DRMC chapter 30 establishes Denver historic districts including LoDo, Curtis Park, Humboldt Street, Quality Hill, and parts of Capitol Hill and Cheesman Park. Exterior alterations need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmark Preservation Commission.
Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) administers DRMC chapter 30, which designates more than 50 individual landmarks and over a dozen historic districts including Lower Downtown (LoDo), Curtis Park, Humboldt Street, Quality Hill, Park Avenue West, Country Club, and overlay areas in Capitol Hill and Cheesman Park. Any exterior alteration visible from the public right-of-way (windows, roofing, paint colors in some districts, additions, demolitions) requires a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) before a building permit. Staff review handles minor work; full LPC hearing required for additions, demolition, and new infill. Design guidelines vary by district — LoDo emphasizes warehouse character, Curtis Park preserves Victorian residential. Demolition delays can be up to one year for non-designated buildings under §30-7.
Unpermitted alteration in a Denver historic district violates DRMC §30-6 with stop-work orders, daily fines up to $999, and restoration orders. Demolition without COA can result in mandatory rebuild or fines equal to assessed historic value plus criminal charges.
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