Denver Community Planning and Housing Committee Meeting - March 31, 2026

The Community Planning and Housing Committee of the Denver City Council met on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 1:30 PM in Room 391 of the City & County Building. Chair Sarah Parady presided, with Vice Chair Diana Romero Campbell and members Flor Alvidrez, Shontel Lewis, Amanda Sandoval, Amanda Sawyer, and Jamie Torres present. Staff from Community Planning and Development (CPD) and other city departments also participated. The committee considered three action items: two rezonings and a proposed one-year moratorium on data center development.

Public Comments & Testimony

• For the rezoning at 1057 South Gaylord Street (Bill 26-0389), CPD staff reported receiving two letters of support: one from the Washington Park East Neighborhood Association and one from the South Gaylord Street Business Improvement District. Both favored the waiver to allow lodging accommodations (all other uses) and preserving the two-story height.
• For the rezoning at 5101-5115 N Milwaukee Street (Bill 26-0392), the applicant received a letter of support from the Union United Community Action Network. No other public comments were received.
• For the data center moratorium (Bill 26-0431), no public testimony was taken at the committee meeting; the public hearing is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at full council.

Discussion Items

Rezoning at 1057 South Gaylord Street (Bill 26-0389)

Abner Ramos Salcedo of CPD presented a request to rezone the 5,555-square-foot property from U-MS-2 to U-MS-2 with Waivers to permit lodging accommodations (all other uses) in addition to the currently permitted bed-and-breakfast. The property is a two-story mixed-use building in the Washington Park neighborhood, Council District 6. The waiver would allow non-manager-occupied lodging. The Planning Board voted 8-0 to recommend approval. Councilmember Kashmann (district sponsor) noted that the Washington Park East Neighborhood Association's zoning committee had reviewed the application and reached comfort with the developer, particularly regarding the preservation of the two-story height. Councilmember Torres confirmed that the upper story is currently residential. The committee voted to approve the bill for filing.

Rezoning at 5101-5115 N Milwaukee Street (Bill 26-0392)

Joe Green of CPD presented a request to rezone two parcels (total 12,000 square feet) from E-SU-D to U-TU-C to allow a duplex or tandem house. The property is in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, Council District 9. The existing zoning pattern is single-unit (ESUD), but the Elyria-Swansea Neighborhood Plan designates the area as "single family duplex" and explicitly mentions duplexes, providing a basis for the rezoning. Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval. Applicant representative Shaquille Carter described outreach including bilingual letters and emails to 25 properties, plus social media, resulting in minimal feedback. Councilmember Torres clarified that the parcels are not being split; the applicant intends to purchase the vacant lot. Councilmember Watson asked about community engagement and affordability; Carter stated no final building plans or affordability commitments have been made yet. The committee voted to approve the bill for filing.

Data Center Moratorium (Bill 26-0431)

Councilmembers Kashmann and Watson introduced a one-year moratorium on the acceptance or processing of certain permits and site development plans where a data center is the proposed primary use. The purpose is to allow a working group to study the impacts of data centers—especially newer, large-scale facilities—on energy, water, noise, and zoning, and to recommend regulations. Key points raised in discussion:

• The CoreSite facility under construction at 4900 Race Street (Council District 9) is a co-location data center; its first building (180,000 sq ft) uses 18 megawatts of power; three buildings could total 54 megawatts, equivalent to powering 30,000–40,000 homes.
• There are currently zero pending zoning applications for data centers. Permits for the CoreSite building were issued on March 12, 2026; the moratorium would not affect that project but would apply to future proposals.
• The working group will include community members, subject matter experts (Denver Water, Xcel Energy, state representatives), union representatives, IT industry representatives (trade organizations, not direct developers), advocacy groups, and city staff. Councilmembers expressed concerns about the balance of voices and the need for transparency. Councilmember Parady requested that the final composition of the working group be detailed before the full council vote.
• The timeline: committee vote on March 31, first reading at full council on April 20, public hearing and second reading on May 18, effective date upon signing (estimated May 21).
• Councilmembers discussed the need for clear definitions of data centers in zoning, potential setbacks, and the interplay with state regulations (e.g., Public Utilities Commission). Councilmember Sawyer noted that data centers are essential for modern infrastructure but emphasized the need for thoughtful integration.
• The committee voted to approve the bill for filing.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 26-0389 (1057 S Gaylord Street rezoning): Approved by committee vote of 5-0 (Alvidrez, Romero Campbell, Sawyer, Torres, Parady aye; Lewis and Sandoval absent). Recommended for full council approval.
• Bill 26-0392 (5101-5115 N Milwaukee Street rezoning): Approved by committee vote of 7-0 (Alvidrez, Lewis, Romero Campbell, Sandoval, Sawyer, Torres, Parady aye). Recommended for full council approval.
• Bill 26-0431 (Data center moratorium): Approved by committee vote of 7-0 (same members). The bill will proceed to full council for first reading on April 20, 2026, with a public hearing on May 18, 2026. Councilmember Parady expressed intent to seek a more detailed working group composition before the final vote.