City council remands Valley View Estates plan after neighbors cite traffic, drainage and setback concerns

Westminster City Council remanded the Valley View Estates preliminary development plan (PDP) and official development plan (ODP) back to the planning commission on a 6-0 vote after a public hearing on May 19, 2025.

Neighbors who live around the site at the northeast corner of West 100th Avenue and North Elliot Street told council the developer’s plan raises safety and livability issues, including vehicle speeds and sight lines on the 6% grade of North Elliot, the number and placement of driveways, proximity of three‑story walkout units to existing backyards, and whether a private HOA can reliably maintain the proposed drainage features.

The council’s action followed more than an hour of testimony. John McConnell, Westminster planning manager, outlined staff’s review and noted that staff “finds the preliminary development plan amendment generally meets these criteria” in Westminster Municipal Code sections 11.514 and 11.515, but acknowledged neighborhood concerns raised at prior Planning Commission hearings. The applicant, represented by James Farmer of DTJ Design, described the project as 12 single‑family attached units (six duplexes) with a roughly 9,500‑square‑foot park and an on‑site stormwater rain garden intended to reduce existing runoff into Elliott Street by roughly 45–50 percent.

Residents disputed key technical assumptions and asked the council to require additional study or design changes before approval. Emily Ricci, who lives adjacent to the parcel, called for an updated, sustained traffic study, saying the developer’s traffic memorandum (from 2021) did not reflect current conditions and that placing 12 driveways on a steep, icy slope “is putting those potential new residents in danger each time they back out of their driveway.” Several speakers expressed similar concerns about visibility at the curve where Elliot meets Decatur and about cut‑through traffic from nearby commercial properties.

City engineer John Burke told council staff had reviewed a Phase 2 drainage report for the project, described the proposed swale behind the new lots as a B‑shaped conveyance that would be about two feet deep with adequate freeboard in a 100‑year event, and said the city will require a 20‑foot drainage easement so the city can intervene if an HOA fails to maintain the facility. On traffic, Burke recommended an updated study and confirmed prior collision data showing a small number of crashes at the intersection; he reported short‑term speed samples that included rare maximum speeds well above the posted limit and said traffic‑calming options should be explored.

Councilors repeatedly told the applicant and staff they wanted redesigned traffic interfaces (examples cited included raised crosswalks and other calming measures) and clearer assurances that drainage maintenance will be enforceable over the long term. Several council members also noted the project’s building heights and setbacks created a difficult interface with the existing neighborhood and asked the applicant to consider design changes to reduce perceived bulk.

Councilor DeMott moved to remand the PDP and ODP to the planning commission for further review and refinement; the motion passed 6-0. Council members and staff asked the applicant to return with alternatives that address traffic calming and driveway access, stormwater maintenance and easement clarifications, and options to reduce the perceived height/bulk impact on adjacent homes.

What’s next: The project will return to the planning commission after the applicant works with staff on the elements identified by council. The council’s remand preserves procedural rights for property owners and preserves the city’s review under the Westminster Municipal Code; no approvals or permits were issued at the May 19 meeting.