City Cast Denver
🏘️ City Council pushes back against denser housing
September 30, 2026 · — Molly Smith
Good morning, Denver! Ever driven the Million Dollar Highway? I won’t subject you to all the scary details, but it was named alongside “Death Road” in Bolivia and “Highway of Death” in Iraq as one of the most dangerous roads in the world — and that’s just the beginning. For the morbidly curious, I think you’ll love this article about the strange history of Colorado’s terrifying highway. Be careful out there!
Today's Must-Know
🏘️ City Council Pushes Back on Higher-Density Housing Proposal
A plan to ease zoning restrictions on new duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes throughout Denver met resistance from Denver City Council members this week who said it would disrupt their neighborhoods. City staffers drafted a proposal last year called Unlocking Housing Choices, which would allow for a process called “upzoning” across the city. This means property owners citywide would be allowed to build denser housing under certain conditions. Because of Denver City Council members’ concerns, the revised proposal only applies to areas within a quarter mile of “transit priority streets.” [Denverite]
- Some groups aren’t happy: A coalition of organizations in support of the original Unlocking Housing Choices plan aired their grievances in a strongly-worded letter to City Council and the Mayor’s Office, saying the “proposed weakened amendments” were “less equitable and worse for the environment.” [Sierra Club Colorado, Community Economic Defense Project, YIMBY Denver, Pedestrian Dignity, and Denver Streets Partnership].
- Why is it a big fight?: On an episode of City Cast Denver last month, we learned that zoning reform can be an uphill battle. [City Cast Denver 🎧]
- Got an opinion?: Public meetings are scheduled throughout the fall. [City and County of Denver]
Sponsored Content
The Right Legal Team
This week on the City Cast Denver podcast, host Bree Davies talks to Evan Banker, a partner at Chalat Hatten & Banker. Check out this sneak peek:
Q: What keeps you passionate about this work?
A: Like a lot of people, Evan grew up with a negative perception of Injury Law. But as he started helping people and learning what they were up against, he found that injury lawyers are some of the most empathetic people.
Q: Tell us a bit about the firm
A: Chalat Hatten & Banker are a small by design firm. They've been handling cases for more than 40 years, and consider themselves a bespoke practice.
Q: If someone has been injured and isn't sure if they have a case, what should they do next?
A: Talk to a lawyer! It doesn't cost anything for the phone call, they want to help people understand their rights. They are on your side.
Want to learn more? Chalat Hatten & Banker would love to speak with you. Learn more here.
What Denver's Talking About
🏔️ Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass Sales Take a Fall
A quarterly earnings report from Vail Resorts shows that Epic Pass sales are down 12% compared to this time last year, and profits were down nearly 50% the last fiscal year. It’s no secret that bad snow conditions hit the winter sports industry hard, but with the potential El Niño weather pattern on the horizon, Vail executives hope that snow enthusiasts will shore up their bottom line through individual lift tickets. [CPR News]
🌇 $2.5M Campaign Aims to Boost Denver’s Reputation
A group of business leaders, including real estate investors and executives at downtown-headquartered companies, believe Denver isn’t getting the credit it deserves. They’ve raised more than $2.5 million for a marketing campaign to highlight the economic development and opportunities (and draw attention away from less flattering news, like low occupancy in downtown offices). [9News]
🦮 Good Boy Canine Deputy Rescues 3 Kids
When a nine-year-old and two six-year-olds wandered from their campsite and got lost on Saturday morning near Buena Vista, Archie the Chaffee County canine deputy was called in for the job. He picked up their scent and found them safe and unharmed about 1.5 miles away. Give that guy a treat! [9News]
What To Do
Thursday, Oct. 8
- 🥂 Champagne Thursdays @ The Cooper Lounge at Denver Union Station
- 🎵 Javon Jackson: Jackson Plays Dylan @ Dazzle Denver
- 🍜 Flavors of Thailand @ Stir Cooking School Highlands
Friday, Oct. 9
- 👻 Ghosts in the Gardens @ Denver Botanic Gardens
- 🧛 Carnivale De Sensuale: Les Monstres @ Federal Theater
- 🦘 KangaBOO @ Kangaroo Ranch Studio
That’s all for today! By the way, don’t rush to close the tab at happy hour. You and your car can stick around a little longer in LoHi, downtown, and Broadway thanks to an additional hour on parking meters after 3 p.m. The first two hours are still $2 each, and the third increases to $3. See ya!
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