Page 32 - Denver, CO Adaptive Reuse Program

• Provide parking relief for projects that are bringing their
buildings into compliance with the Main Street goals of
locating the building at the street (by adding on in front for
existing buildings that are set back on the lot), but that as a
result lose parking spaces in the process. Consider reducing
the parking requirement for these properties, permitting flex-
ibility in the location of the parking on the site, and reducing
the required parking landscaping to maximize the parking
space potential.
• For projects located near a proposed BRT station (in an es-
tablished radius), incorporate maximum parking allowances
and incentivize the use of BRT rather than automobiles. In-
centives could take many forms including providing addition-
al height, square footage, or reduced side or rear setbacks.
The goal with any incentive is for the space that would have
been set aside for parking to be used more productively in
the design of the site and building. Note that if this adaptive
reuse program is extended beyond the East Colfax corridor,
BRT could be equated with other transit methods.
• Consider establishing a parking district and/or allow a fee
in-lieu to promote shared/public parking rather than bas-
ing parking requirements only on a single site. In order to
accomplish this effectively, a parking study is needed. The
requirements for conducting a Shared Parking Analysis can
be found in Section 10.4.5.4.E of the Zoning Code.
• For applicants with sites that contain parking spots that are
no longer permitted (such as pull-in parking directly from
Colfax that is located in front of the building, or parking
spots along the side of a building that result in cars extend-
ing over the sidewalk), work more directly with the applicant
to help with project planning. Some applicants with these
conditions may have purchased the property assuming all
parking is up to current code and meets the requirements
they need to park the site for their business. In order to reme-
dy this issue, consider the following:
o Include information in the User’s Handbook to edu-
cate an adaptive reuse applicant that properties did not
always receive proper permits to approve the existing
parking spaces.
o If an applicant still comes to staff assuming their park-
ing spaces are permitted, work with the applicant to
determine which are approved. Study the site carefully
to determine whether a few of the spots can remain, or
if the parking requirement can be reduced or removed
(especially if it is near the train, a BRT stop, or a shared
parking location.)

28 City of Denver, CO