City of Thornton 1041 application received by county

Larimer County has received another 1041 permit application from the City of Thornton to construct a water pipeline through Larimer County, Weld County, and Adams County.

The 1041 permit submission marks the second attempt by Thornton to complete a water project to deliver a water supply to the City of Thornton’s growing population. The project is proposed to take water from reservoirs northwest of Fort Collins and convey it to Thornton via a pipeline.

1041 Regulations are delegated powers from the State of Colorado to local jurisdictions to regulate matters of statewide concern, including the development of transportation, water, and utility infrastructure. The regulations can also be used to protect specific geographic areas with historical, cultural, or natural resources of statewide importance. 

Thornton first submitted a 1041 permit in 2018 but it was denied by the Board of Larimer County Commissioners because it didn’t meet seven of the 12 criteria in the 1041 application process.

The second permit application was deemed adequate to proceed with a formal completeness review by Larimer County staff and referral agencies. The county has until Feb. 1, 2024 to determine the completeness of the application. 

After the determination of completeness of the application has been made, Thornton’s next steps in the permit process, as well as the documents submitted so far, can be viewed here. Learn more about the 1041 regulations.