On Nov. 7, the Associated Students of Colorado State University welcomed Fort Collins City Councilmember Kelly Ohlson for a “meet and greet” outside the ASCSU office in the Lory Student Center.
Ohlson first took a tour with ASCSU leadership around the Lory Student Center to see its newest construction and how it has changed since he was a master’s student at CSU studying education. During the tour, Ohlson and ASCSU President Nick DeSalvo discussed the contentious issue of U+2 in Fort Collins.
That occupancy ordinance restricts a residential dwelling unit (single-family, duplex and multifamily) to one family member and not more than one additional person, or one adult and their dependents (if any), a second adult and their dependents (if any), and not more than one additional person. The regulations have been a continuous challenge for college students and Fort Collins citizens alike, as the law states that it is illegal for more than three unrelated persons to reside together in a residential dwelling. For years, ASCSU has advocated for a change to the policy, and because of the work of past administrations of ASCSU, city council has voted to direct city staff to revise the U+2 ordinance.
“It’s important to have conversations with those you disagree with,” DeSalvo said after the visit. “Councilmember Ohlson has a long history of public service, and we appreciated hearing the stories of advocacy and activism that have shaped his life. We didn’t expect to change Councilmember Ohlson’s mind about U+2, but having a dialogue helped all of us understand better why we all believe what we do. I appreciate his perspective, and understanding the opposing view to U+2 will give ASCSU a better approach to the issue.”
After the “meet and greet” portion of Ohlson’s visit, he joined ASCSU’s Legislative Strategy Advisory Board for its bi-weekly meeting. LSAB is composed of students from ASCSU’s Executive Cabinet, Senate and students from the general student body. This 13-member board works directly with city, county and state legislators to advance solutions to issues facing students. The board also works directly with ASCSU’s contract lobbyists, Bowditch and Cassell Public Affairs, to influence policy at the state level.
This year the board has met with State Rep. Andrew Boesenecker and Ohlson. LSAB plans to meet with State Rep. Cathy Kipp on Nov. 28 and plans to attend a legislative strategy meeting with the Larimer County Commissioners on Dec. 5. Students interested in joining LSAB can email ascsu_governmental_affairs@mail.colostate.edu to learn more.
ASCSU plans to host local politicians again on Dec. 6 for a “lunch and learn” event in the Lory Student Center. Students and community members can follow ASCSU on Instagram to receive updates on upcoming events.
