Washington County adopts 90-day review track for affordable-housing projects
The policy applies to projects with at least half of their residential units designated affordable, but does not create a public system for tracking results.
Washington County adopted a 90-day expedited review process for housing developments that designate at least half of their residential units as affordable under Colorado law.
The policy is outlined in Washington County Resolution 07-2026, dated Feb. 10, 2026. It applies to qualifying affordable-housing and mixed-use projects with at least 50% affordable residential units.
Eligible applications include site plans, development plans, conditional-use permits, building permits, special-use permits, variances or waivers, and administrative modifications. But administrative modifications are omitted from an operative paragraph describing which complete applications must be placed on the next meeting agenda, leaving unclear whether they receive the same treatment.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will determine whether the expedited process applies. After an application is deemed complete and proper public notice has been posted, it is to be placed on the next “reasonably practicable” regular meeting agenda of the Board of County Commissioners. The resolution does not specify the required notice, the amount of notice or how the county will determine which meeting is reasonably practicable.
The county’s decision deadline is 90 calendar days after receipt of a complete application. Extensions allowed under state law may apply, including for certain additional reviews or requests for information or revisions. Colorado Department of Local Affairs guidance says the process does not guarantee approval or override local development standards. Applicants may opt out.
The resolution says Washington County has not adopted zoning and that its existing housing-development review process already meets a 90-day review period. The county’s Planning and Zoning Office administers permits for buildings, structures and land-use changes in unincorporated areas. Applications generally go first to the Planning Commission and then to the commissioners.
The resolution does not create a public tracking log, eligibility checklist, named program administrator, reporting schedule or performance measures beyond the 90-day deadline. It also does not state the numerical housing baseline or target referenced in the county’s Proposition 123 commitment.
A search of Washington County and state records through Aug. 12, 2026, found no publicly identified affordable-housing application, decision under the resolution, 90-day compliance report or housing-unit tally tied to the process. The policy sets out how qualifying applications are supposed to move through review, but the public record does not yet show how the county will measure its use or results.