Denver City Council Meeting - September 16, 2024: Resolutions, Postponements, and Public Hearings
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Denver City Council Meeting - September 16, 2024
The Denver City Council convened on Monday, September 16, 2024, at 3:30 PM and adjourned at 8:41 PM. The meeting included approval of minutes, council announcements, adoption of several resolutions and bills en bloc, a separate vote on a contract for asylum seeker services, and three public hearings on zoning changes that were all postponed after deliberation. Key themes included affordable housing, infrastructure, and neighborhood character.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (24-1182): Approved for September 9, 2024.
- Resolutions and Bills on Final Consideration: All remaining items were approved en bloc by a vote of 13-0. Notable items include:
- Resolution 24-1117: Contract with ProDIGIQ, Inc. for $1,175,000 for a Safety Management System at Denver International Airport.
- Resolution 24-1114: Amendment with Blue Star Recyclers for electronic waste recycling.
- Resolution 24-1115: Amendment with Midwest Connect for mailing services.
- Resolution 24-1124: Reappointment of Ana Varela to the Denver County Cultural Council.
- Resolution 24-1082: Contract for sewer pipe rehabilitation for $4,709,119.
- Resolution 24-1125 and 24-1128: Dedication of public alleys and streets.
- Resolution 24-1032: Contract with The Salvation Army for $1,250,000 for housing navigation and rental assistance.
- Resolution 24-1118: Amendment with Rocky Mountain Human Services for the Denver START program (crisis services for IDD/MH).
- Resolution 24-1123: Dedication of a public alley.
- Bills on final consideration: 24-1069 (TSA equipment transfer), 24-1089 (employee insurance changes), 24-1090 (classification and pay plan), 24-1101 (Mile High Flood District fund), 24-1102 (liability claims fund), 24-1063 (Parks Legacy Five-Year Plan), 24-1076 (sidewalk code changes), 24-1079 and 24-1083 (easement relinquishments), 24-0823 (Denver Health for Head Start), 24-1061 (ADU pilot program expansion), 24-1086 (Douglas County agreement for youth services), 24-1091 (competency restoration at jails), 24-1092 (substance use treatment at jails).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Council Bill 24-0983 (4050 N Colorado Blvd rezoning): Three speakers signed up in favor: Jesse Parris (representing multiple organizations), Channon Ingram (Northeast Park Hill Coalition board member), and Kevin Marchman (president of the coalition). No speakers signed up in opposition.
- Council Bill 24-0878 (3801 E Florida Ave rezoning): Two speakers: Matt Page (resident of 1395 S Jackson St) spoke in opposition, citing a perceived neighborhood agreement to preserve green space and trees. Jesse Parris spoke in favor initially but later expressed concerns and opposition after hearing the first speaker's points.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 24-0900 – Haven of Hope Contract for Denver Asylum Seeker Program (DASP):
- Councilmember Lewis expressed support for basic income but voted nay (the only no vote). Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez asked about the number of participants (865 newcomers, half children) and duration of food services. Councilmember Torres inquired about food distribution logistics and equipment ownership. The contract ($6,049,292) was adopted 12-1.
- Council Bill 24-0983 – Rezoning 4050 N Colorado Blvd:
- Staff presented the request to rezone from former Chapter 59 to CMX-5 and CMX-8, with a focus on affordable housing (600 units planned) and transit-oriented development. The site is part of a Planned Building Group (PBG) requiring all owner signatures for amendments; the applicant owns 54% of the area. One property owner opposed. Extensive discussion ensued about the precedent of rezoning without unanimous consent, the pending text amendment bundle (to allow PBG amendments with majority), and traffic concerns. Councilmembers Flynn, Sawyer, Gilmore, Romero Campbell expressed concerns about the precedent. Councilmember Lewis suggested postponement to allow further negotiations. The applicant noted a loan due in 45 days. Ultimately, the bill was postponed to September 30, 2024, by a 13-0 vote.
- Council Bill 24-0878 – Rezoning 3801 E Florida Ave:
- Staff presented the request to rezone from B-A-3 and O-1 to S-MX-5. The site has a 9-story office tower and a green strip with 56 mature trees along Jackson Street. A protest petition was submitted but did not meet the 20% threshold. Councilmember Kashmann emphasized the importance of preserving the mature tree canopy, citing climate goals and the city's urban forest plan. He requested a postponement to work with forestry on protections. Councilmember Flynn noted that the O-1 portion was originally intended as a buffer. The bill was postponed to October 14, 2024, by a 13-0 vote.
- Other Items:
- Resolution 24-1078 (East Colfax BRT construction contract, $197 million) was postponed one week by Councilmember Sawyer.
- Councilmember Flynn commented on Bill 24-1076 (sidewalk code), confirming that the city is no longer citing property owners for sidewalk repairs due to the new Initiative 307 funding mechanism.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 24-0900 adopted (12-1; Lewis nay).
- Resolution 24-1078 postponed to September 23, 2024.
- All other resolutions and bills on final consideration approved en bloc (13-0).
- Bills for introduction ordered published (24-1106, 24-1107, 24-1108, 24-0732, 24-1137).
- Proclamations adopted:
- 24-1183: Honoring La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos Concilio NO. 7 (unanimous).
- 24-1184: Honoring Mariachi Estelares at the Viva Southwest Mariachi Festival (unanimous).
- Council Bill 24-0916 (zoning, 1920 S King St) postponed to October 14, 2024 (11-0, two absent).
- Council Bill 24-0983 (zoning, 4050 N Colorado Blvd) postponed to September 30, 2024 (13-0).
- Council Bill 24-0878 (zoning, 3801 E Florida Ave) postponed to October 14, 2024 (13-0).
Note: The meeting date is specified as September 16, 2024, consistent with the agenda and transcript. The meeting began at 3:30 PM and ended at 8:41 PM.
Meeting Transcript
City Council begins now. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish. Sam, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices? Hello, thank you all for having us. This is Alejandro Arrieta. I'll be working with my colleague Sam today. Thank you for your patience as I provide these instructions in Spanish. So you're going to come. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, September 16th, 2024. Council members, please rise as you are able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republicans, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Council members, please join Council Member Parity as they lead us in the Denver City Council land acknowledgement. The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We honor elders, past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We also recognize the government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous peoples. May this acknowledgment demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities, and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Denver. Thank you so much, Councilwoman. Madam Secretary Roll Call. Here Flynn. Here. Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. Council announcements. Are there any council announcements from my colleagues today? Council and Mel Vidres. Go ahead. Thank you, Council President. Um, I just wanted to share that we have a lot of exciting events happening around the city for Hispanic Heritage Month, and there will be the Viva Southwest Mariachi Festival on Friday, including on Saturday. We will have at least equals Gala and Latinas and Tech are also having some events on Thursday and Friday. Um but we are gonna make a whole calendar of events on our social media. So if you're interested in some events, follow Lucky District 7 on Instagram or X or Facebook, and you will follow up there. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Councilwoman Sawyer. Thanks, Madam President. Just a reminder to everyone that our District 5 fall community cleanup day is coming up on Sunday, October 6th. It's a really fun morning where we um ask volunteers to join us at Montclair Wreck Center at 8:30 a.m. where we pick up supplies and have breakfast and then head out into the community to clean up our parks and our bus stops. So you can sign up and find out more information on our social media. Um that's Facebook, Twitter. No, I got off Twitter a year ago. Best day of my life. Facebook, uh threads, and Instagram at Denver Council5. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Torres.
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