Policy

On February 19, 2025, the Denver City Council adopted new regulations sponsored by Councilmembers Kashmann, Sawyer, and Romero-Campbell to prioritize the implementation of Denver’s adopted plans and policies for walkable, mixed-use, sustainable development with affordable housing on and near transit corridors by significantly limiting where new gas stations can be established.

This text amendment is codified in Denver Zoning Code Sec. 11.4.19.1.A, Limitation on Automobile Fueling Stations, and prohibits new gas stations:

• within a quarter-mile of an existing gas station 
• within a quarter-mile of a light rail transit station 
• within 300-feet of low-intensity residential zone districts like single-unit (SU) and two-unit (TU)

These changes are effective as of February 25, 2025.

On February 23, 2026, Councilmembers Paul Kashmann, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Darrel Watson, in partnership with the Mayor's Office, introduced a 1-year moratorium on the building of new data centers in the City and County of Denver. During this year-long pause, a working group will meet and create recommendations to present to Council about regulations on the build of new data centers moving forward. Council Bill 26-0431 passed on May 18, 2026.

Councilmember Kashmann and Gonzales Gutierrez are in the process of updating the ordinance for Registered Neighborhood Organizations in Denver. After a year of community outreach, feedback was compiled into a detailed report, and key community informed considerations were identified. After another round of community feedback, some considerations will be incorporated into new ordinance language, which will be brought back to community one more time for feedback, before making it's way through Council, to hopefully be adopted later in 2026.

Beginning August 4, 2026, Community Planning and Development is implementing new and improved rules around dilapidated buildings and neglected lots around the city. These changes include harsher fines, new criteria for properties to be added to the list, and a new enforcement process to identify and address such properties. 

This ordinance change was sponsored by Councilmembers Kashmann, Sawyer, and Torres, passed in July 14, 2025, and can be found in Section 10-138 of Denver's Municipal Code.