Called to order 6:03 pm

PRESENT

Board: George Mayl, Emmett Hobley, Jane Potts, Steve Nissen, Maggie Price, Loretta Koehler

Committees: Jane Lorimer, Greg Sorensen, Joel Noble, Amy Duclos,

Special Presentation – Denver International Airport

Angela Casias, Manager Local Government Affairs, Rachel Gruber, Community Affairs.

• Goal: Continue partnerships, working with RNO’s and other stakeholders because DIA is growing along with community
• Airport is revenue based and doesn’t use tax dollars
• Offered INC EC a special tour of airport and are once again to be Award Dinner sponsors.
• Robust sustainability effort at airport (LEEDS standards, recycling even for de-icer solution and are working on how to compost passenger trash; restaurants donate food to homeless and they compost). Connect to our INC Sustainability Committee.
• Working on Multi modal transportation plan for customers, and their 35,000 employees. 65% who use airport are coming from outside of Denver. Transit important at regional level.
• Using public plaza to entertain passengers and customers with ice rinks, miniature golf, etc – other European inspired activities.
• Real estate development will add things in open space like buffalo overlook, plane spotting.
• Joel cited it is difficult to get RTD passes for employees and recommended bus passes be included into the multi-modal plan. Having affordable transit options for employees who make minimum wage especially important.

Motions Passed in September via Email – Submitted for Records

• To increase fees to Survey Monkey by $25/month to retain a third user to the system (8 yes, 1 no response)

• To pay $100 as a co-sponsor to Colorado School of Public Health on a forum held November 14^th at the Unitarian Church on Lafayette. The forum will focus on the health threats of climate change. (7 yes, 2 no response). INC is one of three sponsors. [ACTION] Maggie to advise Steve to whom our payment will be made.

Financial Reports

• Motion by Jane P, seconded by Maggie to accept treasurer report. Passed unanimously. INC totals: $47647.73 CD’s, $1792.48 Savings, $839.47 Checking
• Motion by Maggie, seconded by Loretta, to accept audit report presented in August. Passed unanimously

Greg advised the accounting function can be improved by use of Quicken which will enable more line items detailing expenditures; suggested to review and revise the budget accounts going forward;

Budget planning will be done at December Board meeting. Relevant committees need to include cost of a forum into their budget requests.

August Minutes/September Notes

• Minutes from Board meeting August 12. Steve asked this line be removed from minutes: “Steve: What if INC pushed to replace ashtrays in cars because we smoke.” Maggie moved to accept with this change, seconded by Loretta. Passed unanimously.
• September Board meeting had no quorum and no actions. There were no changes to notes.

Education-Amy

• Attendees to Denver Decides candidate forums stated they liked forum format with lightening rounds, thumbs up/down and time limits for answers to questions.
• Amy will appear on Channel 7 October 21 – report on “dark” money for candidates. Dark money is money donated from out of state.

Transportation – Joel

Even with letter from INC and Mayor’s endorsement, INC’s request to have INC Transportation Committee member be appointed to Re-imagine RTD Advisory Council, RTD declined. The RTD committee is populated with elected officials, so if they arrive at consensus they don’t have to re-convince the officials.

Zoning & Planning – Report sent by email and read by Loretta

New Planning Director:  Ean reached out to request that Laura Aldrete come introduce herself to ZAP; we are waiting to hear when that will be.

Common Consumption Areas and Entertainment Districts . The revised ordinance took some of Gertie/Loretta/Christine’s requests and suggestions into account, but we were unable to limit the pilot program as INC requested.   Given that the Downtown Denver Partnership and Dairy Block owner have been working on this for a long time (along with other owners of licensed premises such as along Santa Fe, the Source, Union Station), it is unlikely INC can do much more.   E&L was tasked with creating a new license category specifically in response to business owners and at the request of Mayor Hancock.   ZAP will put responses in a letter for the Oct. 23rd Committee hearing on the revised ordinance (public comments accepted).

Group Living Advisory Committee:

The Group Living Advisory Committee (GLAC) began work in 2018, but only one aspect of this Group Living Advisory Committee’s work Temporary Tiny Homes amendment has moved forward to date.  Tiny Homes was pulled out of the umbrella of this committee and addressed in its own text amendment, but it appears there is a strong desire on the part of CPD to complete all of the remaining work and tie it up into one huge text amendment.  But there are several other forms of group living being examined as part of the effort to address the need for more flexibility in living arrangements, the need for more shelter and affordable housing units, and the scarcity of dollars and land to address these issues. Many of the “group living” arrangements covered would likely be considered non controversial but some are controversial and warrant full and transparent discussion.   

The committee is being strongly encouraged to land on a definition of how many unrelated people can live together in a household.  Lots of numbers are being thrown around… See powerpoint [on INC website].  Some group living arrangements currently regulated in the Code under group living may be effectively removed from Code regulation depending on the number arrived at on Tuesday.  (Fire, building code regulation will still be in effect.)  This is far too complex to discuss at tonight’s meeting, but the committee’s work on the household definition is being wrapped up tomorrow —  Oct. 15th —  by this committee.

Since INC generally believes zoning changes need to be vetted by affected communities, and this Text Amendment will affect all of Denver, ZAP feels there should have been far more neighbor representation on the committee in general, as well as an exchange of information to and feedback from INC over the past 18 months.  In this case, INC did get three seats at the table.  Unfortunately, although GLAC members were tasked in June 2019 with sharing the proposed definitional change and collecting feedback, the proposal has yet to be presented to and discussed in ZAP.  So INC’s own representatives have little to report regarding feedback from INC.  (According to the PowerPoint, only 12 letters were submitted to Andrew Webb and CPD in response to circulating the proposal.)  

Further, 33 of the 43 members on this committee are service providers, representatives from Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, etc.  While I am sure they provided great resources to GLAC in identifying existing problems with providing many services such as Third Way Center and Sober Homes.  The puzzle — in their representative capacity — they are being asked to vote on proposed zoning changes. This is especially concerning in the case of those services that do not operate in non-profit capacity, and may profit financially from proposed zoning changes. 

ZAP would like to propose that the EC discuss whether it would be willing to write a short statement to the Mayor, Council, and Planning Staff to this effect:

‘INC understands that, through the Group Living Advisory Committee, Denver is studying major changes to Denver’s Zoning Code aimed at increasing flexibility in the provision of housing and shelter in Denver. Since these changes will affect every Denver neighborhood.  INC believes there should be much wider neighborhood representation on this committee.  While input and feedback from service providers is an important resource for the Committee, the fact that there are only approximately ten people serving as neighborhood representatives means the Committee is not gathering input from a good cross section of Denver residents.  

Additionally, there has only been one public open house, and that was in 2018.  INC believes that the City must share information, answer questions, and gather feedback from residents before the committee arrives at a decision on changes to Denver’s  Zoning Code.  We would suggest that each Council District host at least two Open Houses in their district to explain the goal of this work, to explain the Code changes being considered, and to gather the many questions and suggestions made by the public before proceeding to arrive at and announce a new household definition.’

[ACTION] After discussion it was decided that INC’s action would be to have Loretta learn what the next steps will be, what is plan for outreach to communities, what are timelines and process. She is to report back to Board in December or before.

Upcoming INC Delegate Meetings

• November 9 – Sam Gary Library at Stapleton – Topic: Conservation Overlays

Hosted by Denver Public Library, Annie Kemmerling, Director of Neighborhood Services

• No Delegate meeting in December – suggestion to use that time to have Board/EC refine plans for 2020. Board meeting December 9 will discuss 2020 plans.
• January 12 at SWIC. Forum will be Affordable Housing assuming this can be put together by Ean, Loretta and Christine in time. INC hosts and will have food drive for SWIC.
• February 8 – Willis Case Golf Course. Forum about Cell Towers. Asked BRUN and Harkness Heights to sponsor food. Cost at WC is $160 and they furnish food.
• March 11 – Brookdale University Park (they host)– Agreed to present Annual Reports by President & Committees of what was accomplished followed by Elections for President, Secretary and three delegates-at-large. All are eligible for second terms.

It was proposed for 2020, INC “delegate” meetings become periodic forums planned by ZAP, PARCS, Education, Transportation and if we needed to fill in with other meetings that address resolutions and other hard hitting topics, we could do so by need v. just another delegate meeting.  While no motion was made for this change, it was well received and will be discussed in December.  

Greg suggested and Board agreed to continue to conduct feedback via Survey Monkey on all forums we do. Group also agreed all forums and annual meeting be filmed. [ACTIONS] 1) recruit Phil to film; 2) continue surveys.

New business

• Steve introduced a solicitation from Denver Rescue Mission and fact that INC has generally always agreed to support them. Loretta moved that INC donate $300 to Denver Rescue Mission. Maggie seconded and motion carried unanimously.

• Steve offered idea to grant new RNO memberships at no cost to get more RNO involvement. Feedback: INC had finally hired its first contract staff and this was not the right time to introduce free memberships. Jane P advised there are 89 RNO members.
• Discussion about board liability insurance and how INC might provide an added benefit to RNO members.

Adjourned at 8:18PM.

Minutes submitted by Doña Dodson, Administrator INC

NOTE: Next Board meeting will be at Daniels Fund Building on NOVEMBER 4 – a change in schedule. December will go back to normal – December 9 also at Daniels Fund Building.