Council declines to call up Arapahoe form‑based code project after split vote

Council debated whether to "call up" a form‑based code application for a five‑story mixed‑use building proposed at 5501 and 5505 Arapahoe (LUR2025‑2‑00027). Calling the project up would bring it from administrative/site‑review to council consideration but would not change the code standard that governs review.

Council member Wallach and others said they were concerned the form‑based code had produced a result they found aesthetically disappointing; Council member Benjamin, among others, emphasized that the developer had followed the code and that the body established the code to create predictable outcomes. Brad Mueller (planning staff) confirmed that a call‑up would be reviewed under the code that was in place at the time of processing.

Council took a show‑of‑hands vote and the motion to call up the project failed 4–5. Several councilors said the right remedy for perceived shortcomings is to revise the form‑based code itself rather than penalize an applicant who followed the rules. No changes to the project's approval status occurred at the meeting.