PLAN GUIDANCE, ZONING CONCEPTS,

& DESIGN TOOLSCentral Platte Valley – Auraria Implementation

Community Open House #1 – July 31, 2018

Goals for the Open House

1. Remind everyone of the vision established for CPV-Auraria

through the Downtown Area Plan Amendment (10 mins)

2. Introduce potential zoning and design tools to implement

Plan Amendment recommendations (30 mins)

3. Gather feedback from everyone on what objectives and

related design tools are most important to achieve the vision

(and are we missing anything?) (30-45 mins)

Downtown Area Plan Amendment – Adopted June 11

• Central Platte Valley – Auraria

• Plan Area bounded by I-25,

Speer Blvd, and Auraria Pkwy

Downtown Area Plan Amendment – Adopted June 11

Downtown Area Plan Amendment – Adopted June 11

What You’ve Told Us

Summary of What You’ve Told Us

How Public Feedback was Addressed in the Plan• PROSPEROUS CITY

• Extending Downtown land use

• Diverse mix of uses

• Active ground floor

• DISTINCTIVE CITY• New/updated zoning standards and DSG to

promote quality design

• Ensure a minimum intensity

• Variety of building intensities/heights

• Calibrate intensity and transitions by area

• Pedestrian-oriented street frontage and

human-scale building design

• Streetscape and public realm standards

• Utilize the river as a public amenity

• WALKABLE CITY• Prioritize the pedestrian, not vehicles

• Connected, multimodal street network

• Flexible street grid with smaller, walkable blocks

• Connections to and along the river

• DIVERSE CITY• Range of housing options

• Variety of neighborhood serving businesses and

job opportunities

• GREEN CITY• New parks and public spaces and enhance

existing open space

• Energize edges of parks and public space with

active uses

• Embrace the river as a natural resource

• Address floodplain and environmental conditions

Plan Amendment Objectives – Zoning/Design• PROSPEROUS CITY

• Extending Downtown land use

• Diverse mix of uses

• Active ground floor

• DISTINCTIVE CITY• New/updated zoning standards and DSG to

promote quality design

• Ensure a minimum intensity

• Variety of building intensities/heights

• Calibrate intensity and transitions by area

• Pedestrian-oriented street frontage and

human-scale building design

• Streetscape and public realm standards

• Utilize the river as a public amenity

• WALKABLE CITY• Prioritize the pedestrian, not vehicles

• Connected, multimodal street network

• Flexible street grid with smaller, walkable blocks

• Connections to and along the river

• DIVERSE CITY• Range of housing options

• Variety of neighborhood serving businesses and

job opportunities

• GREEN CITY• New parks and public spaces and enhance

existing open space

• Energize edges of parks and public space with

active uses

• Embrace the river as a natural resource

• Address floodplain and environmental conditions

How do we move from the vision toward reality?

Are there existing zone districts today that would fully

achieve the Plan vision?

No, there are pieces here and there, but no comprehensive districts.

• Adopt new Zoning tools that …• Encourage a mixed-use neighborhood with active streets

• Support a variety of building heights and densities

• Locate higher intensity development near transit stations

• Promote equitable communities through incentives for mixed-income and

affordable housing

• Ensure access to an activated and restored South Platte River

• Establish Design Standards and Guidelines

Zoning vs. Design Standards and Guidelines

ZoningP

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• Generally quantitative…• Height, mass reduction, tower spacing• Ground & upper-story setbacks• Street level build-to and transparency• Parking location• Permitted uses

Design Review with Guidelines

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• Generally qualitative…• Building placement & open space• Vehicular access and parking• Building massing & articulation• Building materials & transparency• Scale transitions• Guidance for key streets

Creating New Zoning – the Process

• Text Amendment to DZC – Council Initiated (Brooks and Espinoza)

• Includes zone districts, building forms, applicable design standards, etc.

• New zone districts will not apply immediately to properties within the

CPV-Auraria Plan Area

• Will require individual property owners to request a rezoning

• Large, phased projects likely require additional master planning and

legal agreements to achieve rezoning

What zoning tools will promote a new neighborhood within Downtown?

What zoning tools will promote a new neighborhood within Downtown?

FLEXIBILITY FORDEVELOPMENT INTENSITY

What zoning tools will promote a new neighborhood within Downtown?

Flexibility for Development Intensity

ACCESS TO LIGHT AND AIR

What zoning tools will promote a new neighborhood within Downtown?

Flexibility for Development Intensity

Access toLight and Air

DIVERSE AND CONTEXT-SENSITIVE DESIGN

What zoning tools will promote a new neighborhood within Downtown?

Diverse and Context-Sensitive Design

HUMAN SCALE AND ACTIVE ENGAGING STREETS

Flexibility for Development Intensity

Access toLight and Air

Downtown Zone Districts with Appropriate IntensityTRANSITION DISTRICT(S)

• Generally lower intensity

• Appropriate transitions and

connections to existing

neighborhoods/buildings

RIVER DISTRICT(S)• Higher overall intensity

• Visual permeability and

active engagement of the

South Platte River

CENTER DISTRICT(S) • Highest overall intensity

• Leverage proximity of transit

• Flexibility of building forms

• Employment and

entertainment centers

Downtown Zone Districts with Appropriate Intensity

• Should be a minimum intensity

• Intensity is more important to

manage than overall height

• Tall buildings are appropriate

in certain locations, but they

should be thoughtfully shaped

and spaced

Tower Standards

• Taller buildings should have

stronger standards

• Protect access to sun, sky, and

views and limit impacts of shadows

• Tower Floor Plate maximum

• Tower Dimension maximum

• Tower Separation minimum

Variety in Building Forms

GENERAL STANDARD TOWER POINT TOWER

BUILDING FORMTRANSITION RIVER CENTER

General

Standard Tower

Point Tower

Variety in Building Forms

Enhancing Street-Level Experience

• Create richness in architectural

massing, detailing, and materials

• Activate the street with a mix of

residential and commercial uses

• Lower Story façade length

• Mass reduction standards

• Residential entries and setbacks

• Street level and upper story setbacks

• Non-Residential Use standards on Key Streets

• Design Standards and Guidelines

Limiting Effects of Vehicles and Parking

• Parking structures create large “dead”

zones and vehicular access points

disrupt an active street environment

• Limit visible parking (wrap with Active Use)

• Parking Maximum (no minimum requirement)

• Limit vehicle access to Alleys and Side Streets

• Height limits, mass reduction and tower standards

reduce space available for parking

Additional Topics Addressed in Combination with Zoning

• Parks, Open Space, and the River

• Connectivity, Parking, and Traffic

• Affordable Housing

Next Steps

• July 31, 5:30-7:30 pm, Commons on Champa – Public Meeting #1

• August 15 – Planning Board Info Item #2

• Mid September – Release Public Review Draft

• Mid September – Planning Board Info Item #3

• Late September – Public Meeting #2

• Late October/Early November – Planning Board Public Hearing

• November-December – City Council Adoption

Breakout Stations

• Create a New Neighborhood in Downtown

• Ensure Access to Light and Air

• Encourage Diverse and Context-Sensitive Design

• Promote Human Scale and Active Engaging Streets

• Downtown Area Plan Amendment and Additional Topics