Location:  District One Police Station

Call to order by George Mayl, President

Minutes

Moved by Maggie Price (Congress Park) and seconded by Bob Lorenz (Inspiration Park) to approve April 2018 Delegate Meeting minutes.  Minutes approved:  22 Favor, 1 Oppose, 3 Abstentions

Committee Reports

Transportation – Joel Nobel, Co-chair

• State Transportation Funding – Senate bill was passed to increase transportation funding with about 15 million going to CDOT for city/county highway projects and a similar amount for focus on multi-modal projects. In addition to this upfront funding, there are ballot initiatives in line for 2018 and 2019 for additional transportation funding.  If either of the 2018 initiatives pass, the 2019 one would not proceed.
• Pedestrian Advisory Committee – Lynn Brown of Curtis Park Neighbors spoke about the Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee of which she is a member. It is a new board getting organized and an early advisory position they are developing pertains to Street Occupancy Permits.  These allow use of public sidewalks and streets, such as for construction.  The PAC is recommending that where there are street closures, priority is given to safety, especially for wheel chair users.  The motion will be presented at the next INC delegate meeting for consideration of INC’s support.
• Bus Stop Consolidation and Signal Coordination – Jeff Becker of RTD spoke about their efforts to increase bus route predictability and on-time performance through the consolidation and coordination effort. Starting with Lincoln and Broadway, RTD is looking at rationalizing stop spacing.  Initial feedback is that travel time is decreasing.  Ridership levels are being watched in the hope it increases. Another strategy being examined is signal transit priority, which allows for 10 second signal light timing adjustments, when appropriate to keep buses moving and increase ride efficiency.
• Mobility Choice Blueprint – DRCOG/RTD/CDOT with Metro Chamber of Commerce have started a year-long discussion on transport. High level focus with attention to transport technology (autonomous vehicles) and its possible impact.  The website offers information and a survey link to contribute your thoughts.   https://www.mobilitychoiceblueprint.com/

Zoning and Planning – Ean Tafoya, Co-chair

• Blueprint Denver –the public review draft of the update to the 2002 integrated land use and transportation is expected in July and will be available for public comment through November. Ian noted one concern has been underrepresentation by minority community voices.
• Comprehensive Plan 2040 / Denveright – Ean is encouraging INC-ZAP to review the ZAP Platform and to give substantive commentary of the various plans (Blueprint Denver, Parks & Rec Game Plan, Denver Moves).
• ZAP will also discuss advocating that Parks decisions are moved back to City Council and away from the Executive Director and Parks board.

Parks – Maggie Price & Cindy Johnstone Co-chairs

• Parks Alcohol Policy – Denver Parks and Rec representative presented to the PARC a review of current and proposed alcohol policy changes.  There will be another presentation on this topic at the July INC Delegate Meting.
• Park Hill Golf Course Resolution – the following resolution was offered to delegates:

If Clayton’s golf course operator does not exercise its extension option by June 30, 2018, INC PARC calls upon the public officials of the City and County of Denver to take all actions necessary to preserve the perpetual Park Hill Golf Course (PHGC) land open space conservation easement protections that the City acquired in 1997 from Clayton for $2 million, including but not limited to the following:

1. To enforce the terms of 2000 agency agreement regarding the perpetual open space conservation easement protections for the PHGC land.
2. If necessary, to acquire fee title to the PHGC land from Clayton by paying Clayton the current fair market value of the land and to operate the land as a designated public golf course or a designated public park.”

A motion was made by Greg Sorenson of Friends and Neighbors of Cheesman Park and seconded by Jane Potts of Rosedale for INC to approve the resolution.

Discussion:

• Tom Carlin of Green Valley Ranch Citizen’s Advisory Board asked whether any thought to amending the resolution to consider some amount of space be set aside for affordable housing. Response was that there exist issues with how contracts would be structured which could include selling for highest return.  This might create a challenge to affordable housing.
• Bridget Walsh of City Park Friends & Neighbors noted there are privately owned land parcels surrounding PHGC and City should examine purchasing these.

Vote:  28 for, 1 against, 1 abstain

• Parks & Rec Budget – now is the time to go to City Council members to lobby for funds for your local parks

Topics: 

DORA  (Department of Regulatory Agencies) – Speakers: Jo Donlin, Director of Regulatory Outreach and Education and Tracy Garceau, Division of Insurance

• Acknowledge and give support to efforts of INC as community advocates
• As the state’s regulatory department, DORA is committed to ensuring that businesses thrive in an environment that protects consumers. DORA’s nearly 600 employees are dedicated to preserving the integrity of the marketplace and promoting a fair and competitive business environment throughout Colorado.
• New initiative, “Take 5 to Get Wise” is a YouTube channel (link to channel) with short videos on key tips for consumers. Topics include insurance claims, senior citizen financial fraud, healthcare providers, home buying.
• A brochure was handed out that listed the licensed professions, occupations and businesses regulated by DORA. (link to list)
• DORA Divisions are also assisted by licensing Boards and Commissions (link to list) that provide oversight of state regulated industries and professions.  DORA is always looking for qualified candidates to serve on the over 300 boards and commissions.  A link to the application is available on the page above.
• DORA also encourages public stakeholder participation in development of rules for professions by the above-mentioned boards following policy passage in the legislature.
  • Stakeholder meetings are held in preparation for rule-making hearings and are a key time for public input. These are held as webinars, so individuals can attend remotely.  Find information about these meetings on the web page for the particular board or commission.
  • Rule-making Hearings are public and listed on the DORA website. Again, individuals can submit comments and/or attend the hearings.
• Division of Insurance (DOI) regulates the insurance industry in Colorado and assists consumers by answering questions, investigating complaints, educating about insurance. DOI also monitors insurance companies and agents operating in Colorado.
• If a consumer has an issue with a licensed professional, there is a complaint form available on the DORA website.
• Emphasized there are cost-free experts in with a wide variety of insurance types and encouraged citizens to call for help.
• In 2017 over $8 million was recovered for Colorado consumers from insurance companies.
• Also reinforced the importance of everyone doing a home inventory should a disaster like a fire, tornado or other catastrophic event hit a homeowner. The DORA website has a home inventory checklist (link) and all were reminded that the video capability on most folks’ phones is a handy and very valuable aid to completing a home inventory.

Old Business – Jane Potts

Membership – INC has 83 registered neighborhood organizations, but 201 are listed with the city.  While some percentage are condo associations, many are wider neighborhood groups.  INC is working to get more of these groups involved in INC.

Dinner – Visit Denver is again sponsoring the annual dinner, which will likely be held next January.  Anyone willing to help with dinner plans and prep, please contact Jane Potts.

Olympic Committee – Councilman Rafael Espinoza is offering a motion to the city council to take a vote to Denver citizens to prevent Denver City/County residents from being responsible for any Olympic cost-overruns, should the Olympics come to Colorado.

Around the City

• E Wash Park – The South Gaylord Street Festival is Memorial Day weekend. Also, looking for guidance/assistance on two RNO bylaw questions:  does anyone allow absentee property owners on an RNO board and has any other RNO been contacted by the Rainbow ?didn’t hear second part of name?
• University Park – Held a sustainability forum which was inspiring to get the neighborhood started. Having food truck night on the 2^nd Thursday of the month on the lawn of the Phipps estate.  Prairie Park, along Buchtel Boulevard, is being restored.  Harvard Gulch trails have been resurfaced and ADA connections completed.  On May 22, at the Evanston Center for Spiritual Wholeness and Healing at Lafayette and E. Evans, Andrew Romanoff is speaking about Mental Health and Sustainability.
• Inspiration Point – neighborhood park improvements have occurred
• Rosedale/Harvard Gulch – working with the organization A Little Help which seeks to support seniors to stay in their homes with help on shopping, yard care, transportation and other services.
• Capitol Hill United Neighbors (CHUN) – meeting to discuss traffic calming strategies for 13^th
• Green Valley Ranch – Want to acknowledge great work by Denver Parks & Rec who rallied about 200 volunteers to plant Cheery Trees at Town Center Park. Office of Economic Development has met one to one with over 100 homeowners caught up in the affordable housing debacle.  Agreements are being developed that are more amenable to the homeowners.  June 2 is the Annual Day of Beauty in Montbello and other District 11 neighborhoods:  Green Valley Ranch, Parkfield and High Point.    June 6 the Green Valley Ranch Farmers Market opens.
• W Wash Park – Plans finalized for the September 8 Home Tour
• University Neighbors – June 2 from 10 – 2 DU holding an Archeology Event on property near Asbury & Race Streets to show what a modern, city archeological dig looks like. It is graduation season at the Ritchie Center, a very busy time.  If you are attending a ceremony, pay close attention to parking instructions.
• City Park Friends & Neighbors – There are numerous key issues at present: City Park Golf Course, Park Hill Golf Course, Fairfax land swap.  Look at the Greater Park Hill Newsletter for details.  Also, have initiated outreach efforts to Cole, Elyria/Swansea & Globeville neighborhoods about the I-70 project, especially to focus on pollution impacts.  Encouraging neighborhood awareness and involvement in a master plan for City Park.
• Cole – A participatory budgeting process has begun to determine a plan for spending $30,000 awarded to the neighborhood.
• Cultural Arts Residential Organization – Having challenges getting people involved.
• Curtis Park Neighbors – 150^th Anniversary Celebration of Mestizo Curtis Park is scheduled for August 11 to celebrate the diverse members of the Curtis Park Neighborhood through the years.
• Cook Park – Had question about proper process to update their bylaws. Recommendation is to confer with Margie Valdez.
• Friends & Neighbors of Wash Park – The new playground should be completed by September.

Meeting was adjourned

Submitted by:  Laura Liska