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Develop in Westminster
Developing property in the City of Westminster involves identifying all significant site plan, zoning, utility, traffic, mobility and engineering issues that affect the layout and feasibility of your project. This site is designed to guide you step by step through our process.
When Is Development Review Required?
- Any new non-residential development
- Expansion of existing non-residential building(s)
- Construction or expansion of any multi-family residential structure(s)
- Property subdivision
- Exterior remodeling and/or site work on commercial or multi-family properties
For information and policy guidance for other project types, including annexation, rezoning or comprehensive plan amendments, please email the principal planner.
Public Improvement Fees Effective April 15, 2025 (PDF)
- Public Land Dedication (collected at time of plat)
- Park Development (collected at time of building permit)
- Public Art (collected at time of recordation)
- School Land Dedication (collected prior to issuance of notice to proceed for public improvements or at time of final plat)
- Surety (collected prior to issuance of building permit)
Request to create a Planned Unit Development zoning document called a Preliminary Development Plan (PDP) or/and an Official Development Plan (ODP) for your property or make changes to those already existing documents.
The Planning division has different submittal requirements, sheet templates, and review fees for each tier of PDP and ODP applications. Contact the Planning division to speak with staff to determine which tier is appropriate for your application.
Preliminary Development Plans
Tiers 1 and 2
- PDP Sheet Template - Adams County (PDF)
- PDP Sheet Template - Jefferson County (PDF)
- PDP CAD Sheet Template - Adams County (DWG)
- PDP CAD Sheet Template - Jefferson County (DWG)
Official Development Plans
Tier 1
- Tier 1 ODP CAD Sheet Template - Adams County (DWG)
- Tier 1 ODP CAD Sheet Template - Downtown (DWG)
- Tier 1 ODP CAD Sheet Template - Jefferson County (DWG)
- Tier 1 ODP Sheet Template - Adams County (PDF)
- Tier 1 ODP Sheet Template - Downtown (PDF)
- Tier 1 ODP Sheet Template - Jefferson County (PDF)
- Tier 1 ODP Submittal Requirements - Downtown (PDF)
- Tier 1 ODP Submittal Requirements (PDF)
Tier 2
- Tier 2 ODP CAD Sheet Template - Adams County (DWG)
- Tier 2 ODP CAD Sheet Template - Jefferson County (DWG)
- Tier 2 ODP Sheet Template - Adams County (PDF)
- Tier 2 ODP Sheet Template - Jefferson County (PDF)
- Tier 2 ODP Submittal Requirements (PDF)
Tier 3
Supporting Documents
Design guidelines are tools the city uses to provide minimum design criteria for all development types within the City of Westminster. These guidelines are intended to result in the enhancement of the city's image to establish a level of quality, good design and a cohesive and consistent design character.
- Development Review Guide (PDF)
- Retail Commercial (PDF)
- Multi-family Residential (PDF)
- Senior Housing (PDF)
- Single Family Attached (PDF)
- Single Family Detached (PDF)
- Traditional Mixed Use Neighborhood District (PDF)
Westminster Partners in Energy (PDF)
Xcel Energy Design Assistance Program
Xcel offers an assistance program that helps you include energy savings in the planning and design phase of your project. Xcel will even offer rebates based on energy savings gained.
Landscape Standards
- Landscape Regulations (PDF)
- List of Recommended and Prohibited Plants (XLSX)
- Tree Preservation Specifications (PDF)
Focus and Transition Area Plans
Public hearings are generally required for, but not limited to, for the following items:
- Comprehensive Plan Amendments
- Rezonings
- Property Annexation
- Residential developments over 10 acres in size and non-residential developments over 20 acres in size
- Special Uses
- Variances
- Preliminary Development Plan amendments that add a land use
Public Hearing Process and Requirements
- Certification of Neighborhood Meeting Form (PDF)
- Certification of Neighborhood Notification for Public Hearing Form (PDF)
- Example of Neighborhood Meeting Notice (PDF)
- Project Informational Mailer Example (PDF)
- IN-PERSON Project Meeting and Mailer Information (PDF)
Public Hearing Notice Sign Templates
City Council Meeting
English Spanish How-To Guide
Concept Plan Review
English Spanish How-To Guide
Planning Commission
English Spanish How-To Guide
Variance
English Spanish How-To Guide
Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Request to change a land use designation within the city's long-range vision for growth. For example, requesting to change your property from commercial to residential.
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment Application Packet
- Property Annexation
Request to incorporate new territory into the City limits for development or to have the City provide services like water and sewer.
Rezoning
Request to change a property's allowed land uses. For example, requesting to change a property from Open District to Commercial.
Construction Compliance
Learn about construction compliance program.
Official Development Plans and Amendments
The Engineering Division provides technical assistance to the planning process and requires the following information to accompany all Official Development Plan submittals:
- Drainage report (or conformance letter if part of an overall development)
- Utility report (or conformance letter if part of an overall development)
- Traffic report or proposed traffic counts, depending on the size and type of development
- Preliminary grading and drainage plan
- Utility layout, including water and sewer service locations (sizes of service lines should not be included)
- Existing and proposed lot lines and easements shown as needed
- Vacation Encroachment Application
Land Disturbance Permits
The following items are required with all Land Disturbance Permits:
- Construction Drawings 24" x 36" (All construction drawings sets shall include the following as needed):
- Erosion Control
- Detailed Grading Plan
- Overall Utility Plan
- Street Plan/Profile
- Utility Plan/Profile (water, sanitary, storm, reclaim) as needed
- Detail Sheets(s)
- Final Plat
- Phase III Drainage Report
- Storm Water Management Permit
- Soils Report
Agreements/Fees/Possible other obligations (required prior to CD approval):
- Rights-of-way/Easement Dedication Descriptions
- Public Improvements Agreement (PIA) with cost estimate (required prior to CD or final plat approval)
- Surety, Public Improvements
- State Stormwater Management Permit (if greater than one acre disturbance)
- Right-of-way permit (if any disturbance occurs in public ROW)
- Recovery cost paid (to be paid prior to construction drawing approval or final plat, whichever comes first)
- Public Land Dedication (cash-in-lieu paid prior to final plat approval or at building permit if already platted)
- School Land Dedication (cash-in-lieu paid prior to final plat approval or at building permit if already platted)
- Engineering review fee $750 plus $75 times the square root (area in acres)
- Land Disturbance Permit fee $250
- Final plat review fee $300 (this fee applies only if a final plat is submitted without construction drawings)
- Recording fees $10 per sheet for 8-1/2" x 11", $50 plus $20 per sheet for mylars
- City Use Tax