A commentary published in the Colorado Springs Gazette by the executive director of Pikes Peak Housing Network contends that modern zoning law has undercut the kind of walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that many Colorado Springs residents say they want — and that the city's oldest districts already deliver.
A 1926 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, The Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty, established that municipalities may adopt and enforce centralized land-use regulations — a framework now known as Euclidean zoning. That system draws hard boundaries between residential, commercial, and industrial land, a division that has curtailed opportunities for mixed-use housing and favored the spread of single-family homes over denser options such as brownstones, townhouses, and duplexes. The same regulatory logic effectively wiped out the light commercial businesses common in earlier eras — corner stores and the like — pushing residents into cars for errands that were once done on foot.
The Old North End, widely regarded as one of Colorado Springs' oldest and most thriving neighborhoods, took shape largely before those post-1926 zoning requirements existed. That timing meant homes could be built as boarding houses, small trade businesses such as tailors and barbers could operate from residential buildings, and detached servant quarters were common. The neighborhood also supported small commercial establishments and a hospital that is still operating today as Penrose Hospital.
The Old North End and its neighboring districts — Patty Jewett and Shooks Run — draw strong demand from residents across age groups, particularly younger people and seniors who prioritize the ability to reach a coffee shop, grocery store, pharmacy, dry cleaner, or hardware store without getting in a car. Those same neighborhoods offer a range of housing types — townhomes, accessory dwelling units, and apartments — that open the door to more affordable options for renters and lower-income households. In contrast, most suburban areas of Colorado Springs put the nearest grocery store two to four miles away, with comparable or greater distances standing between residents and everyday destinations such as a café, a pharmacy, or a school.
Data-Driven Economic Strategies puts the median age in El Paso County at 35.7 — roughly four years below the national figure — a younger workforce the commentary identifies as essential to the city's finances, with sales taxes accounting for 60 percent of the municipal budget. Because seniors represent the city's fastest-growing demographic and are largely outside the workforce, retaining younger residents is described as increasingly critical to sustaining that revenue base.
The piece argues that walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods do more than satisfy lifestyle preferences: they help residents form the social ties and support networks linked to better mental health and civic engagement, and research suggests such environments are associated with lower crime rates and reduced public safety expenditures because more neighbors are watching out for one another. The author stops short of calling for an end to Euclidean zoning, acknowledging its role in shielding residents from industrial hazards, but maintains that residential codes should be updated to give families — young and old — greater flexibility to live with less dependence on the automobile.
No formal policy proposal or city council action has been announced in connection with the commentary, and it remains to be seen whether the Pikes Peak Housing Network will bring a specific zoning reform measure before Colorado Springs city officials.