Denver officials Thursday released a diagnostic report on the city’s zoning code, completing the first phase of a years-long plan to overhaul and simplify codes.
The report is essentially a statement of where Denver zoning is today.
“It identifies what is right and what is wrong with the zoning code,” said Diane Barrett, co- chairwoman of a zoning code task force.
She said the report pays particular attention to what is wrong.
Ultimately, city officials hope the zoning code overhaul will help them deal more effectively with issues like the increasing rate of controversial teardowns in the city’s older neighborhoods.
Thursday’s report identifies issues in the city’s established neighborhoods as well as areas that are changing.
Planning director Peter Park said the actual zoning code is thicker than a phone book. But in 1925, it was half an inch thick.
“A lot of really nice neighborhoods were built under” the 1925 rules, Park said. He said the code should be simple again.
“If these are the laws governing our future, why in the world should we make it so mysterious?”
Park said officials hope to complete the next phase – figuring out a method to solve the zoning issues – by next year.
The task force began a series of public meetings to present the report Wednesday. Officials will hold more meetings at various locations Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-820-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
