Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 1:30 p.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, Room 391
0:05 The word speakeasy. Welcome
0:06 back to this weekly meeting of
0:07 the community Planning and
0:08 Housing Committee with Denver
0:10 City Council.
0:14 If your community planning and
0:17 Housing Committee starts now.
0:39 Sit up I view I view we can't
0:41 get started Intel. We have So
0:43 we just have to sit tight for
0:44 a because we only have action
0:54 items. Councilmember Cashman,
0:58 icu online police people need
1:01 So we need one person. So we
1:10 try to track down PRESIDENT Many are lights low. We
1:12 to if you could take inside
1:18 down producer to the great.
1:21 Welcome make to now we get
1:24 started. We one action item
1:25 front of us to rezoning and
1:27 maybe have one briefing front
1:30 of us we get started, let's go
1:31 online and they will start
1:35 around. You. You Paul Kashmann
1:38 shopped Andrew District sex.
1:42 Thank you, COUNCILMAN Cashman
1:46 and Maybe settlers district
1:47 Good afternoon. Out, Campbell,
1:48 Southeast Denver district 4,
1:51 Jamie Tourist customer
1:55 district, 3 and COUNCILMAN
1:56 Tempo the standard is to and
1:58 now passed over. Commuting
1:59 finding about Also, thank
2:00 Likely community planning and
2:02 development child because I'm
2:06 rezoning at 22. 46 north. So
2:08 first we'll talk about that
2:08 class and location and
2:09 contacts followed by process
2:10 and then find the review
2:13 criteria. So the applicants
2:15 are requesting to rezone from
2:18 a mixed use. Three-story
2:20 district with the actor
2:22 centers and design overlay or
2:23 the doh to a 5 story Main
2:27 Street district maintaining
2:27 that deal. So the main changes
2:29 just said increase of 2
2:31 stories. I'm so this is the
2:34 site is currently a Montessori
2:35 school have and they are the
2:36 applicant. Is there the
2:38 current but they are planning
2:38 to move to a different
2:41 location that will better suit
2:45 their needs develop are
2:46 supposing took in fact, a
2:47 multi-unit residential with
2:50 commercial on the ground floor
2:51 structure that the building
2:52 has received a certificate of
2:56 demolition So now discussed
3:00 location context. So this in
3:01 council district and Jefferson
3:06 Park neighborhood. Acid and
3:08 previously, the current zoning
3:12 is General Irvin mixed use 3
3:14 stories. And with the relate.
3:15 There's a lot of mixed use
3:16 zoning federal, but then it's
3:17 2 unit directly to the South
3:18 and then multi-unit directly
3:22 to the east of the site. So
3:24 the purpose of the proposed
3:25 some district deserve in Main
3:28 Street. 5 stories is that it
3:32 applies to collector out or
3:34 arterial for the exposed to
3:35 supply of money early and
3:37 where building scale of one to
3:38 5 stories is desired and the
3:41 building forms that are
3:42 permitted on the town house
3:43 and shot front. And that's due
3:44 to the that will be carried
3:49 over. So the currently and
3:49 uses public laws public
3:50 because it is a Montessori
3:54 school and a lot of single
3:55 unit to the south, mostly
3:57 multi unit to the east and
3:58 then some commercial retail
4:03 office on federal. You can see
4:06 school is on the top. There's
4:07 kind of painted red brick
4:09 building then there's some
4:10 town homes directly to the
4:12 east. And then there's some of
4:12 that what the single unit
4:13 looks like to the south.
4:13 That's just a face in
4:20 spectrum. So just kind put
4:22 this into context. There is
4:23 bus rapid transit proposed for
4:23 federal Boulevard know you
4:27 very aware it they're
4:29 currently working on the final
4:30 design. Construction, testings
4:31 kind of occurring next year
4:33 through the next several
4:34 years. And then with brt
4:37 service hoping to begin in
4:39 2030. And I believe there is a
4:41 stop proposed John right 23rd
4:43 in federal which is like at
4:45 the intersection. This is the
4:47 cycle 22nd to 23rd. So the
4:48 staff right for this site is
4:49 right future bus. Rapid
4:55 Transit stop. So now discuss
4:56 the process. So okay. She was
4:59 complete back in JUNE. I want
4:59 to plan board in AUGUST here
5:01 before you today for the
5:03 committee meeting and it will
5:03 go to a vote of the full city
5:07 council in So so we've
5:10 received quite a bit public
5:13 comment on. So 47 neighbors
5:14 have provided comments. Think
5:14 there's about a 52 comments
5:15 total that we received 2
5:18 comments from multiple people.
5:20 We received 9 comments and
5:21 support signing consistency
5:22 with the criteria and just
5:25 seeing more investment along
5:27 Federal but most of the
5:30 comments have been in
5:31 opposition parking concerns.
5:31 We just want city's
5:34 requirements have not having a
5:36 minimum parking requirement
5:37 that there's not enough
5:38 affordable housing being
5:40 provided. So the applicants
5:43 are planning to do to provide
5:44 enough affordable housing to
5:45 get that increase. The height
5:47 incentives to about 7 stories
5:49 on the But some in the
5:49 community feel that they
5:50 should have to do more
5:52 affordable housing in order to
5:53 get the seven-storey increase
5:56 more than what our code
5:57 requires. But there's also
5:58 concerns about a step down
6:02 from 7 stories to the lower
6:03 scale residential. But I will
6:05 note that the 2 unit district
6:07 directly south is a protected
6:10 district. So 7 stories that
6:11 they can have some stories
6:13 across the whole site because
6:14 of that, it's really just the
6:15 northern portion can be up to
6:17 7 stories. The southern
6:18 portion will have to be up to
6:19 just 75 feet, which is about 5
6:23 stories. And then several like
6:25 to see a construction
6:27 management plan then some of
6:28 the newer comments that came
6:29 in closer to planning board
6:30 were more based on the review
6:33 criteria and how I didn't need
6:35 to know they didn't kill him
6:36 at a certain point within the
6:37 near Northwest area plan which
6:40 i'll discuss here on next So
6:42 the planning board item,
6:44 that's what planning board on
6:45 AUGUST 19, the board in vote
6:47 unanimously to recommend
6:48 approval of the rezoning. But
6:49 there were some points raised
6:51 during deliberation and the
6:53 public comment. So a lot of
6:55 the commenters, there's this
6:55 one policy in the near
6:58 Northwest area plan a lot of
6:59 the public mention of
7:00 planning. We're kind of
7:02 responding to it, but out 5,
7:06 see. And it talks about reuse
7:09 of institutional institutional
7:12 buildings are vacated that we
7:13 for community serving purposes
7:13 need to ensure that their use
7:17 in the future. Mental and the
7:17 language. And that is, you
7:20 know, when the historic user
7:24 leaves building to become a
7:25 community serving. Timing of
7:28 this was piece was not cited
7:29 in the staff report because
7:30 from staff's perspective. We
7:32 didn't really feel that it was
7:33 relevant a cement plant were
7:36 kind of agree that this really
7:36 and more applies to structures
7:40 are historic users that I
7:41 could. The building is built
7:43 to be an institutional like
7:46 and a second dps school, for
7:48 example, that the enrollment
7:50 slow it closes down. Townsley
7:50 reuse that school, which did
7:52 happen in your northwest
7:53 Columbia Elementary close.
7:55 It's now dc school, which is
7:57 exactly in line with what the
7:58 plan guidance this was billed
8:01 as an industrial building. So
8:02 it was a bakery at like an
8:03 auto repair shop or something.
8:05 And then it's been a dad good
8:08 to be used as this Montessori
8:10 school. And, you know, the
8:11 language in there says
8:12 historic user, which like if
8:14 you go of our landmarks terms,
8:17 historic is generally about 50
8:18 years the school has been
8:22 there for like 35 years. I so.
8:25 That's my staff really feel
8:28 that this section that is what
8:31 what site meant to heard by
8:32 the section have that is
8:34 really more for when like
8:36 churches close and that single
8:36 unit. And we we need to figure
8:40 out a way to how to reuse them
8:40 rather than a building that
8:41 was not built to be an
8:44 institutional use. So now you
8:48 to the review criteria. Also
8:49 their three-year you cut to
8:50 that needs to be met in order
8:52 for rezoning to be approved.
8:54 The first is consistency with
8:56 adopted plans that second
8:57 anisa for the public interest
9:00 and then 3rd to be consistent
9:02 with the neighborhood District
9:02 purpose and the intent
9:04 statement out of the zoning
9:06 code. You can find more about
9:09 how this rezoning meets the
9:09 strategies and the
9:11 comprehensive plan and the
9:11 staff report. So all talk
9:12 about print Denver and then
9:14 your Northwest area plan
9:15 today. So feature neighborhood
9:19 contacts and blueprint urban
9:21 district proposes in the urban
9:25 context, the future places is
9:26 community corridor. Much for
9:28 last for a mix of uses and
9:31 heights. Generally by stories.
9:34 Federal is a residential The
9:35 growth area strategy as
9:36 community centers and
9:38 corridors anticipate to see
9:40 25% new housing and 20% of new
9:41 employment. So allowing
9:44 additional 2 stories. Well,
9:46 allow for growth comment on
9:47 the and then also for there's
9:51 them with this general policy
9:52 in Denver and footprint.
9:56 Denver, our talks about and
9:56 encouraging higher density
9:59 mixed use development and
10:00 transit, areas including and
10:02 community corridors where
10:03 transit priority streets are
10:05 planned. So general, as a
10:08 transit Priorities Street is a
10:08 community corridor.
10:09 Designations of this is where
10:10 we want to see more higher
10:11 density uses. And then this
10:14 application addresses equity
10:16 by increasing housing,
10:19 including affordable housing
10:21 in near transit and services.
10:22 And then it also addresses
10:25 climate by allowing housing
10:25 and density again near
10:26 transit, which will make this
10:30 area less cotton dependent. So
10:31 now moving to the near
10:32 Northwest area plan. I won't
10:33 discuss the future
10:34 neighborhood contacts replace
10:37 time has passed the same. But
10:38 there's height map within the
10:41 near Northwest area plan which
10:42 calls for up to 5 stories from
10:46 the base which you ms 5 base
10:47 type of 5 stories and then the
10:48 plan that talks that up to 7
10:51 stories with incentive heights
10:52 and the U.S. 5 zone district
10:53 allows up to 7 stories and
10:59 incentivize. And also for
11:00 those a couple of the
11:01 strategies and the plan.
11:01 Again, similar to blueprint.
11:05 This talks about how community
11:05 centers and corridors should
11:08 accommodate the most growth,
11:08 creating opportunities for
11:11 affordable housing and other
11:13 community needs. Again, this
11:16 is a community center quarter
11:17 Suns are the most pro should
11:18 occur within the near
11:20 Northwest area. And then it
11:22 also talks about the in areas
11:24 where the recommended phase
11:25 height is more than what the
11:28 current zoning allows. Someone
11:29 at Sony has proposed that
11:30 elements of a complete
11:31 neighborhood should be
11:32 provided and that we should
11:33 consider individual agreements
11:35 until a broader solution is
11:38 available. And the plan list
11:39 elements of a complete
11:41 neighborhood to include but be
11:43 limited to affordable housing
11:45 act of ground floor uses and
11:47 culturally relevant
11:48 businesses, historic
11:49 preservation and han
11:49 streetscape and open space and
11:54 then decide party so staff is
11:54 found in our analysis that,
11:57 you know, a lot of these tools
11:59 for that broader solution have
11:59 already been implemented,
12:00 which is why we don't have any
12:02 individual agreements for this
12:05 rezoning. So, for example,
12:07 affordable housing, the city
12:08 past expanding housing
12:09 affordability, which does
12:10 require a certain number of
12:11 affordable units, especially
12:12 if you want to go out do to
12:15 get that additional 2 stories.
12:17 COUNCILMAN Sandoval sponsored
12:19 a rezoning to map the design
12:22 overlay in the near Northwest
12:23 area, including this property.
12:25 That's why we feel like that
12:26 active ground floor component
12:29 of the complete neighborhood
12:30 is The enhanced streetscape
12:32 will come with the bus rapid
12:33 transit. And that's going to
12:36 bring a lot improvements along
12:37 Federal Boulevard for historic
12:37 preservation of this site has
12:40 already been determined not to
12:41 be historically significant
12:42 because it has received that
12:44 certificate of demolition
12:46 eligibility. And then for
12:48 design quality again, the
12:48 design over late was already
12:50 mapped in this area, which has
12:51 stronger design standards Main
12:55 Street. And then another
12:57 recommendation. The Jefferson
12:58 Park section which talks about
13:00 how again community centers
13:01 and quarter should accommodate
13:03 the most growth opportunities
13:05 and how those areas
13:05 specifically went to the
13:06 within Jefferson Park,
13:07 including areas along Federal
13:10 Boulevard at intersections
13:11 with 26 and 22nd Avenue. And
13:14 so this site is right at 22nd
13:14 federal. So it's where the
13:17 plan is calling for the most
13:19 crimes to occur, which is why
13:20 feel it's appropriate to go
13:20 up. Just those 2 additional
13:25 stories. So rezoning also for
13:28 the public interest and that
13:29 will bring out more density
13:31 close to transit as well as
13:35 furthering Denver's adopted
13:36 plans. And then finally, it's
13:39 consistent with the urban
13:40 neighborhood context to
13:40 purpose of the main street
13:41 zone districts. And then the
13:42 specific intent of the U.S.
13:46 Find some district. So finding
13:47 all 3 of you Terri had been
13:48 met. Staff recommends this be
13:50 moved to a vote of the full
13:51 City Council. Thank you. Thank
13:57 you be. We have a couple
13:58 numbers in the queue and then
13:58 also PRESIDENT Council member
14:02 of either Thank you, MADAM
14:05 Chair, and thank you for the
14:06 presentation. Think addressed
14:10 it put my name in the queue
14:11 and you were when you were
14:12 talking about the historic
14:14 nature what the businesses
14:20 that's provided I mean, 35
14:22 years significant You know,
14:24 it's not but I think that that
14:25 being a resource within
14:26 community, especially for
14:29 child care and the broader
14:30 context of this need for
14:31 childcare and to have that not