Who are the Friends of Granny?

Our leader is Bob Sperling, one of the concerned Denver citizens successful in forcing the removal of the largest radioactive dump site in the nation near urban dwellings, Shattuck.

For more on Bob:

http://www.du.edu/today/stories/2007/05/2007-05-07-zoning.html


Niccolo Casewit is a Denver resident who wants to build a legal Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) for his an 87 year-old mother Charlotte inside his home in West Denver’s Barnum Neighborhood (currently zoned R-1).

Nancy D, Owner and resident of a lovely carriage house close to Old South Pearl Street.

Rebecca Alexis, Owner/Occupant of a tasteful new duplex unit on South Pennsylvania St.

Penelope Zeller, Homeowner/Resident and RNO official for North City Park Civic Association.

Michael Kephart, Homeowner/Resident in North Washington Park. Mike can answer technical questions about ADU's throughout the metro region. (303) 777- 5642

Christine Tomovich, Applewood resident, (303) 523-3776

Jay Pearson, West Wash Park Resident

Report on ADU's and model code

Please follow this link to the State of Washington report on Accessory Dwelling Units
http://www.mrsc.org/Publications/textadu.aspx

ADU Benefits List

1. Provides supplemental income - justifying reinvestment, and higher property values

2. Gives homeowners more options – family use, home office, aging/ill parent, workforce/affordable rental, caregiver housing, occasional guests, etc.

3. Creates community integrated “affordable” housing – at no cost to the city

4. ADU’s represent market driven, private sector financed and built affordable units

5. Gives the current homeowner the potential to profit without selling & moving

6. Creates an “activated alley” safer and more desirable than what we have now

7. In existing R-2 zones, it legalizes front-back “detached duplexes” where only attached housing is legal now. A new side by side attached duplex often changes neighborhood character. The old code’s bias against “detached homes” seems unreasonable

8. Offers a better financial return than investing in the stock market

9. Creates a more sustainable housing type than sprawling suburban greenfield developments

10. The increased value can help thwart scrapeoffs by redevelopers

11. In transit zones, increases transit ridership

12. Is a more natural, attractive alternative to a “mega duplex” in the R-2 zone

13. Justifies holding onto homes longer and "aging in place"

14. The added income makes mortgage affordable, which can turn renters into owners

15. Helps homeowners preserve and build future NET WORTH for retirement

16. Preserves neighborhood character by providing an alternative to scrapeoffs

17. Increases population density (inevitable, despite local scattered resistance)

18. Cuts parking load on streets because a new large, usable garage is built where none may have been before

19. Reduces commuting by providing housing closer to jobs, which reduces air pollution

20. Encourages social/economic diversity in a live-work-play environment

21. Encourages families with DPS (Denver Public School) children – to remain in area, which increases enrollment preventing school closures

22. Slows housing turnover – which increases stability

23. Daytime activity on premises and in alley can reduce crime

24. The construction/remodel phase creates employment within the neighborhood

25. Creates affordable housing (apartment rental) in upscale areas

26. Extends life of useful home ownership – contributing to stability, self esteem

28. Adds much needed space and updates to older, small homes, improving livability

29. Provides at-home office facilities

30. Makeover can include making home more senior friendly

31. Revitalizes the often neglected rear of property

32. Seniors who stay in their home benefit from a law that freezes their property tax

33. Puts retirement dollars in more secure investment (home based real estate)

34. Makes it easier for extended families to remain together

35. Creates an ideal location for a solar energy photovoltaic installation


REASONS AGAINST:

1. Higher density in R-1 only

2. Poor management could allow undesirable tenants

Carriage House Newsletter #1

Here's a link to a standalone newsletter about carriage houses:

Carriage House Newsletter #1

For Neighborhood Newsletters

150-word version


Carriage Houses Offer More Choice for Denver Homeowners

Present zoning code limits what homeowners can do with their property to accommodate elderly parents, companions or changing circumstances. They can add on, pop the top, or scrape and rebuild. But these are costly options.
A less-expensive choice is the Carriage House, a secondary dwelling that can be used as an office, guest house, studio, or apartment for a relative, companion or caregiver.
Denver’s Zoning Code Task Force has been working on a proposal to reintroduce the Carriage House to our community. These efforts are supported by a group of homeowners called Friends of Granny Flats, who believe that Carriage Houses, also known as Granny Flats or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s), are a positive step for communities.
Friends of Granny encourages homeowners to learn about Carriage Houses by attending one of the Zoning Task Force’s community education meetings in May.
Dates, times and locations can be found at www.newcodedenver.org.
Friends of Granny can also answer direct questions at friendsofgrannyflats@gmail.com


300-word version

Carriage Houses Offer More Choice for Denver Homeowners

Present zoning code limits what homeowners can do to their property to accommodate elderly parents, companions or changing circumstances. They can add on, pop the top, or scrape and rebuild. But these are costly options.
A less-expensive choice is the Carriage House, a secondary dwelling that can be used as an office, guest house, studio, or apartment for a relative, companion or caregiver.
Imagine two 1890 Victorian homes side by side on the same street. The owners of both properties want to improve their homes. One homeowner decides to scrape the property and replace it with a duplex. That would result in two modern side-by-side homes on the same lot where the Victorian once stood. Neighbors worry that the character of their street would suffer.
The other homeowner chooses to build a Granny Flat above a detached garage in the back yard and rent the flat to a niece. Her rent will pay the relatively modest cost of building the structure and may also help finance improvements to the Victorian.
Neighbors praise the homeowner for preserving the character of the street. The only problem is that existing city code won’t allow this solution because a dwelling unit is not permitted in the back third of the property.
Denver’s Zoning Code Task Force wants to fix that problem with a proposal to reintroduce the Carriage House to our community. These efforts are supported by a group of homeowners called Friends of Granny Flats, who believe that Carriage Houses, also known as Granny Flats or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s), are a positive step for communities.
Carriage Houses help preserve neighborhood character while allowing seniors more options than scraping their homes or moving out.
Next month, the Task Force will have a series of community meetings to explain their ideas on a whole range of zoning changes. Friends of Granny encourages homeowners to attend one of these community meetings.
Dates, times and locations can be found at www.newcodedenver.org.
Friends of Granny can also answer direct questions at friendsofgrannyflats@gmail.com