Government Action that Affects Your Property Value
The City and County of Denver’s zoning code was adopted in 1956. Since then it has been modified and revised many times to accommodate the changing needs of the community. At present there is a Zoning Code Task Force whose challenge it is to completely revise the code so that it is more closely aligned with Blue Print Denver’s vision of the future.
Residents want to buy and sell properties. Others want to invest in properties they already own. Yet the code, as it stands, often does not meet the needs of the community.
One issue that affects many property owners are the multi-family homes located in single-family zones. Many duplexes and triplexes were built in these neighborhoods prior to the adoption of the current code. They were “grandfathered” as “non-conforming uses.”
The effect of this non-conforming use is that the owner cannot modify the existing structure or add accessory structures like garages. If changes are made then the use of the structure must comply with current zoning. So a duplex, if modified, could only result in a single-family dwelling.
The Denver Community Planning Department has proposed a “language amendment” to the zoning code that would allow for these properties to be modified and to maintain their current use if the lot has 3000 square feet for each unit. This means that a duplex in a R-1 zone could be scraped and re-built in accordance with the specifications of an R-2 zone. Those property owners would benefit financially.
The impact on the neighborhoods is not yet known.
Blue Print Denver met on March 28th to review the proposed amendment and decided to table a decision until next month.
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