DENVER - Denver’s City Council will soon consider a proposal aimed at preserving businesses in the historic Berkeley-Regis neighborhood in Northwest Denver.
District 1 City Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval is proposing a rule that would require large new developments to set aside 75% of ground floor space closest to the street for retail shops, cafes, restaurants, and office space.
“When we updated the Denver zoning code in 2010, it created these mixed-use areas. And as redevelopment has occurred, we’re seeing more purely residential infill going into the areas instead of the mixed-use unique character that drew a lot of us to this area,” said Sandoval. “People who move into Northwest Denver, they want to be able to walk Tennyson St. and be able to go to a yoga studio or be able to take their child to the dentist or go get your haircut."
Sandoval said the proposal to limit this kind of redevelopment is something residents of the neighborhood have discussed for years.
“We finally are bringing forward a solution that I’m applying to Northwest Denver but could potentially be applied to other areas of the city,” said Sandoval.
Sandoval expects the full council to vote on the proposal this Spring.