Since 1921 - Jefferson County, Colorado

updated 12/17/25

UPDATE - December 17

We continue to work with staff at Jeffco Planning & Zoning on changes to the Comprehensive Plan. Here's the latest.

  • State law gives Jeffco some ability to spread the density around the county to reduce what would be allowed in Wide Acres and Applewood. It is actively pursuing other options.
  • The County is working on a plan to delay any zoning changes along bus routes and near rail stations until 2027, which is the compliance deadline in state law. That gives us more time to negotiate and for a new governor to take office.
  • The County is asking the state Department of Local Affairs to designate some or all of the parcels along our stretch of Colfax as “exempt,” which would reduce the impacts. The law allows the state to exempt parcels that meet certain criteria. We believe the Wide Acres neighborhood meets those criteria.

As we've mentioned before, the County is not the villain here. The law - HB24-1313 - pushed through by the governor in 2024 requires local governments to add high-density housing along bus routes and near light-rail stations. The County Planning staff is working with us to explore alternatives that would lessen the impact on Wide Acres.

Information about Jefferson County's draft Comprehensive Plan

CLARIFICATION: This is a confusing issue if you've never dealt with Jeffco's planning process. What the County is proposing is to allow developers to buy properties in the Wide Acres neighborhood to build high-density apartments and townhomes. The County will not - and cannot - force a property owner to sell their property or change what's on their property. Even if this passes, you can remain in your house as you always have for as long as you want. The reason the proposal is a major problem is that greedy developers can to buy up properties from willing sellers - even with trickery by pretending to be a regular homebuyer who will live in the house - and then it's very easy for them to get approval from the County to build large apartment and townhome buildings on those properties anywhere and everywhere in the neighborhood. And if that's next to your house, you may not want to live here anymore due to traffic, parking, noise and the loss of privacy and solitude. Over time, the whole neighborhood as we know it could be gone. That was the governor's intent when he introduced and signed the law.

Imagine if developers were allowed to build multi-story, high-density apartment and townhome buildings anywhere and everywhere between Colfax and Wide Acres Rd. That would happen under the draft proposal released in late June by Jefferson County. If the proposal is approved, 3- and 4-story apartment buildings could line the north side of Wide Acres Rd. and the streets connecting Wide Acres to Colfax, adding hundreds of apartments, people and cars to our neighborhood. Our neighborhood would become like Denver.

Links to Information

Here's What Happened

In 2023, the County launched its Together Jeffco initiative, a complete update of its land use codes and other planning documents. The process includes input from Jeffco citizens and many other stakeholders. In late June, the County released the latest draft of the Comprehensive Master Plan, which recommends what the County determines is the most appropriate land use for all areas of unincorporated Jeffco. In conjunction with the release of the draft CMP, the County released a new draft of its Future Land Use Map. The map sets the land use throughout the Wide Acres neighborhood as Urban Residential (description below), allowing high-density apartment buildings and townhomes just like you see in Denver anywhere in what now is a rural neighborhood with narrow streets and no sidewalks. The County is now accepting comments on both the draft CMP and draft map. Comments must be submitted by July 30.

State Law HB24-1313

In 2024, Governor Polis proposed and signed a bill – HB24-1313 – that MANDATES cities and counties allow Denver-type, high-density housing throughout the metro area. It designates “transit corridors,” which include all properties within a quarter mile of a bus route and half mile from a rail station. And that’s where super high-density developments, from 15 to 40+ dwelling units per acre, mostly go. The bill does not care what currently exists along those routes, including a 100-year-old neighborhood like ours. Some local governments – Arvada, Westminster, and others – have chosen to fight the mandate on state constitutional grounds of usurping the authority of local governments instead of complying, and have sued the governor. To date, Jeffco has chosen to comply.

High Density Housing Proposed for Wide Acres

The Wide Acres neighborhood dates back more than 100 years, making it one of the oldest in unincorporated Jeffco. It was established in 1921 and originally consisted of single-family homes on large lots. In more recent decades, both single-family homes, duplexes and some triplexes have been added on smaller lots. Many of the duplexes are rental properties, with a good number of long-term renters. There is also a group home for seniors.

When an earlier draft of the Comprehensive Plan was released in February, the County identified the best use for Wide Acres was to continue with its existing uses. But in the June draft, there was a dramatic change. The County proposed that Wide Acres transition from single-family homes and duplexes to an area of high-density apartment buildings and townhomes. The proposed densities start at 15 dwelling units per acre and should average 40 dwelling units per acre. That's a gigantic jump from the 3 to 3.5 dwelling units per acre that now exists. In the months since, we have been working cooperatively with County staff on possible changes to the CP to address neighborhood concerns.

Jeffco's Proposal

When an earlier draft was released in February 2025, it showed recommended land uses in the Wide Acres neighborhood and the south part of Applewood remaining essentially as they are today. But, it was changed for the latest draft due to the state law. Now, the neighborhoods on both sides of Colfax, are designated Urban Residential.

Click map to enlarge

URBAN RESIDENTIAL (URB) (from draft CMP)

Urban Residential development is encouraged in activity centers and along major transportation corridors, near a mix of other uses, near existing or planned transit, and supported by a multimodal transportation network. These areas should highly encourage bicycle and pedestrian facilities that access goods, services, employment, etc. while also providing direct connections to the transit network. These areas anticipate a mix of high-density, attached residential unit types including condominiums, apartments, multiplexes, along with preservation of mobile home parks. Maximum densities should be evaluated in conjunction with available services, impact on traffic and circulation, and relationship to adjacent planned and existing uses.

Residential uses should generally be more than 15 du/ac and an average 40 du/ac where high-frequency transit stations and corridors exist. Considerations and management strategies for high-density recommendations in Transit-Oriented Communities (TOCs) will be further detailed in the Area Plans and supported by transportation corridor studies.

  • Primary Uses: Attached residential units, large apartment and condominium complexes and multiplexes, mobile homes, townhomes, and care facilities.
  • Secondary Uses: Mixed uses (e.g., restaurants, office, retail), live-work units, ADUs, schools, community uses, recreational facilities, neighborhood parks, and open space.
  • Compatible Zoning: Higher density residential or mixed-use districts.
  • Existing County Example(s): Tanemara near South Simms and West Bowles avenues; Sixth Avenue West II Townhomes; and Redstone Ridge Condominiums.


To submit comments or questions, or to be added to our email list for updates, email us at protectwideacres@outlook.com