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City staff previews broad Centennial Municipal Code and Land Development Code amendments to planning commission
Summary
City of Centennial staff presented a check-in on proposed CMC and LDC amendments on April 23, seeking Planning and Zoning Commission feedback on a large package of code cleanups and clarifications.
City of Centennial staff on April 23 presented an informational check-in to the Planning and Zoning Commission on a package of proposed Centennial Municipal Code (CMC) and Land Development Code (LDC) amendments and sought commissioner feedback; the commission did not vote on any amendments at the meeting.
Jess LaCambra, planner with the City of Centennial, said the proposed changes are intended to keep city regulations "relevant and clear," by correcting outdated references, clarifying measurement methods and processes, and addressing recurring implementation questions. "From time to time we need to fix or clean up some minor errors or better streamline a process, clarify existing standards or respond to reoccurring issues," LaCambra said.
LaCambra outlined several topic areas staff expects to advance. Key items include: revising Article 12 (nonconformities) to clarify what is conforming and nonconforming; updating language that references fire-lane approvals to reflect that South Metro Fire District, not the city, approves fire lanes; cleaning up public‑hearing language for text amendments; and correcting cross-references in two wireless communications sections (including conditional-use references previously tied to City Council review).
Staff also proposed operational and technical changes: repealing a public-hearing subsection for pattern books (the city no longer accepts new pattern-book applications); prohibiting recycled asphalt and recycled concrete as surfacing materials for parking and outdoor storage areas because of stormwater concerns raised by Southeast Metro Stormwater Authority; removing an Arapahoe County recorder's block from rezoning application requirements; requiring a letter of authorization with variance applications to verify applicant authority; and adding an expiration process for conditional-use permits (similar to site plans) with a proposed three-year expiration and possible extensions upon review.
Other clarifications discussed included adopting thresholds to distinguish accessory outdoor storage from primary storage-yard use within Employment Center / Light Industry zones; standardizing how accessory dwelling unit (ADU) height is measured (using the average grade and midpoint of the highest roof slope to match how principal structures are measured); clarifying that attached garages on ADUs do not count toward an ADU square-footage cap; and allowing ADUs in the NC-2A zone district the same exceptions for height and setbacks that other accessory structures enjoy.
Commissioners sought additional detail on several items. Commissioner Fisher asked for examples of frequently recurring problems; LaCambra said many issues stem from the ADU/attached‑garage language and from applying urban center standards to irregular lots. Commissioner Hunt asked whether the ADU height-measurement change would create opportunities to manipulate grade; staff said the measure is intended to match how principal structures are measured and keep residential scale consistent. Commissioner Panek asked whether new commercial patio standards would apply only to new construction or also grandfather existing patios; staff said the standards would apply to new or redeveloped patios and that existing patios would be legal nonconforming.
City staff also described code changes aimed at flexibility in urban-center build-to-line and floor/ceiling standards to better accommodate irregular lot lines and grade changes, and said revisions would be mindful of public-right-of-way and sidewalk requirements during site-plan review. Staff noted they will work with the city attorney's office on clarifying the appeals process for administrative land‑use decisions so applicants and staff understand which decisions are appealable to city council and which are final administrative actions.
LaCambra said the amendments are a running list of recurring questions and code cleanup items; the Planning and Zoning Commission's review and recommendation on specific draft language is tentatively scheduled for May 14, with a public hearing to follow. The presentation did not result in any formal action at the April 23 meeting.
