LITTLETON, Colo. — City leaders in Littleton will extend a temporary moratorium on new gas station development, a move designed to curb emissions and accelerate the community’s shift toward cleaner transportation.
The city, which already has 24 gas stations — roughly one for every 2,000 residents — first enacted the moratorium in May. On Tuesday night, council members extended that pause another 180 days to allow time for changes to Littleton’s Unified Land Use Code.
“The City of Littleton put in place a development moratorium for Fuel Sales (Retail) uses that were not already under review on May 6, 2025,” said Jessica Bixenman, the city’s communications director. “The moratorium was established after a study session that discussed the existing number and proposed additional fuel sales locations within the city. An economic analysis of fuel sales uses was provided at the Sept. 16, 2025, City Council meeting. As a result of that meeting, City Council directed staff to extend the moratorium and draft a text amendment to the Unified Land Use Code (ULUC) focusing on where the use would be allowed and implementing additional development standards. Staff intends to hold a study session with the Planning Commission in January as a next step in completing the text amendment to the ULUC. Tonight’s council action is the extension of the moratorium to complete the code amendments.”…