Hey Denver, it's time for the weekly general session of your Denver City Council.

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Everyone, thank you for taking the time to join us for Denver City's Council meeting.

Today is Monday, August 25th, 2025.

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish.

Sam or Alejandro, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

Yes, of course.

Thank you for having us.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Sam Guzman with the CLC.

And tonight we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Sam.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, August 25th, 2025.

Councilmember plea council members, please join Councilmember Watson in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Council members, please join Councilmember Watson 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 that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous peoples.

May this acknowledgement 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, Councilmember.

Madam Secretary, vocal call.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Here.

I'll be there.

Here.

Lynn.

Here.

Gilmore?

Here.

Gonzalo Scutier.

Heinz.

Here.

Cashman.

Here.

Lewis.

Present.

Here.

Romero Campbell.

Here.

Here.

Watson.

Here.

Madam President Sandoval.

Here.

Twelve members present.

There are 12 members present.

Council has a quorum.

Approval of the minutes.

Are there any corrections to the minutes of August 18th?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements this afternoon?

Councilmember Alvidres start us off.

Thank you.

I just wanted to give Councilman Watson a quick shout-out on his amazing performance.

Everyone in their life needs a V-neck onesie now.

He was amazing at dancing with the stars.

Thank you so much for having me.

It was amazing.

He had a standing ovation through the whole room, and I had no idea he had such great dance moves.

So just wanted to shout him out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis.

I can't follow that.

But you did do amazing.

Um so I wanted to thank everyone who had the opportunity to attend the District 8 Town Hall on Saturday.

We had a great time, great discussion.

Um and thank you all for coming out on a Saturday because you could have been anywhere in the world.

Um in addition to that, on Saturday, September 6th, we will be having office hours, which are vote virtual, but we all will have an in-person civic assemblies information meeting at the D8 office.

You can join online or in person.

And then on Saturday, September 13th, we have the Park Hill Park open house at the Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center.

Um and this is an opportunity for us to think about park visioning, action plan, and the neighborhood plan.

And so if you're interested in co-creating that, please sign up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council Potem Rambo.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I just wanted to let people know about September 6th.

We are going to have our final um event for the South by Southeast uh uh event series, and this is going to be Denver Jazz Orchestra at Eisenhower Park on September again, Saturday, September 6th, and it's gonna be from four to seven.

So Guyana Acustica will play from at 4 p.m., followed by the Denver uh Jazz Orchestra at 5 p.m.

So we're asking people to bring a picnic and low chairs, blankets.

Uh we will have two food trucks there.

It'll be Big Belly, Big Brother, no, Big Belly Brothers Barbecue and the Movement will also be there uh too um for those who would like to have a food truck, but bring a picnic and enjoy.

Um and then I do also want to give a shout out um to our colleague here, uh Daryl uh Councilman Watson.

One of the things, and we're talking about his amazing performance, but he did it in honor of and um to help raise funds for an amazing nonprofit, um, which is Cleo Parker um Robinson Dance, and they have served the community and have just been tremendous.

And so I appreciate your effort in putting yourself out there in a V neck onesie uh to really help support and raise money for a really tremendous nonprofit in our in our community.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gilmer.

Thank you.

I want to uh thank uh our two at-large council members, Parity and Gonzalez Gutierrez, as well as Councilmember uh Lewis uh for their forethought and pulling together the community meetings that occurred on Thursday evening and on Sunday uh as you might imagine.

Um I would hope all of us on this dais um have been inundated, but um I definitely have been inundated with people who were laid off who are now sharing their stories.

And um I mentioned to some that I would make sure and um not mention them by name because of course they are very scared of retaliation.

And when folks were laid off from the city, um it was in such a rushed way that folks were made a phone call, um, a two-minute phone call, and then immediately they were shut down from work day.

And so what that does uh to individuals who have been laid off or lost a job uh is that then you need to go back to your employer and request your personnel file so that then you even have your electronic pay stubs to then go file for unemployment.

And so I affirmed to people that I would continue to share their very real stories so that we don't forget about what transpired in these chambers and what happened to very real people who um one woman was a 34-year employee of the city and county of Denver.

One gentleman uh had served his most of his professional career with um another organization, came over to the city in his late 40s and has now worked with the city for five years.

And so the um issues around the seniority and ageism uh continue, and so I would just um ask that again if anyone was laid off um please reach out to a lawyer first.

Do not sign anything before you talk to an employment lawyer, and then keep telling us your stories.

It is so important because um we believe that uh procurement rules were broken uh during uh 2023 and 2024.

I have been told specifically by former city employees that were there as witnesses to see that happen.

And so I believe that this is maybe a little bit bigger um than just a bunch of layoffs of city employees.

Uh there's more to it.

And so uh thank you.

Councilmember Cashman.

Thank you, uh Madam President.

Um the members of this body have stated uh in recent years virtually unanimously our our uh uh belief that it's in all of our best interests to do everything we can to bring the residents of Denver more closely into their own governance.

And along the lines of moving forward with that, we're in the early stages of beginning a division of office, excuse me, a division of community empowerment under the Office of Human Rights and Community Partnerships.

But uh this summer, uh my staff as well as uh the staff of Councilwoman Gonzalez Guteras have been attending uh civic events around the city uh to get uh thoughts from residents about uh do they know what a registered neighborhood organization is, do they participate?

Long story short, um, we have a survey online.

Uh all you need to do is to Google your city, your voice, Denver, and you'll get to our survey.

We've got almost a thousand responses already, and we'd love to hear what you think about what the city can do to help you play a role in your own governance.

Once again, that's your city, your voice, Denver.

Please do take the survey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watkin.

Uh, thank you, Madam President.

Um, wanted to once again lift up Clear Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.

The work that they do in community and have been doing for 55 years goes beyond dance.

Um they are a pillar within the Five Points community.

They bring um youth leaders together, providing education, mental health, and support throughout a community.

The good work that Cleoparker Robertson Dance do and does is not just here in the Sydney County of Denver.

Uh she has spent time in Brazil recently, spent time in Boston doing the same work, ensuring that folks that look like us know that there is a space and place for us to have community to come together to focus on our mental health and focus on really making sure we have a healthier community.

So I want to lift up all of the stars that performed on Saturday for months and months of practice to prepare for the dancing, but and also our commitment and financial commitment to make sure that our communities continue to be served through this amazing group of folks.

So thank you to Cleoparker Robinson Dance and Malik Robinson and the entire team for our amazing event.

Look forward to joining you again uh next year.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um, I just have a few announcements.

Um I'd like to invite everybody on September 6th to the Sunny Side Health and Wellness Festival.

Um it's at Chaffee Park from 9 to noon.

It's a free family-friendly event with live yoga, wellness demonstrations, and more than 25 vendors face painting, bike safety booths, and more.

So we look forward to seeing you at Chappie Park, which is on 44th in Tihun, September 6th from 9 to noon.

Thank you.

Seeing other speakers in the queue, there are two proclamations being read this afternoon.

Councilmember Gilmer, will you please read proclamation 1244?

Yes, thank you.

Recognizing International Overday Overdose Awareness Day.

Whereas International Overdose Awareness Day, observed annually on August 31st, is a global event to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma, a drug-related death, and to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends, remembering those who have died or suffered a permanent injury as a result of a drug overdose.

And whereas overdose is a leading leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, and in 2024 claimed the lives of 1,603 Coloradans, including 483 here in Denver, affecting families, friends, and entire communities across every race, age, and socioeconomic group.

And whereas the city and county of Denver is committed to supporting public health, equity, and compassion in addressing the substance use crisis and affirms that every life lost to overdose is a preventable tragedy tragedy.

And whereas Denver Health Center for Addiction Medicine and Behavioral Health Services stand as vital resources in our community, offering comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based care to support individuals at every stage of their recovery with respect and dignity.

And whereas Denver Health leadership in addiction in addiction medicine through initiatives such as medication assisted treatment, naloxone access, educational programs, peer recovery support, and direct outreach to unhoused populations, demonstrates the power of a public health approach to substance abuse and harm reduction.

And whereas overdose awareness day is an opportunity for all Denver residents to honor those lost, support those in recovery, thank our frontline providers, and recommit to reducing stigma and expanding access to care.

Whereas by recognizing the work of Denver Health Centers for Addiction Medicine and observing International Overdose Awareness Day, we honor the memory of those we have lost, support those in recovery, and re-educate ourselves, excuse me, rededicate ourselves in a future where overdose is preventable and recovery is possible for all.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the city hereby recognizes August 31st, 2024 as International Overdose Awareness Day in Denver, and commends the work of Denver Health Center for Addiction Medicine and urge all residents to learn about the signs of overdose, carry and know how to use naloxone, and support those in our community affected by substance abuse.

Let this proclamation serve as a call to action, attribute the to those we have lost, and a commitment to a future in which overdose is no longer a leading cause of death in Denver.

Section two that the clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall affix a seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation.

Thank you, Councilmember Gilmer.

Your motion to adopt.

I move the proclamation 25-1244 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Gilmer.

Thank you.

These are really personal stories.

And a lot of people have stories of someone very close to them, maybe a sibling, maybe a partner, maybe a parent that has had an overdose.

And many times these overdoses happen numerous times until unfortunately there might be a time that they're not able to be brought back from that overdose.

Same as if someone is an alcoholic.

If somebody wants to pick on me because of that, I challenge you to go do a UA or a drug test right now with me, because I know who will win.

So with that being said, that shame and that guilt and that stigma and that very real what is wrong with you or the feeling of what is wrong with me, doesn't help anybody get well.

What it does is it keeps us sick because it keeps us in that cycle of shame and hiding instead of recovery, you might have times that you relapse, or goodness gracious, overdose because that is the cycle, but we need to keep you here so that we can start a new day tomorrow, or we can start a new minute if that's where people are at, and it's so important.

And so I am very, very honored to sponsor this because there's also later in life overdoses, a lot of times we think about you know, fentanyl, um, heroin, all the different sorts of things.

Something that people do not talk about is older adults who overdose because they don't have a caregiver to help them, or they get confused, or they have multiple family members caring for them, and that is an unseen population that is so important for us also to acknowledge.

And so I uh really want to thank the folks from Denver Health and the Center for Addiction Medicine and Behavioral Health Sciences and all the work that you do every single day to help people uh maintain their sobriety and their recovery, but knowing that um sometimes relapses and unfortunately overdoses are part of that cycle of recovery.

It's not it's never, never too late.

Um, and unless we have, you know, we've got to keep people alive to make sure that we've got those additional chances, and that's um what this is really about.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, um Councilmember Gilmore, that's beautifully said as always, and I just um decided to get on the mic because I know probably about half of us on this day have been partially impacted by overdose and addiction, including lost people, and um this summer was the first time that um that that happened in my extended family.

So I just um have such an overwhelming feeling right now that um the more time you get to spend on this earth, the more likely it is that you will get touched by this crisis if you haven't been.

Um, and I honestly think it's most of us.

So I just wanted to say that because that hasn't been um true for me before personally, at least not um not that directly.

Um I also wanted to say that these are preventable deaths, you know, like we we have to stop um we have to start treating them that way.

Um, and I will just I I hope to sit up here and uh and see us making continued progress um in actually preventing those deaths, but um we lose a lot of people in Denver every year to something that um truly could be prevented if we um invested our money in the right places.

So um thank you so much, Councilmember Gilmore, and for everyone who's here to listen and accept this one.

Appreciate it.

Thank you, Madam Secretary Rocal.

Councilmember Sawyer Albitris.

Hi, Flynn.

Hi.

Gilmore, aye, Heinz.

Hi.

Cashman.

Hi, Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, and that's the results.

Twelve eyes.

Twelve eyes.

Proclamation 1244 has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Gilmore, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation?

I'd like to invite up Brooke and Kristen, and I'll let them go ahead and introduce themselves.

Thank you, Council.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Gilmore.

On behalf of my Denver Health colleagues here, this amazing group, I accept the proclamation from Denver Health.

My name is Brooke Bender.

I'm the administrative director of our Center for Addiction Medicine, and I'll let Kristen introduce herself, and then we have just a couple words to say.

Hi, Council members.

I'm Kristen Lawera.

Nice to meet you guys.

Kristen's gonna tell you more about her story after I share a little bit more about what we do at Denver Health.

So we're so grateful to be here to recognize Overdose Awareness Day with you all.

Um this is a time to commemorate those that we have lost and create awareness for those that we can still keep in our community.

I think the council member spoke brilliantly about the preventable issue here and how we are able to save our community members, family, and friends.

Um I do want to acknowledge that overdose doesn't discriminate.

However, we know that um there are certain populations that are impacted disproportionately, and I want to acknowledge that those are people of color, um, our homeless um neighbors, and uh folks that have been recently incarcerated and released.

And so those those populations need extra care and extra support to make sure that we have harm reduction tools, treatment re for when they're ready for it, and that's something that Denver Health does here.

So, what we do at the Center for Addiction Medicine is try to reduce the stigma that you talked about to help everyone understand that we're here to support those if and when they're ready for treatment, and if they're not, and they're still using, we're really in favor of harm reduction tools to keep people alive.

We have several different treatment modalities, including um peer support and other evidence-based methods that have been proven to really help folks on their journey to recovery.

And one of the ways that we're creating awareness this year is through our stories in black and white exhibit.

This is a project that we created in collaboration with the Colorado Consortium and the CDC Foundation's overdose response strategy.

Some of those folks are here today.

And so we are going to be hosting exhibits around Denver community to be creating awareness for this.

On September 1st, we'll be at Civic Center Park.

On September 4th, we'll be at the Denver Central Library.

We encourage you and all of our Denver community members to come out and read these powerful stories.

We will have free naloxone and resources there that can help get people into treatment if they're interested.

And I would just like to thank you.

I would just like to read a quote from my friend Arnell that's one of our community advisory members that participated in this project that is a call to action.

He says, if someone reads or hears my story, I hope it brings a smile and a sense of encouragement.

I'd love for it to inspire others to become part of the solution, working together to create a better life, a healthier society, and a more stable, hopeful future.

Please do what you can when you can with what you have for all of us.

And with that, I will pass it off to Kristen to share her own personal story.

Sorry.

Hello.

Um, so through my personal uh addiction, um, it was very hard.

Um I had gone through the court system through Jefferson County um through Fit Court.

Um, and I was given either, if I didn't finish the program, I was either having to sign my rights away from my kids or go into treatment.

Um, at that point, I made the decision to go into treatment.

Um it hasn't been easy.

Um, the first year was very difficult for me.

It was very hard.

Um, I literally had a um relearn how to be a parent, um, how to survive in society, hold a job and um do everything.

It was very difficult, plus going to court, um, doing UAs, making sure I was on task with everything and also spending time with my kids as well.

Um, it was difficult, but it was definitely well worth it.

Um I'm five years sober now.

Congratulations.

Um, I have custody of my kids.

Um, I work at Denver Health.

I was working for the city, but I went to Denver Health.

Um, it was just more towards what I was wanting to do as a peer support specialist and just help more people.

Um, let them know that there is that help and support out there and that it is um you could do it.

Um, I never thought I was gonna be able to.

I thought, you know, that was gonna be my life, but I was able to push through and get through it, and now I'm here to help others um and just let them know that there is hope and light at the end of that tunnel.

Thank you.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful story.

I will now read proclamation 1243.

Recognizing August 29th, 2025 as KUVO 89.3 FM Day, whereas public radio station KUVO 89.3 FM began broadcasting on August 29th, 1985.

And in 2025, proudly celebrates 40 years on the air.

And whereas for four decades, KUVO has filled the airwaves with the full spectrum of jazz and has taken listeners on a musical journey through their diverse cultures, featuring blues, gospel, soul, cubana, ranchera, salsa, rock in espanol, indigenous music, and more.

And whereas KUVO has nurtured the next generation of musicians by inviting student bands into its studios through its high school collegiate series, giving them a platform to share their talents and connect with leader listeners.

While also champion local and national recording artists and supporting the music venues and festivals that enhance our community.

And whereas KUVO's remarkable growth has been made possible by the support of thousands of members, volunteers, underwriters, and foundations, enabling the station to evolve, foster the DROP public radio station, and merged with Rocky Mountain PBS to become a proud part of Rocky Mountain Public Media, where everyone is seen and heard.

And whereas KUVO has earned both local and national recogn recognition, including major market station honors from Jazz Week magazine being named best jazz station in the world by the United Kingdom's Telegraph and Introduction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

Now, therefore it be proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that Denver City Council formally recognizes August 29th, 2025 as KUVO 89.3 FM Day, Section 2, that the clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall affix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and that a proclamation be transmitted to KUVO.

I move that proclamation 1243 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Just want to say it's such a proud honor to be introducing this proclamation this evening.

I've been listening to KV KUVO most of my life.

I listened to Canción Mexicana.

My kids know that when I'm make listening to Canción Mexicana, one of two things are happening.

Either I'm cleaning the house or I'm cooking.

And so if I'm cleaning the house, they'll stay away because they don't want to participate and help clean the house.

If I'm cooking, they'll ask what am I cooking?

And it's usually enchiladas or beans or something.

And another thing that I love is I've been able to I have come from a big Latino family all throughout Colorado, and I've always been able to give shout-outs to my family on KUVO.

So I've um wished my cousins happy birthday from all over.

I've wished my mom a happy birthday.

We're using it for public service announcements for some of the work that's happening in my council office.

And with a lot of what's happening at the federal level, we really need to support our small local stations.

It's where we have local artists, it's where we hear information, it's where I get a pulse of what's happening in Denver.

Um so thank you, Flo for asking me to be able to sponsor this this evening.

I'm proud to have you in constituent in District One.

I'm proud to be sponsor of this, and this came on the air.

I'm only six years older, so literally when I say most of my life I've been listening to it, I literally have been listening to it most of my life.

So thank you so much.

Councilwoman Alvidres.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you for bringing this beautiful proclamation.

Um, I can relate.

Cubo was what we listened to, Canción Mexicana.

Sunday mornings meant cleaning.

There was no other stuff.

It was cleaning, and that was it.

Um, but it made cleaning fun and brought us together as a family.

And Flo, I call her my tocaya, even though her name's not exactly Flor, but we're like this.

And I remember also growing up, that was like one of the few things I can remember my dad making time to do calls to fundraise for Kubo because I meant so much to him.

Back in the day, there wasn't other Spanish.

It was just that was the only time that you could listen to Spanish music.

And as a Mexican immigrant, that was so important and for me, it was important for staying close to my roots, but also learning about the Chicano history here because they would talk about this artist is from Southern Colorado or New Mexico, and they have roots here.

And it was a reminder that we belong here for a long, long time.

So thank you all, everyone at Google for all the great amazing work you do and the music you bring for our community.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Council Pro Tem Romero Campbell.

Thank you, Council President.

I think um very similar um grew up listening to Canción Mexicana.

I think uh it definitely is cleaning music.

And I it just um something that I've grown up on, something that I've raised my kids on, the shout-outs, so true, um, and trying to get through on the phone numbers and so forth and making sure that those um anniversaries and birthdays are always celebrated.

Um but one of the things that really I think is the connection to home and I hear now whenever you talk about, you know, you can stream it, you can listen to it anywhere across the world.

Well, at the time when I was in the Peace Corps and I was in Honduras in 1993, um, my family would record Canción Mexicana for me on on cassette tapes, and they would send them to me when I was in the Peace Corps, and I would listen to Cancion, I makes me cry.

Um, but I would listen to Canción Mexicana, and it was amazing, and it was something that just brought home back to me.

Um, but not only that, I shared it with the people that I was living with and working with, and in you know, a small aldea in Honduras, I would play Canción Mexicana.

Um, and it was my passport to be able to sit in the front of the trucks when we would have to, you know, hop in the truck and take four hour rides to get to the towns and get to back to Tegucigalpa and so forth, and it was those tapes that was gold, and I would be like, I've got my tape, and they'd be like Canción Mexicana.

I was like, Yes, it is.

And so even down in um in Honduras in 1993, they knew Canción Mexicana, and we would pop it in and we would listen to it um the entire time.

Those were also the gifts, those those cassette tapes were the gifts that I left for um for the people that I had known and worked with and just dearly loved.

And so there are so many ties and connections to um to KUVO and to Canción Mexicana, but I just wanted to thank you for bringing this forward, Council President, and thank you all for the work that you do every day and how um how much it touches our heart, my heart, my kids' heart, and I know future generations to come.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Torres.

Thank you so much.

Um thank you to everyone here uh with their connections to CUVO.

Um they're mirrored in my family as well.

And my husband's a blues musician, or he fancies himself a blues musician.

Um but uh uh he also helped introduce me to the the schedule beyond Sunday and all of the jazz and all of the blues and salsa and the the global music that I think is provided there that in some way residents are able to um uh just completely disconnect and travel around the world or reconnect with their own cultural roots.

Um the gospel train, because it comes on right before Canción Mexicana, so I always catch a little bit of that.

La Rasa Rock, Supersonido, I love Molly, and um the Latin Soul Party are among our favorites.

So just really appreciate being able to hear some of our community members um deliver this incredible uh music because it it's what connects us all over um the city and all over the world.

So thank you all so much.

Thank you, Councilmember Perdy.

Um, yeah, so you guys know I'm I mean I'm not a new Dumbray, but I'm newer than most of y'all on this day.

Um but this summer I have I have an amazing picture.

Tim is trying to put on the screen of my kids from PBS Kids Fest this summer at the KUVO booth.

They were yeah, I know.

They loved it.

My brother-in-law is an MPR uh reporter and host, and so I was sending him the picture.

I was in the Clifford line, you know, and they didn't want to leave.

They were sitting there for a really long time.

So anyway, that's all I got.

But I'm happy for them that they get to grow up in a place that has a station like this, because I did not.

So thanks, y'all.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Aye.

Albidres.

I Flynn.

Hi.

Gilmore.

Hi.

Heinz.

Hi.

Cashman.

Hi.

Lewis.

Hi.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

I.

Watson.

I.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote and announce the results.

Twelve eyes.

Twelve eyes.

Proclamation one, two, for three has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance, and I'd like to invite all of the members of CUVO to come up here.

I don't think you all have to pick.

So you all can just come up here and each of you can speak.

Um, and just introduce yourself.

Uh, on behalf of all of our volunteers and hosts, I thank you for this proclamation.

Yeah.

Is that it?

No, really, all the things you got said was so beautiful, and it's why we do what we do.

That's right.

And I want to thank you all for taking the time to do this.

Um I saw something on a burger bar the other day that really hit home, and it was that uh we create we had to create it in order to hear what we weren't hearing.

Okay.

And what we weren't hearing was uh the elevation of people of color through the music through information, and I just want to thank you all for all of the help that your parents probably gave us because most of you are uh way too young to to have been there at the very very beginning.

But thank your parents and thank you for continuing with the station.

And just very briefly, I had to get myself together because very emotional.

Um VP of radio, Iana Contreras, and um, as you know, we have been having to deal with funding cuts and a whole lot of other things that make our job a little more difficult.

But what doesn't make it difficult is the community we serve and our commitment to that community uh has been going on 40 years and God willing and with the help of all of the folks who are impacted by us.

Um it'll continue another 40.

Thank you again so much.

My name is Sarah Newberry.

I am a producer at KUVO Rocky Mountain Public Media, and I get to host the high school and collegiate series.

And we have state of the art studios thanks to the support of not only public funding but our generous donors.

And when I get to interact with the kids and they get to come and play music and it's on the air, it is a it is unspeakable on how how much joy it brings to them.

So thank you all so much for this.

Thank you all.

And I forgot I'm so full of myself.

I forgot to tell you that I'm flawless at Londis Ramos to introduce myself formally.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

From the community planning and housing committee 25-1079, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed contract between the city and county of Denver and Oliver Buchanan Group LLC, development of approximately 6.69 acres, located at 1717 East 39th Avenue in Council District 9.

From the Finance and Business Committee, 25-1137, a bill for an ordinance approving the amended and restated 27th and Laramer Urban Redevelopment Plan.

25-1138, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed second amendment to city intergovernmental agreement between the city and county of Denver and the Denver High Point at DIA Metropolitan District to allow High Point MD to utilize regional mill levy revenue to bond for additional regional proje projects in Council District 11.

From the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 25-1127, a bill for an ordinance relinquishing an easement in its entirety reserved in ordinance number 434, series of 1987 recorded with a Denver Clerk and Recorder at reception number 00176850, now known as reception number 1987176850, located at 740 South University Boulevard.

Thank you.

Council members, this is your last opportunity to call out an item.

Councilmember Watson, will you make the motions for us this evening?

Uh yes, Council President Pro Tem Romero Campbell.

Great.

I will now do a recap.

Under resolutions, council resolution 251142 has been called out by Council Member Lewis for comment.

Council resolutions 25, 1063, and 1142 have been called out by Councilmember Lewis for comment in a block.

And Council Resolution 1128 has been called out by Council Pro Tem.

Oh, that's me.

Romero Campbell for a vote.

Thank you.

Under bills for introduction, no items have been called out.

Under bills for final consideration, Council Bill 25117 has been called out by Councilmember Torres and Lewis for a comment.

Under pending, no items have been called out.

Madam Secretary, please put the first item on our screens.

Council Resolution 1141, a resolution approving a proposed revival amendment amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Goodwill of Colorado to provide case management and supplemental services to Colorado Works and TANF program participants.

A resolution approving a proposed revival amendment amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Goodwill of Colorado to provide case management and supplemental services to Colorado Works and TANF program participants.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on resolution 1141.

Thank you.

So I'm calling this item out because I wanted to highlight the partnership between Goodwill and the city and with my office as well.

Goodwill has partnered with Sheriff Diggins to provide a change of clothes for incarcerated individuals to change into when they have family visiting them in jail.

It's a very small humanitizing gesture, and I'm grateful to Goodwill for their partnership.

Goodwill has also partnered with my office and a local photographer to highlight the ways that thrift stores are important pieces of a circular economy, allowing for the reuse of recycling of items that otherwise would end up in a landfill in a landfill or worse.

And so I'm thankful for the partnership that Goodwill has shown and look forward to future collaborations and just wanted to uplift this.

Um Goodwill is also I'm one of the folks who I had the opportunity to um be employed by and work in our alternative schools with our students and get an ample experience that has led me here today.

So that's all I wanted to call out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, council resolution 1063, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county.

Hi, City and County of Denver and Colorado Women's Employment and Education Inc.

DBA Center for Work Education and Employment Inc.

to provide to provide fresh culturally responsive food to Denver Denver residents, youth and their families through funding provided by the Healthy Food for Denver Kids Initiative.

Council Resolution 1142, a resolution approving a proposed mandatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Colorado Women's Employment and Education Incorporated to provide case management and supplemental services to Colorado Works and TANF program participants.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on council resolutions 1063 and 1142.

Thank you.

So I called these out in a block.

Call these out in a block tonight because once upon a time I was reliant on these programs, not just for my survival, but for the survival of my son.

The monthly amounts were not much.

In fact, they were $365 for the entire month to work 40 hours a week.

But I will say that I would not be sitting here in front of you without this program.

I'm grateful for CWE or the um Colorado Women's Employment and Education and to the city that these programs endure and fear that they will continue to be necessary.

Um in the times I've had and so not only and my only other concern is that this contract is not larger to address the real need that we have in this city um at this moment and also moving forward.

And so just wanted to call out the good work that this partnership with the city um has and you know on the heels of layoffs, probably need to increase these dollars just a tad bit more.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution 1128, a resolution approving a proposed contract between the city and county of Denver, HDR Engineering Inc.

to provide professional design services for the South Platte River Trail, Mississippi to Dartmouth project, which extends from approximately 500 north of Mississippi Avenue to 200 north of Dartmouth, Denver border with Ingle Inglewood in Council Districts 2 and 7.

Councilmember Watson, will you please put council resolution 1128 on the floor for adoption?

I move that council resolution 251128 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Council Pro Temer Romero Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I will need to abstain on this one.

I have a family member that works for HDR Inc.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Roll call on resolution 1128.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Aye.

I'll be the next.

Aye.

Flynn.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Aye.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Uh Council Pro Tem Ramer Campbell.

Abstain.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote and answer results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes.

Council resolution 1128 has been adopted.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Ordinance 1117, amending Article.

7516.

No, 10.

15.

18 of chapter 2 of the code.

Councilmember Torres, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 1117.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um wanted to thank um uh specifically Julie Richman and the Citizens Oversight Board.

Uh Julia emailed um me as former city council president um in 2023, uh, November 24th.

Um, and again in September of 2024.

Um, Council President Sandoval asked Councilwoman Gilmore and I to take a look at the requests that were coming through from the Citizen Oversight Board and see what we could do about those.

Um they had reviewed over 150 legal settlements related to the conduct of per uh public safety personnel between 2017 and the first quarter of 2024.

Um four of those settlements included non-monetary commitments.

Um, so these might be things like policy changes, um community commitments or meetings, um, protocol changes that might need to take place.

Um, in their 2024 letter, the COB commended the Department of Safety for putting a public reporting of non-monetary settlement items on their website, and it's there.

If you go to the Department of Safety's website, um they have a button for non-monetary settlements, and you'll see one that's there and it tells you what those settlement agreements are.

Um, but the there was no requirement that these settlement terms, particularly after council approves the settlement, um, be communicated at the monitor or the citizen oversight board.

This um ordinance change makes that a requirement that within 30 days of us um approving it, um, those two bodies will be notified of those terms.

Um changes in policy protocol, community engagement, sometimes medical care in jail, um, the protocols that take place.

Um, in many cases, these are intended to be longer lasting cultural and systemic changes, and so I think it's important for our oversight body um and uh uh happy to um co-sponsor this with councilwoman Gilmore.

Um, but really this is on behalf of the entitled entire city council um in making sure that the COB and the OIM have what they need in order to continue to be our oversight agents.

So um thank you, uh Madam President.

That's it.

Thank you for your work on this, and thank you, Councilmember Gilmore, for your leadership.

Councilmember Lewis.

Um thank you.

I didn't have any of that background, and so I wanted to say thank you to Councilwoman Torres and to Councilwoman Gilmore for bringing this bill forward.

Um I think it's an important transparency measure and it adds important context to the settlement data that my office tracks.

I think it may allow for better outcomes because it will force the city to not only adhere to the non-monetary terms of a settlement, which we are already required to do, but it allows us to track how well we are adhering to those terms, um, and so I will be adding those terms to call-outs related to settlements once this bill is signed.

So thank you both for your hard work on this, as well as staff.

Thank you.

This concludes the items to be called out.

Uh bills for introduction are ordered published.

Council members remember that this is a consent or block vote, and you will need a vote aye.

Otherwise, this is your last chance to call out an item for a separate vote.

Councilmember Watson, will you please put the resolutions for adoption and the bills on final consideration for final passage on the floor?

I move that resolutions be adopted and bills on final consideration be placed upon final consideration, do pass in a block for the following items, uh series 25, 1147, 1200, 1201, 1063, 1139, 1140, 1141, 1142.

1129, 1106, 111.

Thank you.

It has been moved and seconded.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Aye.

Albitres.

Aye.

Flynn?

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Heinz?

Aye.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity?

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson?

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote and announce the results.

12 ayes.

12 ayes.

The resolutions have been adopted and the bills have been placed upon final consideration and do pass.

Tonight, Council will hold a required public hearing on Council Bill 0994, changing the zoning classification for 3025 West Third Avenue in Barnum.

If there are no objections from members of council, we will recess until 5 30 p.m.

Before convening the regular meeting, City Council will provide a half-hour general public comment session to hear from the public on city matters, except for any matter that is scheduled for a legally required public hearing.

The general public comment session will begin promptly at 5 p.m.

Here's what's happening in Denver this week.

A psychotherapist, a piano, and a savior complex that just might work.

From anxiety to narcissism, join one unfiltered therapist as she sings, rants, and hilariously cuts through some of society's greatest facades because laughing through your trauma is cheaper than copies.

Schottenby is back at Bierstadt Lagerhouse.

There'll be all new words ready for contestants to spell.

Sign up begins at 5 p.m.

on Thursday, September 4th.

We look forward to hearing from you again, and thank you for attending the sunny day for this fallen street sign, but how do I report this?

And what else can I report?

How about graffiti?

Hot holes too.

What about issues with snow removal?

Wow.

Sunny makes it so easy to report issues in my neighborhood.

I wonder what else Sunny can help with.

Reach new heights with Elevate Denver.

The program dedicated to the people, events, and services in the Mile High City.

In April on Elevate Denver, the Montbello Drumline tells all.

Drumline has a history in this community since 1980 when the school was originally founded.

Get into the game with the 9ers.

Cheering together to actually have a space where they're doing that for women's sports is incredible.

And Manos Sagrathos keeps the arts independent.

Everything that I've put into Manos is really just everything that I love.

Those stories and more are on the next episode of Elevate Denver.

On this episode of How to Denver, how to find your street sweeping schedule and sign up for reminders.

Street sweeping plays a critical role in keeping Denver streets, air, and water clean.

Dottie's street sweeping program removes dirt, leaves, and debris from city streets, which reduces air and water pollution and supports a clean environment.

But we need your help to move your car so we can get as much debris off the streets as possible.

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Sign up for sweeping reminders, sign in.

And if you don't have an account, it's easy to create one.

Thanks for watching.

And thanks for doing your part to help keep Denver clean.

And if there are any city services you want to learn how to take advantage of, leave a comment down below.

Experience the magic of Denver, one mile high moment at a time.

Have you visited the Westwood neighborhood?

It's a diverse and culturally rich section of the Mile High City.

A drive down Morrison Road reveals a brightly colored celebration of Hispanic culture.

Vibrant murals are everywhere you turn.

While restaurants up and down the street offer up delicious cuisines.

Westwood is home to several prominent festivals throughout the year and is an excellent place to enjoy Cinco de Mayo.

Just around the corner from Morrison Road is the legendary Far East Center and the Little Saigon District.

The Far East Center also hosts one of the biggest lunar new year celebrations in the state.

Don't miss out on this important corner of our city and visit Westwood today.

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Connect to your city.

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Yes, Council President.

Proclamation number 251245, honoring the celebration of Ascenda in Colorado.

Whereas the city and county of Denver has a long history of partnership with Denver Axam Sister Cities and the DeGrey community of Colorado to hurse to host the annual festival agenda and honor of Black Womanhood, sisterhood, femininity, joy, and freedom.

And we'reas, Ashenda is a holiday celebrated around the world by Tigrayans of religions through freedom of expression and fashion, dance, song, drumming, spoken word, art, and more.

And whereas Ashenda is a celebration to uplift and empower women and girls and Tigray and the Tigrayan dis diaspora.

And whereas Ashenda recognizes the contributions of women and girls as pillars of strength and joy and their communities.

And whereas the city and county of Denver recognizes and values indigenous peoples, cultural traditions, especially those centered around women and girls.

And whereas Ashenda is celebrated at the city of Axon Park in Denver, introducing the local community to the strength and beauty of the people of Tigray.

And whereas Ashinda passes down the customs and traditions of the Tigrayan people from the elders to girls and young women through stories, song, and dance.

And whereas Ashenda is a family-centered celebration, emphasizing the importance of degrade and family values and traditions.

Therefore, now therefore be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council.

Section one, the Denver City Council recognizes the Colorado Chagrad community for incredible contributions to our city, commitment to each other, and efforts to build stronger global connections.

Section two, the Denver City Council celebrates the historic partnership with Denver Axam Sister Cities for their efforts building bridges across borders, celebrating cultures, and fostering international collaboration between sister cities.

Section three, that the clerk of the city and county of Denver shall assist affix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation, and that a copy be transmitted to Malete, President of De Grey Community of Colorado.

Thank you, Councilmember.

I move that proclamation number 25124, 1245 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you so much.

I always have such a deep appreciation for the opportunity and the honor to be able to move this proclamation forward every year.

One thing that sits with me, Madeli, is that you you said the first time I did this proclamation that I was able to bring you all from the shadows and that you have been doing incredible work.

And now folks have the opportunity to see the work that you are doing.

And I am absolutely overjoyed and honored to have the opportunity to have this special event in District 8, exactly where it belongs, and when we talk about joy and femininity.

And so thank you all for the work that you do.

Thank you for the love that you pour into community.

Thank you for the protection that you continue to provide for our communities, whether those are children in America or children across the world, because it matters, especially in a time as of now, when we are seeing such harm and sadness and genocide and all of the things that you all remain and continue to be true in your values and your love and your protection and your womanhood and your sisterhood.

And that means a great deal to me being able to sit here at this dice and to know that I stand as one, but I stand as 10,000 because of folks like you in our community.

So thank you.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Lewis.

Um Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just wanted to um thank Councilmember Lewis for bringing this proclamation and thank you all for being here.

I um have been really grateful and honored to learn more about the Tigrayan community here through Mility Brahana Mascal and the Whittier Cafe, um, which is my neighborhood spot.

Um, and I was I got into a um cab home from DIA the other day and saw the driver listening to Tugray Radio and was able to like talk to him about that knowledgeably.

So I just appreciate that.

It means a lot to me to know um people who are joining our Denver community, what they're bringing here.

Um, and you all get that message out so powerfully.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Secretary, we'll call Councilmembers Sawyer.

I'll be days.

Aye, Flynn, Gilmore.

Hi, Cashman, Lewis, aye, Parody.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting once the results.

Eleven ayes.

11 ayes.

Proclamation 1245 has been adopted.

We now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Lewis, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation?

Thank you.

Um, I would like to call up Malete, the executive director of TCC and Axum, the assistant director of TCC, as well as any members of the Tegrayan community, on that you all would welcome.

Thank you.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Um, as you know, the Tag community of Colorado is a 32-year-old institution at this point in the city.

We've been here for a really long time.

When my family first came here, there were less than five Ethiopian families.

So imagine that to now being one of the largest communities in the diaspora and uh um of that community, more than half are Tigrayans.

So we thank you for this recognition.

Ashenda really is Black Girl Magic Times a thousand.

And we have a lot of fun, and there's a lot of joy, and um, it's about sisterhood and womanhood and girls' empowerment, and we have a week-long festival this year.

And we hope you'll join us.

We just we kicked it off with a 5K the other day, and um we have a number of events throughout the week, but on Monday, Labor Day, we have um an event at Oxum Park where it's a family event where there's live music and uh food and fashion and uh women-owned businesses, the whole nine.

So please come and celebrate with us.

We're there from two to eight PM.

Um, it really is a lot of fun.

And you're right, I always said we were a community hidden in plain sight, and you brought us out of the shadows.

So I appreciate you for that, especially right now at a time where it is a difficult time for immigrants.

Um so we just appreciate this opportunity and for your recognition and celebrating our contribution to the city that we dearly dearly love.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson, will you please read proclamation 1242?

Uh thank you, Council President.

Um proclamation number 251242.

Um 251242, from imagining a great city to creating it, honoring the honorable Mayor Federico Peña.

Whereas, on July 1st, 1983, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Joseph Quinn swore in Federico Peña as Denver's 41st mayor, and who then confronted pressing challenges with determination and optimism, declaring, we know we can imagine a great city, and now we must create it.

And whereas it is both timely and instructive to recognize the transformative leadership of Mayor Federico Peña and the Peña administration, whose vision and accomplishments continue to guide and inspire the work of today's city administration and the people of Denver.

And whereas, we recognize and honor the courage of Mayor Peña, bold and historic actions, transforming Denver with strategic economic and infrastructure investments, led by a dynamic team that included women, African Americans, Latinos, LGBTQIA plus individuals, labor representatives, environmental and neighborhood advocates, and people with disabilities.

And whereas, within months of taking office, Mayor Peña established the Denver Baseball Baseball Commission, rallied regional support for Major League Baseball, hosted exhibition games, convinced Commissioner Peter Yuberath of Denver's baseball readiness, supported legislation to create a regional stadium taxing district, campaigned for its passage, and served on the site selection committee that chose Lower Downtown or Lodo for course field, all culminating in Colorado being awarded a major league baseball franchise in July of 1991.

And we don't blame him for how the Rockies are playing today.

And whereas, Mayor Peña championed landmark civic projects, including construction of the Colorado Convention Center to replace the outdated Currigan Hall, as well as a new downtown Denver Public Library.

And whereas, he envisioned and led the redevelopment of the Central Platte Valley, transforming 600 acres of abandoned land along the Platte River by reconstructing viaducts, building infrastructure, creating new parks and open space, attracting new development, beginning with Ealish Gardens.

And whereas, Mayor Peña launched and advanced a vision for Denver International Airport by securing 501 million in federal funding and 704 million in airport bonds, annexing 52 square miles from Adams County, completing the environmental impact study, acquiring acres of essential property, embracing the iconic terminal roof design, and initiating construction of an airport that today provides more than 47 billion in annual economic impact, employs over 40,000 people, and stands as Colorado's largest employer, all while envisioning the future development of the former Stapleton site.

And whereas, he issued the executive order establishing Denver's 1% for the arts program, which later became law and championed creation of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities district, securing voter approval over the six county metro area and earning him the Rex Morgan Award for Lifetime Leadership in the Arts.

Whereas he fought for the creation of the Lower Downtown Historic District, preserving 23 city blocks that became the vibrant neighborhood known today as Lodo, for which he has been honored with a Keystone Award for lifetime achievement in historic preservation.

And whereas Mayor Peña led the successful redevelopment of the Cherry Creek shopping mall, which set a national record for sales for square foot in its first year and spearheaded a metropolitan effort to reduce Clean Air Act violations from 56 days to just one.

There are a few more whereas.

And whereas, after his historic service as Denver's first Latino mayor, Federico Peña went on to serve in President Bill Clinton's cabinet as the first Latino Secretary of Transportation securing 126 million in 1996 for RTD Southwest Light Rail Line and later Secretary of Energy, where he accelerated a cleanup of the Rocky Flats nuclear facility to safeguard future generations and became the only Colorado citizen to lead two presidential cabinet positions.

And whereas, he continues to serve Denver and Colorado by co-chairing the campaign to build the Federico Pena Southwest Family Health Center in West Denver, chairing Governor Jared Pollis' Emergency Council for Economic Stabilization and Growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and serving as co-chair of Mayor Mike Johnson's transition committee and serving as a member of the Vibrant Denver Bond Committee.

Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the city and county of Denver.

Section one, the Denver City Council honors and recognizes Mayor Federico Pena and his administration for the visionary leadership, historic accomplishments, and enduring contributions to the city and county of Denver as dedicated and transformative public servants.

Section two, that the clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall fix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to Mayor Federico Peña and to Cindy Pena.

Thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Your motion to adopt.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of Council.

Councilmember Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President.

I am deeply moved and honored to sit here today with so many folks in the audience whom I love dearly and who I know love this city dearly.

I am moved and honored to sit here in front of this great man, uh Mayor Federico Pena, his family, and Cindy Peña.

I wrote some words so I don't screw this up.

Mayor Peña, Cindy Peña, and amazing members of the Peña Cabinet and administrative members, our shared histories root us in the love of our Mile High City.

I moved to what was Peña's Denver in 1987 from the United States Virgin Islands.

Does this sound a little familiar to you?

Mayor Federico Peña and his administration, it's all of you sitting here, as I stated in the proclamation, didn't stop at imagining a great city.

They took bold steps to create it.

Those steps are instructive today because I don't know about you, but I need to root myself in what's possible.

That was is Mayor Peña's strength.

He got us all to believe and then embolden the city to make possible out of the impossible.

The title of your autobiography, and I have it right here, it's one of my cherished books.

Thank you, sir, for signing it, endorsing it for me.

The title of your autobiography says, says it all, not bad for a South Texas boy, a story of President Perseverance.

If you don't have a copy, I'm encouraging folks to please go out and buy one.

You, Mayor Peña, figuratively and literally opened the doors to our city government to a community that didn't see their faces, their families, or hear their stories in the people who were previously elected to serve them.

As I sit in the Parr Widener Library earlier today, named after Sandy Widener, the co-founder of Westward, and John Parr, both leaders that supported your administration and helped to elevate the ethos, imagine a great city.

I couldn't help but think what an honor it is for tonight for us to provide to you the praise and respect you have earned.

Thank you, Mayor Pena.

Cindy Pena.

And your team for all the ways that you helped to build the Mile High City.

Let us learn and go forward and do the good work that you've started.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Heinz.

Thank you, Madam President.

It isn't often we get one mayor uh into these chambers, but having multiple mayors in this chambers uh very rare.

So anyway.

Um after hearing the powerful words of the proclamation, I too have words uh that I wrote down so that I didn't I won't screw it up.

Um after hearing the powerful words of the proclamation, I am struck again by how deeply uh Federico Pena's vision has shaped Denver as we know today.

Uh Mayor Pena, or Secretary Pena, I asked him one time, what should I call him?

And then he said, uh whatever makes you feel uh what whatever is uh makes you feel right.

Um I'm gonna call him perfect tin constituent Pena.

Um he challenged us not just to manage a city, but to imagine one.

He believed in the power of bold ideas that if we dared to think big, we could transform Denver into a place of beauty, opportunity, and inclusivity.

And today, we live in that imagined city.

You can see it in our neighborhoods, our cultural life, and in opportunities Denver now provides to people from every background.

What inspires me most about Mayor Pena is not just the projects he championed, but the way he set a standard for thinking beyond the moment.

He led with the future in mind, asking not only what does Denver need now, but what will Denver need decades from now?

That kind of vision is rare, and it reminds me every day to weigh my own decisions with the long horizon in mind.

Uh, because of his example, I try to ask myself am I making choices that will serve Denver's future generations?

And in the spirit of Federico's leadership, am I building on the foundation of a city imagined with courage and optimism?

The proclamation honors his achievements and rightly so, but it also reminds us reminds us of our opportunity, our responsibility, sorry, to carry forward his spirit of imagination and and boldness.

Mayor Pena showed us that great cities are not accidents, they are created by leaders willing to dream big and act with courage.

Today, Denver is living proof of that of that truth.

And for that, I am profoundly grateful to Mayor Pena, not only for the city he helped shaped, but for the inspiration he continues to give those of us who follow in his footsteps.

I hope that when my time on council is done, I too will have helped others imagine a city and create a future, even a fraction as impactful as the one Mayor Pinya has given Denver and far beyond.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Torres.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um Denver 1983.

Uh this councilperson was six years old.

Um it was also the year we had the great Thanksgiving blizzard.

Almost 24 inches of snow fell that holiday.

And we all know, and those of you who have worked in the city, you survive or die by how you respond to blizzards.

And I've seen it a couple times since then, but I I remember that one.

Um but you becoming mayor was also the first time my family saw somebody that they felt represented by that they saw themselves in leading this city.

And um both of my grandparents were born here in Denver.

Their families, though, came from New Mexico, Northern and Southern New Mexico coming to um uh be farm workers.

And so um every mayoral administration faces faces huge challenges, every single one.

Um and it is how you see the opportunity every single day, beyond yourself, that I I saw that you would do for this city, and that we're hopefully seeing things that you can be very proud of that you laid the groundwork for.

So thank you, Councilman Watson, for sponsoring today's proclamation.

Really amazing to see this amazing group of folks come together to honor you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Councilmember Alvidres.

Thank you so much, Council President.

And thank you, Councilman Watson, for bringing this proclamation.

It's an honor to have you here, Mayor Penas.

Such an inspiring story.

And I wasn't born yet when you were elected.

But my dad is a really big fan.

And I grew up hearing stories of your time as mayor.

As you know, my father is a Mexican immigrant who came to this country and to the city of Denver with a sixth grade education.

And because of those innovative projects and the people of Dunber, he was able to learn English at Emily Griffith.

He was able to join the Carpenters Union and he was able to make a career in construction.

And those small business programs and the opportunities that you brought to make sure that everyone had a fair shot are the things that were missing, that economic mobility for those young families that our young people don't feel today.

They don't know if they can buy a home the way my dad did before he ever had a child.

I just want to express that all of those things are what gave my family a chance to build a life here and to escape poverty and for someone like my father to be able to have a life, and that's so meaningful to me.

And I want to see that availability as we close small businesses every day, as we struggle to make sure that our small businesses get a fair share of these bond projects and other projects.

And so I just want to say that I personally have benefited, even though I wasn't born yet, um, from all your time as mayor and those programs, and I think our community today is still benefiting from them.

So thank you so much.

It's an honor to have you here.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Council Pro Tim Romero Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um thank you, uh Councilman Watson, for bringing this proclamation forward, and truly an honor to be able to sit here today and to honor you.

I think it's just tremendous.

Um in so many ways, you've inspired and you've always inspired my parents who, you know, public school teachers born and raised in, you know, in Colorado, and when you ran, that was amazing.

And it wasn't just inspired, but they were so incredibly proud, right?

My sisters, we were so proud.

Um, I think about when you ran for mayor, and I've told you this before.

Um, my mom took me and my sisters, and I grew up in Southeast Denver, and multiple days we went out and we knocked doors for you in Southeast Denver, telling people how great you were and dropping leaflets and spending that time, and there was just such a belief of the vision that you were bringing forward, and that has really you know stuck with me today as far as um when I think about what it means.

I mean, I sit here now and like the knocking doors, I understand it in a whole different way.

Um, but my dad was also a runner.

He didn't knock doors, but he was a runner, and you were a runner.

And it was so cool that you ran, and he would see you, and I would always go with him to different races.

I mean, you were in a marathon when you were mayor.

This is just incredible if you think about it in the training that's required to be able to do this.

Um, but and in your personal time, um, again, I know my dad would go up, and you were just you took the time to talk to people.

And in your time, not only about things about the city, but about, oh yeah, when we were out on that, you know, whatever when that turned and I was tired, and you know, all of all of those things, you took the time to talk.

Um, my dad was so incredibly proud, he like introduced me to you.

And I remember being a little, I was not eight, um, but I was a little bit older.

But I mean, he took the time, and like it was such a big deal to meet you and to shake your hand.

Like I read, you know, you remember what famous people you've met.

I got to meet you.

Um, and that's just an inspiring thing for um for me personally.

I think of how much you've contributed to the city, how much of a of an imprint you've made on so many um different aspects of who we are and what the city looks like today.

I look around the chamber and it just speaks to nobody does this alone.

Um, and how many people still believe in everything that you have done to lead us forward, you still lead us forward.

Um and to sit here today to be able to say this to you from this spot.

Um it's on whose shoulders we stand, you know.

We often say on whose shoulders we stand, and on your shoulders we stand.

Um I stand, I know my sisters stand, my kids do.

Um, and it's just been something that I've always carried.

Um as far as just the vision that you continue to share.

So just thank you so much um for all you do.

Thank you, Cindy, and thank you to your and I just have to say for your family.

Um I'm looking out, and I'm seeing a can tell.

Um, but to just say thank you to your family for how much and how generous you were with you know your dad's time and to be able to share him with the rest of the city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Cashman.

Yeah, thank you, uh Madam President.

Um thank you all for being here.

What a wonderful uh grouping.

I I need unfortunately to start with a complaint.

Per perhaps a little light hearted, but a complaint nevertheless.

Um Secretary Payne, Mr.

Mayor, uh you should have the common decency to look your age.

Um I I sit here a full seven months younger than you, bravely exposed to the elements.

And you have the gall to sit there with that fine head of hair.

I'd like to take you w way back in the day.

Um I was 36 years old with brown hair.

Uh even then it was not a full head of hair, but it was brown.

And I was a newly uh minted uh publisher of a local community newspaper.

And uh as the 1983 election uh for mayor rolled around, uh I I started hearing that slogan of imagine a great city and and seeing the signs.

And uh and I had the uh the chance to follow the candidate and the campaign.

Uh a couple of I I remember for some reason uh uh uh an event at the uh Washington Park Community Center, uh another one that for some reason sticks in my mind, another at uh the Phipps tennis uh house in in Belcaro.

And what uh I remembered was the way people were immediately attracted to you.

You you struck a chord uh that was so important of hopefulness and possibilities.

And uh as the months and the years rolled on, uh I've covered all of the projects listed in the proclamation.

Uh and I thank you for them all, but again, mainly um I thank you for the inspiration and the hopefulness that Denver could be more could be great.

And uh I'm I'm here tonight, partially because of you, largely because of you.

Um I've had the opportunity to tell you you are one of my heroes.

But as I look around this room, uh there are so many people that helped you in what you did, and that I know you would give ultimate uh kudos to as well.

So I want to you all know who you are and what you did and what your contributions were.

Thank you for them.

Um thank you very much.

So happy to be here to honor you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Cashman.

Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I have to confess, uh mayor, that when I saw this on the agenda, and not knowing of any particular date or anniversary, uh my first instinct was to check the obituaries.

So I'm very relieved that we're honoring you for no apparent reason other than your accomplishments here in the making the city uh the city that it is.

Uh although when I look out at some of the faces, I'm very scared for my own health.

I give some of them give me PTSD from having covered the campaign and the administration back in 83, very contentious as you well recall coverage of that campaign.

So I think I think all is forgiven and all is uh whatever.

But you might remember this, Mayor, when uh a couple months after you took office in July of '83, I thought, you know, it would be a good idea as the City Hall reporter for the Rocky to have a good open relationship.

And I set up with your office, we could we go to lunch.

And uh and so we set up a lunch appointment, and I told whoever set it up that I would like it not to be downtown because there's no way I'm gonna be sitting at a downtown restaurant with Mayor Pena and have any time to talk, because everybody would want to steal your time.

So when we got in the vehicle, we went to you may remember this, out on Eighth in Colorado.

We went to Winston Hills barbecue pit.

You remember?

Okay.

And we get in line, and it was uh Winston Hill was an offensive lineman for Joe Damouth on the New York Jets, and when he retired uh after his Hall of Fame career, he came out here and opened a barbecue restaurant, fantastic barbecue.

And so I said, Well, I'm gonna take Mayor Pena out to Winston Hills, no one will bother us out there.

And we get in the line, it's like a buffet line, and at that time he chose to tell me that it is a vegetarian.

So my uh my attempt at detente uh didn't start off very well.

But I I do want to say a few things.

Um thank you.

Uh first of all, for one of the first things that I noticed when I came into office in Southwest Denver was the Southwest Family Health Center, which to your surprise had been arranged to be named in your honor.

And uh I remember at the ribbon cutting, I noted that that's very nice that one of our uh greatest mayors was recognized finally with something that you don't get a speeding ticket on, right?

Uh Councilwoman Torres mentioned the Thanksgiving blizzard, and I always thought if there was one decision maybe you would do differently, it might be not sending the trash trucks out to smash down smash down the Thanksgiving blizzard snow because it iced up all the streets, right?

You remember?

Oh my God.

In fact, I think Paul Swam, Councilman Swam, wanted to organize a recall.

Uh that was shortly after the 87 re-election, and we sat in here till 2.30 in the morning.

You'd think our meetings today last a long time.

2 30 in the morning, hearing from people who wanted to do a recall uh over some other blizzard.

But on a on the most serious note, I have come to see your administration, uh, your eight years as uh one of those change elections that cities, states, and nations have from generation to generation.

And I would put you and your administration in the same category as that of Quig Newton, who I believe was Denver's first truly progressive mayor, and who literally flipped the flipped the script in Denver when he was able to defeat Ben Stapleton after his five terms.

And he led uh some of the reforms that we take for granted today.

And when I see the changes that occurred when you came in to the third floor here, and with with a lot of the folks who are around here, uh when I see those changes and how they modernized the city and brought us into the 20th century, by the 1980s, we finally entered the 20th century.

You know, the rump the guys with the rumpled suits and the cigars uh were gone.

And um a new there was a new crew took over, and a lot of them.

How did you all get so old, by the way?

Now I see some of the finest people that I ever had the honor to cover and write about all throughout the 80s, up until you stepped down voluntarily and said, I'm not gonna run for a third term.

And I think it wasn't just you, uh Federico, it was your supporting cast.

Uh some of the finest public servants that it was my honor to come to know.

And so thank you for your service to the city, and uh you are your administration is responsible for so much that we just take for granted today, and um we owe it to not just you, but to many of the folks sitting here and some of the folks who are no longer with us who would otherwise be sitting here.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um Mayor, thank you.

My story with you goes way back.

You lived in Northwest Denver.

I think from Guadalupe Church was where they had met.

And I remember um working at La Casita with my dad.

And my my dad telling me one time where he met Federico, and I said, Oh, you what happened?

And when my father was a state senator, he was working on the 1975 bilingual bicultural act.

And he found you as a young lawyer, and he got you to testify at the Capitol along with another person named Ken Salazar, who is a lawyer at that time.

And the two of you he brought together, he went around the state and worked on the 1975 bilingual bicultural act, bringing bilingual by cultural education to Colorado.

And he was so inspired by you and said this young attorney was going to change things and had um come from a place of poverty similar to my dad, had fought and had to first graduate and gone to college, similar to my dad's story.

And I see a reminded you um a lot of my dad.

And so I've always just appreciated the work that you do.

A lot of the work during your administration, I get a represent the Central Platte Valley, which I never thought would be um look different.

I would go to Rock Island, I would go to, yeah, we all know Rock Island.

We would I would go to Paris on the Platte and smoke cloves, even though my parents did not think I was at Paris on the Platte.

I was not supposed to be at Paris on the Platte at the Platte River underneath bridges.

And um, so I get the honor of representing those areas.

And for me, as someone who loves land use, um, when I was working for Councilwoman Montero, I did a project for her and did um research on the Lodo Historic District.

And I never knew until I started working for Council in Montero that 80% of the people were opposed to you working on that historic district, and you did it anyway, and it revitalized that area of lower downtown and it continues, and you worked with Dana Crawford and a lot of people who have similar to my dad have passed on.

Um I also look into this crowd and say I could not be here without a lot of you all right here.

A lot of you have mentored me through knowing Federico or knowing my father or knowing my mom.

And so all of your legacy of working with a great mayor is also the legacy why you see six Latinas on council for the first time ever, representing um all of Denver.

And just recently I had the fun opportunity, lots of work of working on the vibrant um bond with the mayor.

He would call me and I would explain things in a different way, what we thought was gonna be maybe two or three, four one-hour meetings.

I see the honorable happy haynes in the room as well.

Turned out to be 10 or 12.

I lost count, six, five hours, like five-hour meetings, four-hour meetings, a couple hour meetings.

And we were able to, in that deliberative process, we asked a lot of tough questions, and we kept coming back to one theory is what does Denver want to look like in a couple years, and what would this bond do for the Denver for Denver, and what would that be our legacy?

And so, with that, um, as somebody who knew him and when I was six, same as Councilwoman Torres when I probably was knocking doors in the north side for him, um, to be now council president, still working alongside of him, his time dedicating and his expertise to the future of Denver.

Um, all these years, it's a testament to his character and is testament to his unwaving commitment to Denver.

So thank you, Mayor, for just showing us all that we there's life after the city.

I keep telling everyone that there is life after the city.

Um, but most of all, just my sincere and deep gratitude for um being there, talking to my dad, going into La Casita.

I just have so many, all my family has so many memories of you.

Um, your name has been um a staple in our household for most of my life.

So thank you, and thank you to his family for sharing him.

It's not easy.

My kids have to share me and have had to share.

I had to share my dad, and it's a sacrifice, it really is, because sometimes you take these jobs home and you don't know how to unwind.

And your mind just keeps going and going and going, and it's sometimes our kids, I'm sure the mayor Johnstein, you can experience that with your kids and your wife, and all of these electeds who ever had these jobs where you just take them home with you, and it's exhausting, and you take it out on your family because you might be withdrawn, you take it out with your family because you might be overworked and you're tired, and it's our families that pick us up when our spirits feel really low.

And so just for all of you who've worked in the city, thank you for lifting us up right now, because you all know we're going through a tremendous time right now.

And so we all really need to come together and talk about the abundance that Denver has, because we are abundant.

We have smart people working in the city, we have smart people in the city, and we have people who are deeply committed to this city.

So let's talk about the abundance that is within this city.

That's my call of action for this proclamation tonight, and for all of you as we go through the next couple months is approving this budget.

So thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Albutz.

Ryan, Lynn?

Aye.

Heinz.

Hi.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parody.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval?

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes.

Proclamation 1242 has been adopted.

Councilmember Watson, we now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Who would you like to call up?

Uh yes, Madam President.

Uh, the honorable mayor, Michael Johnston, um, Steve Kaplan, and then we'll finish with the honorable mayor Federico Pena.

So, Mayor Johnson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, thank you, members of the council.

Thank you, Councilman Watson, for bringing this.

Felicidades, amigo.

No one alive has done more to shape the face of modern Denver than Federico Pena.

Uh I say if you have ever taken your kids to see Santa Claus at the Cherry Creek Mall, you are living in Federico Peñas, Denver.

If you ever gone to see the Rockies play with your friends and family, you are living in Federico Peñas, Denver.

If you've ever attended a convention at the convention center, you are living in Federico Peñas, Denver.

If you've ever taken a flight out of the Denver International Airport, you are living in Federico Peñas, Denver.

Uh I think if you have ever gone for a drink on the patio at Union Station, you're living in Federico Penas, Denver.

So many of the places that we consider the greatest centers of joy in this city are the places that you had the vision to dream and the courage to deliver.

You dreamed big and you delivered big.

Uh and that has fundamentally changed the way this city feels to everyone that gets the chance to live here.

Uh Federico and I were talking a couple days ago.

I don't know if you know this story.

I'm sure probably Tom Goujon does, but uh when Federico had decided to help redesign and renovate the uh Spear Boulevard um viaduct to come back down into what was then, Madam President, your Central Platte Valley.

The total assessed property value of the Central Park of Central Platte Valley at that moment was 40,000.

40,000.

That today is I don't know, maybe four billion, I would imagine at this time.

Um but your vision to say this is not just uh a bridge to somewhere, it is a bridge to a new version of what the city can become.

Uh and the ability to invite people to dream that with you is transformed that and so many other uh parts of the city.

Um I want to say one last thing, which is I do know many of the folks who served with you, and I do know how grateful you are to them.

But everyone who is here who served in any way with Federicopenia, please stand for a moment.

I want you to just see all the folks that are here.

And would you remain standing, please?

Um, stay standing, don't sit down yet, don't sit down yet.

I'm just gonna say one last thing to all of you.

If you would stay standing.

If you would stay standing, um, this is the Federico, but it's really to all of you, which is there's a quote that I love, which is uh to live is to build a ship and a harbor at the same time, and to finish the harbor long after the ship has gone down.

Every single one of the folks that worked with you and alongside you themselves built lives that were remarkable ships.

They were incredible people of accomplished uh successes.

But they are people who fundamentally believed in your vision to say our deeper obligation here is to not just build one ship, but to build a harbor.

Because the reality is no matter how big or beautiful your ship is, there is going to come a time where the night gets dark and cold and the waves get high and the wind gets difficult, the lightning comes, and every ship goes looking for a harbor.

And what you wanted was the place that no matter how tall or small you were, how rich or poor you were, this city would be that harbor that could find you on your toughest day, patch you back up, and put you back out into the world.

And you built the harbor that is now home to 720,000 people who have said if I could pick any place in the world to choose to live, I would choose here because it is a place of joy, it's a place of belonging, and it's a place of opportunity.

That was your dream, and I think that is a dream delivered.

Congratulations, Federico.

We're so grateful.

All right, Steve Kaplan.

Oh, there you go.

All right, that's perfect.

And Steve, if you don't mind introducing yourself, thank you.

I'm only gonna say one thing, besides thank you.

It was always about people, not about buildings.

Okay.

I told you I was gonna do that.

You just come out.

I need to have prepared remarks.

I can't tell each and every one of you how moved I am tonight.

Hearing your personal stories, your reflections of me and my administration are just so moving.

I wasn't prepared for this, to be honest.

I don't think I recall how proclamations are made before city council.

But councilman, you said this is gonna be about a five-minute thing.

It's like Mary Johnson told me it's only five meetings.

I have Steve up here because a number of you have appropriately said that what we did was not done by one person.

What we did was with a team of people.

And so we thought it was appropriate to have at least one member of my administration to be standing next to me.

Thank you.

I had a lot of people to pick from.

I really did.

But I picked UST, so you're here representing everybody.

Okay.

Tonight is a wonderfully uplifting event, and truly a humble one.

I can't thank enough the city council, Mayor Johnston, all my family members who were here, some have traveled long distances, friends, supporters, and of course, members of my team, for the recognition that I will cherish forever.

Thank you, Councilman Watson, who months ago came up with this idea of this proclamation without telling me.

And you collaborated with my wife Cindy to do all this.

And finally, in the last several weeks, I found out what you all were doing, but I can't thank you enough for doing this and your remarks and your remembering that what was done years ago can still apply today.

So thank you for that.

I was blessed with an extraordinary team.

Some of you have mentioned that.

They were and are passionate, energetic, committed.

We all love Denver, and together we embrace the dream of a great city.

They face momentous challenges with grace and courageous dedication to focus on that dream and never losing sight of it.

Many of them are here tonight.

I want to thank them for being here.

So tonight I accept this wonderful proclamation on their behalf.

And I thank them for their commitment and their many, many sacrifices that they made to make Denver the place that it is today.

Mr.

Mayor, members of council.

Every administration has its dreams.

Every administration has its priorities.

And we certainly had ours decades ago.

Forty years, believe it or not.

After my first election, so much has changed, and yet in some ways things have not changed.

Mr.

Mayor, Council members, you will always face naysayers.

People who say you cannot dream big.

You cannot bring bold change.

And you will also find people who not just say that, they will work actively against you to stop your vision, to stop your actions.

You know, some of you may remember that my team was called Freddie and the Dreamers.

Remember that?

Named after the British group.

I won't tell you who labeled us Freddie and the Dreamers.

Because we had this vision of this airport to build in Kansas.

In fact, the airport was called Federico's Folly.

Because when Ben Stapleton decided to build his airport, Stapleton Airport, it was called Stapleton's Folly.

Look at it today.

Look at that airport today, as was said, forty-seven billion dollars of economic impact every year.

Forty thousand people working there.

It is the largest economic asset in the entire region.

Bar none.

Freddie and the dreamers.

Great feats are usually accomplished during difficult times.

Not during easy times.

So I want to encourage all of you to dream big, to unite the people of Denver, to bring this administration's vision to life.

This is who we are today.

We are a can-do city with a can-do leadership that works every day to make Denver a better place.

So my parting words.

Never give up.

Always continue to fight for the people of Denver.

If we did great things over 40 years ago, all of you can do greater things today.

Remember that.

So let me close by thanking all of you for this proclamation, for your wonderful and uplifting words to me, my family, and to my team.

And I want to thank you for your service, because these are indeed difficult times, and you are all up to the task.

So may God bless you.

May God bless our city, our state, and may God bless the United States of America.

Thank you very much.

Thank you all.

We have one required public hearing tonight.

As a reminder, council members need to turn on their video during the vote.

For those participating in person when called upon, please come to the podium on the presentation monitor on the wall.

You will see your time counting down.

For those participating virtually when called upon, please wait until our meeting host promotes you to speaker.

When you are promoted, please accept the promotion.

Turn on your camera if you have one and your microphone.

All speakers should begin their remarks by telling the council their names and cities of residents, and if they feel comfortable doing so their home addresses.

If you have signed up to answer questions only, state your name and note that you are available for questions of council.

Speakers will have three minutes.

There's no yielding of time.

If translation is needed, you will be given an additional three minutes of your time for comments to be interpreted.

Speakers must stay on topic of the hearing and must direct their comment to council as a whole.

Please refrain from profane or obscene speech and individual or personal attacks.

Councilmember Pro Tem Romero Campbell, will you please put Council Bill 0994 changing the zoning classification for 3025 West Third Avenue and Barnum on the floor for final passage?

I move that council bill 250994 be placed upon final consideration and do pass.

It has been moved.

And seconded.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Council members.

Tough act to follow, but I'll do my best.

I'm with community planning development.

Here to present rezoning at 3025 West Third Avenue.

Um give it a minute if you don't mind.

Tim, is the microphone on?

Okay.

Oh goes my audience.

Oh well.

Okay.

We'll go through the request, the location and context, the process, the review criteria, and finally staff's recommendation.

The request is to rezone the property at uh 3025 West 3rd Avenue from the current ESUDX to ERX3 zoning.

Uh the property is a is 6,250 square feet, currently contains uh single family residents.

As stated by the applicant, the intent is to provide for additional attainable housing units, including an income restricted unit.

Um in alignment with our adopted plans.

Next location and context.

And in the Barnum Statistical Neighborhood.

The current zoning again, ESUDX, Urban Edge Single Unit DX.

Uh it's approximate to Urban Edge Mixed Use Three Stories area along Federal Boulevard.

Uh, and sandwiched in between that and the open space A zoning of Barnum Park.

Uh just want to note here that ERX3 means urban edge, residential mixed use three stories.

It's a zone district that allows townhouse and shopfront building forms uh up to three stories.

Current land use as stated single unit residential, uh adjacent to commercial retail development along a federal boulevard, uh two-unit residential immediately to the south, and otherwise a mix of park open space, industrial, and vacant properties in the area.

Existing context, the building form and scale.

The picture on the left is the current single family home at the corner of um Grove and Third.

Uh on top there is the two-unit residence immediately to the south, and the bottom right picture is the car lot uh immediately to the west along federal.

Uh as part of this process, the applicant has uh concluded an affordable housing agreement with host for 20% of the total dwelling units, uh, which is anticipated to be one out of five townhome units to be for sale, income restricted at 110% of area median income built on site with a minimum of three bedrooms and a 99-year covenant for that for sale residents.

Uh I do want to note that in case you have any questions about the affordable housing plan, my colleague John Collarelli from host is here as well to answer any questions.

Next, we'll check out process.

This rezoning process began with the informational notice on April 29th, followed by planning board hearing on June 18th, where the application was uh recommended for approval.

The application appeared at the land use transportation and infrastructure committee uh July 15th, and we're here tonight, city council public hearing on August 25th.

The uh excuse me.

There are two registered neighborhood organizations in the area.

Uh the property sits in the area of represented by the community coalition of Barnum.

The Valverde Neighborhood Association is close by immediately across federal.

Uh we've not received any comments or letters from ROs, and we have not received any comments or letters from members of the public today.

Next, we'll look at the review criteria.

Of course, there are three criteria for rezonings in the Denver zoning code.

First, consistency with adopted plans, second, public interest, and third, consistency with neighborhood contacts, zone district purpose and intent.

For consistency with adopted plans, we have comprehensive plan 2040, Blueprint Denver, and the West Area Plan.

Starting with comprehensive plan 2040.

Uh, this is a plan that lays out a number of goals and strategies for future development in Denver, uh, including development of housing units close to transit, infill development where infrastructure and services are already in place, and uh encouraging mixed-use communities where residents can live, work, and play in their own neighborhoods.

More specifically, Blueprint Denver uh categorizes the city by both future neighborhood context and future place type.

In this case, the future neighborhood context for this property is urban edge.

Urban edge, of course, contains elements of urban and suburban context, uh mainly one and two unit residential areas with small multi-unit residential and commercial areas embedded within those.

More specifically, the future place type here is high medium residential, which is seen as a mix of mid-scale multi-unit residential options and some neighborhoods serving mixed use where appropriate, especially along arterial streets or at non-local street intersections with buildings generally up to five stories in height.

Uh West Third and Grove Street are both locals, but we do have uh mixed-use arterial and federal boulevard immediately to the west.

Um do also want to note proximity to what is projected to be a future BRT stop at second and federal.

Uh it's not within the it's it's within the all other areas of the city growth area growth strategy, um, which is still expected to see some growth, however, more limited than the community centers and corridors.

In the West Area plan, uh the recommendation for place type is the same, high medium residential, again, combination of mid-scale multi-unit residential and neighborhood serving uses.

Um, I want to note that this is located within one-eighth of a mile of a future high capacity transit station.

That's again that BRT stop projected to be at second and federal.

Uh the height recommendation specifically in the West Area plan is up to five stories.

Uh, there of course are several key priorities in the West Area plan about preserving existing housing affordability and exploring strategies to make affordable housing available everywhere.

Um memo that re-emphasized the guidance in the plan that stating that you know, until we have strategies, tools in place that that can be put into use throughout the city.

Um, we need to make sure that individual rezonings in this area are meeting the plan guidance regarding affordable housing.

Uh, in this case, it as there is an agreed upon affordable housing plan here.

We feel that it's consistent with those uh recommendations in the West Area Plan.

Second, public interest.

Um seeing that this rezoning application is consistent with adopted plans and will also provide a badly needed for sale affordable housing unit in addition to uh other additional housing units in an area that has intense growth pressure.

We see it as being in the public interest and consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent.

Of course, um the proposed ERX3 zoning is consistent with the general character of the urban edge neighborhood context being that that same context.

Um the general purpose of residential mixed-use zone districts are to uh promote safe active pedestrian scaled areas, but that the areas that also provide a transition from more intensive growth into more settled residential neighborhoods.

In this case, ERX3 should apply to residentially dominated areas served by local streets where a building scale of one to three stories is desired.

Okay, staff's recommendation.

Finding that all of the review criteria have been met.

CPD staff recommends approval for rezoning application 2025 00022 at 3025 West Third Avenue.

Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have two individuals signed up to speak this evening.

First up, we have Jesse Donovan.

Good evening.

My name is Jesse Donovan.

My address is 3253 North Gail Street in Denver.

Um I'm happy to answer any questions, but I don't have any um any presentation to give.

Okay, thank you.

Next up, we have Jesse Paris virtually.

Yeah, it's good to be members of the council.

Those in the Council Chambers, I wish the audience could do present.

Um my name is Jesse Bachel.

And Councilman Daryl Watson District of the Sign District 9.

Did I just say this correctly?

Y'all literally just gave a pedophile, a known pedophile, a proclamation.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

But I'm gonna remain on topic, which y'all should really be ashamed of yourself.

Um I had a few questions for host.

Um, if they could please answer those questions.

How is this at all in any stretch of the imagination affordable?

We said that this units uh for this rezoning were gonna be restricted at 11% AMI.

And uh rapidly being gentrified part of town, like all areas of the city, including the east side, but in this case the west side is being rapidly gentrified.

You know, I just gave uh Latino uh pedophile proclamation.

Jesse, can you please speak to the rezoning?

You have to stay on the topic of the rezoning, Jesse.

And you think that this is going to better the neighborhood?

No.

This is not affordable.

Um I want to know exactly what the affordability breaks down to.

So host if you could please answer that question.

I would greatly appreciate it.

Who's really gonna benefit from this?

Because based off of 110% AMI, ain't no Latinos or Black folks or so-called people of color going to be able to afford to live in these units.

So who is this being really built for?

I know you're not supposed to die or allowed to diverge the demographic information of the occupants and who is going to in the future reside at the sites.

And I already know that nothing that I'm going to tell you is going to change your mind on this.

All I want to know is has there been a community benefits agreement signed?

Has there been actual neighborhood engagements, not just putting fires on people's doors?

Um have the neighbors been thoroughly notified of this uh uh rezoning, and how is it gonna better the neighborhood context of the neighborhood?

That concludes our speakers.

Questions from council on Council Bill 0994?

Councilman Torres.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um Jonathan, right?

From host, let me ask you a couple questions about the housing agreement.

And um thank you, and Laia, so much for um uh being so active uh on this, because I know it was uh a bit of a different thing to have to adjust to some of the smaller developers uh coming to host to talk about um housing agreements and um since the West Side memo uh came through and we started talking about what kinds of things um might be palatable for uh housing agreements, 20% at 110% area median income.

How does host arrive at that at that number and that AMI level?

Sure.

Um good evening, everyone.

My name is John Collarelli.

I'm with the Department of Housing Stability.

Um the way that we come up with this number is based off of a couple of different factors, primarily that standard expanding housing affordability or mandatory affordable housing requirements with set a typical affordable housing agreement at 8% of units at 80% AMI or 12% of units at 90% AMI.

Because this the amount of units being provided so far exceeds 8% or 12% since we're going up to 20%.

It's fair also to say that the AMI units should increase somewhat proportionally.

We also looked at what is the market providing in Denver, where is there a need?

And there really is a need for units at 110% AMI, particularly three bedroom units.

We hardly have any income restricted three-bedroom ownership units really across the city, but particularly in this area of Denver.

And the maximum initial for sale price for these income restricted units, even at 110% AMI, is about 80 to 100,000 less than what the median uh for sale unit is being sold for in Denver right now.

Um would that be different?

And I assume it's in the agreement.

These ones are stated for sale, but what if at the last minute um uh he decides to put them up for rent?

The agreement says that this will be a for sale unit.

Um I suppose we would have the ability to reopen negotiations if both parties were interested in doing that, but right now the agreement says it'll be a for sale unit.

Okay, great.

Thank you so much.

Um question for Jesse.

Come on up.

Um I know you answered a few of these questions in committee, but um, can you just give us a sense of what you're planning to build?

Um so yeah, what we're planning to build is uh it would be five townhome units and uh and a detached garage with four parking spaces, um, even with parking restriction or parking minimums going away.

We still feel that especially in this area near near federal, um, it's you can't really sell something with street parking and and no security.

So we're we're planning to maintain that.

Um the orientation is two of the units, it's all one building, but two of the units would face toward the park, and three would face toward the south.

Um, and we plan to have uh it'd be a two-story product with a maximum height of 27 feet.

Stay under the um protected district height limitations.

So it'd be basement, main level, and upper upper story, but above grade would be two stories.

Okay, thank you so much.

And I remembered one more for Jonathan really quick.

Um the home income limits, um, they kind of jump from 100% AMI to 115.

Um, do you know off the top of your head how much 110% might be for two residents?

Can I guess maybe 120,000?

For two, I'm sorry, can you oh for the AMI level?

Yeah.

I don't have it in front of me.

It's all proportional though.

It's a formula on an Excel sheet.

So you take the 100% AMI and then you scale it up to 110%.

Okay.

So somewhere in between there.

Yeah, and I can figure out and send it to the case.

Yeah.

All right.

Thank you so much for that.

That would be great, especially if we get other agreements at levels that are in between some of these.

That would might be helpful to know.

Absolutely.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

See new other members in the queue.

The public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council on the nine four.

Councilman Torres?

Thank you so much, Madam President.

Um so, Jesse, I just want to thank you for uh really I think stepping up to the plate in what was a bit of a curveball.

Um, if I can keep using baseball um analogies here.

Um but it was a total curveball for you to get the memo.

You had just purchased the property, you were planning to do the townhomes and trying to figure out for this property and another one that you've got in West Denver how you still make the project work.

Um what I think has been really helpful for me to experience and watch with some owners uh interested in in developing in West Denver is um how interested are you in in developing in West Denver and whether or not we get really easy projects because we're an easy place to scope out, or whether we get things that our residents are really interested in and in fact really need.

Um of the things that I want to share with council members is um what we're looking at when we're looking at um 110% area median income.

Um this morning I had the opportunity to uh visit uh construction site in my district um and talk to folks about their wage protections, about minimum wage and wage theft, um, about unionizing, um, and just get to know kind of what's happening on the ground in my district.

And I met uh a handful of folks and started to understand a little bit more about who they are and what their um kind of footprint is in West Denver.

Um and in fact, we met some construction workers.

Um a husband and a wife actually are employed there.

Um they work there, and they make um a little over 25, 28 dollars an hour.

They would qualify for your income restricted units.

These are folks whom are are likely renters right now who never thought they would be able to be homeowners.

And so when we think about who can actually afford 110% area median income, that couple can.

That couple can afford this, and they could not afford it anywhere else in West Denver because of the price points.

And so I just want to put a pin on this.

A lot of our um, a lot of the workers that I saw today were Latino, they were immigrant, um, and they're making a really decent wage in a job, um, and they need a housing opportunity.

And so um I just want to thank host Jesse want to thank you and your team, um, the Barnum community and the Villa Park community where you're also building.

Um, because this is who I think about when I think about um who this housing is for and why we have to be such sticklers to the criteria that we put in the West area plan.

So um thank you so much for that.

Um I am supportive of the rezoning and encourage my colleagues to vote yes.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Torres.

Council members Sawyer.

Aye.

I'll be today's aye, Flynn.

Aye.

Hein?

Hi.

Cashman Lewis, aye.

Parity?

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres, aye.

Watson?

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

11 ayes.

11 ayes, Council Bill 0994 has passed.

On Monday, September 8th, council will hold a required public hearing on Council Bill 1137, approving an amended and restated 27th and Lambert Urban Renewal Development Plan.

There being no further business business before this body, this meeting is adjourned.