The Colorado House on Tuesday signed off on a bill that would let many Front Range homeowners split their residential lots and sell the pieces with only limited local review. The measure passed on a 39-26 vote and zeroes in on towns with more than 1,000 residents that sit inside metropolitan planning organizations. If it is ultimately signed into law, it would take effect Dec. 31, 2027, and set up an administrative approval track for qualifying lot splits.
What the bill would allow
HB26-1308 would require any municipality that fits the bill's definition of a "subject jurisdiction" to sign off on an administrative lot split when a list of conditions is met. Among them: the newly created lot cannot be smaller than 1,200 square feet, and the smaller of the two parcels must still make up at least 30% of the original lot. The bill also blocks administrative splits on lots that have already been divided or that are not zoned for residential use.
As detailed by the Colorado General Assembly, properties that rely solely on wells or septic systems, or that sit inside airport influence areas, are carved out of the policy. The proposal also requires lenders to give written consent before any mortgaged lot can be split.
Why sponsors say it matters
Supporters in the legislature pitch the bill as a relatively narrow way to create more attainable starter homes and chip away at Colorado's housing shortfall. The legislative declaration in the measure states that "the need for additional housing units across the state remains urgent," a line backers cite as the rationale for streamlining some lot splits.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Andrew Boesenecker and Rep. Steven Woodrow, and its full text, including stated policy goals and the step-by-step administrative process, is posted by the Colorado General Assembly.
Local officials push back
Local governments, Republican lawmakers, and the Colorado Municipal League lined up against the measure, arguing it erodes municipal control over land use and long-term planning for public infrastructure. Beverly Stables, a critic quoted in The Denver Post, argued that "this bill does undermine a fundamental principle that has long guided land use in Colorado, where decisions about local development are made locally."
Opponents also cautioned that allowing ad hoc lot splits could burden sewers, roads, and schools in fast-growing suburbs, and pointed out that this proposal follows an earlier law that loosened local review of accessory dwelling units.
What’s next
The bill now heads to the state Senate, where it will face another round of debate and votes. It appears in bill tracking systems along with a running log of sponsor information and House and Senate actions. House roll records show it cleared third reading on a 39-26 vote, according to legislative trackers.
If the Senate signs off, the measure would go to Gov. Jared Polis for consideration. With the governor's signature, it would take effect on the date already written into the bill.
Legal check
One notable safeguard in the bill is a requirement that lenders provide written, recorded consent before a mortgaged lot can be split, effectively giving mortgage holders veto power over many potential divisions. Supporters argue that limiting the policy to jurisdictions within metropolitan planning organizations keeps the focus on places that already have significant infrastructure. Critics counter that any statewide rule of this type still chips away at long-standing local control over land use decisions.
