Since 1921 - Jefferson County, Colorado

UPDATE - September 8

Big News on Wide Acres Density

Jeffco Planning & Zoning staff received informal word from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) that it agrees the Wide Acres neighborhood should receive exemptions from the density requirements of state law HB1313. The decision does not become final until additional steps are taken by the County and DOLA, which could be completed in the first half of 2027. We'll post here when that happens.

What that means: The Jeffco Comprehensive Plan (CP) is the document that guides future development in unincorporated areas of the county. A complete rewrite of the CP was approved in April. It recommends a density of 3 to 7 dwelling units per acre for new residential development throughout the unincorporated areas of Daniels Welchester, including the Wide Acres neighborhood. Without the exemptions, it's likely the County would have to modify the CP to allow developers to build high-density housing - both apartments and townhomes/condos - with densities of 20 to 40 units per acre within a quarter mile of Colfax. With the exemptions, the recommended use for future development remains Suburban Residential, the designation it received in April. Suburban Residential uses are primarily single-family houses and duplexes, which maintains the character of the neighborhood. See below for a more detailed description.

Future Land Use on Golden Hill

The vacant land on the hill north of the Daniels Park basketball court has been proposed for various high-density developments for more than a decade. The land is currently zoned for commercial use. In the new CP, the future use is designated appropriately as Mixed Residential, which is described as "predominantly comprised of detached residential units on smaller lots, with limited townhomes, apartments, and commercial uses" with a density of 7 to 15 dwelling units/acre. The last development proposal for the property, in 2023, had a density of 34 dwelling units/acre. We believe the exemptions will allow the County to maintain the Mixed Residential designation.

How we got here/What's next

When the draft plan showing high-density development in Wide Acres was released last summer, neighbors from Wide Acres and elsewhere in Daniels Welchester stepped up to oppose it. Many attended the County's open houses and submitted comments online. The County listened. Jeffco Planning & Zoning staff worked cooperatively with the DWNA (and the Applewood Valley Neighborhood Association, which was facing similar impacts) to address the concerns. We thank the County for its efforts to seek and receive the exemptions from DOLA.

We still have work to do. The County is rewriting two other documents that will impact future development in our neighborhood.

  • Central Plains Area Plan - The CP provides more general recommendations for future development. The area plan will provide more specific recommendations for individual neighborhoods. It can tighten the density recommendations and types of housing that are allowed.
  • Unified Land Use Plan (ULUC) - The County currently has multiple documents that direct how land is developed - Zoning Resolution, Land Development Regulation, Transportation Design and Construction Manual, and Storm Drainage and Technical Design Criteria. The ULUC will combine these into a single document that will contain everything from how properties are rezoned to lot sizes, setbacks and building heights for specific uses to technical requirements for land development.

Here are features of the Suburban Residential designation as described in the Comprehensive Plan.

SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL (SUB)

CHARACTER AND INTENT:

Suburban Residential areas are characterized by detached residential neighborhoods on moderate lot sizes with some attached residential units. Suburban residential areas are built on a highly connected street pattern and interspersed with schools, public facilities, walkable neighborhood amenities, parks, and trails. Suburban residential areas should be buffered from highways and main arterials. Existing mobile home parks should be preserved. Suburban Residential areas should be located within or adjacent to established urban growth centers where utilities, central water and wastewater treatment services, and other necessary services are readily available.

Following is a (partial) list of uses characteristic of SUB areas:

  • Detached single-unit residential units.
  • Attached single-unit residential units (duplexes and triplexes)
  • Where allowed by zoning, certain higher intensity uses such as fourplexes, townhomes, schools, community uses, recreational facilities, neighborhood and community parks, and open space.

Compatibility with existing neighborhood character and housing types should be acknowledged. Specific density distributions and transitions will be evaluated and refined during future Area Plan updates to ensure compatibility with surrounding development patterns, urban design principles and infrastructure capacity. Until Area Plans are updated, residential densities should generally be 3 to 7 du/acre.

Links to Information

State Law HB24-1313

In 2024, Governor Polis signed a bill – HB24-1313 – that mandates cities and counties allow developers to build high-density housing throughout the metro area. It designates “transit corridors,” which include all properties within a quarter mile of a high-frequency 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 under the law. The law also allows the State to grant exemptions for properties that meet certain criteria.


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

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