Englewood planning commission advances 'missing middle' options, mobile‑home preservation and affordable‑housing work plan

The Englewood City Planning Commission on Wednesday reviewed a draft set of area‑assessment policies that would encourage “missing middle” housing near transit corridors, evaluate preserving seven mobile‑home properties, and establish a long‑term affordable‑housing fund and advisory board.

Planning staff presented the rewritten policies and asked the commission whether to pursue higher‑density residential transitions in industrial areas near the Northwest Greenbelt and along the Broadway commercial corridor, to explore transitional housing options and to pursue several citywide affordable‑housing measures. Staff said the review also responds to new state requirements to analyze density within a quarter‑mile or half‑mile of light‑rail stations and high‑frequency bus corridors.

Why it matters: The proposed policies would guide where the city would support rezoning or developer proposals. Commissioners repeatedly framed the discussion as setting policy direction rather than immediately rezoning property; staff said any rezoning would still require later, separate approvals.

Planning staff member John, who led the presentation, said the department had “done a comprehensive purging and rewriting of many of these policies to make them better written” and highlighted areas that “deserve further discussion” because they are new or potentially controversial. John noted the staff work was intended to identify options the city or private developers could pursue rather than to rezone land automatically.

Major policy topics discussed

• Missing‑middle and mixed‑use transitions: Commissioners generally supported expanding zoning options to allow denser residential development—ranging from townhomes up to small apartment buildings—on underused industrial land adjacent to greenways and transit stations. Staff described the city’s mixed‑use zone districts (MUR3A–C) and explained that I‑zone industrial districts do not currently allow residential uses by right. Several commissioners recommended using the comp plan to keep options open rather than locking in a single approach.

• Mobile‑home parks and transitional housing: Staff identified a cluster of about seven mobile‑home properties between Santa Fe and South Pot River Drive as an affordable housing stock that warrants evaluation for “preserve, enhance or replace” strategies. Commissioners voiced support for preservation language and for exploring novel housing solutions in industrial districts, and discussed the possibility of locating transitional tiny‑home villages on city‑owned land near the wastewater treatment facility.

• Transit‑oriented communities and mapping: Staff briefed the commission on the state’s transit‑oriented communities statute and the requirement to calculate housing capacity within a quarter‑ or half‑mile of rail stations and high‑frequency bus corridors. John said staff’s preliminary analysis indicates the city already meets the state’s housing‑capacity goal under Code Next changes, and that the department’s “napkin” estimates show capacity numbers in the mid‑tens of thousands, but council will decide how to apply the statutory boundary and focus areas.

• Central/Wellness District and hospital expansion: Commissioners and staff discussed balancing hospital expansion (Swedish Medical Center and Craig Hospital were named) and protection of adjacent residential areas. Staff proposed working with hospitals within established medical zone districts and using height and setback gradients so growth can occur “up, not out.” A commissioner asked staff to include protecting pocket green space where possible.

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Commissioners raised ADU rules and a recent state ADU law. Staff confirmed the city is already reviewing adjustments and said one likely change is to allow ADUs up to 25 feet tall (current practice treats ADUs as subservient to the primary unit) and to explore permitting ADUs above garages without forcing removal of existing garages.

• Affordable‑housing program recommendations: The commission heard task‑force recommendations to establish a long‑term affordable‑housing fund, create a permanent advisory board and hire an affordable‑housing coordinator. Commissioners generally supported putting those items into the comp plan as guidance and acknowledged funding sources and program details remain to be decided by council.

Discussion tone and concerns

Several commissioners emphasized the comp‑plan language should preserve flexibility and not automatically rezone property. Commissioners repeatedly urged careful mapping so that changes focus around transit hubs and do not produce avoidable conflicts with existing single‑family neighborhoods. One commissioner noted the political sensitivity of statewide changes such as parking‑minimum reforms and urged staff and legal counsel to be mindful of litigation risks and council direction.

Votes at a glance

• Motion: “Motion to approve the minutes from February 4.” Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Recorded affirmative responses in the transcript included Mr. Haggerty, Mr. Montu, Mr. Adams, Miss Hapke, Mr. Kaplan and Chair Martinez.

Public notice and next steps

Staff said a public hearing is scheduled for an upcoming March meeting on a separate zoning case to expand an outdoor storage facility in the southwest part of the city; staff also said they will return with map revisions, refinements to wording (for example on townhome vs. mixed‑use language), and draft code changes related to ADUs and state law compliance.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to continue refining policies, retain flexibility where appropriate, and include the affordable‑housing items for council consideration. Staff said additional discussion and public outreach will follow before any zoning changes are proposed.