Centennial planners outline multi-year implementation steps for Midtown vision, highlight sewer modeling and funding options

David King, senior planner with the city, told the Planning & Zoning Commission on Sept. 24 that implementing the Midtown Centennial vision will be a multi-year effort combining land-use review, code changes and coordination with regional partners.

"This implementation process will take years for Midtown," King said, emphasizing that work will occur across multiple development cycles and will lean on frameworks rather than prescriptive land uses.

The commission heard that implementation falls into two broad categories: land-use implementation, which includes subarea plan guidance, rezoning and possible amendments to the Land Development Code (LDC); and city-policy implementation, which centers on fiscal analysis, governing and funding tools and partnerships with external agencies.

King said the city can use a subarea plan to give decision-makers and staff clear guidance when projects come in. He noted the Midtown Centennial overlay district, adopted earlier this year, currently emphasizes building height along I‑25 and parking screening and could be expanded to include public‑realm design standards, frontage and tree-preservation measures.

On fiscal and infrastructure work, King said the city has engaged consultant EPS to analyze development scenarios and fiscal impacts. "What we've seen from EPS is that new residential development is a benefit for the city when compared to the existing commercial development that's within Midtown today," King said, adding that low current valuations for office buildings mean residential redevelopment may produce net fiscal benefits under several scenarios.

King also described a modeling partnership with Southgate Sanitation District supported by a DOLA grant. Staff provided Southgate a range of redevelopment scenarios for Midtown; Southgate’s modeling "didn't reveal any areas that would need significant upgrades," King said, and the district concluded its normal fee structure could cover any necessary changes. King said Southgate now has modeled data the district can use on future site-specific reviews at lower cost.

Commissioners raised implementation concerns and priorities. Commissioner Hunt urged early attention to safety, saying, "If I'm gonna take my kids to Midtown, I wanna make sure it's safe." King said the city has discussed changes with the sheriff's office and that activated, mixed-use neighborhoods generally bring more "eyes on the street" than vacant office parks.

Commissioner Lemasters recommended exploring crime-prevention-through-environmental-design (CPTED) principles. Commissioner Fisher asked when on-the-ground elements such as signage and wayfinding might appear; King said much will depend on development activity and city council priorities, but some municipal signage planning could begin next year.

Commissioner Panick asked how the city will monitor progress over time. King said the subarea plan is intentionally framed to be resilient rather than prescriptive and described ongoing monitoring, selective studies (for example East Midtown work funded through a DRCOG grant) and future policy conversations with council to recalibrate priorities.

Commissioner Unger urged including the Colorado Department of Transportation for long‑range items such as a potential pedestrian bridge over I‑25. King said large infrastructure projects will require coordination with RTD, CDOT, Arapahoe County and other partners.

On tree and landscaping concerns, King said the Civitas work documented existing mature trees and that a tree-preservation program for Midtown is worth studying to avoid losing established canopy as redevelopment occurs.

King said the city expects the subarea plan to return to the commission "before the end of this year"; the commission serves as the adopting body for the subarea plan and city council ratifies the commission's adoption. He described next steps including design guidelines, targeted studies (transportation, utilities, water quality and detention), partner engagement and analysis of funding/governing tools such as a downtown development authority, business improvement district, urban renewal or municipal or metropolitan district structures.

Staff updates after the Midtown presentation noted City Council approved a Colorado Public Radio rezoning on Aug. 19 and that demolition is under way at the former Arrow property at 9201 E. Dry Creek Road.

The commission did not take any formal Midtown land-use votes at this meeting; King and staff requested feedback and answered commissioners' questions as the subarea plan and related studies continue.