Arapahoe County staff sees capacity for 36,765 homes in proposed transit rezoning areas

Arapahoe County staff’s preliminary calculations show that proposed rezoning in four transit-area communities could create capacity for about 36,765 homes — nearly twice a county-reported goal of about 19,000. The Planning Commission took no action at its Aug. 18 study session.

The estimate covers Federal Enclave, Dry Creek/Inverness, Four Square Mile and Belleview. During the study session, staff emphasized that zoning capacity is not a forecast. Future development would remain subject to site-plan review and requirements involving traffic, drainage, water, sanitation and other factors.

County staff used more than one housing-goal figure. Early in the presentation, staff described a preliminary near-transit goal of nearly 25,000 homes, compared with roughly 5,300 allowed under current zoning. Later, staff compared the proposed 36,765-home capacity with a goal of about 19,000 under the county’s “current calculation method.” The record does not explain the difference.

The area-specific figures also do not form a single clearly reconciled total. Staff described roughly 20,000 homes at Dry Creek/Inverness, about 8,500 at Four Square Mile, about 1,216 at Federal Enclave and at least 188 at Belleview. The figures use different calculations, and staff did not explain how they relate to the 36,765-home estimate.

The proposed changes rely mainly on two zoning districts. Residential-Multifamily zoning would allow 13 to 35 homes per acre and buildings up to 55 feet tall. Mixed-Use zoning would require at least 35 homes per acre and allow buildings up to 75 feet, along with residential, retail, office, restaurant, medical and daycare uses. Those are proposed standards, not adopted regulations, and the presentation did not identify the proposed district for every parcel.

The maps are part of the county’s work to meet housing-capacity requirements under Colorado’s HB 24-1313, which generally calculates a local government’s housing-opportunity goal by multiplying mapped transit-area acreage by 40 homes per acre.

Proposed areas

• Federal Enclave: Mixed-Use zoning is proposed for 39 parcels, with potential capacity of at least 566 homes. Residential-Multifamily zoning is proposed for 73 parcels, with potential capacity of no more than 650 homes. The presentation described the area as 112 parcels with about 1,216 homes of capacity. Two parcels were shifted out of Mixed Use after property-owner feedback about a proposed 35-home-per-acre minimum along Girard Avenue.
• Dry Creek/Inverness: Mixed-Use zoning is proposed for 44 properties near the Dry Creek light-rail station. Staff used roughly 20,000 homes, based on 100 homes per acre, for the presentation capacity calculation. The county’s staff report instead lists 46 parcels and at least 6,951 homes based on an earlier 35-home-per-acre calculation. The Villas at Vallagio and Vallagio at Inverness condominium developments would be excluded.
• Four Square Mile: Mixed-Use zoning is proposed for 96 parcels and Residential-Multifamily zoning for 370 parcels, with capacity estimated at about 8,500 homes. Staff also cited a presentation calculation of slightly more than 8,600 homes, compared with about 8,680 in the staff report. The proposed areas include portions of Parker Road, East Iliff Avenue, South Quebec Street and South Syracuse Way.
• Belleview: Mixed-Use zoning is proposed for five parcels north of Belleview Avenue, west of Interstate 25 and east of South Quebec Street. The presentation lists at least 188 homes on 5.377 acres, while the staff report lists 4.394 acres and a required minimum of 154 homes.

The proposed standards would not apply uniformly across the areas. Federal Enclave and Four Square Mile would include both districts. Dry Creek/Inverness and Belleview would use the proposed Mixed-Use district in the areas described at the study session. Staff said the Dry Creek figure used 100 homes per acre for a capacity calculation; that does not establish a different formal density standard.

Public feedback and unresolved questions

County outreach showed different levels of support. At a February Federal Enclave open house, 21 people attended and 15 completed surveys; the county reported that 69% were supportive or neutral and 31% were not supportive. Comments raised concerns about traffic, parking, blocked views, noise, crime and neighborhood character. Supporters generally preferred townhomes and duplexes over apartment buildings, according to the county’s feedback summary.

About 35 people attended a May Dry Creek open house, nearly all from the Vallagio developments. The county reported that 68% were not supportive and 32% were supportive or neutral. In a separate survey, 118 of 180 respondents opposed or strongly opposed the proposal, while 35 supported or strongly supported it and 22 were neutral or undecided. Traffic, parking, water infrastructure and crime were among the leading concerns.

Four Square Mile outreach was more favorable. A June 25 meeting drew about 50 to 60 people, and an online survey received 14 responses. The county reported that 92% were supportive or neutral and 7% were not supportive. Respondents most often preferred mixed-use housing above shops, townhomes or rowhouses, and “missing-middle” housing. Concerns included traffic, noise, parking, utilities, water availability, neighborhood character and building height, according to the Four Square Mile feedback summary.

During the Aug. 18 discussion, commissioners asked about density, parking, existing building heights and the scope of the traffic analysis. Commissioner Koran called Dry Creek the most contested area and asked whether its proposed density could be reduced.

A county-commissioned traffic study for Inverness was still underway. Staff said it would estimate additional vehicle trips by comparing the proposal with traffic potentially allowed under existing planned-unit-development zoning. Results and mitigation recommendations were not yet available.

Three property owners asked the county to consider adding parcels near South Willow Street and Colorado Avenue, including 9430 E. Colorado Ave. Staff was still evaluating those requests. A second Four Square Mile community meeting was scheduled for Aug. 26 to present a revised map.

What comes next

Staff planned to revise and evaluate the maps, seek referrals from water and sanitation districts, homeowners associations and metro districts, and obtain Planning Commission feedback before advancing the proposal to a public hearing planned for Oct. 20, 2026. The Board of County Commissioners is expected to consider final action Nov. 24, 2026, according to the presentation. Those are prospective dates; the record does not establish what action either proceeding will produce.

The county’s prior planning report describes the broader HB 24-1313 process as including transit-center identification, housing-capacity calculations and an administrative approval process for qualifying multifamily projects.

The presentation says the county must complete the rezoning work by Dec. 31, 2026. For now, the four maps remain proposals, and the county has not formally rezoned the properties.