Denver City Council is hitting pause on two types of multi-unit developments, unanimously approving moratoriums on garden court developments and small lot developments with parking exemptions at its Aug. 22 meeting.
The Department of Community Planning and Development (CPD) will convene stakeholder groups to review current zoning and propose new guidelines.
Housing advocates testified against both moratoriums, arguing Denver’s rapid growth requires more housing with greater density. Proponents countered that developers are using ambiguous zoning code language to build projects that threaten neighborhood character.
When Denver updated its zoning code in 2010, “There was a whole lot of stuff overlooked,” said District 10 Councilman Wayne New at the meeting. New is co-sponsor of the garden court moratorium with District One Councilman Rafael Espinoza.
New explained that loopholes in the garden court zoning form allow greater density than intended. Garden courts were intended to have side-by-side residential units clustered around a wide landscaped central courtyard. New garden court developments often have buildings, sometimes with stacked units, facing each other over 15-foot walkways without landscaping and either no rear dwelling or a parking structure.
“There is no garden and no court,” said Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Association (CCNNA) President Bob Vogel. CCNNA and New recently negotiated downsizing a garden court development planned at 201 Garfield St. from 30 to 26 units.
“It looked like an apartment complex that was out of character with existing homes,” New said. “We need to mesh density with neighborhood character.”
CCNNA residents testified they still are not completely happy with the project.
The garden court moratorium will last 12 months while CPD and stakeholders meet to develop and clarify the form. Three projects already underway will be allowed to continue. New projects having a courtyard as wide as the dwellings are high and with only side-by-side units will be allowed.
So-called “slot homes,” multi-unit developments built over garages facing each other over a central driveway, are not affected. CPD is meeting with stakeholders in a separate effort to evaluate and develop new guidelines for slot homes, which will take 12-14 months.
A seven-month moratorium will pause multi-unit developments on small lots of 6,250 square feet or less without required parking while planners and stakeholders assess neighborhood impacts and clarify rules. Developments underway in Uptown and Curtis Park will not be affected. District Nine Councilman Albus Brooks and District Six Councilman Paul Kashmann co-sponsored the bill.
At-large Councilwoman Deborah Ortega pointed out, “We know that people in Denver still drive their cars and we need to have that balance. Having this timeout will give us the chance to find that balance.”
Councilman Paul Kashmann said he hoped the city would undertake a larger conversation about housing density and what we want our city to be.
