Wireless Facilities Code Update

Project Overview

The City and County of Broomfield, at City Council’s direction, is proposing to update the Broomfield Municipal Code regarding wireless communication facilities to address new state legislation. In 2025, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bill 25-1056, concerning local governments’ permitting of wireless telecommunications facilities. As part of HB 25-1056, the General Assembly declared that the efficient permitting of wireless facilities is a matter of statewide concern. The bill intends to streamline the permitting process, by local governments, for wireless service facilities, including co-locations and new siting applications, by establishing a "deemed approval" requirement if a local government fails to approve or reject an application within specific timelines.

Background

In 1996, City Council approved Ordinance No. 1194 amending the Broomfield Municipal Code (BMC) to establish regulations specific to wireless facilities (Chapter 17-35 of the code). There were substantial changes to this section of the code in 2018 (Ordinance No. 2070), wherein the review process and definitions for “small cell facilities” were added. (Small cell facilities are low-powered antennas that provide cellular and data coverage to smaller geographic areas, supplementing the larger cellular network). In the past five years, Broomfield has only received and reviewed three applications for new towers that were required to go through Use by Special Review consideration at public hearings decided by Council. Furthermore, Broomfield primarily receives applications for collocations of wireless equipment, which includes Eligible Facilities Requests, which are administrative level reviews.

Proposed Ordinance

The new legislation in HB25-1056 calls for new or updated definitions for key terms, creates administrative and public hearing approval processes and timelines, and adds review standards for administrative and public hearing review processes. The bill also requires specific timeframes for approval (aka “shot clocks”). While Broomfield will need certain code updates to comply with the bill, the new 90 day/150 day “shot clock,” which are prescribed review periods, are already being met for Broomfield’s administrative collocation applications. These collocation applications make up the vast majority of development review cases for wireless telecommunications facilities. Although the applications involving the Use by Special Review process have not strictly met the “shot clock” review periods, these types of applications are rare for Broomfield as previously stated. Nevertheless, Broomfield will need to comply with the shot clock for such applications, even if small in number.

The proposed changes to the BMC, Section 17-35, would add specificity to the review timeline for Administrative and Public Hearing review processes in accordance with HB 25-1056. The code amendment proposes language to clarify when the review period starts and stops based on specific steps in the review process. Furthermore, the proposed ordinance allows Broomfield to deny any wireless application that does not meet the standard for approval by the specified timeline for that application. The denial would be determined through either an administrative review or through a public hearing. The proposed ordinance would also include an option for the applicant to come to a written agreement with staff, such as the city manager, to extend the review period should an application require it.

Ordinance Process and Documents

At the March 17, 2026, City Council Study Session(External link), Broomfield City Council expressed their support to move forward with modifications to Broomfield’s code.

The draft ordinance will be available in the documents folder soon. Stay tuned for updates!

Public Engagement

You can engage with CCOB regarding this proposed new ordinance using the Questions and Comments tabs below, by emailing planning@broomfield.org, and/or by attending one or both of the public meetings regarding this proposal. The public meetings are listed in the Key Dates in the upper right corner of this page. Public comment will be accepted at both Council meetings.