Although 10 years seems like a long time, some small business owners, such as a small car wash that can't expand, contend the ordinance will dramatically hurt their investments. However, property owners may file a request for an extension to allow a longer period of time to recoup their original investment. All property owners will be requires to register non-conforming uses with the city.

The city will be sending letters to all affected property owners to advise them of the process that has been put into place for the registration of their uses, filing a request for extension, or to appeal the determination that their use is non-conforming.

In other Fitzsimons redevelopment news, last week Colorado lawmakers reintroduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to move a Veteran's Hospital to the Fitzsimons campus from its current site in Denver. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Joel Hefley and co-sponsored by Reps. Bob Beauprez, Marilyn Musgrave, and Tom Tancredo.

Moving the VA would cost between $150 million to $200 million, according to Dennis Brimhall, president of the University of Colorado hospital, roughly a 30% savings over renovating the current VA building. VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi has stated that hospital would not share a 12-story building with CU, but may build its own.