Colorado Code § 29-20-204

Remedy for enforcement against a private property owner
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(1) (a) 
Within thirty days after the date of a decision or action of a local government imposing a
condition in granting a land-use approval, the owner of such property may notify the local
government in writing of an alleged violation of section 29-20-203.
(b) Upon the filing of such written notice, the local government shall inform each
member of the governing body in writing that the notice has been filed. The local government
shall respond to such notice within thirty days after the date of such notice by informing the
property owner whether such application or enforcement will proceed as proposed, will be
modified, or will be discontinued. The filing of such notice shall be a condition precedent to the
owner's right to proceed under subsection (2) of this section.
(2) (a) Within sixty days after the date the local government is required to respond under
paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, the property owner may file a petition in the
district court for the judicial district in which the subject property is located seeking relief from
the enforcement or application of the local law, regulation, policy, or requirement on the basis of
an alleged violation of section 29-20-203. Failure to file such a petition within said sixty-day
period shall bar relief under this section.
(b) (I) Within thirty days after service on the local government of a petition pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the local government shall assemble and file with the clerk
of the district court all documents in its possession concerning the enforcement or application of
the local law, regulation, policy, or requirement, including the record of any hearing or
proceeding concerning such enforcement or application. If there are no contested factual issues
and if the court determines that the facts as reflected by the documents and record filed are
sufficient to determine the case, the court shall proceed to determine the case in the most
expeditious manner and shall issue appropriate procedural orders to facilitate such
determination.
(II) If there are contested issues of fact, or if the court determines that additional
evidence is necessary to determine the case, the court may order the parties to provide such
additional facts and information as the court may deem appropriate. The court shall order a
hearing as soon as its docket permits to resolve such issues of fact or hear such additional
evidence.
(c) When it has been established that a required dedication of real property or payment
of money as described in section 29-20-203 (1) has been or will be imposed, the burden shall be
upon the local government to establish, based upon substantial evidence appearing in the record,
that such dedication or payment is roughly proportional to the impact of the proposed use of the
subject property.
(d) In determining whether the property owner should be granted relief from the local
government's enforcement or application of the local law, regulation, policy, or requirement, the
court shall include the following considerations:
(I) Whether such enforcement or application has been accomplished pursuant to a duly
adopted law, regulation, policy, or requirement;
(II) Whether such enforcement or application advances a legitimate local government
interest;
(III) Whether any required dedication of real property or payment of money as described
in section 29-20-203 (1) required by such enforcement or application is roughly proportional to
the impact of the proposed use of the subject property;
(IV) Whether there are adequate legislative standards and criteria to ensure that the local
law, regulation, policy, or requirement is rationally and consistently applied.
(e) (I) If the court determines that local government enforcement or application of the
local law, regulation, policy, or requirement to a specific parcel does not comply with section
29-20-203, the court shall grant appropriate relief to the property owner under the facts
presented. Such relief may include, but shall not be limited to, ordering the local government to
modify any required dedication of real property or payment of money as described in section 29-
20-203 (1) to make it roughly proportional to the impact of the proposed use of the subject
property in a manner consistent with the court's order.
(II) If the court determines that such enforcement or application is not based on a duly
adopted law, regulation, policy, or requirement or that there are not adequate standards and
criteria to ensure that such enforcement or application is rational and consistent, the court shall
invalidate the enforcement or application of the law, regulation, policy, or requirement as
applied to the subject property.
(f) In any proceeding under this subsection (2), the court may in its discretion award the
prevailing party its costs and reasonable attorney fees.
(3) Nothing in this section shall affect:
(a) The ability to bring an action under any state statute relating to eminent domain or
the exercise of eminent domain powers by the state or any local governmental entity in
furtherance of section 15 of article II of the state constitution, nor shall these provisions limit any
claim for compensation or other relief under any other provision of law prohibiting the taking or
damaging of private property for public or private use.
(b) The right of an owner of private property to file an action for judicial review under
rule 106 (a)(4) of the Colorado rules of civil procedure; except that, if a claim under this section
is not included in such rule 106 (a)(4) action, it may be brought, if at all, only by amendment to
the complaint in the rule 106 (a)(4) action. If the local government has answered the rule 106
(a)(4) complaint, the court may not deny amendment of the complaint to add a claim under this
section unless the time requirements of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section have not
been met.
(4) An owner may proceed with development without prejudice to that owner's right to
pursue the remedy provided by this section.

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