News from Denver CPD that may impact building and development projects

Development news from Community Planning and Development (CPD)

In this issue, you will find:

News on ADUs in Denver's residential neighborhoods
Details on the upcoming Downtown Area Plan open house
A reminder to nominate a project for the 2025 Mayor's Design Awards
An update on the Denver Energy Code and other news from the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency
Information on language and disability services at CPD

City Council approves measure to allow ADUs in residential areas citywide

As part of the city’s ongoing effort to expand housing availability and choice while helping drive down costs, the Denver City Council on Monday night passed a measure to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in all residential areas of the city. The Citywide ADUs measure was sponsored by Councilmembers Sarah Parady (at-large), Chris Hinds (District 10) and Darrell Watson (District 9), in partnership with Mayor Mike Johnston and the Department of Community Planning and Development (CPD).

Following the recommendations of Blueprint Denver, the city's land use and transportation plan, the measure updates the Denver Zoning Code, zoning map, and Former Chapter 59 zoning to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in all residential areas of the city. This allows ADUs on 70 percent of Denver’s land, compared with 36 percent before this measure passed. The measure goes into effect on December 16. The Citywide ADUs measure also implements state legislation (House Bill 24-1152) passed earlier this year.

Read full press release

Learn more about the project

Graphic with information on Downtown Area Plan open house

Next open house on Downtown Area Plan to be held Wednesday, December 4

Bring your voice to the Downtown Area Plan and help transform downtown and our city's bright future by attending the Project Visioning Open House. After months of gathering community ideas, we're ready to take the next big step in creating a dynamic center city that everyone embraces, enjoys and celebrates. Come see the emerging vision based on your fellow Denverites’ input and share your own priorities for improving the center city.

Downtown Area Plan Public Open House

noon-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 4

Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Street

Download and share event flier

There is still time to submit a project for consideration for a Mayor's Design Award!

Since 2005, the Mayor’s Design Awards have honored projects throughout the city for excellence in architecture, urban design and place-making. The awards honor creative contributions to Denver's built environment through excellence and innovation. Anyone is welcome to nominate a project!

Submit a nomination

Update on the Denver Energy Code

The municipal code directs the city to make updates to the energy code by January 1, 2025. The proposed requirements relate to electrification of specific types of furnaces and water heaters at the end of system life in existing commercial buildings.

We want to clarify that the city has not made those changes and will not do so before January 1, 2025.

We will announce a process in early 2025 to update the energy code with stakeholder engagement as part of the regular update to Denver’s building codes. In the interim, the provisions of the 2022 Denver Energy Code for space and water heating continue to apply. More details on the process to update the energy code will be shared in this newsletter soon.

Other news from Denver's Office Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency . . .

Commercial heat pump rebates get an increase!

We heard your feedback about the Commercial and Multifamily Equipment Rebate amounts we were offering. And we are pleased to announce that we have adjusted those rebate amounts to better serve our community.

Now, commercial and multifamily buildings can get even more savings on upgrading their building heating and cooling.

Do you own a nonprofit or affordable multifamily housing building? You may be eligible for twice as much money off your heat pump project.

Energize Denver Feedback Sessions

This is your next opportunity to keep give us feedback on updates we are making to Energize Denver rules. Click on the session to register:

Public Sessions

Service Provider Sessions

Manufacturing, Agricultural & Industrial Buildings

December 4, noon-1 p.m.

See all rebate amounts and get yours today

Learn more about proposed rules updates

Language and ADA services available

Community Planning and Development complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or gender to include language. Anyone applying for plan review, permits and other services or programs may request oral or written language assistance services in their primary language, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations, if needed.

Requests may be submitted via our language services request form, and services will be provided free of charge. If you have any questions, contact CPD’s Operations Team.

Language and disability services at CPD

ICYMI:

Recaps from our last newsletter

Get caught up on last month's news >>

CPD leadership and other city departments recently gave an update to Denver City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure (LUTI) committee on how the Mayor's Tiger Team was doing on permitting and plan review time reductions. The team's overarching goal is to re-envision the development permitting process and reduce city review time by 30 percent by the end of the year.

Development applicants in Denver who are pursuing funding from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s (CHFA) competitive rounds, intend to apply for plan review by the Affordable Housing Review Team (AHRT), and plan to rezone their properties are encouraged to move forward with the rezoning process by specific dates. The suggested rezoning schedules will ensure the process can be completed before CHFA’s application deadlines.

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