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Denver takes feedback about slot homes

Earlier this month, the city's Slot Home Task Force, formed early in 2017, announced its proposed plan to change how slot homes are built.

The city of Denver is taking its final suggestions from the public on an amendment to slot home development before it goes to vote next month.

Earlier this month, the city's Slot Home Task Force, formed early in 2017, announced its proposed plan to change how slot homes are built.

The amendment would require the dwelling to face the main street on which it is placed. In November, we reported that some researchers have found this type of building orientation can elicit a fear response in people.

Other proposed changes would include requiring developers to add more windows to the buildings, make them shorter and lower the minimum size of the driveways.

City Councilman Rafael Espinoza, who represents District 1, is on the task force as his district has seen some of the most widespread slot home development.

"I won't be so naive to say that we got it 100 percent right [with this proposal]," he said in an interview when the amendment was first introduced on February 1st. "I hope we came a lot closer."

Slot homes began popping up in Denver in 2012 as a way to accommodate the city's rapid population boom. Typically, developers will purchase a single-family home, or lot, and raze it before building their slot homes. They face inward so they can use as much of the lot space as possible, maximizing density.

The city assigned a slot home task force to try and amend zoning regulations so the townhomes could better fit in in the neighborhoods they are built.

Denver has said it is thinking of increasing the number of design reviews needed to build slot homes as a way to address their aesthetics.

“We can add a front porch [to slot homes], and we can increase the transparency standard but at the end of the day they're still sideways facing buildings,” said senior city planner Annaliese Hock. “So that's where we had to start getting creative and we realized that what was really lacking was that these units weren't oriented towards the street.”

Hock will be hosting four “office hours” this week for residents to voice their concerns and get more information on the proposed amendment.

In addition to Monday’s the other ones will be held on:

Tuesday, February 27 4:30-7 p.m.

Gonzales Branch Library

2nd Floor Conference Room

1498 Irving Street

Wednesday February 28 12:30-4 p.m.

Ross-Cherry Creek Library

Meeting Room B

305 Milwaukee Street

Thursday, March 1 1:30-4 p.m.

Mile High United Way

Moderators Room

711 Park Avenue

Planning Board Public Hearing

3 p.m., March 21 (New Date)

Parr-Widener Community Room (#389)

City and County Building

1437 Bannock St.

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