Land Use Framework illustrated through Place Types

What is a Place Type Framework?

The Wheat Ridge City Plan will include a map of character areas, or place types, that make up the patchwork quilt of Wheat Ridge. The draft Place Types Framework anticipates that Wheat Ridge’s fundamental “Place of Places” character should not change significantly during the next decade. The initial draft of the Place Type Framework is illustrated below, and it will be refined throughout the rest of the City Plan process. The Place Type Framework that is included in the final plan will help guide decisions about what kind of development will go where.

Residential Places

The residential neighborhoods are what many people experience of the city, and they define much of Wheat Ridge’s character and community. Each residential neighborhood has a distinct feel. To capture both current conditions and to inform a compatible and appropriate future, the draft Place Type Framework categorizes distinct neighborhoods into categories based on the variety of housing found in parts of the city:

For larger image, click here.

• Lower Variety Neighborhood
  • General Character - A residential neighborhood that may have either a suburban development pattern on uniform lots (e.g., cul-de-sacs) or a traditional development pattern (e.g., gridded streets) with a lower degree of housing variety that is predominately comprised of a single housing type. In most neighborhoods, this is single-unit housing. Determining features are the dominance of single-unit detached housing with many intact blocks, or groups of blocks, where houses were built in the same era.
  • Primary Uses - Medium to large lot single-unit detached housing or the predominant existing housing type.
  • Secondary Uses - Accessory dwelling units (ADU), duplex units, places of worship, schools, day care centers, home offices.
• Moderate Variety Neighborhood
  • General Character - A residential neighborhood with a moderate degree of housing choice, where single-unit housing is less dominant than in Lower Variety areas, but still a sizable portion of the housing supply. A determining feature is that no single housing type is overly dominant. These neighborhoods generally have a gridded development pattern with some winding streets and cul-de-sacs.
  • Primary Uses - Single-unit detached housing, duplex units, townhomes
  • Secondary Uses - Limited multi-unit properties (generally with limited massing up to four units per building), ADUs, other housing types, places of worship, schools, day care centers, home offices.
• Higher Variety Neighborhood
  • General Character - A residential neighborhood with a generally traditional gridded development pattern, with the highest degree of housing choice. A determining feature is the substantial presence of 20th Century multi-unit properties as well as variety in construction eras.
  • Primary Uses - Small to medium lot single-unit housing, cottages, duplex units, multi-unit properties.
  • Secondary Uses - ADUs, other housing types, places of worship, schools, day care centers, home offices.
• Transit Village
  • General Character - Higher-density residential buildings clustered around a rail station, designed to promote walkability and convenience with nearby neighborhood commercial amenities.
  • Primary Uses - Multi-unit residential, including apartments, townhomes, live-work space, home offices
  • Secondary Uses - Neighborhood commercial, services, office

Mixed Use and Commercial Places

In between these residential neighborhoods are the other places that define Wheat Ridge, including where we shop, eat, visit the doctor, go to work, recreate, or meet up with friends. This initial draft of the Place Type Framework categorizes these places as districts and centers:

For larger image, click here.

• Main Street Mixed Use District
  • General Character - The core of the community, featuring a mix of local businesses, eateries, and cultural landmarks. It is a central gathering place where residents connect, shop, and celebrate, reflecting the unique character and spirit of the community.
  • Primary Uses - Retail, entertainment, bars, cultural, office, service commercial, government, civic, gathering spaces and multi-unit residential.
  • Secondary Uses - Mixed use commercial uses that support the primary uses and do not detract from the quality of place and economic vitality of 38th Avenue.
• Neighborhood Mixed Use District
  • General Character - Smaller-scale mixed use buildings with commercial uses that have a limited market geography. Parking is located behind the buildings and pedestrian access is emphasized where feasible.
  • Primary Uses - Small scale commercial/retail, restaurants/bars, services, offices
  • Secondary Uses - Upper-story residential
• Community Mixed Use District
  • General Character - Mixed-use buildings (variable in size) that accommodate commercial development, office and flex space, and/or residential development (generally multi-unit buildings). Some auto-oriented development exists and/or is appropriate.
  • Primary Uses - Commercial/retail, offices, services, flex buildings, upper story multi-unit residential
  • Secondary Uses - Townhomes, multi-unit residential, flex commercial
• Regional Mixed Use District
  • General Character - Development is characterized by a concentration of businesses that have a large market geography including major educational and medical centers with campus style development patterns. Buildings often designed to cater to motorists. This type of development often prioritizes convenience and visibility for travelers and commuters.
  • Primary Uses - Large scale commercial business, offices, educational, medical, auto-intensive businesses
  • Secondary Uses - Multi-unit residential, warehousing, wholesaling, distribution
• General Production Center
  • General Character - Active industrial districts that support a variety of fabrication, processing, production, warehousing, and manufacturing uses.
  • Primary Uses - Light and general industrial, flex warehouse, makerspace
  • Secondary Uses - Commercial uses specifically related to the primary uses

A Draft Place Type Framework

When we look at all of the Place Types together, we can see the full patchwork quilt that makes up Wheat Ridge. And we can also see that the seams and edges often aren’t clearly defined, nor do the place type categories tell us exactly what should go where.

For larger image, click here.

Instead, it acknowledges some key realities about our community:

• It recognizes that boundaries between different places can be fuzzy. The transitional areas where two different types of places meet can become areas for conflict if not handled thoughtfully. Future regulations should be sensitive to this reality.
• It acknowledges that different types of residential neighborhoods have different levels of housing variety, with implications for future residential redevelopment. New housing fits differently in different neighborhoods. Some kinds of housing might fit more easily in high-variety places, and less easily in low-variety places. Future regulations should be sensitive to this reality.
• It acknowledges that because Wheat Ridge is largely built-out, most development takes place in or near established residential neighborhoods. But peaceful coexistence of new development with established residential neighborhoods can be achieved through regulatory tools that manage development.

Knowing exactly where potential transition or friction points exist can help the City improve its tools for shaping new development to be sensitive to its surrounding context. Take the survey and help us understand what are the most important things to get right to achieve peaceful coexistence in two different types of situations:

• When new residential development occurs in established residential areas.
• When commercial development occurs in close proximity to established residential areas.