LUTI committee forwards rezoning for 4235 North Columbine Street after staff recommendation

The Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on June 10 voted to forward a rezoning request for two parcels at 4235 North Columbine Street to the full Denver City Council.

Rob Hague, senior city planner with Community Planning and Development, said the subject property includes two parcels and a portion of right-of-way and is mostly zoned IB and IA. He said the applicant revised an earlier IMX-5 request to IMX-3 and planning staff found the proposal consistent with the Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver and the Elyria and Swansea neighborhood plan. Hague said the planning board held a public hearing in May and forwarded a unanimous recommendation of approval.

The applicant's representative, Peter Wall, told the committee the right-of-way vacation south of the Union Pacific rail line is complete. He said the project team commissioned a rail safety analysis and plans to add fencing and place surface parking as a buffer near the rail lines to keep residents away from the tracks.

Committee members asked about site development-phase issues such as sidewalks and access points; Wall confirmed the team expects two access points off North Josephine Street. Council members generally praised the applicant's change from IMX-5 to IMX-3, noting the neighborhood plan identifies a three-story maximum in that location.

After questions, the chair asked whether members approved forwarding the rezoning to the City Council floor; committee members signaled assent by thumbs-up and the item will proceed to a council public hearing in July for further review.

The application packet includes a rail safety analysis and letters of support from neighborhood organizations; staff said they received one additional public comment in support during referral. The committee discussion emphasized consistency with adopted plans and next-step site-development review to resolve infrastructure details.