INC ZONING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES – JULY 23, 2016

By Michael Henry

Chair Margie Valdez convened the meeting of the INC Zoning and Planning Committee and introduced District 6 City Councilman Paul Kashmann and Senior City Planner Kyle Dalton to discuss the proposed Krisana Park Conservation Overlay District. The district, if adopted by City Council, would apply to the approximate area in southeast Denver bounded by South Dahlia Street, East Louisiana Avenue, South Filbert Way and East Florida Avenue. The purpose of the district is to conserve the Eichler style of California contemporary home built by H. B. Wolff in the area in the 1950s. Several neighbors, with support from Historic Denver, Inc. and Councilman Kashmann worked very hard to research the history and architecture of the area and generated signatures of support from approximately 90% of the property owners. Kate Adams and Karen Flanagan described their efforts to the committee. The City Council hearing will probably be held in late November. The key features to be conserved are low pitched roof lines, low-profile single-story building heights and compatible additions. If passed, this will be Conservation Overlay 5 (CO5). The four overlay districts passed earlier in Denver are the Hilltop Heritage Overlay District, Potter-Highlands Conservation District, Scottish Village Conservation District and Curtis Park Conservation District. The difference between conservation districts and historic districts is that demolition review and design review by the Landmark Preservation Commission are not required for conservation districts. The following motion was made, seconded and passed by the committee by a vote of 24 in favor and 1 abstention:

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation should express to the Planning Board and City Council that it supports the establishment of Krisana Park Conservation District 5 because it is strongly supported by the neighborhood and it will help to conserve an important affordable mid-century modern architectural style in Denver.

Kayvan Khalatbari, the primary sponsor of a proposed Denver ballot initiative entitled Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program, described the initiative which may be on the November 8 ballot if enough valid signatures are collected. (Another ballot issue relating to public cannabis consumption in licensed cannabis clubs was discussed by the committee with its sponsor in June.) He said that tourists and residents do not have a legal outlet for public consumption of cannabis. This initiative, if passed, would authorize the Department of Excise and Licenses to issue permits (not licenses) for indoor or outside locations for the consumption of cannabis by persons over 21 years of age. Indoor facilities would only allow consumption by vaporization, while outdoor locations would also allow smoking of marijuana. The Department would only grant permits if the applicants meet a number of conditions and show written support from one or more neighborhood organizations and/or business improvement districts. All INC members are strongly encouraged to learn about both of these cannabis consumption ballot issues, because the outcome may have large neighborhood impacts. INC, the Denver League of Women Voters and Denver8TV will include these ballot issues in the Denver Decides election forums in September.

FINAL NACCPP Petition 2016-07-12

Charles Nadler of the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association described Senate Bill 16-197, a very complicated bill regarding beer, wine and liquor licenses, which was a compromise between grocery and convenience store chains and individually-owned liquor stores. The bill will be discussed in greater detail at a later meeting. The bill does not remove the current requirement of needs and desires hearings for new liquor-license applications. The committee passed the following motion by a vote of 17 in favor and 1 abstention:

The Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Zoning and Planning Committee requests that the INC President immediately send a letter to the Director of the Colorado Department of Revenue to request that she appoint representatives of Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation to the Liquor Industry Working Group required to be established by Senate Bill 16-197, as representatives of the public.

Margie Valdez briefly mentioned that a recent ordinance describing procedures concerning new marijuana establishments, requires that applicants must submit a written Community Engagement Plan which details “how does your organization plan to create positive impacts in the neighborhood where the licensed premises are located?” and requires a declaration that “I will contact each of the Registered Neighborhood Organizations prior to commencing operations.” Scott Jackson, representing the Marijuana Industry Group (scott@jack@aol.com) said that the members of his group genuinely wish to be good neighbors and will be glad to meet with neighborhood organizations.