Colorado Springs City Council set to consider new stormwater enforcement rules—and a Marconi Heights zoning map tweak for a water-tank site

Colorado Springs City Council is scheduled to take up two separate—but related—public-works items at its July 14, 2026 regular meeting: an ordinance updating stormwater “Permanent Control Measures” (PCMs) enforcement in Unified Development Code Chapter 7, and a quasi-judicial zoning map amendment at 4535 Marconi Heights tied to a City utilities water-tank site.

Legistar lists both measures on the July 14 agenda, but the action-result status for each file currently shows as “Not available”, so the final disposition as of the Legistar record isn’t confirmed yet.

PCMs in plain terms: what the ordinance is trying to manage

Under the ordinance update for Chapter 7, PCMs are stormwater “permanent control measures” that property owners must document, inspect, and maintain as part of the City’s stormwater framework.

The ordinance doesn’t just restate general stormwater rules—it updates how the City handles approval, annual inspections, and enforcement when owners fall behind. For private PCMs constructed after June 1, 2008, the ordinance describes owner obligations that include:

Acceptance of an Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) Plan before PCM plan approval
a Maintenance Agreement with the City, recorded at the property owner’s expense
an as-built plan for acceptance before release of assurance
professional engineer (PE) certification of compliance with the approved PCM plan

What changes in the PCM ordinance: deadlines, notice, stop-work, and cost recovery

Stop-work tied to PCM plan approval

The ordinance text states that a Permanent Control Measure (PCM) Plan must be approved before certain later project phases—specifically, before the final phase of a GEC Plan and before construction of the permanent control measures. It also says the Stormwater Enterprise Manager may issue a stop work order under the City’s stop-work procedures.

Annual inspection/report deadline: due no later than May 31

The ordinance specifies that owners must ensure PCMs are inspected and maintained and that annual inspection reports are submitted no later than 31 May of each calendar year.

If the May 31 report isn’t delivered: NOV by July 31

If the annual inspection report isn’t received by 31 July, the City is directed to issue a Notice of Violation (NOV) by U.S. mail (first class, with certificate of mailing) to the property owner’s legal address. The NOV includes a “date of notice of violation” for appeal rights.

The ordinance provides that the responsible party has 20 business days to complete the inspection and deliver it to the Stormwater Enterprise Manager. It also notes a notice of violation may be issued if inspection submission doesn’t happen after the 20-business-day point.

If the annual report still isn’t received by the City within 30 business days after issuance of the NOV, the City must inspect the PCM at the property owner’s expense, and it requires that a copy of the inspection and an invoice be sent via certified mail.

Deficiencies notice—and property-entry authority in urgent cases

The ordinance also lays out how the City notifies owners when deficiencies are noted during City inspections (including options like personal service, posting on property, or certified U.S. mail). It further states that if an owner doesn’t comply with a notice and order to abate—or if there is an immediate danger to public health or safety from the PCM—the Stormwater Enterprise Manager (or a contractor engaged by the Manager) may enter the property to complete necessary maintenance and/or repair at the owner’s expense.

Owner cost responsibility and a protest/hearing process

The cost-recovery section requires that within 30 days after inspection, maintenance, or repair of the PCM by Stormwater Engineering, the Stormwater Enterprise Manager must notify the property owner in writing of the costs of inspection or repair, including administrative costs.

The ordinance also provides that:

a written protest can be filed within 15 days of the “official notice date”
the Manager sets a public hearing by City Council
the City Council decision is set forth by resolution and is final

Finally, it states the inspection/abatement costs (including administrative costs) are deemed a joint and severable personal debt of the property owner in addition to any lien placed on real property.

Marconi Heights zoning map amendment at 4535 Marconi Heights

Alongside the PCM enforcement update, the July 14, 2026 agenda includes a zoning map amendment for approximately 5.24 acres at 4535 Marconi Heights.

The amendment is described as:

changing the zoning from R-E/PF/HS-O and PDZ/PF/HS-O to PF/HS-O
with the purpose of consolidating parcels used by Colorado Springs Utilities for a water tank under the Public Facilities (PF) zoning district

Because the item is labeled quasi-judicial and listed as a 2nd reading and public hearing in the Legistar record, residents should expect formal public input and a City Council decision in that process.

What residents, property owners, and contractors should watch next

If you own or manage property with PCMs (or plan projects that require them), the ordinance text sets specific compliance mechanics—especially the May 31 annual inspection/report deadline and the NOV/enforcement sequence after July 31.
Contractors and developers should plan for PCM plan approval before later project phases, because the ordinance text references potential stop work authority tied to PCM planning.
Residents near 4535 Marconi Heights should watch the zoning public-hearing record and any downstream permitting/implementation steps that follow the zoning decision.

Sources

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