Denver’s Zoning Code has a distinct path for an ADU on an existing carriage lot where no primary use is present. That question is separate from the zone-by-zone gross-floor-area table in Denver’s general ADU guide.
Local standards
The selected local standards are summarized in the Denver Zoning Code — Article 11: Use Limitations. Article 11.8.2 allows the carriage-lot ADU only when the applicable requirements of both §11.8.2 and §12.10.4 are met. If the provisions conflict, §12.10.4 controls. This conditional route is tied to the code’s carriage-lot language; it does not establish a general right to build an ADU on any vacant parcel.
Confirm the applicable rule
Denver distinguishes this route from ADUs accessory to a primary dwelling and from forms allowed in single-unit, two-unit, or multi-unit contexts. The code’s separate GFA rows include “Not applicable” entries that should not be read as an unlimited allowance. Check current code, parcel zoning, legal carriage-lot status, and all cross-referenced provisions. Zoning measurements do not by themselves establish fire separation, building-code compliance, utility capacity, or permit approval. For shared measurement methods, see the setback and separation guide and floor-area guide.
