Development Application Review

How the process works:

  • Pre-Application Meetings are required prior to the submission of an application and must be scheduled a minimum of 10 business days prior to the submission deadline (refer to Application Submittal Schedules below for deadline dates). The purpose of the Pre-Application Meeting is to discuss the request and the requirements for making a successful application.
  • Once a Pre-Application Meeting has been held regarding the request, the Applicant is then eligible to make a submission, pay the fees, and be placed on an upcoming agenda for a public hearing.
  • The Planning Department requires electronic submission for Planning Commission and Historic Preservation Commission.  Please submit applications via email to the Planning Department. 
  • Please call (719) 685-4398 if you have any questions.

Application Packets


Application Type & General Information
**Please contact the Planning Department for application/submittal packets.**
Appeal: This process is used to appeal a decision made by City Council, the City Planning Commission, or the Historic Preservation Commission. Municipal Code Chapter 18.44.030: Appeals (Schedule dependent on meeting transcription time) 
Annexation: This process is used for the annexation of lands to the City of Manitou Springs. Municipal Code Chapter 1.50: Annexation 
Concept Plan:This process allows Applicants to have a preliminary review of their proposed development/construction plans with the City Planning Commission prior to making and submitting a full Development Plan. Municipal Code Chapter 18.20: Concept Plan 
Conditional Use Permit - Major: This permit allows for the operation of businesses and land uses which are not a use-by-right in a given Zone Designation. To determine which businesses/uses are permitted in each Zone Designation, refer to Chapter 18.08 of the Municipal Code. Municipal Code Chapter 18.30: Conditional Use
Conditional Use Permit - Minor: This permit allows for the legal operation of a short-term rental (ex. vacation rental or bed & breakfast operations) in the City of Manitou Springs. Municipal Code Chapter 18.89: Vacation Rentals 
Development Plan - Major: This process is used to approve development/construction for all Commercial Zoned properties, to approve five (5) or more single-family dwellings, and to approve eight (8) or more multi-family dwellings. Requires two (2) public hearings with the City Planning Commission and final approval from City Council. Municipal Code Chapter 18.26: Major Development Procedures & Municipal Code Chapter 18.72: Major Development Plan 
Development Plan - Minor: This process is used to approve development/construction of two (2) or more single-family dwellings and seven (7) or fewer multi-family dwellings. Municipal Code Chapter 18.24: Minor Development Procedures & Municipal Code Chapter 18.72: Major Development Plan 
Floodplain Permit: This process and permitting is performed by Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. 
Permit Application
Further Information Regarding Floodplain Permitting 
Grading Permit - Major: This permit allows for the excavation of a given property. Municipal Code Chapter 18.68: Grading Permits (Administrative Process)
Grading Permit - Minor: This permit allows for the excavation of a given property. Municipal Code Chapter 18.68: Grading Permits (Administrative Process)
Issuance of Building Permits to Previously Platted Lands: This process applies only to land which has been previously platted into lot(s) and/or blocks. It is the purpose of this process to alleviate platting costs in older subdivisions. It is limited to owners who wish to use more than one whole platted lot for one development and to owners of certain small parcels of land who have purchased a portion or portions of previously platted lots and/or blocks which have been divided and sold by metes and bounds descriptions. It is not the purpose of this process to promote the subdivision or re-subdivision of lots without filing a final plat. Municipal Code Chapter 16.14: Issuance of Building Permits to Previously Platted Lands (Administrative Process)
Issuance of Building Permits to Unplatted Lands: This process is used to alleviate platting costs to land which was developed and within the City on the date of passage of this amendment (1991) or subsequently annexed to the City but unplatted because platting was not required at the time that the land was developed. Municipal Code Chapter 16.12: Issuance of Building Permits to Unplatted Lands (Administrative Process)
Master Plan: This process is required when multiple land uses (more than one) are proposed for an area by the subdivider, and/or when the developer does not intend to subdivide all of his contiguous holdings at the same time, or if development is to be phased. Municipal Code Chapter 16.06: Master Plans 
Planned Sign Program: This process allows for more flexibility in the location, design, and materials permitted for signs. Municipal Code Chapter 15.16.060: Planned Sign Program (Administrative Process)
Rezone: This process is used to change the zoning designation of a given property. This process requires two (2) Planning Commission hearings and two (2) City Council Hearings. Municipal Code Chapter 18.05: Rezoning 
Sign Permit: This permit allows for the approval of signage in the City of Manitou Springs. Municipal Code Chapter 15.16: Signs (Administrative Process)
Subdivision - Major: This process allows for the platting or replatting of land which does not qualify for Minor Subdivision and consists of both Preliminary and Final Plats. Municipal Code Chapter 16.08: Major Subdivisions 
Subdivision - Minor (Administrative): This process allows for the platting or replatting of land if the proposed plat contains less than five (5) lots. Municipal Code Chapter 16.10: Minor Subdivisions (Administrative Process)
Subdivision - Minor (Public Hearing): This process allows for the platting or replatting of land if the proposed plat contains less than five (5) lots. Municipal Code Chapter 16.10: Minor Subdivisions 
Telecommunications Conditional Use - New Construction: This process is a Conditional Use Permit process to allow the construction of new wireless communication facilities.
Telecommunications Conditional Use - Modifications to Existing: This process is an administrative process to allow the modification of existing wireless communication facilities.
Vacation of Easement: This process is used to vacate, in whole or in part, dedicated easements for utilities and drainage purposes if determined to be unnecessary or infeasible for future public use. Municipal Code Chapter 16.38: Vacation of Easements
Vacation of Plat: This process is used to vacate Final Plats in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Municipal Code Chapter 16.36: Vacation Plats 
Vacation of Right of Way: Dedicated rights-of-way may be vacated, in whole or in part, in the event the city determines that use of all or a portion of the right-of-way is unnecessary or infeasible for future public access. Municipal Code Chapter 16.34: Vacations of Rights of Way 
Variance: The Planning Commission has the authority to vary or modify the application of the requirements of the City's Zoning Code, not related to use so that the spirit of the Zoning Code is observed, public safety and welfare secured, and substantial justice done, when the strict application of this Zoning Code will deprive a property of the privileges enjoyed by other property of the same zoning classification in the same zoning district because of special circumstances applicable to a property, including its size, shape, topography, location or surrounding uses. Municipal Code Chapter 18.32: Variances 

Standards & Guidelines

Standard/Guideline Guideline Document
Sign Design Guidelines for the Downtown Zone Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Building Height - Residential Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Building Height - Commercial Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Fences/Retaining Walls Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Concrete Colors - Downtown/Historic Districts Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Accessory Structures - Storage Buildings, Greenhouses, etc. Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Development Standards Standard/Guideline (PDF)
Natural Hazards Standards - Do the standards apply to my project? Standard/Guideline (PDF)

Planning Department Fee Schedule

Application Fees and Deposit Information

  1. City Fee Schedule (PDF)