ordinance No.070,2005 on July 5,2005. This ordinance enacted numerous
Land Use Code amendments that were proposed as part of the Spring 2005 Biannual revisions. One
of the amendments in the ordinance clarified the annexation regulations as they pertain to uses not
legally permitted in the county. Specifically, the amendment established a maximum two year
amortization period for uses not legally permitted that were knowingly allowed to continue by the
County.
Staff recommended the two year amortization period for uses not legally permitted as a fair and
reasonable timeframe in which to allow the illegal use to be abated once the property is in the city.
The amendment also contained a stipulation that if the illegal use is the subject of a County initiated
zoning or nuisance enforcement action, then the amortization period would end within the time
established as a result of the enforcement action or within two years, whichever occurs first.
Ordinance No. 108, 2005, was unanimously adopted on First Reading on September 20, 2005.
ORDINANCE NO. 108, 2005
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AMENDING THE FORT COLLINS LAND USE CODE
REGARDING ANNEXATION OF USES NOT LEGALLY PERMITTED
WHEREAS, on March t8, 1997, by Ordinance No. 51, 1997, the Council of the City of
Fort Collins adopted the Fort Collins Land Use Code(the "Land Use Code"); and
WHEREAS, at the time of the adoption of the Land Use Code, it was the understanding
of staff and Council that the Land Use Code would most likely be subject to future amendments,
not only for the purpose of clarification and correction of errors, but also for the purpose of
ensuring that the Land Use Code remains a dynamic document capable of responding to issues
identified by staff, other land use professionals and citizens of the City; and
WHEREAS, the staff of the City and the Planning and Zoning Board have reviewed the
Land Use Code and identified and explored an issue pertaining to the annexation of uses not
legally permitted in the County and have made recommendations to the Council regarding this
issue; and
WHEREAS, the Council has determined that the Land Use Code amendment which has
been proposed is in the best interest of the City and its citizens.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS that Section 2.12.4 of the Land Use Code is hereby amended as follows:
2.12.4 Annexation of Uses Not Legally Permitted
In the event that a use which is not permitted by the county exists on any property that is
included in an enclave annexation consisting of more than one (1) separately owned
parcel, the above-described development process shall apply only if such property is
placed in a zone district wherein such use is a permitted use. If a property which contains
a use that is not permitted by the county is included in such multi-parcel enclave
annexation, and such property is placed in a zone district that does not allow the use
within the city, such illegal use must be discontinued within (A) two (2) years from the
date of the second reading of the annexation ordinance, or (B) if such illegal use is the
subject of a county initiated zoning or nuisance enforcement action, then within the time
established by the court as a result of such enforcement action, or(C) if such illegal use is
the subject of a zoning or nuisance complaint filed with the county and determined by the
Director to be bona fide (but which has not become the subject of an enforcement action
under (B) above, or if it has become the subject of an enforcement action, such action has
been dismissed by the court for lack of county jurisdiction because the property has been
annexed into the city), then ninety (90) days from the date of second reading of the
annexation ordinance, whichever occurs first. With respect to the time limit established
in (C) above, the Director may extend said time for an additional duration not to exceed
one hundred eighty (180) days if necessary to prevent or mitigate undue hardship or
manifest injustice.
Introduced and considered favorably on first reading and ordered published this 20th day
of September, A.D. 2005, and to be presented for final passage the 4th day of October, A.D.,
2005.
May
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading this 4th day of October, A.D. 2005.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
ITEM NUMBER: 14
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: September20, 2005
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Peter Barnes
SUBJECT a
' -
First Reading of Ordinance No. 108, 2005, Amending the Fort Collins Land Use Code Regarding
Annexation of Uses Not Legally Permitted.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of this Ordinance on First Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council approved Ordinance No. 070,2005 on July 5,2005. This ordinance enacted numerous
Land Use Code amendments that wer roposed as part of the,Sprtg 2005 Biannual revisions. One
of the amendments in the ordinance clarified the4annexation regulations as they pertain to uses not
legally permitted in the county. Specifically, the amendmen established a maximum two year
amortization period for uses not e a'ly permitted that were knowingly allowed to continue by the
County.
Staff recommended the two year amortization period for uses not legally permitted as a fair and
reasonable timeframe in which to allow the illegal use to be abated once the property is in the city.
The amendment also contained a stipulation that if the illegal use is the subject of a County initiated
zoning or nuisance enforcement action, then the amortization period would end within the time
established as a result of the enforcement action or within two years, whichever occurs first.
BACKGROUND
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
After additional review of this atter, s f has Ra
d die amortization timeframe should
be amended again in order to aress situation t de lop in the event that the change in
jurisdiction from County to City uld invalidate any compli cc date that was established when
the property was in the county. For instance, if a property that contains a use not legally permitted
in the county is annexed into the city on December 1, 2005, the current wording of the Code would
require that the use cease within two years from the date of the annexation, or sooner if it is the
subject of an enforcement action. In this hypothetical example,an enforcement action was initiated
by the County that resulted in a court date of December 15, 2005, at which time the court may
establish a deadline for correcting the violation. If the property is annexed on December 1 st, the
court may decide on December 15th, that the jurisdictional change has invalidated the complaint.
September 20, 2005 -2- Item No. 14
If this happens,then the current wording of our code would allow the violator an extra two years to
comply, even though the County did undertake an enforcement action that might have resulted in
a compliance date well in advance of the two years.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONOV VIEW
In order to close this"loophole", affpro at�ie last p raph of Section 2.12.4 of the Land
Use Code be amended by establishing a 90 day period in which the violation must be corrected in
the event the court has dismissed the enforcement action due to lack of county jurisdiction. A
provision to allow a 180 day extension is also proposed in the amendment which follows.
2.12.4 Annexation of Uses Not Legally Permitted
In the event that a use which is not permitted by the county exists on any property that is included
in an enclave annexation consisting of more than one (1) separately owned parcel, the above-
described development process shall apply only if such property is placed in a zone district wherein
such use is a permitted use. If a property which contains a use that is not permitted by the county
is included in such multi-parcel enclave annexation, and such property is placed in a zone district
that does not allow the use within the city, such illegal use must be discontinued within(A)two(2)
years from the date of the second reading of the annexation ordinance, or(B) if such illegal use is
the subject of a county initiat zonmgor nuisance enforcem""t action, then within the time
established by the court as a suit of such en�prcement act`"'Writ
(C) if such illegal use is the
subject of a zoning or nuisance complaint filed with the county and determined by the Director to
be bona fide (but which has not become the subject of an enforcement action under(B) above, or
if it has become the subject of an enforcement action, such action has been dismissed by the court
for lack of county jurisdiction because the property has been annexed into the city),then ninety(90)
days from the date of second reading of the annexation ordinance, whichever occurs first. With
respect to the time limit established in(C)above,the Director may extend said time for an additional
duration not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days if necessary to prevent or mitigate undue
hardship or manifest injustice.