Denver, CO Zoning
Districts & Requirements

Every zoning district in Denver with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Denver adopted a form-based zoning code in 2010, replacing the former Chapter 59. District names encode context, form, and intensity — S-SU-D means Suburban, Single Unit, 6,000 SF minimum lot. The number suffix on mixed-use districts is the max stories (U-MX-3 = 3 stories). The 2022 Expanding Housing Affordability ordinance added inclusionary requirements for 10+ unit projects and bonus height for enhanced affordable compliance.

Official Development Code →Interactive Zoning Map →GIS Portal →

Zoning districts

Overlay districts

735,000

Population

2025

Code adopted

Quick Reference

Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.

District	At a glance	Height	Coverage
S-SU-F	Large-lot single-family. 8,500 SF minimum. No density play without rezoning.	2.5 stories / 35 ft	37.5%
S-SU-D	Standard suburban single-family. 6,000 SF lots, 50 ft wide. Denver's most common residential zone.	2.5 stories / 35 ft	37.5%
E-SU-D	Transitional single-family. 6,000 SF lots with tighter setbacks than suburban. ADU-friendly.	2.5 stories / 35 ft	40%
E-TU-B	Duplexes by right on 4,500 SF lots. The entry point for two-unit investment in Denver.	2.5 stories / 35 ft	50%
U-SU-C	Compact urban single-family. 5,500 SF lots, tighter setbacks, better ADU potential than suburban.	2.5 stories / 30 ft (front), 1 story / 17 ft (rear 35%)	50%
U-TU-C	Urban duplex district. 5,500 SF lots, 2.5 stories. Bread-and-butter Denver two-unit investment.	2.5 stories / 30 ft (front 65%), 1 story / 17 ft (rear 35%)	50%
U-RH-2.5	Attached row houses at 2.5 stories. The missing-middle product for urban infill.	2.5 stories / 35 ft	80%
U-MX-2x	2-story mixed-use with ground-floor commercial option. Neighborhood-scale along local streets.	2 stories / 30 ft	80%
U-MX-3	3 stories, full mixed-use. Denver's workhorse corridor district. +1 bonus story with EHA compliance.	3 stories / 45 ft (4 stories with EHA bonus)	80%
G-RH-3	3-story row houses in urban neighborhoods. Fee-simple attached units at walkable density.	3 stories / 40 ft	80%
G-MU-3	3-story apartments in established urban neighborhoods. No commercial use — pure residential density.	3 stories / 40 ft	75%
G-MX-3	3-story mixed-use on Denver's established urban corridors. +1 bonus story with affordable housing.	3 stories / 45 ft (4 with EHA bonus)	80%
C-MX-5	5 stories, zero setbacks. Major mixed-use along transit corridors. +2 bonus stories with EHA.	5 stories / 70 ft (7 stories with EHA bonus)	100%
C-MX-8	8 stories by right, 12 with bonus. High-rise mixed-use near transit. Upper-story stepback above 5 stories.	8 stories / 110 ft (12 stories with EHA bonus)	100%
C-MX-12	12 stories, up to 16 with bonus. Tower-scale mixed-use at major transit nodes.	12 stories / 150 ft (16 stories with EHA bonus)	100%
C-MX-20	20 stories base, 30 with bonus. Denver's tallest by-right zoning outside downtown.	20 stories / 250 ft (30 stories with EHA bonus)	100%
D-C	No height limit. FAR-controlled. Denver's CBD — the most permissive zoning in the city.	No limit (FAR controlled, FAA restrictions only)	100%
D-GT	Arts district adjacent to downtown. Mixed-use with design guidelines. Tower potential near Speer.	Varies by sub-area (5-20 stories; tower form available)	100%
D-AS-12+	8-12 stories general, up to 250 ft tower form. RiNo-adjacent with strong market fundamentals.	8 stories (general), 150 ft (incentive), 250 ft (tower)	100%
D-AS-20+	Up to 375 ft tower form. The tallest entitlement in Arapahoe Square. Major development sites.	20 stories (general), 250 ft (incentive), 375 ft (tower)	100%
I-MX-3	Light industrial + commercial + residential mix at 3 stories. The RiNo/Globeville product.	3 stories / 45 ft	80%
I-MX-5	5-story industrial mixed-use. Higher intensity RiNo/Brighton Blvd sites. +2 bonus stories with EHA.	5 stories / 70 ft (7 with EHA bonus)	80%

Suburban Residential

2 districts in Denver

S-SU-F

Suburban Single Unit F

Large suburban lots in south and west Denver. One house, one ADU. If you're looking at S-SU-F parcels for anything other than custom homes, you need a rezone.

What you can build

✓Single-family home (Suburban House form)
✓Detached ADU
✓Home occupation

✗Duplexes, townhouses, or multifamily
✗Commercial or retail
✗Tandem houses

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 35 ft
Lot min: 8,500 SF
Width: 60 ft
Coverage: 37.5%
Front: 20 ft
Side: 5 ft
Rear: 15 ft (10 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

37.5% of 8,500 SF = 3,188 SF footprint. At 2.5 stories that's ~7,500 SF of living space — custom home territory. ADU capped at 1,000 SF footprint on lots over 7,000 SF. The math only works for single-family spec or custom builds. Compare land cost to E-SU or U-TU sites where you get more units.

S-SU-D

Suburban Single Unit D

Denver's bread-and-butter single-family district. 6,000 SF minimum, covers huge swaths of the city. One house plus one detached ADU.

What you can build

✓Single-family home (Suburban House form)
✓Detached ADU
✓Home occupation

✗Duplexes or multifamily
✗Commercial or retail
✗More than one ADU

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 35 ft
Lot min: 6,000 SF
Width: 50 ft
Coverage: 37.5%
Front: 20 ft
Side: 5 ft
Rear: 15 ft (10 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

37.5% coverage on 6,000 SF = 2,250 SF footprint. Two stories gets you ~4,200 SF — solid for a pop-top or scrape-and-build. ADU must be in the rear 35% of the lot with 1,000 SF max footprint on lots 7,000+ SF, 650 SF on lots under 6,000 SF. Pop-tops (adding a second story to a ranch) are the dominant S-SU-D product.

Urban Edge Residential

2 districts in Denver

E-SU-D

Urban Edge Single Unit D

The bridge between suburban and urban. Same 6,000 SF lot as S-SU-D but shorter front setback and urban house form allowed. Found in neighborhoods transitioning from suburban to denser patterns.

What you can build

✓Single-family home (Urban House form)
✓Detached ADU
✓Home occupation

✗Duplexes or multifamily
✗Commercial
✗Tandem houses (need E-SU-D1x)

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 35 ft
Lot min: 6,000 SF
Width: 50 ft
Coverage: 40%
Front: 15 ft
Side: 5 ft
Rear: 10 ft (5 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

40% of 6,000 SF = 2,400 SF footprint — 150 SF more than S-SU-D. The 5-ft shorter front setback and 5-ft shorter rear setback give you meaningfully more buildable area on the same lot size. If you're buying E-SU-D sites, the ADU pencils better than in suburban because the tighter setbacks leave more rear yard for the accessory structure.

E-TU-B

Urban Edge Two Unit B

First district where you get two units by right. Duplexes, tandem houses, and urban houses all allowed. 4,500 SF minimum lot.

What you can build

✓Single-family home
✓Duplex (side-by-side or stacked)
✓Tandem house (front/back pair)
✓Detached ADU

✗Triplex or larger multifamily
✗Commercial or retail
✗Row houses

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 35 ft
Lot min: 4,500 SF
Width: 36 ft
Coverage: 50%
Front: 15 ft
Side: 5 ft
Rear: 10 ft (5 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

50% of 4,500 SF = 2,250 SF footprint across two units at 2.5 stories = ~5,300 SF total. Tandem house (one unit behind the other) is the preferred form — gives each unit its own entrance and outdoor space. For a 36-ft-wide lot, a side-by-side duplex yields two 16-ft-wide units. Tandem house is usually a better product.

Urban Residential

3 districts in Denver

U-SU-C

Urban Single Unit C

Urban single-family found in neighborhoods like Congress Park, Park Hill, and Hale. Smaller lots, shorter setbacks, and urban house form create more buildable area per lot.

What you can build

✓Single-family home (Urban House form)
✓Detached ADU
✓Home occupation

✗Duplexes or multifamily
✗Commercial
✗Tandem houses

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 30 ft (front), 1 story / 17 ft (rear 35%)
Lot min: 5,500 SF
Width: 44 ft
Coverage: 50%
Front: 10 ft
Side: 3 ft (5 ft on wider lots)
Rear: 10 ft (5 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

The split height plane is critical: 2.5 stories in the front 65% of lot depth, 1 story in the rear 35%. This keeps the rear yard low-scale but limits your main house depth. 50% coverage on 5,500 SF = 2,750 SF footprint. ADU goes in the rear 35% at max 1,000 SF footprint on 7,000+ SF lots, 864 SF on 6,000-7,000 SF, 650 SF under 6,000 SF.

U-TU-C

Urban Two Unit C

Denver's workhorse duplex zone. Covers established neighborhoods where duplexes are the dominant built form. Two units by right — urban house, duplex, or tandem house.

What you can build

✓Single-family home
✓Duplex
✓Tandem house
✓Detached ADU

✗Triplex or larger multifamily
✗Commercial or retail
✗Row houses

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 30 ft (front 65%), 1 story / 17 ft (rear 35%)
Lot min: 5,500 SF
Width: 44 ft
Coverage: 50%
Front: 10 ft
Side: 3 ft (5 ft on wider lots)
Rear: 10 ft (5 ft accessory)

What this means in practice

A 5,500 SF U-TU-C lot at 50% coverage = 2,750 SF footprint. Two-story duplex = ~5,000 SF gross, split into two 2,500 SF units — strong rental or for-sale product. The tandem house form puts the second unit in the rear but must stay under 17 ft in the rear 35% of the lot. For new construction, most builders go stacked duplex in the front 65% and an ADU in the rear.

U-RH-2.5

Urban Row House 2.5

Row house district for attached units on narrow lots. Found along corridors where the city wants gentle density. Each unit gets its own lot — fee-simple ownership, not condos.

What you can build

✓Row houses (attached)
✓Urban houses
✓Duplexes
✓Detached ADU

✗Apartment buildings
✗Commercial or retail
✗Detached single-family only (must support attached forms)

Key numbers

Height: 2.5 stories / 35 ft
Lot min: 1,500 SF per unit
Width: 18 ft (interior), 26 ft (end unit)
Coverage: 80%
Front: 5 ft
Side: 0 ft (interior), 5 ft (end)
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

1,500 SF per unit at 80% coverage is tight but buildable. An 18-ft-wide row house at 2.5 stories = ~2,250 SF per unit. A 7,500 SF assemblage yields 5 attached units. Fee-simple row houses sell at a premium over condos — no HOA, separate utilities, individual garages. This product is one of the strongest in Denver's infill market.

Urban Mixed Use

2 districts in Denver

U-MX-2x

Urban Mixed Use 2x

Low-rise mixed-use on Denver's neighborhood commercial streets. Ground-floor retail allowed but not required. The 'x' suffix allows more intensity than base U-MX-2.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
✓Standalone residential (apartment, row house)
✓Retail, restaurant, office
✓Live/work units

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 2 stories / 30 ft
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 80%
Front: Build-to: 0-10 ft
Side: 0 ft (interior), 5 ft (adjacent to protected)
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

The build-to range (0-10 ft) with 65% minimum facade in the build-to zone creates a street wall. At 80% coverage and 2 stories, a quarter-acre site yields ~17,000 SF of mixed-use. Think corner buildings with a coffee shop or retail on the ground floor, 4-6 apartments above. The 'x' allows shopfront building form in addition to row house and apartment.

U-MX-3

Urban Mixed Use 3

The most common mixed-use district along Denver's urban corridors — Colfax, Broadway, Federal, Tennyson. 3 stories by right, 4 with affordable housing bonus. Ground-floor commercial optional.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
✓Apartment buildings (3-4 stories)
✓Shopfront buildings
✓Row houses
✓Office

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented commercial
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 3 stories / 45 ft (4 stories with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 80%
Front: Build-to: 0-10 ft
Side: 0 ft (interior), 5 ft (adjacent to protected)
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

At 80% coverage and 3 stories, a half-acre U-MX-3 site = ~52,000 SF gross. Add the EHA bonus story (enhanced affordable compliance: ~2-3% more units at AMI) and you're at ~70,000 SF on the same site. The bonus almost always pencils on 3-story sites because the extra floor of market-rate more than covers the affordable units. Most Colfax and Federal Blvd redevelopment is U-MX-3.

General Urban Residential

2 districts in Denver

G-RH-3

General Urban Row House 3

Row house district in Denver's denser neighborhoods — LoHi, Highlands, Sloan's Lake, West Wash Park. 3-story attached homes with zero-lot-line party walls.

What you can build

✓Row houses (attached, 3 stories)
✓Urban houses
✓Duplexes
✓Detached ADU

✗Apartment buildings
✗Commercial or retail
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 3 stories / 40 ft
Lot min: 1,500 SF per unit
Width: 18 ft (interior), 26 ft (end unit)
Coverage: 80%
Front: Build-to: 0-10 ft
Side: 0 ft (interior), 5 ft (end)
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

G-RH-3 is where Denver's highest-value row house projects land. LoHi and Highlands G-RH-3 sites routinely produce $600K-$900K+ per unit. At 18-ft width and 3 stories, each unit is ~2,700 SF. A 9,000 SF assemblage = 6 attached units. The build-to line puts these at the sidewalk — no front yard, maximizing unit depth. Structured parking is rear-loaded or below-grade.

G-MU-3

General Urban Multi-Unit 3

Medium-density apartment district. Courtyard apartments and small apartment buildings. Found on side streets off mixed-use corridors where the city wants residential density without commercial.

What you can build

✓Apartment buildings (3 stories)
✓Courtyard apartments
✓Row houses
✓Duplexes

✗Commercial or retail
✗Office
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 3 stories / 40 ft
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 75%
Front: Build-to: 0-15 ft
Side: 0 ft (interior), 5 ft (adjacent to protected)
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

Pure residential at 75% coverage and 3 stories: a half-acre G-MU-3 site yields ~49,000 SF. At 850 SF average unit size, that's 50-55 apartments. No commercial requirement simplifies your program and financing. Courtyard apartment form is explicitly allowed and popular with lenders — the shared courtyard provides open space without sacrificing units.

General Urban Mixed Use

1 district in Denver

G-MX-3

General Urban Mixed Use 3

Mixed-use along corridors in dense neighborhoods. Similar to U-MX-3 but in a more urban context with tighter build-to requirements and higher street-wall expectations.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
✓Apartment buildings
✓Shopfront buildings
✓Row houses
✓Office

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 3 stories / 45 ft (4 with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 80%
Front: Build-to: 0-10 ft
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 10 ft

What this means in practice

G-MX-3 trades at a premium over U-MX-3 because the neighborhoods are more established — think South Broadway, Old South Pearl, Tennyson Street. Same height and coverage but higher rents and land cost. The EHA bonus story makes a significant difference: 3 stories = ~52K SF on a half-acre; 4 stories = ~70K SF. Run the pro forma both ways.

Urban Center Mixed Use

4 districts in Denver

C-MX-5

Urban Center Mixed Use 5

Mid-rise mixed-use in Denver's urban centers — Cherry Creek, Colorado Blvd corridor, transit station areas. 5 stories by right, 7 with affordable housing bonus. Zero primary street setback.

What you can build

✓Large mixed-use buildings
✓Apartment buildings (5-7 stories)
✓Shopfront buildings
✓Hotels
✓Office

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Heavy industrial

Key numbers

Height: 5 stories / 70 ft (7 stories with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected district)
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected district)

What this means in practice

100% lot coverage with zero setbacks — you're building lot-line to lot-line except next to protected districts. A 1-acre C-MX-5 site at 5 stories = ~218,000 SF. With the EHA bonus (7 stories) = ~305,000 SF. Structured parking required. Upper-story setback of 20 ft kicks in above 5 stories or 70 ft if adjacent to protected districts. Cherry Creek C-MX-5 sites are among Denver's most valuable parcels.

C-MX-8

Urban Center Mixed Use 8

High-intensity mixed-use at transit nodes and urban centers. 8 stories base, 12 with affordable housing bonus. Step-back required above 5 stories when adjacent to lower-scale districts.

What you can build

✓High-rise mixed-use
✓Apartment towers (8-12 stories)
✓Hotels
✓Large office buildings
✓Ground-floor retail

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Heavy industrial

Key numbers

Height: 8 stories / 110 ft (12 stories with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)

What this means in practice

The EHA bonus is massive here: +4 stories takes you from 8 to 12. On a 1-acre site at 100% coverage: 8 stories = ~349,000 SF; 12 stories = ~523,000 SF. The extra 4 floors of market-rate units easily cover the enhanced affordable compliance. Above 5 stories, a 20-ft upper-story stepback applies on street-facing facades — plan your tower floor plate accordingly. Below-grade or podium parking is mandatory.

C-MX-12

Urban Center Mixed Use 12

Tower-scale mixed-use at Denver's most intense urban nodes. 12 stories base, 16 with EHA bonus. Podium-and-tower building form with upper-story stepbacks.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use towers
✓Apartment towers
✓Office towers
✓Hotels
✓Large-format retail

✗Drive-throughs
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 12 stories / 150 ft (16 stories with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)

What this means in practice

At 12 stories and 100% coverage, you need a significant assemblage for the numbers to work — parking structure, mechanical floors, and stepbacks reduce net rentable area. A 1-acre site realistically yields ~350,000-400,000 SF net. The EHA bonus to 16 stories adds ~4 floors of revenue. Tower form requires 20-ft stepback above 5 stories on primary street and 35-40 ft stepback above 51 ft adjacent to protected districts.

C-MX-20

Urban Center Mixed Use 20

Denver's most intense zoning outside the downtown core. 20 stories by right, 30 with EHA bonus. Found at major transit stations and the densest urban centers.

What you can build

✓High-rise towers (20-30 stories)
✓Major mixed-use developments
✓Hotels
✓Class A office
✓Large retail

✗Low-density residential
✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height: 20 stories / 250 ft (30 stories with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft

What this means in practice

The +10 story EHA bonus is the biggest in the code. At 20 stories on a 1-acre site: ~600,000-700,000 SF. At 30 stories: ~900,000+ SF. These are institutional-capital projects — $100M+ total development cost. Point tower form applies above 5 stories with floor plate limits. Land trades at a massive premium because the entitlement is rare. Podium parking with 4-5 levels below grade is standard.

Downtown

4 districts in Denver

D-C

Downtown Core

Denver's Central Business District. No height limit — density controlled by floor area ratio. Zero setbacks, 100% coverage, no parking requirements. This is where Denver's tallest buildings go.

What you can build

✓High-rise office towers
✓Residential towers
✓Hotels
✓Mixed-use of any scale
✓Entertainment and cultural venues

✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial
✗Single-family residential

Key numbers

Height: No limit (FAR controlled, FAA restrictions only)
Lot min: None
Width: None
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to line)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft

What this means in practice

D-C land is priced on FAR. Base FAR is approximately 10:1 with premiums available for affordable housing, public amenities, and historic preservation. On a 20,000 SF lot at 10:1 FAR = 200,000 SF of building. No parking requirement means you can skip the garage entirely (rare for Denver). Street-level activation required along 16th Street Mall. Expect 6-12 months entitlement even with by-right zoning due to design review and permit complexity.

D-GT

Downtown Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle — Denver's museum and arts district between Speer, Lincoln, and Colfax. Mixed-use with specific design standards updated in 2023. Tower-scale development along the edges, lower scale interior.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use towers
✓Residential towers
✓Hotels
✓Office
✓Arts and cultural venues
✓Ground-floor retail

✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial
✗Drive-throughs

Key numbers

Height: Varies by sub-area (5-20 stories; tower form available)
Lot min: None
Width: None
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to line)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)

What this means in practice

D-GT was rezoned with updated design standards — the new rules favor pedestrian-oriented ground floors, step-backs above the street wall, and contextual design. Height varies significantly by sub-area: parcels along Speer and Lincoln can go tallest. The arts district character means design review is more intensive than D-C. If you're developing here, engage the design review process early.

D-AS-12+

Downtown Arapahoe Square 12+

Arapahoe Square — the transition zone between downtown and RiNo. General building form up to 8 stories; height incentive form to 150 ft; point tower to 250 ft with floor plate limits above 5 stories.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use buildings (8-12+ stories)
✓Point towers to 250 ft
✓Residential and office
✓Hotels
✓Ground-floor retail and restaurants

✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial
✗Surface parking as primary use

Key numbers

Height: 8 stories (general), 150 ft (incentive), 250 ft (tower)
Lot min: None
Width: None
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft

What this means in practice

Three building forms at different heights: general (8 stories, no parking restrictions), incentive (150 ft, ≤30% visible street-facing parking), and point tower (250 ft, ≤10,000 SF floor plates above story 5). The height incentive requires hiding your parking from the street. Tower form requires slender floor plates — which actually produces a better residential product. D-AS-12+ sites are priced below D-C but deliver comparable density.

D-AS-20+

Downtown Arapahoe Square 20+

Southwest Arapahoe Square closest to downtown. 20 stories general form, up to 375 ft point tower. The highest-intensity district in the neighborhood.

What you can build

✓Mixed-use towers to 375 ft
✓Apartment towers (20+ stories)
✓Office towers
✓Hotels
✓Large-format retail

✗Auto-oriented uses
✗Industrial
✗Surface parking as primary use

Key numbers

Height: 20 stories (general), 250 ft (incentive), 375 ft (tower)
Lot min: None
Width: None
Coverage: 100%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft

What this means in practice

375 ft = roughly 35 stories. Point tower form requires ≤10,000 SF floor plates above story 5 and ≤30% visible street-facing parking. At 10,000 SF per floor, a 35-story tower is ~350,000 SF — big enough for 300+ apartments or 250,000 SF of office. These are $80M-$150M projects. The floor plate restriction actually helps residential layouts — it forces efficient tower floor plans.

Industrial

2 districts in Denver

I-MX-3

Industrial Mixed Use 3

Denver's creative industrial districts — RiNo, Globeville, Elyria-Swansea. Allows mixing residential, commercial, and light industrial in the same building. 3 stories by right.

What you can build

✓Live/work spaces
✓Light industrial + office flex
✓Breweries, distilleries, maker spaces
✓Apartments and retail
✓Creative office

✗Heavy industrial
✗Standalone single-family
✗Uses incompatible with residential

Key numbers

Height: 3 stories / 45 ft
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 80%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)

What this means in practice

I-MX-3 is the zoning behind RiNo's transformation. The industrial use allowance means breweries, fabrication shops, and maker spaces can coexist with apartments and restaurants — no use conflict. On a quarter-acre: 80% coverage × 3 stories = ~26,000 SF. The creative-industrial character commands premium rents. If you're buying I-MX-3 in RiNo, the play is either adaptive reuse or new mixed-use with industrial ground floor.

I-MX-5

Industrial Mixed Use 5

Higher-intensity version of I-MX-3 along major industrial corridors. 5 stories by right, 7 with EHA bonus. Brighton Blvd and northern RiNo redevelopment sites.

What you can build

✓Large mixed-use with industrial ground floor
✓Apartment buildings (5-7 stories)
✓Office over industrial/maker space
✓Breweries and creative industrial
✓Hotels

✗Heavy industrial
✗Standalone single-family
✗Auto-oriented uses

Key numbers

Height: 5 stories / 70 ft (7 with EHA bonus)
Lot min: None specified
Width: None specified
Coverage: 80%
Front: 0 ft (build-to)
Side: 0 ft
Rear: 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to protected)

What this means in practice

I-MX-5 with the EHA bonus to 7 stories is the play on Brighton Blvd. A half-acre site: 80% coverage × 5 stories = ~87,000 SF; with bonus (7 stories) = ~122,000 SF. The industrial ground floor (breweries, distilleries, maker spaces) de-risks the retail component because these tenants have lower TI expectations. Several 100+ unit projects are delivering on Brighton Blvd right now.

Development Bonus Program

Denver's Expanding Housing Affordability (EHA) ordinance, effective July 2022, requires all residential projects of 10+ units to include affordable housing or pay a fee. Enhanced compliance (2-3% additional units beyond baseline at 60% AMI) unlocks bonus stories: +1 in 3-story districts, +2 in 5-story districts, +4 in 8- and 12-story districts, +10 in 20-story districts. The bonus applies in Suburban, Urban Edge, Urban, General Urban, Urban Center, and some Industrial contexts. Additional incentives include permit fee reductions ($6,500-$10,000 per income-restricted unit) and parking reductions (0.5 spaces/unit). The bonus math almost always pencils — the extra market-rate floors more than cover the affordable unit cost. Run the pro forma both ways before deciding.

Overlay Districts

Design Overlay (DO)

Applies additional design standards beyond base zone requirements. Found in neighborhoods with specific character goals — Baker, Highland, Curtis Park. Regulates facade materials, fenestration, massing. Does not change use or height. Budget 2-4 weeks additional review time.

Conservation Overlay (CO)

Protects neighborhood character through modified design standards. Different from historic districts — does not regulate demolition or require COA. Affects new construction form and massing. Found in Potter-Highlands, Sunnyside, and similar neighborhoods with strong existing character.

Use Overlay (UO)

Modifies permitted uses without changing other zoning standards. Can add or restrict specific uses in a defined area. Each UO is unique to its geography — read the specific overlay text before assuming any use is allowed.

Incentive Overlay (IO-1) — 38th & Blake

Denver's first incentive overlay at the 38th & Blake RTD station. Allows additional height (up to 8 stories in some areas) in exchange for affordable housing, 5% of units at 30-50% AMI or 10% at 60-80% AMI. This is separate from citywide EHA requirements — they stack. The most permissive density tool in Denver outside downtown.

Landmark / Historic Districts

Over 300 individually designated landmarks and 50+ historic districts. Certificate of Appropriateness required from Landmark Preservation Commission for exterior modifications visible from public right-of-way. Demolition requires review. Key districts: Curtis Park, Wyman, Potter-Highlands, Quality Hill, Country Club. Add 2-4 months for Landmark review on any exterior work.

FEMA Flood Overlay

Cherry Creek, South Platte River, and Westerly Creek corridors. Check FEMA FIRM maps before making any offer. Floodway vs. flood fringe makes a major feasibility difference. Base flood elevation plus 1-ft freeboard determines first-floor height. Flood insurance costs can break a pro forma on lower-density projects.

Airport Influence Zone

Height restrictions near Denver International Airport (DIA) and Centennial Airport per FAA Part 77. DIA is 20+ miles from downtown so rarely an issue for urban development, but Centennial Airport's approach surfaces affect properties in south Denver and the Tech Center. Check FAA obstruction evaluation for any project above 200 ft AGL.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read Denver's zone district names?

Three parts: context letter (S=Suburban, E=Urban Edge, U=Urban, G=General Urban, C=Urban Center, D=Downtown, I=Industrial), then building form (SU=Single Unit, TU=Two Unit, RH=Row House, MU=Multi-Unit, MX=Mixed Use, MS=Main Street), then either a letter for lot size (A=3,000 SF through I=12,000 SF) or a number for max stories (3, 5, 8, 12, 16, 20). So U-MX-3 = Urban context, Mixed Use, 3 stories max.

What triggers Denver's inclusionary housing requirement?

Any residential project of 10 or more units. The EHA ordinance requires 8-15% of units at 60-70% AMI depending on location and project type, for 99 years. You can pay a fee in lieu instead of building the units. Enhanced compliance (more units than required) unlocks bonus stories — which almost always produces better returns than paying the fee.

Can I build an ADU in Denver?

Yes, in all single-unit and two-unit districts. One detached ADU per lot. Max footprint varies by lot size: 650 SF on lots under 6,000 SF, 864 SF on 6,000-7,000 SF lots, 1,000 SF on lots over 7,000 SF. Max height 1.5 stories. Must be in the rear 35% of the zone lot with at least 15 ft separation from the primary structure. No additional parking required.

What's the difference between U-MX and C-MX?

Context and intensity. U-MX (Urban) typically tops at 3 stories, has build-to ranges of 0-10 ft, and requires setbacks adjacent to protected districts. C-MX (Urban Center) goes 5-20 stories, has zero setbacks, 100% lot coverage, and much larger EHA bonus potential. C-MX sites are transit-oriented and priced accordingly. If you want mid-rise or tower development, you need C-MX or Downtown (D-).

How does the EHA height bonus work?

Provide enhanced affordable compliance (roughly 2-3% more units than baseline at 60% AMI) and get bonus stories by right — no rezoning, no variance. The bonus scales with base height: +1 story in 3-story districts, +2 in 5-story, +4 in 8- and 12-story, +10 in 20-story. Nonresidential projects can get the bonus by paying 2x the linkage fee. The extra market-rate floors almost always cover the cost of the additional affordable units.

What are Denver's parking requirements?

Varies by context and use. Downtown (D-) districts have zero parking requirements for any use. Urban Center (C-) districts have low or no minimums near transit. Suburban and Urban Edge districts still require parking but at reduced rates. The EHA bonus also reduces parking by 0.5 spaces per unit for all units in the project. Denver has been steadily reducing parking minimums — check the current code for your specific district.

How do I check zoning for a specific parcel?

Use Denver's official zoning map at denvergov.org/maps/map/zoning. Enter an address to see the zone district and any overlays. For what the zoning actually means for your specific site — permitted uses, setbacks, buildable area, and development potential — that's what a property profile delivers.

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Permitted uses, setbacks, density, buildable area, overlays, and nearby development activity — for a specific parcel, not just the district.

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Denver, CO ZoningDistricts & Requirements

Quick Reference

Suburban Residential

S-SU-F

S-SU-D

Urban Edge Residential

E-SU-D

E-TU-B

Urban Residential

U-SU-C

U-TU-C

U-RH-2.5

Urban Mixed Use

U-MX-2x

U-MX-3

General Urban Residential

G-RH-3

G-MU-3

General Urban Mixed Use

G-MX-3

Urban Center Mixed Use

C-MX-5

C-MX-8

C-MX-12

C-MX-20

Downtown

D-C

D-GT

D-AS-12+

D-AS-20+

Industrial

I-MX-3

I-MX-5

Development Bonus Program

Overlay Districts

Design Overlay (DO)

Conservation Overlay (CO)

Use Overlay (UO)

Incentive Overlay (IO-1) — 38th & Blake

Landmark / Historic Districts

FEMA Flood Overlay

Airport Influence Zone

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read Denver's zone district names?

What triggers Denver's inclusionary housing requirement?

Can I build an ADU in Denver?

What's the difference between U-MX and C-MX?

How does the EHA height bonus work?

What are Denver's parking requirements?

How do I check zoning for a specific parcel?

Get the full property profile forany address in Denver

Denver, CO Zoning
Districts & Requirements

Get the full property profile for
any address in Denver