Denver Votes to Limit Property Uses in West Highlands/Sloan's Lake
After a nearly 10-hour meeting that ended just after 3:00 am on April 29, 2008, the Denver City Council approved a rezoning that will prevent the construction of duplexes and other multifamily dwellings in two northwest Denver neighborhoods.
The council voted 10-2 to rezone 53 acres in West Highland and 62 acres in Sloan's Lake from R-2 (multi-family) to R-1 (single family), putting an end to so-called scrape-off redevelopments to make room for higher density multiple-unit properties. In passing the applications, City Council found that this rezoning is consistent with the vision of Blueprint Denver, the city's long-term vision for land use and transportation.
These applications were opposed by the Denver Board of REALTORS® because a great number of residents in the affected areas actually opposed the reclassification of their properties. Involuntary rezoning limits a landowner's private property rights in how they can use their land and often times diminishes property values. Real estate professionals across the metro Denver area remain committed to the fundamental principles of smart growth, which accentuate high-density, mixed-use development centered around transportation hubs