The Denver Broncos are moving forward with plans to build an indoor practice facility and hope to have it ready sometime in the 2014 season.

“We’ve taken the preliminary steps of building an on-site, indoor practice facility to be used at some point during the 2014 season,” Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth said.

The facility will be built next to the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters, but Smyth said the team is still working out the details with a builder and Arapahoe County.

Jan Yeckes, planning division manager for the Arapahoe County Department of Public Works, said the Broncos have filed an amendment to the Master Development Plan for Dove Valley Business Park. That amendment requests that the allowed purposes for the lot be changed to include recreation.

She said the plan amendment has to go through a public hearing with the county’s planning commission, which she said could be scheduled for as early as September but will most likely take place in early fall. Following the planning commission hearing, the amendment requires another hearing and final approval before the board of county commissioners.

The Broncos have previously said they were considering building an indoor facility but had said little about the timing for the project.

Smyth said the indoor facility is “vital” to the team since the Broncos are often moved inside due to inclement weather, including lightning strikes.

“We’re moved inside as often, or more often, for lightning than we are for snow or inclement weather,” he said.

Matthew Patane: 303-954-5224, mpatane@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mattpatane