What the Welby Gardens Vote Means for West Arvada Home Values

Did the Welby Gardens project in Arvada get approved?

No. On April 22, 2026, the Arvada City Council deadlocked 3-3 on the conditional use permit for Avalon Arvada — the 384-unit apartment and 51-townhome project proposed for the former Welby Gardens greenhouse site at 17201 W. 64th Avenue in the 80007 zip code. Under Arvada's council bylaws, a tied vote fails, so the permit was denied and developer AvalonBay was sent back to the drawing board. The site isn't off the table for development, but the specific 435-unit proposal that worried nearby homeowners is dead for now.

By Sam Barnes | June 20, 2026

---

If you own a home in West Woods, Five Parks, or Whisper Creek — or you're shopping in the 80007 zip code right now — you've probably heard about this vote whether you wanted to or not. It was the most contested local land-use decision in West Arvada in years, and it ran nine hours past midnight before the council finally killed it. I've had clients ask me what this actually means for their home value, their timeline, and whether they should change their plans. Here's the straight answer.

## What happened, in plain terms

The site at 17201 W. 64th Avenue used to be Country Fair Garden Center, part of the old Welby Gardens greenhouse operation. AvalonBay, a national apartment developer, proposed converting the 20-acre parcel into twelve multifamily buildings with 384 apartments and eight townhome buildings with 51 units — nearly 435 new households on a site that's currently empty.

A neighbor group called Protect West Woods Neighbors organized quickly. Their concerns were specific to this site: decades of pesticide and fertilizer use on a former agricultural property, a stormwater plan that would route runoff toward Ralston Creek, and traffic added to a stretch of W. 64th Avenue that's already a sub-area planning priority for the city.

The April 21–22 council meeting ran past 2:30 a.m. before the vote. One councilmember recused herself due to an unrelated ethics review, leaving six votes on the dais. Mayor Lauren Simpson's no vote created the 3-3 tie, and the motion failed.

## What this means if you're selling near the site

If your home is within a mile or two of 17201 W. 64th Avenue — think West Woods, the southern edge of Five Parks, or parts of Whisper Creek — the denial removes a specific overhang that's been sitting on this corner of the market for months.

What changes for you right now:

- No immediate increase in nearby housing supply or traffic from this specific project

- One less talking point a buyer's agent can use to negotiate price

- The environmental remediation question stays unresolved, which can still come up in due diligence conversations

What doesn't change: the site is still zoned for something, and AvalonBay (or another developer) can come back with a revised plan. This is a pause, not a permanent resolution.

I also tell sellers near contested sites like this one to keep their documentation tight. If a buyer's agent raises the parcel during negotiations, you want to be able to point to the actual council record — the 3-3 vote, the recusal, the specific environmental concerns raised — rather than letting secondhand Nextdoor commentary drive the conversation.

## What this means if you're buying in the 80007 zip code

Pricing context matters here. Homes in 80007 — which covers West Woods, Five Parks, and Whisper Creek — are running well above neighboring 80005. Recent data puts 80007 listings averaging around $888,000 with a median sale closer to $769,000, compared to roughly $650,000 to $668,000 in 80005.

If you've been holding off on an offer near West Woods because you wanted clarity on this specific project, you have it now — at least until the next proposal surfaces. Compare that to what's happening a few miles north in Candelas and Leyden Rock, where new construction is moving forward without this kind of contested review.

## The bigger picture: West Arvada is still growing

The Welby Gardens fight didn't happen in isolation. The city is in the middle of a sub-area planning process for the entire W. 64th Avenue corridor between Simms Street and Yank Way, and Arvada kicked off its 2026-27 Comprehensive Plan update this year — the first full rewrite since 2014.

West Arvada specifically has a 30-year master planning effort underway for roughly 1,600 acres north of W. 64th Avenue, stretching from Highway 93 to Indiana Street. The pressure for new housing in this corridor isn't going away, and the next proposal for that 20-acre parcel will get a similarly close look from the council and from neighbors.

## Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Welby Gardens project in Arvada?

Welby Gardens, formally called Avalon Arvada, is a proposed 384-unit apartment and 51-unit townhome development at 17201 W. 64th Avenue in the 80007 zip code, on the site of a former greenhouse. Developer AvalonBay submitted the proposal starting in late 2025.

Why did the Arvada City Council vote against the Welby Gardens project?

The council's April 22, 2026 vote ended in a 3-3 tie after Mayor Lauren Simpson voted no, constituting a failed motion under city council bylaws. One councilmember recused herself due to an unrelated ethics matter. Neighbor opposition centered on environmental concerns from decades of pesticide use on the site and traffic impact on W. 64th Avenue.

Does the denial mean the Welby Gardens site will stay empty?

No. The denial sends the specific proposal back to the developer, but the parcel remains available for future development. AvalonBay can submit a revised plan, or another developer could pursue the site under current zoning.

Will this affect home values in West Woods, Five Parks, or Whisper Creek?

It removes a specific source of uncertainty that buyers and sellers have been factoring into conversations near the W. 64th corridor since early 2026. It doesn't change underlying market fundamentals like the 80007-versus-80005 price gap or demand for the area's trail access and foothills proximity.

Should I wait to buy or sell near this site until a new proposal comes out?

That depends on your timeline and how directly your property is affected. For most buyers and sellers in West Woods, Five Parks, or Whisper Creek, this shouldn't change your plans — but it's worth asking about during any local market analysis.

---

Request a free home valuation at thebarneshomegroup.com/home-valuation or call or text me directly at (720) 734-6228.

About Sam Barnes

Sam Barnes is a top 2% Colorado REALTOR® with eXp Realty who has closed nearly 1,000 homes since 2004, specializing in luxury, relocation, listings, and Denver metro real estate.