Living in the Near Off-Campus Neighborhood: A Guide for University of Denver Students

For many students living in the near-off campus neighborhood, this is the first experience with living independently away from home and or a residence hall.

This guide has been developed by the University of Denver, the West University Community Association, and the City of Denver's District 3 Police Department to help students understand the expectations of living in an adult community. Much of the information in this guide might seem basic and full of common sense. If you think that, good job! You're on the road to being a good citizen. For those who don't know the established norms of living in a neighborhood, here's a tutorial.

Let us begin by explaining a central tenet through which this guide has been created: The near off-campus neighborhood is a residential neighborhood where families and students share a common goal: a quiet, enjoyable residential living.

Here are some things you need to remember:

1) Respect your neighbors' peace and quiet. Please recognize that most of those living next door to you, in front of and behind you, work at different times of the day and night. Many have children and some have infants, so please keep the noise to a level that cannot be heard outside your home. Most importantly, get to know your neighbors. They will look out for your well being, if you look out for theirs.

2) Pick up your trash. Whether it's newspapers in your yard, cups leftover from parties, empty bottles or paper trash, please pick up the trash in your yard and throw it away. Behind every home in the neighborhood, the city has placed rash receptacles. If yours is full, please throw your trash in another receptacle. Do not leave it on the ground.

3) How many roommates do you have? Did you know that for the most part you live in an R-1 zoning district? That means that the area in which you live is zoned for single-family dwellings. No more than three unrelated individuals can live in an R-1 district. If more than three people are living in your house, you can be fined up to $500 for each incident in which you are cited. Another zoning item, which if neglected can result in hefty fines, includes a requirement to shovel sidewalks within 24 hours.

4) Please park in front of your house. Many neighbors are elderly or have visitors throughout the day and evening. Just as it would inconvenience your visitors if they could not park in front of your house, please respect your neighbors' visitors.

5) Do you know what a nuisance is? Under the City of Denver's Nuisance Abatement law, a public nuisance is any property or vehicle where criminal activity occurs, including noise offenses, and disturbing the peace.

a. What is too loud? If you think your music or people at your party are disturbing a neighbor, then you probably are.
b. In general, there are two city ordinances with which students are cited in the near off-campus neighborhood. They are known as:

Disturbance of the peace

i. It shall be unlawful for any person to disturb or tend to disturb the peace of others by violent, tumultuous, offensive or obstreperous conduct or by loud or unusual noises or by unseemly, profane, obscene or offensive language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace or for any person to permit any such conduct in any house or upon any premises owned or possessed by such person or under their management or control, when within such person's power to prevent, so that others in the vicinity are or may be disturbed thereby. (Ch. 38, Article IV, Sec. 38-89 of the Revised Municipal Code of the City and County of Denver.), and

ii. No person shall use or operate or allow to be used or operated any loudspeaker, public address system, radio, tape player, disc player or other sound-amplifying equipment in or on a motor vehicle in such a manner as to be plainly audible at twenty-five (25) feet from the motor vehicle unless a permit has been issued by the manager of excise and licenses pursuant to subsection (e) herein which allows such amplification. (Ch. 38, Article IV, Sec. 38-89 of the Revised Municipal Code of the City and County of Denver).

6) What will the police do if officers are called by a neighbor to quiet down students living in a house? First, police will contact the house suspected of making the noise, and ask the residents to quiet down. If they see an illegal act occurring, such as underage drinking, they will write a citation, which often includes a steep fine. If the police give a warning, and are required to return to the house, they will break up the party, or shut down the music, and write the residents living at the house tickets. Fines range from $125 to $500. Once a ticket is written for a nuisance violation, the police will contact the University of Denver and provide the University's campus safety and campus life departments with the students' names.

7) What your landlord may do. Depending upon terms of the lease, landlords may choose to fine or evict students who violate the law. The University encourages landlords to require students to sign a crime-free lease. Essentially, this lease requires students to obey the law. If student residents are caught disobeying the law, the lease stipulates various consequences.

8) The University of Denver considers any violation of a city ordinance or state law as a violation of the student code of conduct. Students who violate the code face a variety of possible punishments, ranging from probation, to community service, to suspension and possible expulsion. Oftentimes, the University will contact the student's landlord and notify the landlord of the alleged offense.

Important Contacts

Who should you contact in case of a fire or immediate threat to your person or your property? Dial 911 to contact the police or fire department.
If you are having a problem with another DU student, please contact Campus Safety at 303-871-2334, or have an emergency on campus, please call 303-871-3000.

Parking in Front of a Driveway

It is illegal to park in front of a residential driveway or park in a driveway and block a sidewalk. To report such a violation, please call 720-913-2000.

Zoning Violations

In Denver, the zoning code prohibits more than three unrelated people from living in a house that exists within an R-1 zone. To report suspected violations of this ordinance, or such code violations as couches on a front porch, a concentration of trash in yards or unshoveled sidewalks, please call Neighborhood Inspection Services at 303-865-3200.

One-Hour Parking Violations

Many streets in the DU neighborhood are restricted to one-hour parking, except for residents and resident guests. Permits may be obtained in person or by mail:

Parking Management Cashiers Office
110 16th Street, Suite 780
Denver, CO. 80202
(Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
The phone number is 720-913-1720

To report violations of the parking rules, please call: 720-913-1600 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.) or 303-880-6463 (5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mon.-Sat.)

Large-Item Trash Pickup
At the end of the school year or even when moving, students often leave large furniture items to be picked up in the alleys. It is their responsibility to call and have items picked up. There is a regular large-item pickup schedule available at http://www.denvergov.org/Trash/. The office's phone number is 720-865-6900.

Barking Dogs
It is unlawful for any owner, possessor or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to disturb any person or neighborhood by loud and persistent or habitual barking, howling or yelping. No summons and complaint shall be issued for any violation of this section unless there are at least two (2) or more complaining witnesses from separate households who have signed such complaint. Neighbors disturbed by a barking dog may call Animal Control at 303-698-0076.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact DU's neighbor liaison, Neil Krauss, at 303-871-4365.