Governmental Affairs Update
September 13, 2026
Joint Grand Junction/Mesa County Housing Action Plan. The Public Hearing and passage
of the ordinance adopting the six year Housing Action Plan is slated for the Council meeting on
September 16 th . Changes from the draft plan include the removal of creation of a Housing
Advisory Board and moving the exploration of additional funding sources from one to two
years out to years 4-6. There is also acknowledgement that the priorities will be reviewed
annually and that there will be ongoing engagement with housing service providers. As noted
previously, this plan does look at the entire continuum of housing something that was missing
from the 2024 plan.
Why This Matters: As noted in the workshop packet Executive Summary, this Housing
Action Plan will serve as the foundation for future housing policy discussions, program
development and funding decisions for the next six years.
Housing Affordability Task Force. The Housing Affordability Task Force was successful in
getting the “Significant Trees” code repealed on September 2nd. They are beginning to work
with an outside consultant, KLJ, to review the TEDS manual and other technical elements of
Article 21. An incentive based approach to preserving the tree canopy will now be added to the
consultant’s tasks as a result of the repeal of the Significant Trees code. The task force is also
beginning the process of winding down its original charge while offering a framework for
reviewing current and proposed code changes in the future.
Why this Matters. The City Council has made affordable housing a priority and a
majority of city council members are favorably inclined to make changes based on
industry recommendations to the process and the code that will help lessen the regulatory
burden and costs locally on housing. However, they need to hear from supporters to
these changes.
AMGD. Kristi Pollard, Metro District Education Association presented a general overview of
metro districts followed by Dan Caris, Deputy City Manager of Fruita and Fruita Council
Member Amy Miller. Fruita is considering the adoption of a model service plan and policy for
metro districts inside the city limits. There are currently three developers looking at using this
financing tool. City officials are seeking feed back prior to adoption and interested parties can
view the documents and make comments at Model Service Plan and Policy
Why this Matters. There are currently over 2400 metro districts in Colorado and they
can be used to finance public infrastructure and amenities for residential and commercial
developments. We will likely see more of them on the Western Slope and in Mesa
County so it is important to understand them when working with home buyers and
business buyers that could be impacted.
GJ Community Development Department Moving Forward. As of late August, the
Community Development had three staff members. Full staffing is usually 8. While continuing
to recruit and train planning staff the city will be outsourcing initial development application reviews to KLJ. It is important to note that the City will still maintain primary oversight of these
applications.
Why this Matters. With the staff turnover it is possible that there may be temporary
delays in the planning process.
SWMM Update. HBA representatives continue to meet with the staff and the consultant on
each chapter of this rewrite of the manual as there are major changes that may not be the most
appropriate way to deal with stormwater for our area.
Why this Matters. Requirements in the SWMM affect the process and price of new
home construction in numerous ways. A current proposal would require more land for
detention ponds for instance…land that cannot then be used to build housing units on.
Mesa County Land Use Code Update. The final version of the new Land Use Code will be
heard and acted upon at the next Mesa County Planning Commission meeting on October 15 th ,
6:00 PM at the Mesa County Courthouse. The Board of County Commissioners will consider
adopting the code on November 17 th , 1:30 PM at the Mesa County Courthouse.
Why this Matters. The update to this code and repealing of neighborhood plans has
been a process that has been ongoing since 2025. It will have an impact on emerging
issues such as data centers and housing industry representatives are encouraged to read
the code and make changes prior to adoption.
WCHI. The Western Colorado Housing Initiative had an update from legal counsel this month
on what the 501c4 can and cannot do. They also narrowed in on some potential candidates for
the City Council election in 2027 and have begun outreach. Fundraising is ongoing to help with
the work of ensuring housing industry friendly leaders continue to serve in elected offices where
policy is made.
Why it Matters. The value of having industry friendly elected officials cannot be
overstated as evidence by recent City Council actions. There are community activists
already working to ensure the three seats up for election in 2027 are held by progressives.
Anti-development messaging is on the rise in local media and there has to be a
counterbalance if members of the housing industry are going to continue to be successful
in helping residents attain the American Dream of Home Ownership.
WUI Code. A local homebuilder has completed the local application process of “ground
truthing” to move a parcel from orange (medium risk) to low risk (yellow). As of this writing
final approval has not yet been received. The homebuilder noted that the process was less
arduous than many may have originally anticipated.
Why it Matters. Several areas for potential development and remodeling lie within
medium and high risk areas for wildfires as identified on a statewide map. Being able to
make adjustments on the local level is important in order to keep housing affordable.