OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Denver Community Planning & Housing Committee – Nov 4, 2025: Building Code Updates & Regis Rezonings

Council Committees — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodyDenver, Colorado
SessionCouncil Committees
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:29:23
Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Afternoon.

0:01

We are here for community planning and housing.

0:04

Oops, did I get that right?

0:05

I think I did.

0:07

Thank you very much.

0:08

And today is November 4th in the afternoon.

0:13

I'm Diana Romero Campbell and I represent District 4.

0:18

We have a few action items today and a presentation.

0:23

But in the meantime, can we go online and have the council members introduce themselves?

0:29

Okay, I'm not yet.

0:33

Kevin Flynn, Southwest Denver District 2.

0:37

Amy Torres, West Denver District 3.

0:41

Good afternoon, Amanda Sawyer District 5.

0:45

We can start to our right for introduction.

0:48

Great.

0:50

Sarah Fardy, you're one minute late committee chair.

0:52

Thank you, Madam Pro Tem.

0:57

Darrell Watson, fine district nine.

1:01

And again, Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4.

1:06

And Paul Cash from South Denver District 6.

1:10

Perfect.

1:10

Thanks for the tolerance, everyone.

1:11

We had a very late night last night, and so we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off a little bit.

1:17

But I'm very excited for this presentation today.

1:21

We are going to care about an ordinance that Council President Sandoval, Councilor Cashman, Councilmember Watson, myself, and our agency partners who are here today have been working on for how long now?

1:35

A year and a half.

1:35

Yeah, a year and a half, quite some time, to try to get a really solid set of regulations into the Denver Building Code so that we can allow single stairway buildings when it is safe to do so, and thereby make it possible to build more flexibly on small lots.

1:57

These buildings are conducive to multi-unit housing, and they just create a lot of flexibility and cost savings.

2:04

So I will do if any of my co-sponsors want to say a word before the agency presentation, feel free.

2:09

Otherwise, I will turn to you guys again after we hear from Mr.

2:14

Browning and Chief DeBair.

2:18

You guys can introduce yourselves and take it away.

2:20

Excellent.

2:21

Thank you very much.

2:22

Thank you for having us this afternoon.

2:23

My name is Eric Browning.

2:25

I'm the chief building official in community planning and development, and I'm joined by Chief DeBar with Denver Fire Department.

2:31

We'll be presenting this afternoon on a small suite of building and fire code updates in addition to the single stair topic that Councilwoman Parody spoke of.

2:42

There are a couple other items that were including in this package and that were provided in the red line documents of the building and fire codes for your consideration.

2:52

And that's true.

2:59

There we go.

3:00

Okay.

3:01

So again, yes, single stair is a primary and important topic for this code update.

3:07

There is also language with respect to adoption of the wild and urban interface code, which is something that comes to us uh through the state and is necessary for municipalities to adopt.

3:18

And then there are a handful of other miscellaneous and minor updates that are certainly important and timely, that I'll talk through towards the end of the presentation, wrapping up with timeline and next steps for this legislative process.

3:33

So the background for single stair, as Councilwoman Parody properly um noted, has been in research and development for well over a year.

3:45

Um Chief DeBar and I have uh been working to um craft language most recently following the passage of Colorado House Bill 251273, uh which came through in the regular legislative session of the state uh earlier this year.

4:04

We've also been evaluating the 2027 draft edition of the International Building Code and the International Fire Code, and of course, coordinating uh with the four uh council sponsors related to this topic.

4:20

And what we have uh be presenting this afternoon is a culmination of all of the research and all of that information and trying to find the sweet spot um to allow single stair small apartment buildings um to be designed and built within Denver.

4:37

As I mentioned, in addition, I'll be presenting some information on the wildland urban fire interface.

4:43

This also came to us from state legislation, uh which was initiated back in 2023.

4:49

Um, however, the state um uh committee that was doing the work didn't complete that work until July of this year, uh and so we needed to uh scramble just a little bit here in the past few months to get that into our regulatory requirements as well.

4:59

Okay, so let's dive into a little more depth on single stairs.

4:59

As I mentioned, we've been doing quite a bit of research and collaboration with internal and external partners, some of which who are in the audience with us today.

5:22

Again, following the state adoption earlier this year, we drafted the language at the direction of and with the review of the council sponsors.

5:33

The language primarily matches that of the state.

5:37

However, we did make some local updates to allow, I would say, more opportunities for these buildings to be built within Denver.

5:48

And as part of the drafting of the language, we also conducted surveys and we held external stakeholder engagement groups, thanks to all of those that participated so that we could receive feedback, questions, comments, concerns, and make sure that we were addressing as much as we possibly could with respect to the consideration of these regulatory requirements.

6:12

And just to be clear, with respect to the single stair code updates, we're updating the building code and we're updating the fire code.

6:23

There are no zoning code changes associated with this.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Affordable Housing███████████████████████25%
Public Safety███████████12%
Economic Development███████8%
Community Engagement████4%
Technology and Innovation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Denver Community Planning & Housing Committee Meeting – November 4, 2025

The Community Planning and Housing Committee met on the afternoon of November 4, 2025, to consider a package of building and fire code amendments—including single-stair provisions, wildland‑urban interface code adoption, and miscellaneous updates—and two rezoning applications for Regis University properties. All items were approved for referral to the full City Council.

Consent Calendar

  • No consent calendar items were presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Max Nardo (Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Housing Forward Colorado) spoke in support of the code reforms, urging the committee to remain open to increasing the permitted height of single-stair buildings to seven stories to maximize housing and affordability benefits.
  • Sean Jerznick (local architect, co‑chair AIA Colorado Housing Committee) supported the amendments, stating they would unlock smaller‑scale apartment buildings (10‑20 units) on urban lots where housing is in highest demand.
  • Robert Greer (eviction defense attorney) supported the proposals, citing Denver’s serious housing shortage, declining permit numbers, record evictions, and the need for subsidized housing. He also advocated for allowing seven‑story single‑stair buildings to leverage the EHA density bonus.
  • Jacob Wooden (Denver resident, North Park Hill) spoke in favor, emphasizing that single‑stair designs enable more missing‑middle housing, reduce environmental impact, and allow development on lots that are currently financially unviable.

Discussion Items

1. Building and Fire Code Amendments (Ordinance)

  • Presentation: Eric Browning (Chief Building Official, CPD) and Chief DeBar (Denver Fire Department) presented a package of code updates:
    • Single‑Stair Buildings: Allows residential buildings up to five stories with a single stairway, subject to criteria: maximum 6,000 sq. ft. per story, up to four units per story, full sprinkler protection (NFPA 13), construction types I–IV (including Type III wood frame, which goes beyond state requirements), maximum stair width for simultaneous use, prohibitions on electrical outlets in stairwells, and emergency escape/rescue openings. A map shows eligible zone lots for five‑story buildings. The state’s 2025 HB 25‑1273 and draft 2027 International Building Code provisions were incorporated.
    • Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) Code: Adoption of state‑mandated fire‑intensity maps affecting a small number of parcels—mostly Denver International Airport land, 19 residential parcels in Montbello (Council District 1), and mountain parks. Requirements apply only when 25% or more of a roof or exterior wall is replaced; no retroactive impact. Insurers stated they do not use these maps for rate setting.
    • Miscellaneous Updates: Extended building permit expiration periods, alternative neighbor notification via property posting, exemption for modifications to wireless telecom facilities (per HB 25‑1056), simplified solar permitting, clarified energy code compliance for small commercial tenant spaces, and easier grease interceptor sizing for restaurants.
  • Council Questions & Discussion:
    • Councilmember Alvidres asked about safety of single stair if obstructed; Chief DeBar explained sprinklers, smoke control, defend‑in‑place strategy, and ladder access. Sprinkler systems would be NFPA 13 with backup provisions (fire pumps). Roof evacuation possible via apparatus. Review times: CPD expects minimal impact and will train staff.
    • Councilmember Flynn requested a memo to all council detailing: (a) the specific building code requirements for single‑stair vs. double‑stair buildings (e.g., pressurized stairwells, proximity of stair to units), (b) details on grease interceptor changes, and (c) the scope of telecom exemptions. Eric Browning agreed.
    • Councilmember Watson asked about external landscaping and fire‑truck access; Chief DeBar noted fire department will enforce setbacks and vegetation clearance during inspections and ongoing compliance.

2. Regis Campus Rezoning (Bill 25‑1636)

  • Presentation: Tony Lechuga (CPD) presented the rezoning of 62 acres of Regis University’s main campus from former Chapter 59 R‑5 to Campus Educational Institution 2 (EI‑2). The site is in Council District 1, surrounded by low‑scale residential. No development is proposed; the rezoning updates zoning to modern Denver Zoning Code and aligns with Comprehensive Plan 2040 and Blueprint Denver. Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval. No public opposition was received.
  • Committee Action: Motion to move to full council (Moved by Councilmember Alvidres, seconded by Council Pro Tem). Thumbs‑up approval from all committee members present and online.

3. Regis Town Center Planned Unit Development (Bill 25‑1635)

  • Presentation: Tony Lechuga presented the rezoning of 23 acres (eastern portion of Regis property) into a Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a base of UMX‑3 and customizations. The site includes existing strip mall commercial (former Kmart) and a McDonald’s. The PUD allows up to 75 feet (95 feet with incentives), re‑establishes a 20‑foot parkway setback along Federal Boulevard (from the current 10 feet), requires ground‑floor active uses along Federal, and permits campus‑like uses such as a hospital. No development plan is filed yet; a High Impact Development compliance plan will be required before site‑development approval. Large‑development review was completed. Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval. Letters received: Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (general comments, no support/opposition), Chaffee Park RNO (support), and 10 letters of support from neighbors. Council President Sandoval noted that the inclusion of Design Overlay 8 standards was a key community priority and that the hospital use will be monitored.
  • Committee Action: Motion to move to full council (Moved by Council Pro Tem, seconded by Councilmember Lewis). Thumbs‑up approval from all committee members present and online.

Key Outcomes

  • Code Amendments (Single‑Stair, WUI, Miscellaneous): Approved by committee (voice vote, all in favor) to be placed on the November 17 City Council agenda for first reading, with final vote expected November 24. Effective date: end of 2025, aligning with the 2025 code cycle. Councilmember Flynn requested a detailed memo on single‑stair requirements, grease interceptors, and telecom exemptions.
  • Regis Campus Rezoning (Bill 25‑1636): Approved for referral to full City Council with a public hearing scheduled for early December.
  • Regis Town Center PUD (Bill 25‑1635): Approved for referral to full City Council with a public hearing scheduled for early December.

Meeting Transcript

Afternoon. We are here for community planning and housing. Oops, did I get that right? I think I did. Thank you very much. And today is November 4th in the afternoon. I'm Diana Romero Campbell and I represent District 4. We have a few action items today and a presentation. But in the meantime, can we go online and have the council members introduce themselves? Okay, I'm not yet. Kevin Flynn, Southwest Denver District 2. Amy Torres, West Denver District 3. Good afternoon, Amanda Sawyer District 5. We can start to our right for introduction. Great. Sarah Fardy, you're one minute late committee chair. Thank you, Madam Pro Tem. Darrell Watson, fine district nine. And again, Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4. And Paul Cash from South Denver District 6. Perfect. Thanks for the tolerance, everyone. We had a very late night last night, and so we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off a little bit. But I'm very excited for this presentation today. We are going to care about an ordinance that Council President Sandoval, Councilor Cashman, Councilmember Watson, myself, and our agency partners who are here today have been working on for how long now? A year and a half. Yeah, a year and a half, quite some time, to try to get a really solid set of regulations into the Denver Building Code so that we can allow single stairway buildings when it is safe to do so, and thereby make it possible to build more flexibly on small lots. These buildings are conducive to multi-unit housing, and they just create a lot of flexibility and cost savings. So I will do if any of my co-sponsors want to say a word before the agency presentation, feel free. Otherwise, I will turn to you guys again after we hear from Mr. Browning and Chief DeBair. You guys can introduce yourselves and take it away. Excellent. Thank you very much. Thank you for having us this afternoon. My name is Eric Browning. I'm the chief building official in community planning and development, and I'm joined by Chief DeBar with Denver Fire Department. We'll be presenting this afternoon on a small suite of building and fire code updates in addition to the single stair topic that Councilwoman Parody spoke of. There are a couple other items that were including in this package and that were provided in the red line documents of the building and fire codes for your consideration. And that's true. There we go. Okay. So again, yes, single stair is a primary and important topic for this code update. There is also language with respect to adoption of the wild and urban interface code, which is something that comes to us uh through the state and is necessary for municipalities to adopt. And then there are a handful of other miscellaneous and minor updates that are certainly important and timely, that I'll talk through towards the end of the presentation, wrapping up with timeline and next steps for this legislative process. So the background for single stair, as Councilwoman Parody properly um noted, has been in research and development for well over a year. Um Chief DeBar and I have uh been working to um craft language most recently following the passage of Colorado House Bill 251273, uh which came through in the regular legislative session of the state uh earlier this year. We've also been evaluating the 2027 draft edition of the International Building Code and the International Fire Code, and of course, coordinating uh with the four uh council sponsors related to this topic. And what we have uh be presenting this afternoon is a culmination of all of the research and all of that information and trying to find the sweet spot um to allow single stair small apartment buildings um to be designed and built within Denver. As I mentioned, in addition, I'll be presenting some information on the wildland urban fire interface.

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