Council adopts Midtown Centennial Overlay District, sets four‑story minimum near I‑25

The City Council on June 17 approved Ordinance 2025‑O‑08 to adopt the Midtown Centennial Overlay District, a new geographic overlay that adds a four‑story minimum for residential development in close proximity to Interstate 25 and requires visual screening standards for parking visible from the highway.

Senior planner David King told council the overlay is focused on a narrow band of properties measured 300 feet from the I‑25 property line and light‑rail proximity, and that residential development in that hatched area would “must be a minimum of 4 stories in height regardless of zone district.” King said only primarily residential stories count toward that minimum; structured parking or a single residential story above parking would not satisfy the requirement.

Why it matters: Midtown is a visible, limited set of parcels adjacent to I‑25 with potential for higher‑value redevelopment. Staff said market dynamics had produced lower‑density residential projects on those parcels and that a targeted overlay would concentrate greater height along the highway while allowing lower‑rise housing types inland. The overlay also includes requirements to screen surface parking visible from I‑25 with masonry walls, berms or hedges (waivable if parking sits at least five feet below highway grade and cars are not visible), and to camouflage and treat parking structures so headlights and parked cars are not prominent from the highway.

Council members asked a range of implementation questions. Councilmember Sheehan noted planning materials mentioning a five‑story minimum and asked why staff selected four stories; King said four stories were chosen to allow projects to move forward under current market conditions while raising a floor above the typical three‑story courtyard or townhome form. Councilmember Sutherland asked whether murals or public art would be allowed on garage façades; King said artistic or architectural treatments are not prohibited and the code language is intended to encourage design solutions that conceal the garage function.

The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval on May 28 by a 7‑0 vote. If approved as adopted, the overlay will take effect 31 days after publication.