On December 19, Eric Browning, who has served as Denver's interim building official since March, will become Denver's chief building official.

Eric holds a Master’s Degree in civil engineering with a structural focus from UCLA and is a licensed professional engineer in Colorado and California. He worked for the Building and Safety Division of the Los Angeles Department of Public Works, and before joining Denver Community Planning and Development in 2011, Eric ran his own engineering design and consulting company and spent time with Weyerhaeuser as a structural engineering software project manager.

Eric can be reached at Eric.Browning@denvergov.org or 720-865-2815.

The ability to estimate permitting timelines is an important factor in managing your project. While we strive to provide accurate estimates based on current 30-day averages, actual review times may vary by project.

We understand that some projects may exceed the current average review times, and we are working to reduce the number of development projects being reviewed past the target due date. We have approved overtime hours for review staff, and we are in the process of hiring additional plan reviewers. In the last six months, we've hired 2 plan reviewers and 6 building inspectors. We are currently in the process of hiring 2 additional plan reviewers as well as additional inspectors.

Since 2005, the Mayor’s Design Awards have honored projects throughout the city for excellence in architecture, exterior design and place-making. At a public ceremony last week, the city honored the following projects as our 2021 Mayor's Design Award winners:

More than 160,000 Denver residents are paying more than the recommended 30% of their income for housing. In October, Community Planning and Development and the Department of Housing Stability released a draft proposal to support the creation of affordable housing needed by our workforce and community members. The draft proposal recommends an affordable housing requirement for certain new residential developments to ensure that much-needed affordable options are included as new homes are built.

In November 2021, Denver City Council approved a new ordinance charting a course for buildings larger than 25,000 square feet to get to 30% energy savings by 2030. The ordinance also requires a gradual adoption of electric heating and cooling systems to replace gas systems when cost effective. The city plans to provide extensive support for building owners and managers, including incentives for electrification, extra support for buildings in under-resourced communities, and a virtual Energize Denver Resource Hub to serve as a one-stop shop to easily understand compliance measures.

“The city really understands buildings, how they work, and what actually has to happen to move toward renewable energy and electrification,” said Stephen Shepard, executive vice president of Denver Metro Building Owners and Managers Association.

Energize Denver Policy Manager – Lead the implementation of the Energize Denver Building Performance Ordinance and the Energize Denver Resource Hub.

Energize Denver Equitable Implementation Administrator – Lead the development and implementation of services provided to under-resourced buildings.

Green Building Outreach Administrator – Develop a net zero energy new building resource hub and lead implementation of Denver's Green Building Ordinance.

Existing Buildings Programs Administrator – Lead the implementation of outreach and recognition programs, such as Smart Leasing and the Energize Denver Awards, for commercial and multifamily buildings.

Since January 2021, city planners from Community Planning and Development and Denver Parks and Recreation have been hearing what residents have to say about the future of the golf course property. From mailed surveys to small groups to public workshops, residents expressed the most support for these priorities: 

CSU Spur of the Moment Podcast:

Denver hasn't stopped growing since 1850. Two people who understand the city will keep growing are Grace Rink, executive director of the Office of Climate Action, and Laura E. Aldrete, executive director of Community Planning and Development. While the two work in separate offices for the City of Denver, they talk about how they often work together – at the intersection of city planning and sustainability – to find solutions on issues like energy and water conservation.

Last month, the city virtually held it's annual Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day. This event featured several sessions showcasing how the city uses geographic information to make decisions. CPD's GIS data administrator, Grant Garstka, presented Houses in Motion: Using 3-D Web Scenes for Building Height Planning in West Denver.

Watch a recording (opens in YouTube)