Message from Peter Wysocki, Director of Planning and Community Development
Greetings and thank you for the opportunity to present this year’s annual report for the Planning and Community Development Department. As with all our prior annual reports, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the city staff for tremendous amount of work completed in 2021 – you are all invaluable to the organization and our community. I would also like to thank all our customers, stakeholder organizations and citizens that participate in countless public hearings and meetings.
Our Department is regarded very highly by many cities across Colorado. We are proving to be innovative, efficient, and responsive to the City’s growth. In 2021, the Department managed or participated in several high-profile initiatives including completing city code amendment to allow carports within front-yard setbacks, administering millions of dollars of Federal COVID-related grants, and made substantial progress on completing the rewrite of the City’s zoning and subdivision code – branded as RetoolCOS.
With strong growth, our City – any city, for that matter – faces challenges to maintain high levels of public services and adequate infrastructure while preserving the very quality of life that brings people to the City. Strong growth is often an indicator of the area’s desirability to live and to build or grow a business. Although the topic of housing affordability in the Pikes Peak region has been monitored for a few years, identifying, and implementing initiatives to curb rising home prices became a high priority in 2021. I would like to thank all the community members and professional organizations that have volunteered their time organizing stakeholder meetings, educational symposia, and presenting solutions! There is not a single solution to this very complex issue. As the City matures and evolves, it will change. Housing – housing for all - is critical spoke of a complex wheel of our City – any city.
- Peter Wysocki, AICP, Planning and Community Development Director