Fort Collins City Council will discuss two significant policy initiatives during its July 28 work session: a proposed surveillance policy that would regulate technologies collecting personal information or monitoring the public while emphasizing privacy, civil rights, and transparency, and a potential licensing and enforcement program for tobacco, nicotine, and other age-restricted psychoactive products in response to concerns about youth access.
Staff is seeking Council direction on whether a local licensing framework should include products such as intoxicating hemp, kratom, nitrous oxide cartridges, psilocybin-lookalike products, and related paraphernalia, with a draft ordinance expected later this year.
Separately, Moody’s reaffirmed Fort Collins’ Aaa issuer rating, the highest available, citing the city’s strong CSU-anchored economy, robust financial reserves, conservative fiscal management, high liquidity, and low debt burden, while maintaining a stable outlook and assigning an Aa2 rating to approximately $38.3 million in 2026 Certificates of Participation.
Additionally, City Council received an overview of commercial drone delivery regulations, emphasizing that the FAA regulates drone operations while the City’s primary authority is limited to land use, zoning, and the location of delivery hubs
This Week’s Updates
Council to Discuss Surveillance Policy at Tuesday Work Session
Fort Collins officials will discuss a proposed citywide policy Tuesday, July 28, to govern surveillance technologies and balance privacy, civil rights and public trust with the City’s use of tools for public safety, traffic, facilities and service delivery. The framework would regulate technologies based on how they are used, particularly when they collect personally identifiable information or monitor the public, while excluding routine operational tools such as utility meters and basic traffic sensors. Staff plan to gather community feedback before releasing a draft policy in late October, returning to Council on Nov. 10 and potentially bringing the policy forward for adoption on Dec. 1.
Tag(s): #SurveillancePolicy
Source(s): Agenda Packet for July 28, 2026 Work Session
Council to Discuss Local Enforcement for Tobacco, Kratom and Other Age-Restricted or Regulated Products
Council will be asked Tuesday night to consider developing a local licensing and enforcement program for tobacco, nicotine, and other age-restricted psychoactive products, largely in response to concerns about youth access. Staff is seeking Council direction on whether to pursue a licensing framework and what the scope of that framework should include.
A key concern is that minors appear to have relatively easy access to nicotine products. The packet cites the 2025 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, which found that 80.3% of Larimer County youth who attempted to buy nicotine products were not refused because of age. Fort Collins currently has 129 licensed tobacco retailers, including 37 within 1,500 feet of a school. State data cited in the packet indicates that Fort Collins retailers within 1,500 feet of schools serving grades 6–12 are almost twice as likely to sell to people under 21 compared with retailers farther away.
Staff proposes that the licensing program go beyond tobacco and nicotine to include other products commonly sold through smoke shops and gas stations, such as intoxicating hemp products, kratom, inhalable nitrous oxide cartridges, psilocybin-lookalike products, and paraphernalia or accessories used to consume or conceal these products.
After the July 28, 2026 work session, staff plans to engage affected businesses and stakeholders, review other municipalities’ programs, and then return to Council with a draft ordinance for discussion at an October work session.
Tag(s): #AgeRestrictedProducts; #Nicotine; #Psilocybin; #Kratom; #Inhalants; #NitrousOxide
Source(s): Agenda Packet for July 28, 2026 Work Session
Fort Collins Earns Moody’s Highest Credit Rating for Strong Reserves, Low Debt and CSU-Anchored Economy
Moody’s affirmed Fort Collins’ top-tier Aaa issuer rating, assigned an Aa2 rating to about $38.3 million in 2026 Certificates of Participation, and maintained a stable outlook, citing the city’s diverse CSU-anchored economy, strong reserves, high liquidity, conservative budgeting, and low debt burden.
Moody’s is saying Fort Collins is extremely creditworthy overall, which is why the city kept its Aaa issuer rating, the highest rating Moody’s gives. That rating is based on several strengths:
- Strong local economy: Fort Collins has a large, diverse economy supported by Colorado State University, a growing tech sector, and a highly educated workforce.
- Healthy household income: Resident income is above the national level after adjusting for regional cost differences.
- Very strong city finances: The city has unusually high reserves and liquidity, meaning it has a lot of available money compared with its annual operating revenues.
- Conservative fiscal management: Moody’s believes city leaders budget carefully and are willing to cut or adjust spending to keep the budget balanced.
- Low debt burden: Fort Collins has debt, but not at a level Moody’s considers concerning.
Tag(s): #Moody’s; #CreditRating; #CityofFortCollins
Source(s): Moody’s Ratings affirms Fort Collins, CO’s issuer rating at Aaa; assigns Aa2 to COPs, Series 2026; outlook stable; Email to Council from Caleb Weitz, Chief Financial Officer dated July 23, 2026
Council Provided Drone Delivery Regulation Update
Staff briefed Council on the regulatory framework for commercial drone delivery. The FAA retains primary authority over drone operations, airspace, flight paths, altitude, hours of operation, and safety. Local governments have limited authority but may regulate land use, zoning, and the location of drone delivery hubs and related infrastructure. Drone operators must obtain FAA approvals, comply with environmental review requirements, and follow local zoning regulations. While community concerns about noise may arise, local regulation of drone noise is legally uncertain due to federal preemption. Staff noted that zoning and land-use controls are the City’s primary tools for addressing potential drone delivery operations.
Tag(s): #Drone; #Delivery; #Regulation
Source(s): Memo – Mail Packet – 07/28/2026 – Memorandum from Ginny Sawyer re Drone Delivery Regulation Options
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