New zoning, old debate on onetime pig farm

City Hall is mulling whether to rezone a parcel of onetime agricultural land on Colorado Boulevard near 66th Avenue to accommodate a planned warehouse. Debate over the proposal illustrates a familiar face-off — between Commerce City the industrial hub and Commerce City the residential community. 

The property, which has become a de facto parking lot, is nestled between industrial properties. Once a pig farm, it was subsequently zoned for agriculture and light industrial use — a designation that remains to this day. A request to change the current zoning to medium industrial use is at the center of the debate.

The Planning Commission has recommended approval of the rezoning, and the decision now rests with the City Council. If approved, the change would allow Galloway & Company to install a 30,000 square foot warehouse with outdoor storage at the site.

City staffers say that proposed zone changes are reviewed against the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which provides a roadmap for future development, and that consistency with the Comprehensive Plan is one of the determining factors to decide if the zone change is appropriate.

At the March 4 council meeting — before the council voted to continue the conversation at its March 18 meeting — council member Rocky Teter noted that the property is “sandwiched in between” industrial uses, so the proposed change, “wouldn’t be so bad.” 

Said Teter, “I don’t think they are too far out of line here. They’re following the comprehensive plan.” 

Not everyone wants to see the area become more industrial. Residents who live adjacent to the property expressed skepticism about the new land use at a recent neighborhood meeting and have raised concerns about increases in traffic, crime, trash and debris.

Concerns about the public environmental impact on air quality and public health for pedestrians who often navigate Colorado Boulevard, including schoolchildren, were also raised at the meeting.

Council member Renee Chacon asked at the meeting if environmental studies had been conducted. She was told that multiple studies were completed and there were no concerns. But Chacon said she wanted to know more before she could change her current “no” vote to a “yes” vote for the changed zoning.

“I’m not comfortable with the findings. There’s too many red flags,” said Chacon adding that “I am concerned about what was brought up with the local constituency.” 

The city has indicated that when a revised Comprehensive Plan for 2045 is completed, it is not likely that there will be a general shift away from industrial uses in the discussed area.