Rezoning DenverKeeping up to date with what's going on
Why, How and When?
Where we've been and where we're going.
Why?
Denver's 53-year-old zoning code is broken and needs to be fixed. It suffers from more than a half century of incremental changes that have made it complicated, inconsistent and cumbersome. The New Zoning Code will put adopted citywide plans (products of extensive public input) to work for a better city. Denver citizens called for reform of the Zoning Code in the 1989 Comprehensive Plan and Comprehensive Plan 2000. This message was repeated in Blueprint Denver (2002) which provided the vision and initial strategy for fixing the Zoning Code. Denver needs a new zoning code that will support a growing economy, a sustainable environment, a diverse mix of housing, strong neighborhoods, and a high quality of life.
How?
In January of 2005, Mayor Hickenlooper appointed a community-based Zoning Code Task Force to guide and oversee this multi-year code-fix effort. The 16-member Task Force is a diverse group comprised of volunteers drawn from neighborhood organizations, various business sectors, the historic preservation community and the city's political leadership. The work of the Task Force includes four phases:
Phase I – Analysis and Problem Definition - began quickly in order to lay the foundation for the entire effort. In addition to regular Task Force meetings, the City held listening sessions, focus groups and meetings with neighborhoods and other organizations. The result of these efforts was a Diagnostic Report and a list of Problem Statements that have guided the effort.
Phase II – Alternative Approaches - assessed how the problems with the current code would be fixed. We explored a context-based and form-based approach to zoning, which included working with the community in work sessions to begin introducing and refining residential neighborhood contexts.
The context-based approach is organized around six different "contexts" derived from the existing and desirable characteristics of Denver's diverse neighborhoods. This context-based approach provides a broader range of zoning categories than is currently available and will guide more compatible future development. The New Zoning Code also uses a form-based approach that clearly explains what can be built in terms of such things as building height and placement using visuals.
Additionally, inconsistent and redundant procedures that plague the current Zoning Code will be removed to make The New Zoning Code more predictable, transparent, and clear. Outdated regulations that present barriers to sustainability and affordability will also be removed and updated to promote best practices.
When?
Fixing the Denver Zoning Code is a massive undertaking but the finish line is in sight. After extensive public review, and receiving unanimous approval this spring from the Denver Zoning Code Task Force and the Denver Planning Board, the new Denver zoning code was formally transmitted to City Council in May 2010. At first reading on May 24, Council set a public hearing on the new code for Monday, June 21, at 1 p.m.