ADU Allowance for 336 Acre Denver Tract Advances

The Hale Neighborhood is one step closer to Carte Blanche for ADUs

The affected single-family homes surround an area of dense housing and commercial activity. (Courtesy of the City and County of Denver)

This map shows the affected properties in Denver's Hale neighborhood. (Courtesy of the City and County of Denver)

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On Jan. 17, the Denver planning board green-lit a map change that, if approved by City Council, will allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in almost all of the existing single-family homes in the Hale neighborhood.

The map change is, on paper, relatively minor. There's no change to the underlying zoning, but all of the existing zoning will gain a '1' designation (i.e. E-SU-Dx to E-SU-D1x). All that means is that residents will be able to add ADUs to their backyards without going through an onerous planning application.

The only residential areas left out of the change are apartment buildings and double-unit plots - which have no need for ADUs.

This case, #2023I-00093, stands out from the other ADU cases approved on Jan. 17. In those four applications (1, 2, 3, 4) a single homeowner is seeking re-zoning - presumably with plans already in place to add an ADU to their backyard. Those four cases combined total less than an acre. This rezoning, sponsored by 5th district council member Amanda Sawyer, would total 336 acres.

Of course, unlike the individual cases brought to the board, this case doesn't mean ADUs will actually be built on every plot in the neighborhood. It will, however, allow residents to bypass a long and onerous rezoning process if they ever decide to add one.

In a letter to the board included in the zoning application, Sawyer said the zoning aimed to "provide wealth-building opportunities and affordable housing."

The proposal divided residents, with comments both in support and in vehement opposition. According to a poll of residents conducted by Sawyer, 58% of residents approved of the plan and 37% were opposed - with a margin of error of 6.5%.

Board member Mary Coddington noted that though the rezoning would be a good first step to easing the city's housing crisis, it was ultimately only the bare minimum.

"This is truly the smallest amount of change we can have in a moment where we need to change this, and where aging in place and displacement is an issue across the whole city," she said.

With the board's unanimous approval, the proposal now moves to City Council - where Sawyer will likely shepherd it to passage.

But the point might eventually be moot. The board noted that the city is already looking at loosening ADU restrictions city-wide in a similar manner.

Said Andrew Webb, Principal City Planner, "At this point we're still working with several council members who are interested in sponsoring [that change]."