Wheat Ridge approves rezoning for 39‑unit Blue Columbine cohousing on West 40th Avenue

Wheat Ridge City Council voted unanimously Aug. 25 to rezone two parcels at 11571 and 11581 West 40th Avenue from Agricultural‑1 (A‑1) to Planned Residential Development with an approved Outline Development Plan, clearing the way for Blue Columbine, a proposed 39‑unit cohousing community with a common house and shared amenities.

The zone change was the subject of a public hearing and an extended staff presentation. Stephanie Stevens, senior planner with the City of Wheat Ridge Community Development Department, told council the 3.33‑acre site would be organized with denser, multiunit buildings along 40th that step down to townhomes, duplexes and carriage houses toward the north and a large central common green. The Outline Development Plan (ODP) sets development standards that generally follow the city's R‑3 standards but adopt tailored height transitions, a three‑story limit on multiunit buildings and a 40 percent open‑space requirement, Stevens said.

"The proposed density is comparable to what would be allowed in the city's R‑3 zone district," Stevens said, noting city charter density limits and that the ODP yields 39 units where code could allow up to 69 units at the charter density cap.

The applicant team described cohousing as an owner‑occupied, intentionally social model in which future residents organize as the primary ownership group and share a heavily amenitized common house. Bob Wilson of Caddis Collaborative, the project's design lead, said the common house would include dining and kitchen space, an exercise studio, guest rooms and other shared uses. Brian Bowen, who joined the applicant team online, and Lisa Ramos, who said she expects to be a future resident, answered council questions about ownership structure and resident involvement in design.

Council members asked about utilities, building types and how the ownership would be structured. Brian Bowen said the project intends to use condominium legal form under Colorado law so individual units are owned with shared common elements; Bowen said that model is the closest statutory fit for the cohousing cooperative concept and that units are expected to be owner‑occupied in practice.

Several planning and design details were described during the hearing: the ODP proposes on‑site parking at a minimum of one space per unit, enhanced street‑facing facades along 40th Avenue, a required build‑to line facing 40th, underground stormwater detention, and landscaped buffers and a six‑foot opaque perimeter fence where the project borders lower‑density properties.

Planning commission recommended approval at its July 17 public hearing, and staff recommended approval to council. After closing the public hearing, Councilor Dan Larson moved approval on second reading; Councilor Leah Dozeman seconded. The clerk polled the council and the motion carried "All ayes, no nays." The ordinance will be published and take effect 15 days after final publication as provided by the charter.

Why it matters: the rezoning implements the city's stated intent to add housing variety along the 40th Avenue corridor and responds to adopted and draft comprehensive plan guidance supporting a mix of housing types in that corridor.

What happens next: with ODP approval the applicant may proceed later to a specific development plan/site plan and, eventually, subdivision and building permits. Council emphasized that detailed engineering, neighborhood notification and site‑level reviews will occur during those subsequent steps.

Additional context from the hearing: the applicant represented the project as owner‑driven cohousing rather than a speculative development; Stevens said the ODP's northern planning area would remain primarily open space to buffer adjacent lower‑density residential uses. Parking, on‑site stormwater management, and transitions in building height were cited repeatedly as staff‑recommended measures to reduce impacts to neighboring properties. The application materials—zoning ordinance, comprehensive plan text and ODP—were entered into the record as the staff presentation began.

Ending: Council members who spoke in favor described the project as an innovative, owner‑driven housing model that fits goals for additional housing along 40th Avenue and supported sending the ODP forward to site‑level review and permitting.