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Denver CPD unveils 2026 work plan, highlighting neighborhood plans, permitting reforms and housing initiatives
Summary
Community Planning & Development outlined its 2026 priorities — neighborhood plans (Near Northeast, Far Northwest), Burnham Yard small-area plan, People’s Budget Cycle 3 funding, zoning-code diagnostics, permitting improvements including Prop 123 fast-track for affordable housing, and an energy-code update.
Community Planning & Development (CPD) presented its 2026 work plan to council members, laying out neighborhood plans, regulatory reforms and permitting improvements intended to speed development and support housing choices.
"CPD is responsible for visionary city planning, historic preservation, development review, and ensuring safe and sustainable buildings," CPD Executive Director Brad Buchanan told the council in the briefing, summing up the office’s scope as staff reviewed four principal goal areas for 2026.
The department identified two neighborhood-plan launches this year: the Near Northeast plan (public kickoff May 21) and a Far Northwest neighborhood plan (public launch this summer), both slated for anticipated council consideration and hopeful adoption in 2027. CPD said the Burnham Yard small-area plan is already underway; the plan will guide redevelopment, rezoning and an infrastructure master plan for that site.
CPD also described People’s Budget Cycle 3 as fully funded, allocating $1,000,000 for citywide projects and $1,000,000 for Near Southeast NPI-area projects. "This is our community-driven budgeting for capital projects," Buchanan said, noting project delegates will develop community ideas for a public vote with completion expected by the end of calendar year 2026.
The department highlighted a multi-phase regulatory diagnostic of the zoning code intended to simplify rules and measurement (for example, switching some height definitions from stories to feet), with Phase 1 scoped for advancement in 2026 and potential adoption in early 2027. CPD described these reforms as primarily regulatory and design-guideline changes that would not require map amendments.
CPD staff described permitting improvements under the Denver Permitting Office and plans to implement Prop 123 fast-track permitting for affordable housing projects that receive Prop 123 funding. Buchanan noted recent permitting performance — more than 90% on-time for several weeks — and said the department is developing faster tracks specifically for affordable housing projects.
The briefing announced an update to the Denver energy code. Chuck Bartel, commercial building plan review manager, said the process will use commercial and residential stakeholder committees and public subcommittees through the summer and fall; committees will help shape recommended amendments to bring forward to council.
Buchanan also referenced the Denver Resilient Landscapes project to consolidate landscape regulations across departments, announced a community symposium at CSU Spur on April 25, and pointed listeners to several public web resources (site-development plans, e-permits, property-inspector and zoning pages) for project details and permit searches.
On technology, CPD said council previously approved a contract for a "sieve check" AI intake tool to help manage the high volume of daily submittals.
CPD gave target timelines for many items (planning adoptions in 2027; energy-code work through fall; resilience and permitting improvements through 2026) and asked council members to expect subsequent ordinance or map amendments tied to later phases. The briefing closed with questions from council members and next steps on public outreach and committee work.
