About the Permitting Office, Policies & Procedures
The Denver Permitting Office (DPO) was created by Mayor Mike Johnston via Executive Order 151(PDF, 2MB). The office’s mission is to ensure that Denver’s development permitting process is efficient, consistent, and timely. The DPO shall establish and oversee systems and metrics to support effective city approvals; coordinate activities of all city departments and agencies involved in permitting functions; and provide strategic guidance to facilitate private development and associated improvements to public property.
To improve processes and provide great customer service, the DPO relies heavily on customer feedback. Your voice is crucial in identifying ways to simplify the application process, increase transparency, and better meet your needs. We invite you to share your experiences by completing this survey to help us build a more efficient and customer-focused permitting system for Denver.
Additionally, the DPO and our partner departments work closely with an appointed Technical Advisory Board and an Executive Advisory Council to ensure that we are getting regular and direct feedback on the development process, that the voice of the customer is incorporated into all that we do, and to gain key insights on decision making related to development in the city. Additionally, our partner department, Community Planning & Development, sends out a quarterly survey to get immediate feedback from customers who recently received approval on permit applications.
Structure of the Denver Permitting Office
The Denver Permitting Office staff work across the City and County of Denver departments involved in the permitting process for development on private property and any associated public improvements. This includes Community Planning & Development (CPD), Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), Denver Fire Department (DFD), Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR), Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE), Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), and Department of Housing Stability (HOST).
The Executive Order also creates the Executive Permitting Committee, which the DPO Director meets with monthly. The Executive Permitting Committee consists of the Executive Directors of Community Planning & Development (CPD), Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), Denver Fire Department (DFD), Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR), Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE), Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Department of Housing Stability (HOST), Department of Economic Development and Opportunity (DEDO) and the Mayor’s Office.
The Executive Order requires the assignment of Departmental Liaisons that the DPO directly interfaces with. The liaisons are as follows:
- DOTI – Glen Blackburn and Darion Mayhorn
- CPD – Eric Browning, Chris Gleissner, Andrea Donegan and Sarah Showalter
- DPR – Gordon Robertson and Jim Myer
- DFD – Division Chief DeBaere
- HOST – Laia Mitchell
- DPHE – Gregg Thomas and Danica Lee
- DLCP – Rod Picasarri
- DEDO – John Michael Hill
Project Champions
The Executive Permitting Committee has assigned each member of the CPD Site Design and Neighborhood Development team to serve as a Project Champion (PC) for projects in the site development plan process, with the affordable housing review team (AHRT) or in the Adaptive Reuse Program. Members of this team coordinate the multi-agency site development plan process and were traditionally known as project coordinators. The PC serves as the main point of contact who will coordinate across departments and external agencies to support the approval of any required plans and permits for a project. The Executive Order empowers the Project Champion to coordinate across the departments and with the customer, and to elevate and resolve issues.
Policies and Procedures
The DPO has the authority to create policies and procedures that apply to the plan review and permit process for development on private property. Those listed below have been approved by the Executive Permitting Committee (when required).
| Subject |
Description |
Last Updated |
| Counting of 180 Days(PDF, 259KB) |
Describes how each record type will be tracked to account for the 180 calendar days of city review time |
June 4, 2025 |
| Refund Policy(PDF, 137KB) |
Outlines what fees may be refunded per Executive Order 151 and specific criteria |
May 29, 2025 |
| Inter-departmental escalation process(PDF, 147KB) |
Outlines the process to collaboratively resolve conflicts involving two or more departments |
July 10, 2025 |
|
Intra-departmental escalation policies
- Community Planning and Development(PDF, 267KB)
- Denver Fire Department(PDF, 155KB)
- Department of Public Health and Environment(PDF, 264KB)
- Department of Parks and Recreation(PDF, 208KB)
- Department of Transportation and Infrastructure(PDF, 524KB)
|
Outlines the process to collaboratively resolve conflicts within one department (may or may not involve more than one team within that department) |
- CPD – July 8, 2025
- DFD – July 1, 2025
- DPHE –July 8, 2025
- DPR – Dec 2025
- DOTI – July 13, 2025
|
Key Initiatives
The following are key initiatives of the DPO.
Inter-departmental Escalation Policy
This policy outlines the process to efficiently resolve conflicts between more than one department. A conflict is defined as a circumstance when compliance with one regulation causes a conflict with another regulation and involves more than one department, or when specific site conditions make complying with the regulations as written not possible. The process consists of three phases with specific timeframes associated with each phase. Customers should work with assigned review staff to resolve all issues, but if a solution cannot be found, escalation should follow these steps. Customers or city review staff may initiate this process so that we can quickly collaborate across departments to provide direction to the customer. The policy and process are found in the Policies and Procedures section on this website and is summarized here.
- Phase 1 starts with an identification of a conflict either by staff or the customer, 20 business days to complete this phase. Process can be initiated by the customer, Project Champion (if project is a site development plan) or reviewer. This phase consists of an internal city meeting once the conflict is identified, and then a resolution meeting with the city and customer to present potential solutions to resolve the conflict.
- Phase 2 – if not resolved in Phase 1, city staff will move the project to Phase 2 and engage the Denver Permitting Office, 15 business days to complete this phase. If the DPO Director determines the conflict is an issue of chartered authority, then the project will move directly to Phase 3. In Phase 2, the customer will be asked to bring ideas for solving the conflict to a meeting with the city including the Denver Permitting Office and Departmental Liaisons and the customer. The DPO Director will then issue a decision. The DPO Director’s decision can be appealed within 10 business days by requesting it be heard by the Executive Permitting Committee (Phase 3).
- Phase 3 is only applicable if an Executive Director or customer appeals the DPO Director’s decision in Phase 2 or the DPO Director determines the conflict is an issue of chartered authority. This phase will be completed in 6 business days of the date of the Executive Permitting Committee meeting.
Downtown Express Permitting Pilot
DPO, in partnership with Denver Office of Economic Development and Opportunity (DEDO), is leading the Downtown Express Permitting Pilot to support the permitting of ground-floor tenant improvements along and immediately adjacent to 16th Street and the named streets between Broadway to Blake to support business development as construction was happening on 16th Street. This pilot has dedicated staffing across permitting teams to hold pre-application meetings and a first round comment review meeting. To see if your project qualifies, please reach out to DEDO’s John Hill at john-michael.hill@denvergov.org before you begin formal permit submittals.
123 Fast Track Pilot
In November 2022, Colorado voters approved this ballot initiative to increase funding for affordable housing. Jurisdictions that opt in to the program must develop a Fast Track approval process for projects designate at least 50% of units as affordable. Denver is piloting this process during the fall/winter of 2025 and 2026, building off the Affordable Housing Review Team (AHRT). We expect to fully launch the Proposition 123 Fast Track Process in Quarter 2 2026.
One and Done Concept Plan Review
Launched in July 2025 in response to customer and staff feedback, this process better aligns the concept site plan review process with our customer’s design process and serves to provide high level feedback. An additional round(s) of review may be requested by the customer if more certainty is desired before starting the formal site development plan process. Learn more about the site development plan process, including the concept plan on the SDP webpage.
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