News

September 20, 2019

PRESS RELEASE: City Council Unanimously Passes Rezoning, Continuing Momentum for Next Era of National Western Center

DENVER – Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday, September 9, 2019 to change the zoning at much of the National Western Center site, laying the groundwork for creating a 250-acre campus that will serve as a year-round global destination for agricultural heritage and innovation.

“City Council’s passage of this rezoning is a critical step in delivering Phases I & II of redevelopment at the National Western Center,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “This rezoning creates the flexibility needed for the wide range of activities anticipated to take place at this vibrant and dynamic campus.”

“This package will help put into place the community vision set out in the National Western Center Master Plan for a destination for entertainment, commerce, education and innovation that supports its surrounding neighborhoods, the city, and the West,” said Evelyn Baker, interim executive director of Denver Community Planning and Development.

Changes to the Denver Zoning Code include four new zone districts specific to the site that will allow for the varied uses expected on the campus, celebrating its history and ensuring its evolution into an asset for surrounding neighborhoods, the city and the region. Approximately 100 acres of land in the western portion of the National Western Center site were rezoned into these new districts. Rezoning of portions of the campus east of the rail tracks will occur in a subsequent process. Along with the zoning amendments, new design standards and guidelines were also developed to work in tandem with the proposed zoning to ensure campus projects meet a high level of design quality.  Final administrative approval of the design standards and guidelines will follow later this fall.

The zoning amendments were previously approved by the Denver Planning Board and City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in July.

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