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Focusing on a new way of thinking.
Lessons from Colorado Springs’ First Approved Cottage Court
In June, we celebrated the approval of Colorado Springs’ first cottage court—a milestone not only for this project, but for the future of Missing Middle housing in our community. The approval represents years of advocacy, thoughtful planning, and a willingness by City staff and Planning Commission to embrace a housing type that has long been discussed but rarely built. I wanted to share a few lessons from the process. For decades, zoning codes in Colorado Springs—as in most communities across the country—have made developments like cottage courts incredibly difficult to build. Ironically, these same communities often adopt comprehensive plans and housing
Designing Better Landscapes Under HB25-1113
Thoughtful Landscape Design in a Water-Conscious Era Colorado’s HB25-1113 has sparked debate among developers, designers, and homeowners. Some critics assume the bill will lead to barren landscapes, endless rock beds, and what many describe as “moonscape” development. That outcome is certainly possible with poor design or no design at all. However, it is far from inevitable. Good landscapes have never been defined by the amount of turfgrass they contain. They are defined by intentional design, appropriate plant selection, and an understanding of how people actually use outdoor space. With thoughtful planning from a landscape architectural team, the landscapes shaped by HB25-1113
Prospect Village: A Tiny Home Zoning Case Study
Zoning codes are designed to regulate development patterns that communities understand well. But occasionally a project comes along that pushes beyond those conventional patterns—often in ways that support a community’s goals even if the code wasn’t written with that concept in mind. That was the case with We Fortify’s second tiny home village in Colorado Springs: Prospect Village. Sometimes when a zoning code is updated, unintended consequences emerge that require creativity and persistence to overcome. Prospect Village became a case study in how navigating a modern development code can require multiple tools, collaboration, and a willingness to move forward even when
Minimum Lot Width: A Quiet but Powerful Zoning Tool
Similar to minimum lot sizes and setbacks, another foundational — yet often overlooked — component of zoning codes is the minimum lot width. Minimum lot widths have long been a staple of land use codes across the United States. Like minimum lot sizes, they’ve evolved over time, often in response to what local planning departments perceive the “market” wants — or what they believe the market should want. Historically, lot widths were much narrower. In older downtown settings, there were lots as tight as ten feet wide. The featured image for this post is an 1882 Plat of Downtown Colorado Springs
How Colorado’s Construction Defect Laws Shaped Missing Middle Housing
One of the most commonly cited barriers to delivering Missing Middle Housing in Colorado traces back to the state’s Construction Defect Laws, enacted in 2001 under the Construction Defect Action Reform Act (CDARA). The intent was clear and reasonable: protect homeowners from faulty construction and provide a legal pathway to address legitimate defects. However, policy intent and market reaction don’t always align. Shortly after the new law, the litigation environment, particularly in condominium and townhome communities governed by Homeowner Associations (HOAs), became increasingly complex and costly. Because HOAs have the authority to bring claims on behalf of all unit owners, entire
Clover on Cascade: Bringing the Missing Middle to Life Without an Overlay
In our ongoing work refining the Missing Middle with the City, it helps to revisit projects where we’ve already navigated the terrain. Each site brings constraints. Each client brings goals. Each neighborhood brings context. That’s the beauty of the Missing Middle. It isn’t a single building type. It spans typologies. It can be calibrated. It can be contextual. It can be urban or neighborhood-scaled. Some sites call for traditional multi-unit apartment buildings. Others are better suited for townhomes, rowhomes, or a cottage court. Opticos‘ transect of the Missing Middle diagram is a great visual in this respect. This post focuses on