Development Standards: Density
Zoning Code Amendments
Issue Summary:
• Wheat Ridge has one of the lowest
residential density maximums of any
community in Denver metro, including
Lakewood, Arvada, and Golden.
• The Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy
recommends allowances for higher
density at strategic locations in the City.
• The intent is to preserve the existing low
density neighborhoods but allow higher
densities to meet the economic realities of
development at key areas (e.g, around a
transit station and on busy corridors such
as Wadsworth.)
Current Code:
• Maximum density in a straight residential
zone district (allowed by right): 12 dwelling
units/acre.
• Maximum density in a Planned
Residential or Planned Mixed Use
Development (public process): 16 dwelling
units/acre.
Key Recommendations:
• Increased density allowance for Planned
Residential and Planned Mixed Use
Developments up to 21 dwelling
units/acre, matching the city’s charter.
• Each Planned Development requires a
public process with public hearings.
The Residential-Three (R-3) district is the highest
density straight zone district in Wheat Ridge, at 12
dwelling units per acre. The top two examples
represent two developments built in compliance with
the R-3 standards at the time of construction for
number of units and the design of the buildings.
• The above examples represent projects near
Wheat Ridge that are in high demand,
representing more compact development
patterns that encourage walking and transit use.
They would also likely not be allowed anywhere
in the City, under the current density maximums.
• Both of these examples would be in compliance
with the Architectural and Site Design Manual.
Architectural and
Site Design Manual
• In 2007, the Architectural and
Site Design Manual was
adopted. The regulations in
this document are applicable
to commercial, industrial, and
multi-family buildings. The
examples of existing R-3
development would not be in
compliance with the ASDM.
What does 21 dwelling units/acre look like?
The above example is a development with about
20 dwelling units/acre.
Development Standards - Parking
Zoning Code Amendments
Issue Summary:
• The zoning code regulates parking on a
number of different levels – e.g., how
many spaces a business or residence
needs, where parking lots should be
located, and how larger parking lots
should look.
• Many properties in Wheat Ridge are
“overparked” and could benefit from lower
amounts of required parking and more
flexibility in the city’s parking standards.
Key Recommendations
• Provide allowance for parking reduction
procedure in certain situations - e.g.,
within and around a transit station, along
38th Avenue, and in mixed use
developments.
• Evaluate parking ratios and propose
reductions.
Current Code:
• Parking ratios (usually a # of spaces
required per square feet of building) vary
by land use.
• There are few provisions allowing for
parking reductions.
For many properties along 38th Avenue,
meeting current parking standards with
limited site area becomes a major obstacle
to redevelopment.
Development Standards: Residential Setbacks
Zoning Code Amendments
Issue Summary:
• Front setbacks are the distance a
structure sits from the front property line,
as indicated below.
Current Code:
• All residential districts have a required
front setback of 30 feet from the front
property line.
• Compare that to typical front setbacks in
residential districts in other area
jurisdictions.
25’
20’
15’
18’
Thornton
Arvada
Aurora
Denver
Golden
Jeff Co
Lafytte.
Boulder
Broomfield
Centennial
Englewood
Lakewood
Littleton
Louisville
Northglenn
Westminstr.
30’
Wheat
Ridge
Front Setback
• Front setbacks can have a significant
impact on the built environment in a
neighborhood - is it a walkable,
pedestrian-oriented street or an autooriented street?
Typical residential front setbacks in other jurisdictions.
Key Recommendations:
• Evaluate front residential setbacks and
propose reductions in some straight zone
districts. This evaluation will look at
existing conditions in various residential
neighborhoods in the City and any
potential impacts.
• Wheat Ridge has the highest required
front yard setbacks for residential districts
of any surrounding jurisdictions.
• Many established neighborhoods have
front setbacks in violation of the current
standards (closer to than street than what
is allowed under current standards).
What does a 20 foot setback look like?
Project Summary
Zoning Code Amendments
What are we doing?
Implementing amendments to the City’s
zoning code, or Chapter 26 of the Municipal
Code.
What is the Neighborhood Revitalization
Strategy (NRS)?
• The NRS was adopted in 2008 as a means
to “assist the City in returning to a vibrant
community with healthy housing markets
Why are we doing it?
and thriving commercial centers needed to
To implement many of the recommendations generate fiscal sustainability”.
from the Neighborhood Revitalization
• This document provides numerous
Strategy and revise many outdated
recommendations to achieve these goals,
provisions in the code.
many of which relate to amendments to the
City’s zoning code.
How are we doing it?
A phased approach to these amendments
will be implemented. Amendments proposed
have been grouped by short, mid, and long
term timeframes. This open house focuses
on the short term amendments.
What’s in a zoning code?
The zoning code is one of the most powerful
tools for shaping the City’s built environment
and encouraging economic development.
For example, it regulates:
• The size and scale of buildings, and where
they can be located on a property
• What types of land uses (residential,
commercial, industrial) are allowed and
where they may be allowed
• How many parking spaces are needed for
different types of land uses
• How much landscaping is needed on a
property
• How land should be subdivided, including
lot sizes and lot configuration as well as
street connectivity
• What types of procedures are needed for
different applications – subdividing,
rezoning, variances/waivers to standards,
etc.
Project Summary
Zoning Code Amendments
NEIGHBORHOOD
REVITALIZATION
STRATEGY 9
Zoning Code
2008-2010
Short Term
Mid Term
List of Proposed Short Term Amendment
Issues
1. Parking
2. Extended stay lodging
3. Planned development density
4. Residential front setbacks
5. Planned development amendments
6. City initiated zone changes
7. Assembly of R-3 land
8. Zoning district boundary discrepancies
9. Residential group homes
10. Floodplain administrator duties
Long Term
Zoning Code at a Glance…
Procedures
Zoning Code Amendments
Issue Summary:
• Development review procedures for different
types of land use applications are set forth in the
zoning code. Land use applications include
rezonings, variances/waivers to standards, and
special use permits.
• Some of the procedures in the code are in need
of revision - whether it be more streamlined
review or entirely new procedures.
Amendments to Planned Developments
• Each planned development in Wheat Ridge
establishes its own set of development standards
and allowed uses. Many planned developments
have multiple properties involved.
• Often times market conditions change and new
development does not fit within these standards.
• In these cases, amendments to these planned
developments are required. These amendments
require written consent of all property owners in
the planned development.
• This may present an obstacle to encouraging
reinvestment in some of the City’s planned
developments.
Planned Development Districts (shaded)
Key Recommendations
• Allow a minimum amount of affected property
owners to submit applications for amendments to
planned developments.
• Evaluate the need for greater flexibility for
variances to planned developments.
Example of Wheat Ridge
Development Review Process
Procedures
Zoning Code Amendments
Zone District Boundary Discrepancies
• There are numerous properties in the City
that contain multiple zoning district
boundaries. Some boundaries even run
through buildings.
• This presents substantial challenges to
developing or redeveloping these
properties.
Assembly of Land for Multi-Family
Development
• The current code restricts the ability for
an applicant to consolidate lots for multifamily development.
• Most lot consolidations are
administrative. When lot consolidations
are proposed on multi-family zoned
property however, any such application
requires hearings before Planning
Commission and City Council. This
makes land assembly in areas where
multi-family may be appropriate and
desirable difficult.
Key Recommendations
• Evaluate the need to provide less
Key Recommendations
restriction on multi-family development
• Provide a clearer, more expedited process
as it relates to lot consolidation.
for dealing with “split zoned” properties.
Floodplain Administrator Duties
• The City’s floodplain administrator has
limited authority to use discretion in
approving construction in a floodplain that
clearly will not have a negative impact.
Key Recommendations
• Provide language allowing the floodplain
administrator to use discretion in
approving minor permits (fences, sheds,
etc.) in the floodplain.
City Initiated Zone Changes
• The City can initiate zone changes on
property. These zone changes,
however, can only be to a “less
intensive” zone district. For example a
zone change from residential to
commercial is not allowed but a zone
change from commercial to residential is
allowed.
• This restricts the City’s ability to initiate
zone changes to zone districts that may
be appropriate to provide an incentive for
redevelopment.
Key Recommendations
• Evaluate the allowance for City-initiated
zone changes from less intensive to
more intensive zone districts.