The Community Planning and Housing Committee of the Denver City Council met on July 29, 2025, at 1:30 PM (agenda noted 12:15 PM) to consider two rezoning and development agreement items, plus consent items. The committee approved a rezoning at 2501 South High Street, and a combined rezoning and development agreement for the historic Rock Drill site at 1717 East 39th Avenue. One consent item was approved; another was removed for further discussion.
Welcome back to this weekly meeting of the Community Planning and Housing Committee with Denver City Council. Your community planning and housing committee starts now. This is the first meeting of the community planning and housing committee. We've redesigned our committee's structure so that we have a few less committees or a few less agencies rolling up to every committee. And in here, we will hear issues that come from our housing department host, our planning department, community planning and development, and our human rights agency in the city, HRCP. So with that, I will start with introductions to my left with Madam Vice Chair. Hello there. Good afternoon. Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4. Good afternoon, Amanda Sanova, North West Denver District 1. And good afternoon, Paul Cashman South Denver District 6. And I am Flora Elvidres with Lucky District 7. She's a wall. Go for it, Watson. Good afternoon, Darrell Watson, representing Define, District 9. Jamie Torres, West Denver District 3. I think we have a member online. Hey everyone, Amanda Sawyer, District 5. And I forgot to say that I am Sarah Parity, one of your two council members at large, also the chair of this committee. We have three action items today, and two items on consent. Starting with 251070, a rezoning at 2501 South High Street. And you can introduce yourself as soon as you're settled. Good afternoon, Council. My name is Wolf Prince with community planning and development, and we'll be presenting the application for 2501 South High Street. Today I will review the request, the location and context, the process, and the review criteria. Again, this is a request to rezone from ESUDX, Urban Edge Single Unit DX to Urban Edge 2 Unit C. The property outlined in the middle there in red is 12,500 square feet. And is currently half single unit to the north and half vacant vacant/slash extended yard to the southern half of the property. Continue on to the location and context. It is located in Council District 6 with Council Member Cashman. And is located in the university neighborhood. Again, the existing zoning is ESUDX with ETUC to the north and to the west, and then OSA to the east. And there's a fair mix of two unit surrounding the area as well as open space and additional single unit primarily to the south of the property. Here you can see the existing building form and scale, primarily one-story structures. You can see the subject property here to the to the upper right. And is tentative for City Council public hearing September 9th. So far, we've received no RNO comments regarding this property, but we have received five public comments and support that came through the application, stating support for the applicant and also retaining the character and context of the neighborhood. Continue on to the review criteria. Starting with consistency with adopted plans. From these different goals, this rezoning will increase additional housing units, allow for more building forms in an infill location where amenities are accessible, including nearby transit and mixed-use services. Continue on to Blueprint Denver. Continuing on to future place type. Accessory dwelling units and duplexes are appropriate and can be thoughtfully integrated throughout. Generally with with generally uh building highs up to 2.5 stories. Um we also have additional guidance from blueprint when going from single unit to two unit. As per blueprint, when the request is made to change the zoning to allow two in it uses, the appropriateness of the request depends on adopt a small area plan, neighborhood input and existing zoning patterns. A departure from the established zoning pattern may be appropriate if the intent is to set a new zoning pattern in the area expressed by neighborhood plan or significant input. Um there's been as mentioned uh support from neighbors through the outreach and letters of support. And then additionally, looking at the existing zoning pattern, this extends the ETUC zone district over to the block, uh continue it further south and to the east. Um so we see a pattern here extending the zone district and support from the neighborhood input.