Denver Resumes Talks of Citywide Rezoning For More ADUs

Denver city officials have been on the road to rezoning all of Denver’s residential neighborhoods to allow ADUs or Accessory Dwelling Units. The move started earlier this year around March and since then has been relatively silent. The Citywide Accessory Dwelling Units Project is an ongoing effort from the City of Denver to expand affordable housing availability and choice. The Project itself follows in the footsteps of Blueprint Denver which is the large-scale plan for Denver’s land use and transportation. A public review draft of the proposed changes and efforts of the Citywide ADU Project was available for the public and comment through up until recently, August 22nd. 

ADU, Casita, In-Law Suite, Granny Flats

An Accessory Dwelling Unit has been recent trend for many homeowners here in Denver following the pandemic and the housing inventory woes many cities have experienced. An ADU is a free standing structure that is an entirely new residence that shares the lot of a main dwelling. These small homes go by many names such as casitas, mother-in-law suites, granny flats, and so on. They can be built in the backyard provided enough space is present, on top of a garage, or a converted space that is in the existing home like a basement or attic. The reason these dwellings are so popular is that they are viewed as an affordable option to create additional housing for friends, family, or renting tenants and expand on their already existing property without much cost. Unfortunately, building an ADU has become more costly with increases in labor and materials. Worse yet, Denver’s Neighborhood Development and Planning has struggled with an influx of permitting requests which has lengthened the timeframe which people experience until they can build. All these factors paired with an seemingly incomplete consideration to ADU construction in general has made building an ADU almost unnavigable for the average Denver homeowner. This Citywide ADU Project aims at reducing the requirements and red tape all the while clearing up misconceptions or confusing constraints to builders and homeowners.

Who Can Build an ADU?

About 35 percent of Denver’s land area allows ADU through local zoning laws, according to a presentation during a March city council meeting. An online city map shows where ADUs are allowed, which is mostly concentrated close to downtown in neighborhoods like Highland, Westwood and City Park West. Patches of ADU-friendly zoning can be found farther from downtown, however, in areas like Central Park, Green Valley Ranch and College View. 

Residents in these neighborhoods can build an ADU by applying to rezone their property. However, the process involves a $1,000 fee and takes approximately four to six months, according to city officials. In recent years, 30 to 50 percent of rezoning applications in Denver have been from individuals seeking to build an ADU, resulting in about 25 to 40 rezonings annually.

Sustainable Design Build has experience in building ADUs for Denver residents and is very familiar with the current requirements of zoning. In fact, SDB has a helpful instructional on our website that can help answer the question, “Can I Build An ADU?”. But as Denver Officials get As Denver homeowners come closer to embracing the new changes, many will likely turn to Design-Build companies like Sustainable Design Build to assess how the process has evolved or improved.

From 2010 to November 2023, the City of Denver permitted 560 ADUs, primarily in central, northwest, and south-central Denver, according to a city council presentation.

Hinds pointed out that most of these units were constructed by individuals who could afford a consultant to guide them through the complex permitting process.

“Many times, someone who wants to build an ADU has to hire a consultant who’s an expert in zoning and also an expert in the rezoning process,” he said during the town hall. “Most of the people who have applied for ADUs in the last several years are more affluent, and that’s not okay. We should have the ability to have ADUs throughout the city.” 

What comes next in ADU Construction for Denver?

The proposal, introduced by Hinds and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Darrell Watson and Sarah Parady, underwent a public review period from April to June but has remained inactive since then.

The Denver Planning Board is set to hold a public hearing on the rezoning proposal on September 4. Following that, the City Council Land Use, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee is expected to review the proposal in October, with a final decision by the full City Council anticipated in November.

“It’s the right thing to do—to basically get government out of the way,” Hinds stated on Wednesday. “We don’t need this extra layer of bureaucracy. We’re simplifying some of our zoning codes to make the process more straightforward and transparent.”

Sustainable Design Build, 2024 Project Westiminster ADU Luxury Custom Home Progress.