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Douglas County denies waiver for proposed Inverness multifamily project adjacent to Centennial Airport
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners denied a request to waive Douglas County zoning rules that prohibit multifamily residential in the Centennial Airport noise-sensitive zone. The Planning Commission had recommended denial and the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority and the FAA opposed the waiver.
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on June 10 denied a request for a waiver that would have allowed multifamily residential within the Centennial Airport noise-sensitive zone at 327 Inverness Drive South.
Jeanette Baer, filling in for Planning Services staff, said the applicant sought a waiver of the prohibition on multifamily residential uses in the noise-sensitive zone of the Centennial Airport Review Area (CARA), citing the Douglas County Zoning Resolution sections that define noise- and safety-related land-use restrictions. "Per table 19-1, multifamily residential is identified as a use prohibited" in the noise-sensitive zone, Baer said.
The applicant's representative, Andrew Baker of Baseline Engineering, told the board the proposal would adaptively reuse an existing three-story commercial building and convert upper floors to 53 residential units. Baker said the applicant provided an interior-noise study and a seven-day noise test and proposed recording a navigation easement and building upgrades to achieve interior day-night average sound levels (DNL) at or below 45 dB.
Airport representatives strongly opposed the waiver. Zack Gapehart, noise and environmental specialist for Centennial Airport speaking for the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority, urged denial and noted the parcel sits within the 65 DNL contour and borders the 70 DNL contour. "The FAA categorically defines areas above 65 DNL as incompatible with residential development," Gapehart said, noting the FAA’s formal opposition and safety concerns. He cited aircraft-related noise, smoke, dust, fumes and vibrations and warned of precedent-setting effects if the waiver were granted.
Other commenters included a nearby business owner who said frequent flight operations cause significant vibration and an array of residents who expressed noise and health concerns. Public comment and the Planning Commission testimony emphasized neighborhood compatibility, security concerns raised by an adjacent government contractor, and that the Planning Commission recommended denial 7-1 on May 19.
Staff noted its noise consultant reviewed the applicant's studies and found acceptable interior noise levels could be met with mitigation measures; staff included proposed conditions if the board had chosen to approve the waiver such as recording a navigation easement, implementing building upgrades to achieve interior DNL below 45, and continuing the full Use by Special Review (USR) hearing if the waiver were granted.
After discussion, including commissioners’ concerns about public-health, safety and the weight of Airport and FAA opposition, the board voted to deny the zoning resolution waiver for Inverness Filing 9, Lot 3 (project file US2024-011).
