Simple Backyard Upgrade Leads To Costly Zoning Battle in Denver

By Chierstin Roth | CBS Colorado

Denver homeowner EJ Braquet built a pergola over his back patio for his aging mother back in 2023. She can no longer make it to the nearby park, so he wanted to give her a shaded spot in the backyard to get outside. However, he could never have imagined what happened next. 

“I basically said I don’t want to cut any corners,” said Braquet. “I want to build it right and build it nice.”

Little did he know that his backyard project would spark a multi-year battle with the city.

“Didn’t have anything to hide, didn’t realize I needed a permit at the time, I thought this was very similar to what you could buy at Costco and assemble yourself,” Braquet said.

Braquet says he was contacted by city zoning after a neighbor reported the structure. Retroactively, he began the permitting process. But it didn’t stop there. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO