Neighborhood Planning

In an effort to provide area plans for the entire city as efficiently as possible, planning areas under the Neighborhood Planning Initiative encompass several statistical neighborhoods.

The order of new plans is determined by numerous factors including planning need, opportunities to draw on additional resources and grant funding, input from elected officials and community leaders, and efforts to maximize staff and other resources. As one phase is completed, the remaining areas of the city are re-evaluated relative to the considerations influencing planning need before the next phase is announced.

Phase I - Completed

• Far Northeast
• East Central
• East

Phase II - In Progress

• West - completed
• Near Southeast - completed
• Near Northwest - in progress

The Neighborhood Planning Initiative provides a model for area planning that is intentional, equitable and measurable. The planning process is guided by a multi-pronged outreach and communications strategy. The content and scope for all plans will include some standard topics and will follow a standard process for the selection neighborhood-specific focus topics. The process will also focus on implementation, with all plans identifying metrics to track progress.

This approach will provide ample flexibility to allow plans to be customized to meet the needs of different neighborhoods, while at the same time providing consistency to ensure an efficient and equitable process across different plans. 

Phases in the Planning Process

The phases in the planning process include, in order, understanding the area, defining the issues and developing initial recommendations, refining the recommendations, a community review of the draft plan, and finally, the adoption phase.

Small area plans differ from neighborhood plans in that they cover a smaller, specific geography where redevelopment is likely but there is no neighborhood-level policy guidance in place informed by the community's input. These areas usually involve a large parcel with a single land owner and represent the potential for a major transformation. A small area plan ensures that as redevelopment moves forward, the community's priorities are identified and addressed.

Criteria for small area planning

• Prompted by the large development review process
• Significant change is occurring or anticipated
• Public facilities and/or physical improvements need to be addressed
• Opportunities for substantial infill or redevelopment are present
• Opportunities arise to influence site selection, development or major expansion of a single large activity generator

Criteria that more specifically address the goals of Blueprint Denver:

• Creating opportunity for appropriate development in areas of change
• Stabilizing conditions that threaten areas of stability
• Promoting public investment that increase transportation choice