Arvada is planning for the next decade
In 2026, the city of Arvada is writing a new comprehensive plan, a document that helps the city decide what should get built and where. This is a big opportunity for the city to correct past mistakes, innovate for the future, and ensure that the next decade is Arvada's best ever.
At YIMBY Arvada, we've come up with a few suggestions to make sure this comprehensive plan is as good as it can be.
Allow Missing-Middle Housing Near Transit
In most of Arvada, you have two options for where to live:
But what if somebody wants something in the middle?
Duplexes, Triplexes, mother-in-law-houses, and other forms of "middle density" are great choices for many people—and they're even better next to transit.
Arvada's current planning standards, unfortunately, make building these types of homes much more difficult than it needs to be. You need to go to several hearings and get a special-use permit, just like if you were building a big apartment building.
In the 2026 plan, we should cut out the red tape: around transit, missing-middle housing should be buildable by right
Make each G-Line Station a Destination
Olde Town Arvada proves it—Train stations are more fun with things to do near them. Unfortunately, not every station in Arvada has equal amenities. Some, like the 60th and Sheridan and Wheat Ridge/Ward stations, have parking lots and little else.
We propose that the city allow a greater diversity of experiences near these stations—Restaurants, bars, and other amenities that give people a reason to stop by.
Relax Parking Requirements Near Transit
Right now the city of Arvada dictates the same parking requirements for every building, regardless of location. This makes no sense for housing built near a train or a high-frequency bus station.
We're not saying to eliminate parking. But the one-size-fits-all model is costly, inefficient, and wastes space. We should relax these requirements near transit, so builders and business owners can right-size their parking for the needs of their clients and tenants.
Promote Downsize-Friendly Housing
Like most of the Denver Metro region, Arvada has an aging population that is expected to grow over the next few decades. As people get older, have their kids move out, and retire, the same house they may have purchased in the 1980s might no longer make sense for their needs—but right now, they'd have to leave their communities if they want to downsize. It doesn't have to be this way. A few small changes to our zoning code could make it easier for seniors to keep living in their community.
1. Streamline Permitting for ADUs
Accessory Dwelling Units, also called backyard cottages or mother-in-law apartments, are endorsed by the AARP as a great way for longtime residents to find flexible housing options that work for them in old age. An ADU is essentially a separate, detached house on a lot where a larger house already exists—perfect for seniors who want independence, but still need help from their children from time to time.
Arvada's ADU laws have “poison pills,” like owner-occupancy requirements, that could be removed from the code to make these more feasible.
2. Make it easier to build elevators
As seniors age, stairs can become a barrier. Elevators solve this problem by eliminating it entirely, but American laws place unnecessarily strict requirements on building them. As a result, many small apartment and condo complexes are built as walk-ups instead. We could remove those regulatory requirements, bringing our standards more in line with those of the rest of the world, and make it easier for people to install elevators.