The Merits of a Conservation Overlay for Congress Park
Neighbors
Recently Congress Park Neighbors RNO did a survey asking you about the characteristics in our neighborhood that mattered the most to you and those that created the most concern. Neighbors responded from across the neighborhood. Many comments echoed similar desires. There is a great love of trees, adjacent parks, walkability, and the historic nature, scale and mix of our neighborhood. Concerns were also similar, traffic and the loss of historic housing to demolition.
This led us to ask you to consider the idea of a Conservation Overlay for the neighborhood. The housing stock of Congress Park is of exceptional integrity. It is one of the country’s largest intact neighborhoods of historic Victorians, Denver Squares and Bungalows. The area of Congress Park involved would be approximately 153 blocks that are zoned for residential use. A Conservation Overlay is not an HOA, a Landmark District or the addition of a design review committee. A Conservation Overlay is a set of zoning rules which better ensures that new construction blends into the established forms and context within the neighborhood. It does not change the permitted use or prevent demolition. The size and shape of the envelope would reflect the scale of existing buildings in Congress Park, as well as encourage the preservation of existing homes.
In Congress Park, 84% is zoned residential. Of the residential housing almost 48% is some form of multifamily. The East Central Area plan for our neighborhood encourages adaptive reuse for older buildings. Reusing existing buildings, rather than demolishing can help keep rents lower than new buildings, it is more sustainable for the environment and helps to retain the neighborhood’s look and feel. It is important to have a residential code that removes barriers to additions and renovations while creating incentives for preserving existing housing, including multiunit buildings that add character. It is also important to ensure that scale and design quality of new construction is compatible with the neighborhood.
Congress Park Neighbors is planning a presentation from the Planning Department at our August 21st neighborhood meeting. This will provide information about what Conservation Overlays can do for our neighborhood and give you an opportunity to ask questions. We hope to see you there and, in the meantime, please reach out with questions and comments.
Vicki Eppler
President, Congress Park Neighbors, Inc.
Anyone who has ever tried to make sensible changes to their house within one of Denver’s historic districts knows that the idea of a conservation overlay could easily lead to some very restrictive and bureaucratic regulations that would be burdensome and expensive for a homeowner. In historic districts for example, contractors are reluctant to even take on jobs due to delays and difficulties with the entire process..
This could be a very slippery slope and unnecessary.
A Conservation Overlay is not an HOA, a Landmark District or the addition of a design review committee. A Conservation Overlay is a set of zoning rules which better ensures that new construction blends into the established forms and context within the neighborhood. It does not change the permitted use or prevent demolition. The size and shape of the envelope would reflect the scale of existing buildings in Congress Park, as well as encourage the preservation of existing homes.