Overview

A Pre-Application proposal must clearly meet one/all of the bulleted items listed in the following section, What is Pre-Application Review and When is it Useful.

What is Pre-Application Review and When is it Useful?

Pre-Application review is a free service, that provides a more detailed means of exploring questions about how development regulations apply to a specific property when information about code requirements cannot be determined through other means. It may be appropriate when:

  • Existing development approvals (such as Planned Unit Developments) or unusual or complex physical characteristics of the property, which require more investigation than can be performed through the inquiry process.
  • A customer wants to verify complex code requirements and policy issues, involving multiple disciplines, and the customer has a proposed plan set to discuss/review.
  • Pre-Application is not available for most "by-right" developments.

When is a Pre-Application Review Required?

Pre-Application review is required for the following:

  1. When proposing a location for off-site affordable units or to propose land to meet the requirements of Inclusionary Housing.
  2. When proposing to provide land to meet the requirements of Inclusionary Housing.
  3. For any development that includes new construction seeking funding from City of Boulder Housing & Human Services.
  4. For any development seeking approval of a Form-Based Code Review.
  5. When proposing an oil and gas operations use.

Required Information

In order to fully understand the Pre-Application questions and provide useful responses, it is imperative to provide information about the site, its existing conditions, and the intentions for the property. The application form identifies the minimum required information, which includes:

  • Referral from a City of Boulder staff member
    • To request a staff referral, submit the form at the bottom of this page.
  • Specific questions for staff to answer; the more detailed and precise, the better.
    • Include all questions with your submittal
    • Once review has started, additional questions are not accepted
  • Address/location of property
  • Proposed uses of the site, including information about the proposed project, such as building area, number and type of dwelling units, other types of uses, number and size of proposed lots, proposed parking, etc.
  • Existing use(s) of the site
  • The type of application being considered if known (i.e. site review, use review, subdivision, etc.)
  • Exact size of the property in square feet, including size of individual lots if more than one.
  • A survey or Improvement Location Certificate, if available.
  • If requesting approval to locate permanently affordable units off-site at a specific location as a means of meeting the project’s residential inclusionary housing requirement, include a letter detailing specifically how the proposed location will meet the required criteria.
  • If requesting approval for land proposed to meet the project’s residential inclusionary housing requirement, include a letter detailing specifically how the proposed land will meet the required criteria.

Find reference materials such as the City’s Interactive Zoning Map, Property Search, and Land Use code on our website. The Customer Self-Services Portal (CSS) is another option for searching parcel history. To obtain records on a property, submit a written request directly to PDSRecordRequest@bouldercolorado.gov.

Planning and Development Services keeps a record of all Pre-Application meetings, including the project sites discussed and the city summary of the meeting. Visit the Customer Self-Services Portal (CSS), and search by the property address to determine if a review has been completed for a property. To request copies of files or historical documents, submit a written request to PDSRecordRequest@bouldercolorado.gov.

Yes. Pre-Application review cannot resolve all the issues that are subject to review in another application, such as Site Review, Use Review, Subdivision, Annexation, etc. Pre-Application review can help identify many of the requirements and processes that will apply to such a review, but it will not explicitly detail the outcome of a proposal in advance.

Specific questions that Pre-Application may not answer include:

  • What are all the issues with my project? Pre-Application review can identify most planning and zoning -related issues but may not uncover specific engineering issues. Detailed review of the final project proposal will be necessary before all engineering issues can be determined. That must occur through the review processes applicable to the proposed project.
  • What are the total amount of fees my project will be assessed? Application fees can be determined through Pre- Application review, and other possible fee categories and rates can be identified. However, calculation of all the fees may not be possible until engineering plans are available. Pre-Application review can highlight potential fee categories that will allow for an approximate fee analysis, which can be refined as the details of the proposal come to light.
  • Will any public improvements be required? Supplementary engineering studies such as drainage reports and traffic studies are generally necessary to determine all the public improvements that may be required for a project. These studies are only reviewed during the applicable review processes for a project, not at the time of Pre-Application. Pre-Application review can identify the standards that determine when public improvements are required, from which a rough determination can be made, and then refined as project details become more clear.
  • Will my project be approved? Pre-Application review can inform on many of the code requirements and policy issues that will apply to a preliminary project, and can tell the review results of similar projects in similar circumstances. The Pre-Application will not determine the outcome in advance of the required review process(es) for the final project proposal.

Required application materials are due by 10 a.m. (MST) following the 2025 Administrative Review Track schedule. If an application is received after 10 a.m. it will be held until the next application submittal deadline.

Pre-Applications are routed in accordance with the 2025 Administrative Review Track Schedule. Staff written responses to applicants for Pre-Application Review Requests may vary.

Once the application has been routed on a review track, the case will be assigned a Case Manager, typically by mid-week. Most Pre-Applications are managed through written response, however, if a meeting with the customer is needed to answer all the questions, the Case Manager will coordinate a time and location for that meeting.

If a meeting is held, responses to the application questions will be provided at the meeting, and a written summary of the responses and meeting discussion will be sent to the applicant within one week after the meeting.

If a meeting is not needed, staff will determine when the questions can be answered. The customer will be notified immediately of the expected response date.

No. The scope of the questions submitted with a Pre-Application should be comprehensive and pertinent to the project in question.

Applicants should refrain from submitting until their application materials are complete with all the information and questions for staff to review. A Pre-Application allows staff to have time to conduct research and provide a complete response. If a meeting is held, there will be a chance to ask follow-up questions that may arise from the discussion.

The next steps will depend upon the project request. For all projects, city staff will help the applicant determine “what’s next?” as part of the Pre-Application discussion. For some projects, the next step will be applying for a formal review in some capacity. For other projects, a second Pre-Application meeting may be helpful. City staff may recommend that the applicant hold a neighborhood meeting prior to preparing an application. Early communication with the neighbors of a project site can be helpful in identifying issues and concerns before project plans are developed.

Pre-Application Staff Referral Request

To ask for a Pre-Application referral, complete the following form and staff will review your request.

Reference