The Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application is the form that Landmark Preservation, part of City and County of Denver Planning and Development (Community Planning & Development), uses to decide whether a building has potential to become a Denver landmark before the owner demolishes it. If you are looking for a Denver permit to tear down a building, note that this certificate is separate from the demolition application: with a valid Certificate of Demolition Eligibility (CDE), you submit a demolition application and the CDE to Landmark Preservation, and staff issue a demolition approval number. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published by the City and County of Denver.
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What is Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application – Denver, CO?
The Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application is the Denver Landmark Preservation form that owners of non-landmark, non-historic-district properties submit to request a Certificate of Demolition Eligibility (CDE), which gives certainty about a possible future demolition.
The CDE process involves a similar level of review as a demolition review. Landmark Preservation staff review a complete application to decide whether the structure has potential to be a Denver landmark. A property must meet at least three of the ten landmark criteria in Section 30-3 of Chapter 30 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code, which are printed on the form's checklist page, and retain integrity.
If a CDE is issued, it is valid for five years. During that time a Denver landmark designation application cannot be submitted without owner approval, and the owner or the owner's agent may proceed with a demolition application without further Landmark Preservation review.
The CDE is not the demolition application. To demolish, you submit a separate demolition application together with the CDE to Landmark Preservation, and staff issue a demolition approval number.
The form is not for a structure that is pending Denver landmark designation, individually designated, or located within a designated historic district. The PDF has an application page, an authorization page for business entities and a submittal checklist.
Who needs to file Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application – Denver, CO?
Owners of non-landmark, non-historic-district properties who are not currently planning demolition but want more certainty about a potential future demolition may apply for a CDE. The owner's agent may also proceed with a demolition application once a CDE has been issued.
Who cannot apply: a structure that is pending Denver landmark designation, individually designated, or located within a designated historic district is not eligible.
Signing rules from the form and its checklist:
- The property owner must sign the application. The signature must be a written original, either wet or scanned; a typed signature is not accepted.
- Corporations, LLCs, non-profit organizations and other business entities must also complete the authorization page, naming who has authorization to sign for the entity. The signer represents that he or she has the legal authority to submit the application and to bind the owner.
- The application must include both the applicant's contact information and the property owner's contact information.
The form warns that the City may suspend or terminate the approval process if the legal authority of the owner or the signer is disputed.
When to file Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application – Denver, CO
There is no deadline: you apply when you want certainty about a future demolition, and the form is aimed at owners who are not currently planning one. The form prints no filing window.
After you submit a complete application, the timeline is:
- Landmark Preservation staff review it within 10 business days to decide whether the structure has potential to be a Denver landmark. Applications are reviewed in the order received.
- If there is no potential, the CDE is issued.
- If there is potential, a public notice is posted for 21 calendar days. If a notice of intent to file a designation is received by the 21st day, the posting extends to 60 days. If no designation application is submitted in the posting period, the CDE is issued the next business day.
- If the designation process starts and the property is not designated within 90 calendar days of the date the designation application was received, the CDE is issued the following business day.
A CDE is valid for five years.
Documents you need
- Completed Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application, signed by the property owner with a written original signature, wet or scanned; a typed signature is not accepted.
- Authorization page of the application, only if the owner is a corporation, LLC, non-profit organization or other business entity, naming who is authorized to sign for it.
- Color photographs showing all sides (typically 4) of all structures larger than 1.5 stories on the property, including accessory structures such as barns or carriage houses.
- Photograph format: at least 300 dpi and at least 4" x 6", attached to the email as a jpg or pdf, not thumbnails, embedded or linked images.
- Labeled photographs and a site plan, only if the site is complicated.
- Real Property Record from the Assessor's Office for the property, to verify ownership and legal description; owner information is available at denvergov.org/assessor.
How to fill out Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application – Denver, CO
Enter property address and legal description
At the top, write the Property Address and the Legal Description of the property. The Assessor's real property record, which you attach, verifies the legal description.
Enter the property owner's information
Under Property Owner Information, complete Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone and E-mail address.
Add the applicant's contact information
The application must include the applicant's contact information as well as the owner's. If the applicant is not the owner, make sure both are present.
Print the owner's name and sign
Enter Print Name, then sign at Signature of owner and add the Date. Print the PDF to sign it by hand; the signature must be a written original, wet or scanned, not typed.
Complete the authorization page if needed
Corporations, LLCs, non-profit organizations and other business entities must also complete this page. Fill in who has authorization to sign for which entity, then add the signature and date.
Gather the photographs
Take color photographs of all sides, typically 4, of all structures larger than 1.5 stories. Save them as jpg or pdf files of at least 300 dpi and 4" x 6"; label them and add a site plan if the site is complicated.
Get the Assessor's real property record
Obtain the Real Property Record for the property from the Assessor's Office; owner information is available at denvergov.org/assessor.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Check that the address, legal description and contact details match the Assessor's record and that the signature page is ready. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application – Denver, CO
The form names one submission channel: email to Landmark Preservation at [email protected].
- Email: send the completed, signed application, the application fee, the color photographs and the Real Property Record from the Assessor's Office to [email protected]. Photographs must be attached as a jpg or pdf file, at least 300 dpi and at least 4" x 6"; thumbnails, embedded images and links are not accepted.
- Fee: an application fee is required with the submission. The form does not describe how it is paid, so ask Landmark Preservation for the current amount and payment instructions at [email protected] or 720.865.2709.
- Office contact: Landmark Preservation, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 205, Denver, CO 80202. The form prints this address as the office contact, not as a mailing channel.
For a full description of the notice, posting and designation process, the form points to www.denvergov.org/landmark. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing with a typed signature; the checklist requires a written original signature, wet or scanned.
- Sending thumbnails, embedded or linked photographs, or images below 300 dpi or 4" x 6"; the checklist says they will not be accepted.
- Photographing only part of the property instead of all sides, typically 4, of every structure larger than 1.5 stories, including barns or carriage houses.
- Omitting the Real Property Record from the Assessor's Office, which verifies ownership and legal description.
- Leaving out the applicant's or the property owner's contact information, both of which the application must include.
- A business entity skipping the authorization page; corporations, LLCs and non-profits must also complete it.
- Applying for a structure that is pending landmark designation, individually designated or inside a designated historic district.
- Sending the application without the application fee, which the process lists as part of the submission.
- Treating the CDE as demolition approval; a demolition application and the CDE must still be submitted to Landmark Preservation.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Certificate of Demolition Eligibility in Denver?
A Certificate of Demolition Eligibility (CDE) is issued by Denver Landmark Preservation to owners of non-landmark, non-historic-district properties who want certainty about a future demolition. Once issued, it lets the owner proceed with a demolition application without further Landmark Preservation review for five years.
Is the CDE the same as a Denver demolition permit?
No. The CDE is a separate certificate. To demolish, you submit a demolition application and the CDE to Landmark Preservation, and staff issue a demolition approval number. The CDE only removes further Landmark Preservation review for its five-year validity.
How long is a Certificate of Demolition Eligibility valid?
Five years. During that period a Denver landmark designation application cannot be submitted without owner approval, and the owner may demolish the structures without further Landmark Preservation review after submitting the demolition application and CDE.
How long does Denver take to review a CDE application?
Staff review a complete application within 10 business days. If the structure has potential to be a landmark, a notice is posted for 21 calendar days, extended to 60 if a notice of intent to file a designation is received, before the CDE is issued.
Where do I send the Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application?
Email it to Landmark Preservation at [email protected] with the application fee, color photographs and the Assessor's real property record. Photographs must be attached as jpg or pdf files, not embedded or linked. The form prints no other submission channel.
Who cannot apply for a CDE?
A structure that is pending Denver landmark designation, individually designated or located within a designated historic district cannot apply. The CDE is for non-landmark, non-historic-district properties whose owners want certainty about a potential demolition.
Who can sign the CDE application for a company?
The owner signs the application with a written original signature, wet or scanned. Corporations, LLCs, non-profits and other entities must also complete the authorization page naming who may sign for the entity, and the signer must have legal authority to bind the owner.
Can I fill out the Certificate of Demolition Eligibility Application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it, then sign it by hand. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the application; you email it to Landmark Preservation yourself.
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