Location: Cook Park Recreation Center

Call to Order at 09:05 by George Mayl
Quorum present

Announcements

• New/Prospective Members – Harry Doby Park Hill, Emmett Hobley, Montbello, Dave Augustinis, University Hills
• INC Member Meeting on Ballot Issues – Saturday, October 13, co-hosted with Denver8 https://denver8.tv/ from 8:30 am to 11:30 am.
  • All Denver residents welcome to attend. Submit suggested discussion questions on cards today or via email to president@incdenver.org
  • Meeting Location: Denver Police Department District 3 Substation, 1625 S University Blvd, Denver, CO 80210 Map
  • George Mayl asks attendees to promote this event in neighborhood, on Next Door, etc.
• Executive Board Intros: George Mayl, President; Loretta Koehler, Vice President; Ernie Diedrich, Secretary; Steve Nissen, Treasurer; Joel Noble, Transportation Committee; Ean Tafoya, Zoning and Planning Committee; Maggie Price & Cindy Johnstone, PARC Committee; Greg Sorenson, Budget Committee; Bridget Walsh, Delegate-at-Large
• New RNO, Montbello Neighborhood Improvement Association (MNIA) and President, Emmett Hobley, were introduced. Vote taken on waiver of fees for MNIA. All five board members present approved a comp membership through 2018.
• Candidates present – Blair Taylor, District 8; Erik Penn, District 8; Amanda Sawyer, District 5; Peg Perl, Denver Clerk
• Grace Lopez Ramirez, representing Mayor’s office, in attendance

Minutes

• Corrections noted by Tom Carlin, Green Valley Ranch:
  • Around the Town, Green Valley Ranch, word “landlord” should be “land board”
  • Margie’s comments that only three liquor licenses have been denied should be included
• Move to vote for approval of minutes with requested corrections by Diana Helper (University Park Community Council), seconded by Steve Nissen (Alamo Placita Neighborhood Association). Minutes approved with corrections 27 for, 0 against, 2 abstentions.

Committee Reports

Transportation – Joel Noble – Next meeting will cover the following:

• Transportation Committee in current form since 2012. In 2014 Geneva Hooten became co-chair and has done wonderful job. She is stepping away from this role and will be doing a recap of transportation issues over the last five years.

• Denver B-Cycle’s New CEO, Mike Pletsch, will attend and cover B-Cycle’s discussions with the city about its continued support of the program.
• We are looking for reviewers: How do Denver Moves: Transit and Denver Moves: Pedestrians and Trails Measure Up to the INC Transportation Platform?
• Sidewalk Repair Program – Councilman Kashman has been instrumental in this issue. Property owners are responsible for their sidewalks. INC ZAP has had a position on having a good way that is cost-efficient for property owners. City program is attempting to accomplish this.
  • City originally was not going to work with flagstone
  • Now they are saying they will re-level, but nothing else
  • Joel will be asking for INC executive board to draft letter for more expansive approach
  • Diane Travis, North Capitol Hill resident and former Technical Director of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, recently did community event and demonstrated mud-jacking technique to level. The Denver City Forester was also present to discuss how to not damage trees. Diane will be showing videos of techniques at meeting.
• Two presentations from Vision Zero and Walk Denver will also give updates and lead into announcement of Vision Zero community grants program via Walk Denver. Nomination of communities for these grants need to be done by end of 2018.

Parks & Rec – Maggie Price, Co-chair

• Did not meet in August, next meeting is September 18 at Brookdale U Park, 2020 S. Monroe at 6 pm in the Arts & Crafts room.
• Speaker will be Jennifer Williams, Sr. Engineer Public Works who is working with the US Army Corps of Engineers concerning the South Platte River. The Corps is seeking comments on the recently released draft feasibility report and integrated environmental assessment which outlines a proposed plan to restore approximately 2.4 miles of degraded ecosystem along the S Platte River, from W Mississippi Avenue to W Yale Avenue. Plan includes instream structures to improve fishery habitat, stream modifications to increase fish passage and restoration of adjacent wetland habitat.
• Another issue, important study, part of Public Works, questioning the toxicity of our lakes and streams https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/environmental-health/environmental-quality/water-quality.html
• Committee continues to watch Park Hill Golf Course issue
• Ean Tafoya added, about Denver Parks & Rec Advisory Board (PRAB), that there has been a huge issue with board advertising public meetings beforehand. He found meeting notices are only published in the Denver Construction Journal, not a widely ready publication. Ean noted this needs to be changed.

Zoning and Planning – Ean Tafoya, Co-chair

• Last meeting was overview of Blueprint Denver and Comprehensive Plan 2040. Have summarized plan to focus on goals. Key feedback from committee to presenters was that issue of sustainability, air and water quality/use, public health, climate change should be primary focuses in the plans. Will look to updating ZAP platform in view of all this.
• Also discussed design review and historical designation
• Next meeting moved from September 22^nd to September 29^th and will be symposium about review/giving feedback. Additionally, will feature seniors from variety of ethnic groups to speak about major community design changes and impacts. Have a strong slate of speakers. Will be filming if you cannot attend. Location is being finalized.
• Comments:
  • Diana Helper – ‘healthy city’ focus of plans appears to be more oriented toward a smoothly running city vs. actual focus on climate change, air/water quality, public health, etc., so be advised and attentive when you review.
  • Nancy Francis – requested that hard copies of the plans be placed in every branch library. City representative noted hard copies should be available in libraries and rec centers the week of September 10. Others recommended posting on Next Door links to documents and that they will be in libraries and rec centers for review.

Sustainability Cmte – Ernie Dietrich – Chair

• Had recent visit to Panasonic City
• Speaker – Jerry Tinianow, Chief Sustainability Officer www.denvergov.org/sustainability jerry.tinianow@devergov.org p:720-865-9072
  • He is happy to attend RNO meetings and do presentations on overview of Denver’s sustainability , cars & parking, or sustainability myth-busters as well as supply articles on sustainability issues for neighborhood newsletters.
  • Mr. Tinianow has been in Denver since July 2012. Mayor wants sustainability to be focused on basic resources. We don’t have great food growing soil, water is unpredictable, we are distant from other cities, with mtns/plains, and have harsh 4-season climate.
  • Mayor’s objective – the basic resources on which we depend are available and affordable to everyone now and in the future. Basic resources: needs not wants.
  • This includes energy, water, health, food, …. To make them available and affordable to everyone. “To everyone” i.e., ensuring social justice, social equity, ….
  • Focus is both on current needs and looking to future needs.
  • Sustainability as applied via city government is act of mindfulness. Being thoughtful, analytical, purposeful on process.
  • Sustainability is also a balancing act amongst environment, economy and social equity. That balancing puts us at odds with certain groups in government and community. Similar dynamic with balancing needs of now vs. future.
  • Mayor asked him to focus on scale and everybody plays. Scale is goal of making significant results that impact large numbers of people/resources. “Everybody plays” means making Sustainability the basic, core values of all city agencies and their efforts. Ex. Police dept – using new app, ‘auto-return’ that allows police to get tow truck to collision faster. Also, they are working hard to support efforts to reduce car, bike and pedestrian conflict.
  • Issue – until recently we have not been deeply tested on sustainability factors, and now we are facing serious challenges with affordable housing and ‘asphalt’ or the competition amongst drivers, bike/scooters and pedestrians.
  • Sustainability office loves to work with RNOs – what they hear most from neighborhoods: recycling and composting, (note: Denver recycling materials do NOT go to landfills, but this is causing financial strain for recycler), mobility (especially parking), access to nature, especially as the population is growing faster than the parklands available.
  • Office of Sustainability – 3 FT people – one of the smallest such departments for a city of this size, by intention because effort is to get sustainable focus adopted and applied via all departments in the city.
  • What has changed over last 7 years: working toward 2020 goals on government operations (doing well). Community goals – harder, such as reducing emissions – on track. On mobility, reducing driving percentage, challenges with light rails not open, ….. have added challenges. Affordable housing – behind. Diversion from landfill – goal 34%, up to 22%.
• Comments:
  • Christine O’Connor noted the plan focuses on buildings for air quality vs. transit. Response – greatest way to reduce greenhouse gases, biggest causes, right now is building energy is 50%, mobility is ~25%. Goal reduce single work drivers to 60%.
  • Guest – Issue with driving related to family trips vs. work drivers. Response – suggest big impact area could be with day care centers near transit centers.
  • Bill Tanner requested update on Green roof initiative. Response – Stakeholder process was held to evaluate details of initiative to develop amendments that achieve same objectives but allow building owners greater flexibility to accomplish, as many older buildings presented special challenges accomplishing this on roofs only. To be presented to City Council for approval.

Denverright – 2 year planning process to determine how want Denver to grow and evolve: 5 plans Have held loads of community meetings, done surveys, have had street teams to reach out to people where they are.

• Main point – please read draft plans and give comments, until end of October.
• The following link and public events are being offered for more information.

• https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denveright.html
• Denverite Community Night – Tuesday, August 28 at 5:30 pm – City Park Pavilion, 1700 N. York Street
• RNO Office Hours – for registered neighborhood organizations (RNOs) to ask questions and provide aggregate feedback on the Blueprint Denver maps.

• • Tuesday, September 11, 3:30 – 6:30 pm, Wellington Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Avenue, Room 4.I.4

• Community Office Hours – each from 3:00 – 6:00 pm

• • Wednesday, September 26 – Green Valley Ranch Rec Center,
  • 4890 Argonne Way
  • Wednesday, October 3 – Cook Park Rec Center
  • 7100 Cherry Creek S. Drive
  • Tuesday, October 9 – Woodbury Branch Library
  • 3265 Federal Blvd.
  • Wednesday, October 17 – Harvey Park Rec Center
  • 2120 S. Tennyson Way
  • Wednesday, October 24 – Wellington Webb Municipal Building
  • 201 W. Colfax Avenue, Room 1.B.6

• Plans are available online, in libraries and recreation centers. Also available online are Executive Summaries, short videos as well as electronic surveys.
• Five plans part of Denverite.
  • Comprehensive Plan 2040 – cuts across all disciplines, departments, goals is organized by chapters for each of the six vision elements.
    • Each of six vision elements have 6 – 10 goals, each of which have associated strategies being proposed.
    • At end of each chapter is where to find more information such as to more focused supportive plans
  • Blueprint Denver – builds on foundation of initial BP Denver focus on land use and transportation.
    • Creating complete neighborhoods and networks

• • • • Each neighborhood has all necessary basics and all neighborhoods are connected with strong, safe multi-modal transit network
      • Elements: Land use/built form, neighborhood context/quality of life, street types/mobility options
      • Key Concepts of Blueprint Denver: Importance of Equity (access to opportunity), Vulnerability to displacement (how to balance assisting some to stay in place as values increase and areas change), Housing and job diversity (in all areas)
      • Example: Future Places Map shows a lot of the designations discussed above (get link), there are also multi-modal and street types map and growth strategy map
      • Community Themes: Equity, Urban Design, Water and Climate

• • • Measured, common sense approach to growth
    • Consideration of social equity factor to tailor solutions by neighborhood
    • Look particularly at Recommendations chapter which brings together specific recommended actions to advance ideas and themes

Questions

• Anne Elizabeth – Any relationship between DRCOG goals and Denver City Plans? Response – None statutorily, but Denver works closely with them, especially on growth strategy and transit goals, especially last mile.
• Cindy Johnstone – When discuss neighborhoods in plans are they RNO areas or other? Response – The 78 statistical neighborhoods defined in the 1970’s are used. Some statistical neighborhoods have overlapping/competing RNOs as RNO establishment is flexible and not controlled in their definition. Link to Statistical neighborhood map.
• Bridget Walsh – Why are North and South Park Hill separate statistical neighborhoods. Response – The 78 statistical neighborhoods were established in 1970’s. Not versed on why there were drawn as they were.

Side note from Denvergov website on topic: The Statistical Neighborhood boundaries were developed in 1970 by the Community Renewal Program (CRP) which was administered by the current Denver Department of Community Planning and Development. Statistical Neighborhoods are typically combinations of census tracts. Geographic place names, such as Windsor and Mar Lee, were assigned to each area and reflect commonly used names of subdivisions and historical parts of the city.

• Emmett Hobley – Montbello has issue with loss of transit access. Response – Neighborhood plan in process there hoping to address that.
• Blair Taylor – how does zoning code fit into all of this. Response – Start with vision/plan and zoning code is one of methods to achieve vision/plan. Zoning code is regularly evaluated and revised to match. The night Blueprint Denver is adopted, no zoning changes are made. But, once adopted, it provides significant guide to efforts to update zoning code.
• Woody Garnsey – Question about 155 acres of park/golf course land, operated by private contractor, governed by a perpetual conservation agreement for open space; plans do not seem to be addressing its conservation status adequately. Showing it as a residential. Response – not in purview of plans
• Loretta Koehler – How are neighborhood plans taken into consideration to this entire process? Response – Neighborhood plans are given special attention/emphasis. Blueprint Denver is an area/overview plan, but can be subordinate if neighborhood plan diverges.
• Nancy Francis – Why is Park Hill Golf Course considered as ‘neighborhood’. Response – If a park on plans are designated as a ‘regional park’ they are called out. Parcels that are private open spaces get presented as their neighborhood.
• Key Take Away – please, please review plans and make comments – not here to discuss specifics of Park Hill Golf Course.

• • Denver Moves Transit – Kristina Evanoff – Denver Moves Transit Project Manager (Public Works) transit@denvergov.org
    • 1^st ever citywide transit vision and guiding framework
    • Five big moves – Chapter 3 – key info

• • • • Implement high-quality and reliable transit
      • Provide frequent service
      • Improve access and connections to transit
      • Build a sense of place
      • Make the most of our investments
    • 19 Transit Capital Investment Corridors – areas recommended for investment and Frequent Transit Network Vision – areas recommended for phased implementation of frequent transit service. 75% of populations have access by 2040 to transit every 15 minutes ….
    • Getting Started and Moving Forward – Chapter 4 – identifies three phases for implementation and progress to date as well as methods for measuring success
  • Denver Moves: Pedestrians & Trails Plan (representative, David Pulsipher, not present; please send questions/comments to him at pedsandtrails@denvergov.org)
    • World class walkable city needs connections
  • Denver Game Plan: Game Plan for a Healthy City
    • Strategic plan for Parks & Rec
    • Big questions:
      • How does environment and climate change affect parks?
      • How do we ensure all residents have access to parks and recreation programming?
      • How do we fund and manage parks for long term?
    • Key challenges:
      • Climate change, especially drought
      • Parks not keeping up with growth (@ 9 acres/resident, below national average of 13 acres/resident)
      • Growing deferred maintenance costs
      • Urban forest threats – need more trees – our canopy one of the lowest in country
      • Obesity – over ½ our kids don’t have easy access to playgrounds
    • Healthy City vision statement has four guiding principles applied in 20 plan goals. Implementation is via five pillars: adapting to climate change & limited resources; diversity the parks and recreation services; grow the park and rec system; reinvest in Denver’s parks and rec resources and people; connect to Denver’s nature and culture.
    • Strategies are offered to address the five pillars and guiding principles.
    • As with other plans, they offer guides to policy making, have metrics for review and revision over 3-year action plan series across the 20 year implementation period.
  • Comments – Much concern expressed about how to support acquisition of more park land. Emphasis on making more efforts on development plan review/decision to prioritize parks.

• Final Notes
  • These are living documents. Following adoption, there will be annual evaluation/reporting on progress. Emphasis has been placed on cross-department collaboration to guide efforts. There are set metrics against which to track progress.
  • Next steps – pubic review and hopefully city adoption in early 2019.

11:55 meeting adjourned – no time for Around the City reports