The February 2019 INC-ZAP meeting featured a presentation about opportunity zones from Denver’s Chief Economist, an update on CPD’s deliberations on INC’s request for a delay in final consideration of Blueprint Denver and Comprehensive Plan 2040, and committee members discussed rationale for the requested delay.
Olympic Planning Representatives
George announced that Larry Ambrose and Christine O’Connor are assigned as INC representatives to the Share the Gold committee related to Denver’s bidding on future Olympics to be held in Colorado. The delegates requested this be a topic presented at the March meeting and to take a straw vote about the bid that could shared with the STG meeting at the end of March.
A motion was made by Chris Chiari and seconded by Jane Lorimer to checking into the possibility of changing our March Annual Meeting (elections) to include the Olympic committee straw vote to be held at the same venue as the Park Hill Golf Course Informational Forum (Park Hill Congregational Church). The motions passed 26 yes, 0 against, 1 abstain. Updates to come. (see PARC report)
If passed, it would require CPD to send written notifications by mail of any proposed rezonings to all owners of property within a 200-foot radius of the property proposed for rezoning, both before a Planning Board hearing and the City Council public hearing. This would improve notification to neighboring property owners. Currently, Registered Neighborhood Organizations receive such notice (thanks to the 1979 ordinance sponsored by INC), but some parts of the city do not have RNOs and some RNOs do not have active zoning committees or regular meetings to discuss rezonings. Several cities in Colorado and across the United States have such notification requirements. The Planning Board hearing on this proposed text amendment will be on April 18 and the City Council hearing will probably be on June 18.
Maggie reported that there will be a community forum updating the Park Hill Golf Course situation on Sat., March 10 at Park Hill Congregational Church. 2600 Leyden St. from 1:00-3:00 p.m. A panel of speakers will talk about options. That morning at the same place, INC will hold its March meeting, with elections, and focused on a fair and balanced discussion of a Colorado Olympics bid.
Parry Burnap Accelerate Climate Action Presentation
Climate change important to our time. Our goal is to inspire neighbors to take small steps to take actions to reduce impact on climate because we learned that citizens identify with what neighborhood they live in more so than ever before and they can identify with “place” and personal ability to impact change. We talk about weather and not the climate.
Working for about a year and following information from Naomi Klein book “This Changes Everything” about climate change
Chair Margie Valdez convened the meeting of the INC Zoning and Planning Committee and led an internal discussion of committee members about several important ongoing topics:
There is a well balanced citizen advisory group working to recommend regulations and procedures to the Department of Excise and Licenses to implement Initiative 300, which Denver voters passed in November 2016, regarding social consumption of marijuana. Margie, who is a member of the advisory group, mentioned the following:
JJ Niemann, INC President, welcomed all and thanked Brookdale for hosting and providing food and beverages
Barbara Aragon from Brookdale facility welcomed INC and advised tours were available to any who had interest.
Councilman Paul Kashman, District 6 gave an overview about the international diversity within his district the University Park area. He told us South High School represents students from 70 countries and has an immigration-welcome attitude and focus.
