Agenda Date: 09/16/2025
Subject:
Title
Resolution 89-2025: Adopting Littleton Engineering Design Standards
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Matt Knight, PE, Community Development Director |
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Jessica Stemley, Community Development Engineering Manager |
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Brent Thompson, PE, City Engineer |
PURPOSE:
Resolution authorizing the approval of the Littleton Engineering Design Standards and Specifications (LEDS). This document outlines city requirements, design criteria, and implementation standards to ensure consistency, safety, and proper maintenance of public infrastructure and private construction.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Safe Community; Sustainable Community with Natural Beauty; High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
The City of Littleton is one of the few jurisdictions in the surrounding area without established engineering design standards and specifications. The adoption of standardized criteria that reference federal, state, and local standards will provide clarity, improve efficiency, and ensure consistency, quality, and compliance for all public and private projects. It will also ensure that public improvements that are to be maintained by the City of Littleton are constructed to meet long term maintenance standards.
BACKGROUND:
Since the adoption of the Unified Land Use Code in 2021, staff has been working to establish a set of formal engineering design standards. The ULUC references the Littleton Engineering Design Standards (LEDS) as approval criteria in relation certain application types. Absent these established criteria, the city has been informally using various federal and state code, criteria, and guidelines such as those from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to ensure safety, consistency, and compliance.
LEDS will officially establish these industry best practices in one comprehensive document. It will serve as a critical resource not only for city staff but also for consultants, contractors, and developers working on projects in Littleton. LEDS will cover essential topics such as construction materials (e.g., asphalt and concrete), water quality requirements, traffic signal design, and contractor responsibilities, to name a few.
Once adopted, LEDS will apply to new construction for both City of Littleton and private development, new developments, right-of-way (ROW) permits, and infrastructure maintenance, helping to ensure high-quality, safe, and consistent development throughout the city.
The LEDS document was posted for public review and comment from June 13, 2025, to July 28, 2025.
Prior Actions or Discussions
The Council held a joint session with the Planning Commission to receive and discuss an overview of LEDS on March 11, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution formally adopting the Littleton Engineering Design Standards (LEDS) for the City of Littleton.
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may choose to approve, approve with revisions, or deny the resolution.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Resolution 89-2025 adopting Littleton Engineering Design Standards.