The City of Thornton this week sent a clear message of support to six home rule cities suing the State of Colorado and Gov. Jared Polis for overstepping onto local land use policies. Westminster is one of the cities that is part of the lawsuit.
The six cities claim that two bills passed in the 2024 Legislature violate the Colorado Constitution. The cities are seeking an injunction against the enforcement of the legislation as well as an executive order from Polis.
“I think we’ve seen over the last several years, many different attempts to take away home-rule authority,” Thornton City Councilwoman Jessica Sandgren said Tuesday night. “We know what’s best for our city.”
Sandgren introduced a resolution backing the lawsuit, which the council passed unanimously. Mayor Jan Kulmann added she wanted the city to send a copy of the resolution to Polis.
The resolution targets House Bill 24-1304 – regarding minimum parking requirements- and House Bill 24-1313 – aimed at housing in transit-oriented communities – that purport to place statewide mandates governing land use and zoning legislation on a limited group of home rule cities.
The resolution also cites Polis and his executive order “declaring that municipalities failing to comply with the …bills…will be deprioritized for competitive or discretionary funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, loans, and tax credits.”
The resolution states that the City of Thornton “affirms its longstanding support of the powers granted by the Constitution of the State of Colorado, which include home rule authority over zoning and land use planning.”
Whatever needs to be done to support home rule authority over zoning and land use planning, must continue. I hope that more cities join this cause.