If It Can Happen in Crestmoor Park, It Can Happen Anywhere

Pro-Developer Push Threatens Denver’s Quiet Neighborhoods

A community leader who specializes in zoning says there are likely to be more controversial zoning decisions in Denver’s future.

“If you think Park Hill’s quiet residential neighborhoods are protected from high-density development now clogging residential areas from Cherry Creek North to Sloan’s Lake, think again,” says attorney Greg Kerwin.

Kerwin is co-chair of the Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation’s Planning and Zoning Committee, and author of a recent published commentary, “Take Our City Back.”

In the Crestmoor Park neighborhood south of Park Hill, Kerwin and his neighbors are battling a proposed large apartment complex on a 2.3-acre site. The property, at 195 S. Monaco St., houses a church and is currently zoned for single-family homes, adjacent to Crestmoor Park.

Englewood developer Metropolitan Homes wants the property zoned for a three-story complex. The developer originally planned 120 units, but the zoning doesn’t control the density. So, if the Denver City Council approves a zoning change, the developers can build as many units as they can squeeze on the site.

“Every other stable neighborhood in Denver will be vulnerable,” says Kerwin. “If there’s a tiny church or school property that isn’t being used as much as it once was, it too, could soon be a target for developers.”

Controversial projects approved citywide

Even though zoning regulations are in place, the Denver City Council has recently shown a willingness to approve controversial rezoning requests. This has happened in Sloan’s Lake, Lowry, Highlands, and 2400 South University. In Park Hill, there was recent contention over a redeveloper’s plan to increase the number of units at an existing apartment building at 1520 Grape. A city mediator negotiated a settlement for that property. In Cherry Creek, neighbors were surprised at the large size of a project already zoned.

The Denver Planning Board approved the Crestmoor Park project over strong and vocal neighborhood objections, and forwarded the application to the City Council. Since then, Crestmoor Park residents have continued organizing opposition to the developer’s lobbyists and lawyers. The neighborhood website is at FriendsOfCrestmoorPark.org

Some Crestmoor Park neighbors contend their councilwoman, Mary Beth Susman, isn’t doing enough.

But Susman says she’s doing what is lawfully possible to protect the neighborhood. When the developer asked for more time to work with neighbors, for example, Susman agreed to postpone a hearing until June, the earliest possible given notification requirements. Even so, there’s still strong disagreement about when the hearing should be conducted. “It’s difficult to respond to see-sawing requests from constituents,” she says.

Despite overwhelming opposition from Crestmoor Park, as well as nearby Lowry, Hilltop, Montclair and Winston Downs neighborhoods, developers have refused to withdraw the application. After promising to work with neighbors, developers still propose 75 units, according to Kerwin.

That’s nearly 33 units to the acre – in contrast to the rest of Crestmoor Park where average density is about 2.6 units per acre, or about one house on every one-third of an acre. (That density is also the average in Park Hill.)

By contrast, in Lowry – where planners want to build a high-density “urban” neighborhood at Buckley Annex – the Lowry Redevelopment Authority proposes 11 units per acre.

‘Small area plans’ outdated

Crestmoor Park neighbors have scheduled a community meeting on May 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the BMH Synagogue, 560 S. Monaco Parkway. All are welcome to attend; the entrance is at the back side, from East Center Avenue.

According to Kerwin, Crestmoor Park residents believed their park and quiet residential neighborhood was safe from high-traffic redevelopment. “After all, our city reaffirmed single-family zoning in 2010. Blueprint Denver classifies Crestmoor Park as an area of stability,” he says. “Residents should be able to count on city planners to enforce existing zoning. City officials instead are trying to accommodate developers.”

Kerwin says planning board members have sent a strong message that high-density new buildings are welcome in residential neighborhoods.”

One Planning Board member, Joel Noble, recently praised community consensus “Small Area Plans” to protect neighborhoods. Kerwin says these plans can work well in neighborhoods that have them — like Noble’s Curtis Park neighborhood.

“Yet Noble and his planning board colleagues know well that most Denver neighborhoods either do not have small area plans, or like Park Hill, have old plans needing an update,” says Kerwin. “The planning department is moving very slowly to organize and fund the intense communication process needed for community consensus plans.”

Park Hill’s small area plan was adopted in the late 1990s. But it needs updating and may not be specific enough to block the city from approving rezoning, similar to what is now occurring in Crestmoor Park.

‘None of us win’

Kerwin also points out that the Planning Board and City Council regularly look beyond small area plans that get in the way of new high-density buildings. That’s what happened recently in South Sloan’s Lake. There, council approved a 12-story building next to the park, in apparent contradiction of a community-supported West Colfax Plan.

At the old Lowry Air Force Base site in east Denver, planners and the Lowry Redevelopment Authority are trying to work around the small area Lowry Reuse Plan because they want higher density, adds Kerwin.

“People who want high-density neighborhoods can choose them. Others — for instance older residents and those with young children or disabled family members for whom traffic is dangerous — can choose quieter neighborhoods,” says Kerwin. “None of us win if developers steamroll existing zoning laws and shoehorn their projects into any quiet neighborhood where they can purchase a building site.”

According to Kerwin, one solution gaining support among Denverites is approval of citizen initiatives to restrict the city council’s – and the mayor’s – future ability to rezone Denver’s parks and neighborhoods. “Stay tuned,” he says.

Dave Felice is Chairman of the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Board of Directors and a member of the National Writers Union Local 1981. He can be reached at chair@gphc.org.