DENVER — A plan to eliminate minimum parking requirements in the City of Denver has just cleared its first hurdle.
Denver’s zoning code currently requires a minimum number of parking spaces for new construction project.
Right now, market-rate apartments require one parking space per dwelling unit, with restaurants requiring nearly four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of indoor space.
Under the new proposal, developers would be able to choose how many parking spots, if any, to include in building plans.
It coincides with a similar state law that goes into effect this summer, which eliminates parking minimums in certain areas of certain cities.
“We still feel that parking will still be built by developers,” explained Ryan Huff, Denver Community Planning & Development communications director. “I think downtown is a good example where we don't have any minimum parking requirements for developments, [and] people still build parking.”
The issue in Denver is now before City Council for the first time.
“It’s not going to be a dramatic move where suddenly you don’t get any new parking built,” Denver City Councilmember At-Large Sarah Parady told fellow councilmembers at the Land Use, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee meeting on May 20.
Removing parking minimums could potentially save COVID-era patios at restaurants and bars — depending on the proposal's final language.
Many of those businesses expanded their patios into street level parking spaces. Those business owners told Denver7 the outdoor spaces have helped benefit their bottom line.
"These patios can make or break us in the summertime,” Dive Inn managing partner Jason Tietjen told Denver7. “Now that we've had it, it's essential."
Dive Inn was fighting to keep its patio open earlier this spring with the hope that the parking minimums issue would go before Denver City Council in the next few months.
Others, like Cerebral Brewing, weren’t so lucky — and were forced to cut their patio space in half to comply with current parking minimums.
“Those businesses, under this new proposal could push out more patio space, because there would not be the minimum parking requirements,” explained Huff.
Others, like those who live, work and play on Tennyson Street, say parking is already bad enough with existing parking minimum requirements.
“I mean, with all the new businesses — which are great — coming in, we love the neighborhood because of that, but [parking is] now overflowing into the neighborhoods for sure,” said longtime Berkeley neighborhood resident Jay Klein.
“This street offers everything, truly, but parking. It's getting a little crowded,” said Lady Jones employee Liv Van Vranken.
Denver City Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval, who represents District 1, echoed these concerns during Tuesday’s Land Use, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee.
“Tennyson has already seen mass redevelopment with not much parking, there’s smaller lots,” said Sandoval. “There’s some who are really going to like this and it’s going to benefit [them]. And there’s some where there’s actually going to be some heated emails that come in. 'Cause it is such a problem.”
The proposal will next head to full Denver City Council on June 10 with a public hearing to get community members' opinions.
A final vote is expected on July 7.
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