Committee advances small rezoning to move 14,000-square-foot parcel in Laredo Heights to campus core PUD
May 19, 2026 | Denver (Consolidated County and City), Colorado
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The Community Planning and Housing Committee forwarded a rezoning request for the former Laredo Heights campus to the full City Council after staff presented it as a narrow boundary adjustment that would not alter existing historic buildings.
"This property is located in Council District 2," said Fran Pena Pierre, principal city planner with Community Planning and Development, describing the request to reorganize the current PUD G24 and PUD G25 into new PUD G41 and PUD G42 and to move a 14,000-square-foot parcel from the residential PUD into the campus core PUD. "It's actually a pretty simple rezoning," she said, adding the change is intended to allow parking to serve the theater and library.
Staff emphasized the change is a map amendment and not a proposal to demolish buildings. "We're not touching any buildings," Pena Pierre said, and described proposed sub-area C standards that would reduce heights and add setbacks to ensure a transition to lower-intensity residential zones to the north and west.
Council members asked staff and Arts and Venues representatives about transportation demand management and parking ratios. "We refined the scope to the theater," said Matt Young of Denver Arts and Venues, noting the theater design anticipates about 700 seats and that the parking garage would provide roughly 215 spaces; he added that additional on-street public parking and campus bike racks are part of the mobility plan.
Pena Pierre said the rezoning aligns with Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver and the 2019 Laredo Heights small area plan and that Planning Board voted unanimously on May 6 to recommend approval. Staff also noted they received one public comment raising traffic concerns; that comment will be included in the City Council packet ahead of the boundary hearing.
Amanda Sawyer moved to send the map amendment to the full City Council; the motion was seconded and the committee indicated consent to advance the item.
Next steps: the item is expected to proceed to City Council for final action, with staff noting the earliest full council hearing could be June 29.
"This property is located in Council District 2," said Fran Pena Pierre, principal city planner with Community Planning and Development, describing the request to reorganize the current PUD G24 and PUD G25 into new PUD G41 and PUD G42 and to move a 14,000-square-foot parcel from the residential PUD into the campus core PUD. "It's actually a pretty simple rezoning," she said, adding the change is intended to allow parking to serve the theater and library.
Staff emphasized the change is a map amendment and not a proposal to demolish buildings. "We're not touching any buildings," Pena Pierre said, and described proposed sub-area C standards that would reduce heights and add setbacks to ensure a transition to lower-intensity residential zones to the north and west.
Council members asked staff and Arts and Venues representatives about transportation demand management and parking ratios. "We refined the scope to the theater," said Matt Young of Denver Arts and Venues, noting the theater design anticipates about 700 seats and that the parking garage would provide roughly 215 spaces; he added that additional on-street public parking and campus bike racks are part of the mobility plan.
Pena Pierre said the rezoning aligns with Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver and the 2019 Laredo Heights small area plan and that Planning Board voted unanimously on May 6 to recommend approval. Staff also noted they received one public comment raising traffic concerns; that comment will be included in the City Council packet ahead of the boundary hearing.
Amanda Sawyer moved to send the map amendment to the full City Council; the motion was seconded and the committee indicated consent to advance the item.
Next steps: the item is expected to proceed to City Council for final action, with staff noting the earliest full council hearing could be June 29.
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