Members of the Fort Collins City Council frequently referred to an ordinance to control energy usage in large commercial buildings as “the most powerful lever” that the city has to meet its climate goals.

Yet it couldn’t agree on a path forward Tuesday night when it failed to pass a motion to approve building performance standards.

Three members wanted to pass a draft of the standards and fix them prior to second reading in two weeks. Three others weren’t ready, but for different reasons. Council member Susan Gutowsky was absent.

The city adopted aggressive climate goals titled Our Climate Future that points the city toward carbon neutrality by 2050. Voters passed a new 0.5% sales and use tax that began in 2024 and ends December 2050; 25% of those tax collections were committed to clima

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