Fort Collins staff displayed tentative zoning plans for the former Hughes Stadium site at an open house Thursday.

The neighborhood meeting at Drake Centre was the first public-facing step in the city’s unconventional plan to take charge of rezoning the 165-acre site, a task typically left to private developers. The city’s zoning decision will chart the land’s course by placing parameters on density and development.

Staff unveiled their current zoning recommendation for the land in July, but presented four alternatives at the open house and encouraged attendees to submit comments. The city's plans could change in light of public feedback.

All five options detailed at the open house have one big thing in common: They don’t bode especially well for the prospect of 600 to 700 homes on the land.

"It is still within the realm of possibility, but unlikely" developer Lennar could get that many homes on the site under the city's suggested zoning, project manager Cameron Gloss previously told the Coloradoan.

City staff’s current preference would allow low-density, mixed-use zoning on the eastern side of the land and residential foothills zoning on the west side.

Low-density mixed-use allows three to nine dwellings per acre (up to 12 if the units are affordable housing), a neighborhood center and a few commercial options like coffee shops, child care facilities and medical clinics. Residential foothills is more spread out and rural-feeling, with no more than one dwelling per acre and required open space.

The four alternatives presented at the open house all involve splitting the land into at least two zoning categories, which means development wouldn’t be homogeneous across the whole acreage. Each option designates the western portion of the land for lower-density development than the eastern portion.

The other options presented at the open house are:

Option 2: Residential foothills on the west side; medium-density mixed use on the east side. Compared with low-density mixed-use, medium-density mixed-use allows for more types of housing, larger multifamily units and more varied commercial and public uses, like restaurants, farmers markets, offices and more.

Residential foothills on the west side; medium-density mixed use on the east side. Compared with low-density mixed-use, medium-density mixed-use allows for more types of housing, larger multifamily units and more varied commercial and public uses, like restaurants, farmers markets, offices and more. Option 3: Urban estate on the west side; medium-density mixed-use on the east side. Urban estate zoning allows slightly higher density than residential foothills and a wider variety of housing types.

Urban estate on the west side; medium-density mixed-use on the east side. Urban estate zoning allows slightly higher density than residential foothills and a wider variety of housing types. Option 4: Urban estate on the west side; low-density mixed-use on the east side.

Urban estate on the west side; low-density mixed-use on the east side. Option 5: Urban estate on the west side; a combination of low-density mixed-use and medium-density mixed-use on the east side.

Fort Collins annexed the 165-acre site west of Overland Trail and north of Larimer County Road 32 in October, and Colorado State University is under contract to sell the land to developer Lennar Homes for more than $10 million.

The land's future has attracted heavy public interest because of its location just east of Horsetooth Reservoir and north of Maxwell Natural Area. Some residents fear current plans to fill the site with 600 to 700 homes will devastate the area's natural beauty and squander a chance to limit overdevelopment in the city's outer reaches.

A community group, PATHS (Planning Action to Transform Hughes Sustainably) has gathered about 5,000 signatures opposing Lennar's plans.

Why Hughes land won't be open space

Staff were stationed at a series of informational booths that explained how the zoning process works and laid out various zoning options for the land. Natural Areas Director John Stokes stood at a display explaining why the city isn’t trying to turn the land into a natural area.

The natural areas question also came up in a FAQ handout distributed to open house attendees.

"CSU has been clear that it wishes to monetize the site and its focus has been the recruitment of a residential development firm," the handout stated in part, adding the city didn't try to buy the land. "... From the perspective of Natural Areas staff, there would be significant opportunity costs associated with the purchase. For example, funds directed to the Hughes site would not be available for conservation in northeast Fort Collins, which has no natural area sites. The Hughes site, on the other hand, has nearby natural areas of over 1,000 acres with nearly 10 miles of trail as well as a large community park."

But many residents continue to support that route, pointing out the area's natural beauty, delicate ecology and proximity to the Maxwell Natural Area, the most popular natural area in Fort Collins. The city should prioritize preservation of open space regardless of whether it’s near existing open space, Fort Collins resident Kathryn Dubiel said.

“We have a contiguous frontage all along the Poudre River,” she said, referencing the city’s ownership of land lining the river through town. “Why not do that along the foothills?”

Several residents told the Coloradoan they appreciated the city’s decision to control the zoning process but were frustrated with the initial trajectory of the redevelopment. Building 600 or 700 homes on the land risks overcrowding schools, damaging natural resources and creating a plume of pollution and traffic from the estimated 1,500 cars that would use Overland Trail as their sole route to the rest of the city, they said.

“There is across the board a lack of interest in high-density development,” Fort Collins resident Lisa Baughn said. “Most people would agree something special needs to happen with this land.”

What's next

It's unclear whether Lennar will back out of its deal with CSU if the site's zoning throws a wrench in the builder's plans.

The $10 million purchase-and-sale agreement signed Jan. 30 states if Lennar believes the city won't approve at least 600 homes, it will not go forward with the project. If it gets the OK for more than 625 lots, CSU will get an additional $16,000 per lot. If Lennar gets approval for less than 625, it can reduce the purchase price by $16,000 per lot, up to $400,000, according to the contract.

City staff will present their zoning recommendation and public feedback at a Planning and Zoning Board hearing tentatively scheduled for Sept. 19. The board will then make a recommendation to City Council, which will have the final word on zoning this fall.

Coloradoan reporter Pat Ferrier contributed to this report.

Jacy Marmaduke covers government accountability for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @jacymarmaduke.