Jefferson County’s draft Water Supply and Strategic Growth elements add two required chapters to the county plan that guides land use decisions in unincorporated Applewood. They do not rezone any Applewood home, but they will shape how future development requests are reviewed.
Large parts of the area people call Applewood sit in unincorporated Jefferson County, so the county, not a city council, makes the land use decisions there. That means county planning documents matter more in Applewood than in neighboring cities, where a city plan does the same job.
This fall the county has two new planning documents out for comment: a draft Water Supply Element and a draft Strategic Growth Element. Both are required by a 2024 state law, and both must be part of the county’s comprehensive plan by December 31, 2026. Comments on the drafts are due today, November 2, 2026.
Jason Sirois, a Realtor with FORM at Compass Denver and an Applewood resident, explains what the two elements are, what the law requires, what they do and do not change for Applewood homeowners, and where to follow them from here.
What are the Water Supply and Strategic Growth elements?
They are new chapters for the county’s comprehensive plan, the long-range document Jefferson County uses when it reviews rezonings, special uses and site approvals. The county describes the plan’s recommendations as advisory rather than mandatory, but says they carry weight in those decisions.
Colorado’s Senate Bill 24-174 requires counties and cities to add both elements to their comprehensive plans by the end of 2026. The state’s Division of Local Government summarizes what each one must contain:
| Element | What state law requires it to include |
|---|---|
| Water Supply Element | Coordination with local water providers, water conservation policies, and an estimate of the range of water supplies and facilities needed to support planned development |
| Strategic Growth Element | Existing and potential policies that promote strategic growth, an analysis of vacant and underused land near transit or job centers, and an analysis of undeveloped land being considered for future development, including infrastructure, services and long-term costs |
The state also requires the Strategic Growth Element to be updated at least every five years, and directs certain state agencies to give priority in grant programs to local governments that have completed these plans.
What has Jefferson County drafted?
The county posted both drafts in October as case folders 26-128683CH (Water Supply) and 26-128684CH (Strategic Growth). According to the county’s announcement, the Water Supply Element is being developed with the entities that supply water in the county, includes conservation policies, and estimates the supplies and facilities needed for potential development. The county notes that water, especially in the mountain areas, is one of the biggest challenges to future growth.
The draft Strategic Growth Element has three parts:
- Policies and tools to guide growth and limit unnecessary sprawl
- Vacant and underused land (infill) near transit or job centers
- Undeveloped land (greenfield), including the buildings or homes likely to be built there, the roads, water and other services they would need, and the long-term costs
The county held an in-person meeting on October 15 in Golden and a virtual meeting on October 29. The county’s Plan Updates page lists November 2, 2026 as the comment deadline and has the links to both drafts.
What do they mean for Applewood?
The elements are countywide, and the county’s public summary does not single out Applewood. Here is how they connect to the area in practical terms.
No home is rezoned by these documents. A comprehensive plan element is guidance. It does not change the zoning on a lot, add a fee, or require anything of an existing homeowner. Zoning rules come from the county’s land use code, which is being rewritten separately. We covered that draft in What does Jefferson County’s draft land use code mean for Applewood?
Infill analysis looks at land near transit and job centers. Applewood is largely made up of established neighborhoods of single-family homes, with commercial areas along corridors such as Youngfield Street and West 32nd Avenue. Whether any Applewood-area parcels show up in the county’s vacant or underused land analysis is a question for the draft maps themselves, and it is the part worth reading if you own near a commercial corridor or a large undeveloped parcel.
Water review becomes part of the plan’s growth picture. Jefferson County does not run water service for unincorporated neighborhoods. Applewood homes are served by separate water providers, which is why the law requires the county to build the element with them. For homeowners, the near-term effect is not on your tap. It is on how the county weighs water when it considers new development.
How do these fit with Together Jeffco 2045?
The Jefferson County Planning Commission adopted the new comprehensive plan, Together Jeffco 2045, on April 8, 2026, according to the county’s Comprehensive Plan page. The Water Supply and Strategic Growth elements are being added to that plan to meet the state deadline. The land use code rewrite is the final step that turns the plan’s direction into zoning rules.
Put together, the order runs from plan to elements to code. For Applewood, which has no city government of its own, each of those steps is a county decision. Our post Is Applewood, Colorado a city? explains how the unincorporated areas and the parts annexed by Wheat Ridge and Lakewood fit together.
What should Applewood homeowners do now?
Most homeowners do not need to do anything. If you want to follow the process, a few steps help:
- Read the draft maps on the county’s Plan Updates page, focusing on any parcels near your street
- Watch Planning Commission agendas for the hearing that adopts the elements before the December 31 deadline
- Follow the land use code rewrite, which is where zoning changes would actually come from
If you are thinking about buying or selling and want to know how a nearby parcel or a county process could affect a specific home, our Applewood community page is a good starting point, and Jason Sirois and the FORM Team at Compass Denver are glad to talk it through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Strategic Growth Element in Colorado?
It is a chapter of a local comprehensive plan required by Senate Bill 24-174. It describes policies that promote strategic growth and analyzes vacant land near transit or job centers and undeveloped land being considered for future development.
When are comments on Jefferson County’s water and growth plans due?
The county lists November 2, 2026 as the deadline for comments on the draft Water Supply and Strategic Growth elements. Contact information is on the county’s Plan Updates page.
Do these plans change zoning in Applewood?
No. They are guidance in the county’s comprehensive plan. Zoning comes from the county land use code, which is being rewritten in a separate process.
Who decides land use in Applewood?
For the unincorporated parts of Applewood, Jefferson County does. Areas annexed into Wheat Ridge or Lakewood follow those cities’ plans and codes.
When do the new elements have to be adopted?
State law requires both elements to be part of the comprehensive plan by December 31, 2026, and the Strategic Growth Element must be updated at least every five years after that.
Does the Water Supply Element limit my water use?
It is a planning document, not a set of watering rules. Day-to-day restrictions come from your water provider.
This article is general information based on Jefferson County and State of Colorado materials available as of October 28, 2026. It is not legal advice. Draft plans can change before adoption; confirm current details with Jefferson County Planning and Zoning.
