An unintended consequence of the zoning regulations approved in Denver 2010 zoning code has been the proliferation of "slot homes": like rowhouses but without the street-facing entryways and engagement with the public realm.
"City planners proposed a set of new zoning rules Monday after grappling for more than a year with how to address complaints surrounding the influx of slot homes in fast-redeveloping neighborhoods including Jefferson Park, Five Points and Cherry Creek North," reports Jon Murray.
The primary complaint against slot homes is the lack of street-facing entryways, according to Murray—a design quirk that is not exclusive to Denver.
"Slot homes have drawn the most complaints when developers buy up one or two lots in a residential neighborhood and use zoning allowing rowhouses," according to Murray. "These aren’t traditional rowhomes: The buildings, to some, resemble shoe boxes, with all units built in a structure that’s perpendicular to the street, and often with a drive aisle and garages beneath."
The new zoning rules would amend Denver's 2010 zoning code with "more stringent" regulations on building orientation, setbacks, and height, among other metrics.
FULL STORY: Denver zoning amendment proposal would rein in “slot” homes in older neighborhoods
Denver Bans 'Slot Homes,' But Not Before They Changed Neighborhoods
Aerial photos show just how completely some areas of the city were transformed before the building typology was eliminated earlier this week.
Denver Wants Ground Floor Retail, Sidewalk Extensions to Achieve Main Street 'Vibe'
The Arts District on Santa Fe Drive is considered one of Denver's final frontiers for revitalization. Local stakeholders are targeting zoning changes as a potential solution.
Q&A: A Career at the Cutting Edge of Long Range Planning
The following interview, as published in the 4th Edition of the Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs, features Peter Park, owner of Peter J Park, LLC and an instructor at the University of Colorado-Denver and Harvard University.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
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