By Aaron Goldhamer

 

    Here is some of the information concerning the City’s requested variance within existing C-MS-8 zoning for the Central Denver Recreation Center I mentioned today at our meeting. I’ve attached the zoning appeal, as well as a graphic presented at a Stakeholders meeting on 1/7/15 with a presentation from Brad Buchanan which shows a “Potential Future Development” area (last page of the file, note somewhat different parking arrangement). The hearing on the variance is at 11 AM on 4/7/15 in the Webb Building, room 2.H.14. Letters in support due by March 24th to brett.hahnenkamp@denvergov.org, opposition should contact the City Board of Adjustment at 720.913.3050

    As I mentioned, I think the variance makes sense to maximize the available space on the site. What that space may be used for, however, may be hotly contested.

 

    Below, some communications from Parks and Recreation:

    From Lauri Dannemiller, Executive Director of Denver Parks and Recreation (lauri.dannemiller@denvergov.org) —

    “The City’s planners and the design consultants have been hard at work designing the new recreation center at Josephine and Colfax. They have deliberately worked to create a design that fits well into the East Colfax Plan, which stresses dense, compact transit supportive mixed-use development.

    “To that end, the architects have planned a building that sits forward on the site along Colfax, adding a separate but integrated building for retail use and shrunk the overall footprint of the building and raised its height to create an ‘urban’ rather than a ‘suburban’ recreation facility. The design and site plan will be reviewed at public meetings later this spring/summer, and we feel that it will be well received by the surrounding community.

    “As we have progressed with the design process, we’ve run into an regulatory glitch with the zoning rules on the site. The most efficient layout places the parking lot for the recreation center between a primary/side street and the building. Under the current zoning for that location – C-MS-8 – parking is not allowed between a building and a primary/side street. (Josephine is the primary street and 16th Ave. is the side street).

    “Obviously, a recreation center needs parking, no matter how close to alternate forms of transportation and how many spots are gained in the shared parking with East High,. This is not only necessary for those using the recreation center, but it is also necessary to ensure those individuals aren’t taking up parking spots in the surrounding neighborhoods and business district. Consequently, we must seek a zoning variance from the Board of Adjustment (BOA), and we would like to solicit your support for that variance.”

From Jeff Green, Director of Communications and Marketing, Denver Parks and Recreation —

    “[The attached] current site plan of the [Recreation Center] shows where the proposed parking will be located IF the zoning variance is approved. Also attached is the application that the project team will submit to the Board Of Adjustment seeking the variance.

    “The attached site plan shows approximately 130 parking spots dedicated to the recreation center should the variance be approved. Without the variance, the current zoning would only allow us to put a small strip of parking spaces adjacent to the East High parking lot that would essentially provide only a handful of spots for staff parking, etc.”

    Thanks for reading, I will provide additional info as it becomes available, and encourage folks to provide input either way.

 

 

-Aaron Goldhamer

 

*Editor Note, the views expressed here are the views of Mr. Goldhamer and are not the official view of Congress Park Neighbors, Inc.  This article was obtained from an outside newsletter, Denver Democrats House District 8

 

 

 

    Details Can Be Found Here