With the help of the Delegation, INC Committee Chairs, Co-chairs and Members, and a myriad of folks from RNOs and the community,  there can be no doubt that INC has tried to make, and in some cases made a difference in the course of events and direction of public policy.

It was not coincidental that the year began on positive note with the January 28 INC Awards Banquet at the Wellshire Inn made possible by the generous sponsorship of Visit Denver.  Neighborhood activists had a rare chance to toast, break bread and laugh with City officials while we celebrated and recognized those individuals, teams and groups who have, without expectations of recognition, practiced giving, purely for the civic good.

We had the pleasure of awarding eleven Neighborhood Stars, three Memorial Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Most significantly, five INC representatives and ten architects and developers on the Task Force reached a clear consensus that the current  GDP ordinance needed to be changed in several significant ways to address the needs of the neighborhoods and the developers., Unfortunately, and despite the good faith effort of task force members, objections were raised by CPD Executive Director, Brad Buchanan, and a Denver Planning Board Task Force member and the  process became an exercise in futility.  Following the end of the meetings,  no further discussion or recommendations have been brought forth from the several month long process. This is an example of old style status quo City decision making which says , we know best but we, the City, will go through steps to look like we are willing to consider input from the community and in this case builders and architects working in the City to address changes needed.

The spirit of these articles was reflected in the title of a well-written piece entitled Denver’s Missed Opportunity. The Queen City of the West grows its body while neglecting its heart by Nate Ragolia on Medium.com

READ "Denver's Missed Opportunity" HERE

A follow up article, Belonging to Our Cities, How we can make Denver (and others) innovative 21st Century cities — alone and together is also a worthy read.

READ "Belonging To Our Cities" HERE

Respected architect, Jeffrey Sheppard, wrote a My Opinion editorial in the Denver Post addressed the prevalence of ugly shoddy design and construction under Denver’s 2010 Zoning Code.   Jefferson Park resident and bicycle advocate, Brad K. Evans launched a campaign against “Fugly” new buildings in Denver with an entertaining Facebook page entitled, Denver FUGLY

INC again was a co-sponsor of the Denver TV Channel 8, Denver Decides election forums.  INC published and widely disseminated online and through social media questions and answers from candidates for municipal office.  For the first time, it seemed that neighborhood voices were actually heard and many candidates motivated by neighborhood concerns were elected and some that expressed disregard for neighborhood involvement were not.

INC continued to lead by informing and empowering its membership through programs at its monthly meetings.  In addition to programs on development and zoning issues, presentations included:

• A panel discussion on Short Term Rentals including City Council’s “sharing economy” advocate, Mary Beth Susman

See On You Tube

• Architect Jeffrey Sheppard  addressed the INC delegates in April on the lack of “heart and soul.”  in Denver’s Zoning Code

J. Sheppard Presentation

• Mayor Hancock’s North Denver Cornerstone Collaborative’s initiative for the Denver Stock Show and the North Platte Valley as spearheaded by Kelly Leid

Master Plan

• A presentation from Citizens Exploratory Committee on Health and Safety on plans for a Gasification Incinerator to be placed at the Denver Zoo in City Park

You Tube Resolution

• A live and remote video connected panel forum on Stock Show funding Referendum 2C and and Scholarship funding Referendum 2A

You Tube Forum

In regard to INC’s organizational goals, it was decided that the long running Dollar Dictionary program could no longer be maintained. The Board and Delegation instead approved the concept of helping neighborhoods with their existing philanthropic programs through a new Charitable Giving Committee.  And, adding to the organizations’ Platform for Denver’s Urban Parks and Zoning and Planning Platform,  INC Transportation Committee put forth and the Delegation approved a “Transportation Platform”.

In other initiatives concerning civic involvement, INC established a working relationship with an innovative grassroots community movement “Warm Cookies of the Revolution”.  At the request of INC in response to concerns about how The City was spending millions of dollars paid by Xcel Energy to the City to put utility lines below ground, the Department of Public Works agreed to establish a  “Power line Under-grounding Fund Advisory Group” to Public Works to include several neighborhood and INC representatives.  INC had an official presence at two of the Mayor’s “Cabinet in the Community” outreach meetings.  The Zoning and Planning Committee worked cooperatively with City in putting on the first Planning Academy to inform selected neighborhood residents about the planning process.  Taking its mission directly to the neighborhoods, the INC Public Safety Committee had highly successful monthly meetings at a number of Police District headquarters.  The Committee proactively help to organize and sponsor the largest ever Public Safety Expo and Tribute to First Responders and INC donated $200 to the First Responder Fund.

INC’s website, Facebook page and Twitter presence continued to evolve and improve and have grown exponentially in their reach into the community.  The INC Newsletter moved from its long history as a printed and PDF format to exclusively a digital and online version.  INC established an office for the first time in more than 30 years, renting a small space from the Southwest Improvement Council.  The INC Executive Committee held an organizational and communication “Retreat” at the SWIC offices and is the process of compiling its standing rules and developing them into policies and procedures, setting goals for 2016 and beyond and preparing for the possible addition of part time staff.

 

As a result of the work of an ad hoc group of neighborhood and environmental activists, calling themselves the Concerned Citizens for Health and Safety, an enormously expensive and long established plan to build a high temperature poop and trash burning incinerator at the Denver Zoo was brought to the attention of INC.  INC’s Resolution containing well-thought out opposition to the Plan resulted in the Zoo abandoning the ill-conceived project and saving zoo animals, adult and child visitors to the zoo and park and adjacent neighborhoods from toxic emissions.   Most recently and following the urgent concerns brought up INC Parks and Rec regarding the sodium levels in recycled water affecting and killing trees in Denver parks , this same group discovered the Denver Zoo, for the past four years, had been feeding many of its animals non-potable, recycled water from the same Purple Pipes that are delivering tree killing water to our parks.  This practice was in clear violation of USDA regulations which require that Zoo animals receive only potable water.  Knowing that INC was likely to bring up this questionable practice, the Zoo wisely started supplying the animals potable water again.

Montclaire and Park Hill Storm Drainage Basins and the Link to Development of the Platte Valley
INC begins the year 2016 with two particularly challenging issues.  The NDCC has presented limited options for a storm water drainage/flood control in order to promote large scale and Stock Show campus development for the north Platte Valley which will severely impact several established and historical neighborhoods.  INC is anxious to do the research and diligence to find reasonable solutions and  demand transparency and accountability from the increasingly powerful Mayoral created executive branch  agency, the NDCC.

Housing our Homeless Neighbors First in Our Neighborhoods
A second topic of great concern all across the country is the increasing income disparity between the super rich and everybody else, the loss of the middle class and homelessness.  Lack of federal and state support for homelessness has resulted in municipal governments having the primary responsibility to solve or at least mitigate its effects.  Denver is no exception.

A subcommittee of the INC Zoning and Planning Committee, after rejecting a broader consideration of  issues raised in a recent and highly critical audit of Denver’s Road Home, has quickly promulgated a Position Statement on “Housing First”, a concept in which giving free housing to the homeless has saved cities money and given those unfortunate to be without shelter, a greater chance of improving their lives.  As with all of INC’s platforms, resolutions and position statements, it is crucial that there be no devils in the details. It will be incumbent upon the Delegation and the RNOs which they represent to intelligently and diligently take on the challenge of making meaningful contributions to the dialogue and final statements on this complex and pressing issue.