As a Greeley City Council member, I hear from residents every day who care deeply about their neighborhoods and are concerned about how our city grows. Change can feel unsettling, especially when it affects where we live, work, and play. It is natural to want a direct voice in development decisions. At the same time, it is equally important to understand how zoning works, why the process exists, and what a measure like Ballot Question 1A can — and cannot — do for our community.
That clarity is especially important as voters consider Ballot Question 1A and the discussion surrounding the Catalyst Project in west Greeley.
Zoning and land-use decisions are among the most consequential responsibilities of local government. These decisions affect housing availability, traffic, infrastructure costs, public services and long-term economic stability. That is why zoning authority is governed by state law, Greeley’s comprehensive plan and the city’s development code. It is not a political exercise, and it is not arbitrary.
When City Council reviews a zoning application, we act in a quasi-judicial role. That means we are legally required to apply specific criteria, rely on evidence and ensure due process for everyone involved. Public notice is provided, hearings are held, professional staff and experts offer analysis and residents have the opportunity to speak. Council members must base decisions on facts and adopted policy — not public pressure or personal opinion.
This process exists to protect fairness, consistency and accountability. It also protects Greeley taxpayers by reducing legal risk and ensuring decisions align with long-term planning for roads, utilities, schools and public services.
Ballot Question 1A would undermine this system by allowing zoning decisions to be challenged through citizen petitions and special elections. While that may sound like greater public control, zoning by election removes decisions from a process governed by law and replaces it with one driven by campaigns, messaging and turnout.
Voters are not required to apply zoning criteria, review evidence or consider infrastructure capacity or property rights. The result is uncertainty, inconsistency and a higher risk of litigation and delay — costs that ultimately fall on the community.
It is also critical to be clear about what 1A does not do. It does not stop development in West Greeley. It does not stop the Catalyst Project. What it does do is slow projects, increase legal exposure and force the city to spend taxpayer dollars on special elections, administrative work and potential lawsuits.
Developers with sufficient resources will continue to move forward. Residents, however, will bear the cost of delays and uncertainty without gaining the protections 1A promises.
Zoning by referendum also raises equity concerns. Special elections favor those with time, money and organization, while renters, working families and future residents — those most affected by housing supply and affordability — often have little voice. Long-term planning gives way to short-term politics.
Public engagement is essential to Greeley’s success. Residents should continue to shape policy through comprehensive plan updates, neighborhood meetings, planning commission hearings and open dialogue. That is where community values belong. Individual zoning decisions, however, must remain grounded in law, evidence, and due process.
Ballot Question 1A weakens Greeley’s planning framework without delivering real results. That is why I urge residents to vote NO on 1A. It will not stop the West Greeley Catalyst Project — it will only cost Greeley taxpayers more money and create long-term uncertainty for our city.
Johnny Olson is a Greeley City Councilmember for Ward 3.
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