What's required in Denver to convert my basement to a lawful rental apartment? (appliances, house)

[kevin_in_Denver]

Find your zoning

Then read the code

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by kevin_in_Denver

Find your zoning
Then read the code

Notice how the OP (1 post) has not come back.
Why do we waste our time with these people?

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Notice how the OP (1 post) has not come back.
Why do we waste our time with these people?

Maybe his question was answered, and he left, a happy camper. Seriously probably 50% of people on forums like this, register, ask their question, and never intend to follow up. They just check back in a few days to see if their question was answered. Thats just the way the internet is, and the way they roll.

Back on the subject, I doubt that many basement bedrooms/apartments are legal. When I was a kid, my parents rented us a four bedroom (including one in the basement) house in Littleton. Interesting thing I remember is that the basement bedroom (windowless) had one of those old type rotary dial phones with a lock in the dial, that prevented people for making out going calls. A pretty good indication that it had been used as a rental room in the past.

The current property records, list that house as just a three bedroom house with a 50% finished basement. I'd say that makes the basement bedroom illegal.

[kevin_in_Denver]

Dave,

When a topic happens to be one of my favorites, I'll discuss it with anyone. Brainstorming and picking other's brains isn't a waste of time.

One example: in 2006, I learned that "granny flats" were a growing trend in urban areas. I started an informal lobby group and we managed to get granny flats incorporated into Denver's new 2010 zoning code. Granny flats include basement apts., carriage houses, garage apartments, lock offs, etc.

There are a lot of things that can make a basement apartment illegal:

1. No egress window.
2. No certificate of occupancy for the second unit.
3. No duplexes allowed in your zone.
4. Insufficient electrical service.
5. No permanent heating system.
6. Insufficient parking.
7. Sometimes they require separate electric and gas meters.
8. Ceiling height, stairway codes, etc., etc.

Most of those restrictions were implemented in Denver only after 1955. If your house had an apartment in it before 1955, it was legal in 1955. And if you can find some proof of that, then the Board of Adjustment will allow you to make it officially legal.

[SK-in-CO]

Sorry forum buddies; been out of town 4 days and not able to post. Thanks for your generous help and advice.

I'm now shopping for a property in an historic neighborhood (like West Highlands; Highland Square walkable)....that would be allowed to have this rental basement.

Not many have true duplex status. "Zoned U-SU-A" mostly. But I see some older homes with two addresses....one appears to lead to a basement apartment. They also are "U-SU-A". How did they do this? Are they "grandfathered in" before the zoning changed to more restrictive? Or did the owners' petition for a zoning exception? What's involved in getting an exception?

thanks
SK

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Although kevin_in_denver seems very knowledgeable about this subject, I still recommend that you talk with the enforcement agency; I.e., the Denver Zoning Office. While it's good to get some anecdotal information from this forum, you really do need to get your information from the people who enforce the code.

[kevin_in_Denver]

Highlands lost its duplex and triplex status very recently, which explains all the duplexes in U-SU-A
Council debate runs late into night - The Denver Post

But prior to this downzoning was a "grandfathering" law in 2007-2008 that allows the old, legal duplexes to be torn down and replaced with a new, legal duplex.

Zoning "exceptions" are called variances, and they are pretty difficult to get, but about 8 people try every Tuesday at the Board of Adjustment hearings.

[JBPisgah]

Beyond the question of why the OP doesn't just call up the zoning department, does anyone else find this thread a bit disturbing? Many of the zoning rules are about the little things: making sure stairs are safe, wiring will not electrocute someone or start a fire, or a family will not be trapped in the event of a fire and burn to death.

[kevin_in_Denver]

Disturbing? No one is advocating anything unsafe.

[Eddyline]

Originally Posted by JBPisgah

Beyond the question of why the OP doesn't just call up the zoning department, does anyone else find this thread a bit disturbing? Many of the zoning rules are about the little things: making sure stairs are safe, wiring will not electrocute someone or start a fire, or a family will not be trapped in the event of a fire and burn to death.

l
Actually, zoning does not deal with any of that. Those are covered by the Building Code.
And nothing disturbing about asking questions on a forum.