Stakeholders,

Below is Community Planning and Development’s December code and policy alert newsletter. Your partnership in sharing any of this information through your communication channels is greatly appreciated.

In this issue you will find…

• A fresh look and feel to DenverGov.org
• What’s new:
  • Zone lot amendments can now be requested in e-permits
  • A new contractor license type for construction
  • Optional meetings with commercial zoning staff before you apply for permits
  • Annual adjustment to wastewater permitting fees
  • A checklist to help project teams navigate the energy code

• Online education to share with your colleagues:
  • What does a landmark designation mean for construction?
  • December 9 Commercial Permitting Presentation

• Ways to be involved in climate action in Denver:
  • Take the Denver One Water survey
  • Follow the progress of the Energize Denver Task Force
  • Apply for Denver’s Sustainability Advisory Council
  • Make it a career: We’re hiring!

Thank you,

Also inside: View recordings of past webinars, take the One Water community survey, and more

News from Denver CPD that may impact building and development projects View as Webpage Development news from Community Planning and Development (CPD) In this issue you will find… A fresh look and feel to DenverGov.org What’s new: Zone lot amendments can now be requested in e-permits  A new contractor license type for construction Optional meetings with commercial zoning staff before you apply for permits Annual adjustment to wastewater permitting fees A checklist to help project teams navigate the energy code Online education to share with your colleagues: What does a landmark designation mean for construction?  December 9 Commercial Permitting Presentation Ways to be involved in climate action in Denver: Take the Denver One Water survey Follow the progress of the Energize Denver Task Force Apply for Denver’s Sustainability Advisory Council Make it a career: We’re hiring! New website: Denvergov.org/cpd Over the next several months, the city will be rolling out a new website designed to enhance the user experience. You’ll notice a new look to many Denvergov webpages, including the Community Planning and Development homepage. Visit the new homepage for easy access to common items like e-permits, building and zoning codes, and our contact information. If you have trouble finding information, please email our communications team at CPDCommunications@denvergov.org. What’s new? Zone lot amendments are now available in e-permits Throughout 2020, we have continued to add new features to Denver’s online permitting and licensing platform: e-permits. The latest addition is for projects that want to request a change to their zone lot boundaries, known as a “zone lot amendment.” You can use e-permits to request a pre-application meeting or submit your formal zone lot amendment application. Here’s how: Enter e-permits (new users will need to create a free account) Select Development Services > Apply for a Permit Select Zone Lot Amendment and follow the prompts Learn more >> New construction class B2 license type  The new construction class B2 license type allows the contractor to erect, add to, alter or repair any building or structure with the highest floor level or occupiable roof at a height of 30 feet or fewer above the lowest level of fire department access. Learn more Apply online via e-permits Meet with a zoning reviewer before you apply Starting January 1, Community Planning and Development will be able to offer shorter review times and more personalized service for commercial zoning permits. Zoning reviewers will now aim to return the following reviews within three business days: Signs Temporary uses Change of owner Change of business name Minor exterior improvements If you would like to meet with a commercial zoning reviewer to discuss your specific project before you apply for permits, please contact the zoning team at zoning.review@denvergov.org. New fee schedule for wastewater permits Before development begins, a developer/owner must ensure there are adequate storm and sanitary sewer services at the site. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) adjusts its Sewer Use and Drainage Permit (SUDP) fees annually to account for inflation. All SUDP permits paid in 2021 will use the new fee schedule. Download the 2021 SUDP fee schedule Starting in 2021: Permit applications include a new checklist to help applicants meet energy codes Community Planning and Development has developed a checklist for the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that is designed to help project teams navigate and meet this code. Starting in 2021, the checklist will be required for all new commercial and multifamily construction projects; tenant finish projects over 10,000 square feet; and single-family/duplex projects with new conditioned space or additions over 30% square feet. Find the checklist that fits your project Stay current — Learn online Take a deep dive on the topics that matter to you with our online learning options. What does a landmark designation mean for construction? Mark your calendars and join us for a monthly webinar series devoted to landmark preservation topics. Each session will be held at 12 p.m. via Zoom. No advanced registration necessary. Jan. 14 | Intro to Landmark Preservation | Join webinar Feb. 18 | Intro to Historic Designations | Join webinar March 11 | Intro to Landmark Design Review | Join webinar April 8 | Let’s Talk About Landmark Signage | Join webinar May 13 | Let’s Talk About Landmark Window Replacements | Join webinar June 10 | Let’s Talk About New Construction in Historic Districts | Join webinar July 8 | Let’s Talk About Tax Credits for Historic Properties | Join webinar Aug. 12 | Let’s Talk About the Discover Denver Survey | Join webinar Watch the 2020 Commercial Permitting Presentation Over 300 people joined us on December 9 for our annual commercial permitting presentation, which was held on Zoom this year. Following a short presentation on advancements in commercial permitting, we invited Grace Rink from the city’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency and Irene Aguilar from the Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization Team to join Laura Aldrete, executive director of Community Planning and Development, in a panel discussion on sustainable building codes and achieving more equitable development with an open Q&A session. View a recording of the event Visit our YouTube page for replays of all webinars Over the past year, our team has hosted multiple webinars, covering topics from the Denver Green Code to instructions for using the new IECC checklists. You can watch replays of any webinar from the Webinars playlist on our YouTube page. Watch now Get involved in climate action! One Water Community Survey Water is a fundamental human need and essential to our quality of life. That’s why we are working with our partners to create a framework to manage water in Denver in a holistic and collaborative way. Please take a few minutes to respond to the Denver One Water survey. Take the Denver One Water Survey Follow the progress of the Energize Denver Task Force We spend 90% of our lives indoors, and our commercial and multifamily buildings are responsible for 51% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Denver. Those are just two of the reasons the city has launched an Energize Denver Task Force. Starting in the new year, this group of community and industry stakeholders will help develop a building performance policy for Denver that will create jobs and transform our existing commercial and multifamily buildings into healthy, climate-friendly buildings of the future. Watch a livestream of the first meeting: January 7, 2021 | 1-4 p.m. facebook.com/DenverCASR Learn more Apply for Denver’s Sustainability Advisory Council The Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC) was created in 2010 by Mayor John Hickenlooper, and continues today under Mayor Michael B. Hancock. Members of the SAC represent broad and diverse leadership of Denver’s communities, businesses, and institutions. This council provides recommendations to city staff; helps connect to the people, communities, businesses, and institutions it serves; and promotes the principles of sustainability broadly among the community and stakeholders. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 15. Learn more about the SAC. Apply now Now hiring: Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency The city’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency’s (CASR) mission is to act with urgency to proactively mitigate climate change. The CASR High Performance Buildings and Homes team works to make new and existing buildings and homes net zero energy, more sustainable, and more resilient. CASR is looking for a skilled individual to join the team as an administrator. Join the team Thanks for reading. You can read and share our past newsletters too: View all previous newsletters Your resource for permitting and policy changes View recent CPD news Copyright © 2020 City and County of Denver. All Rights Reserved. ‌ ‌ ‌