Denver City Council Meeting - November 17, 2025: Downtown Area Plan Approved, Proclamations, and Committee Actions
Denver City Council Meeting - November 17, 2025
The Denver City Council convened on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 10:30 AM. The meeting included proclamations honoring the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum team and recognizing Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, discussion of multiple resolutions and bills, and a required public hearing and final passage of the Downtown Denver Area Plan. Key votes included adoption of the Downtown Area Plan (11 ayes), approval of GID budgets, and publication of bills.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
- Adoption of Proclamation 25-1910 honoring the Second Judicial District Colorado Youth Detention Continuum (CYDC) team, who received the 2025 CYDC Team of the Year award. The team supports over 350 youth with a lower than 6% failure-to-appear and recidivism rate. (13 ayes)
- Adoption of Proclamation 25-1854 recognizing October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. (12 ayes)
- Adoption of Proclamation 25-1907 honoring the Epworth Foundation’s annual Denver Feed-a-Family Thanksgiving distribution, continuing the legacy of Daddy Bruce Randolph. (11 ayes)
- Adoption of Proclamation 25-1906 commemorating 37 years of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, and reaffirming commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. (11 ayes)
Public Comments & Testimony
- Downtown Area Plan (Council Bill 1578): Over a dozen community members, business leaders, and organization representatives spoke. Supporters included Lisa Pope (Upper Downtown), David Roberts (LoDo), Rodney Milton (ULI Colorado), Dick Farley (LoDo District), Andy Cushion (Clifford Still Museum), Eric Lazzari (Civic Center Conservancy), Dane Erickson (Street Soccer USA), Joel Noble (Curtis Park), Tracy Lounsbury (business owner), Kate McKenna (Ballpark GID), Fayo K. Longay (consultant), John Deffenbaugh (Historic Denver), and others. They praised the plan’s focus on play, public space, connectivity, and actionability. Ryan Ross (New Downtown Denver) criticized the process as lacking public hearings and proposed alternative large-scale projects (e.g., automated transit, Ferris wheel, amphitheater, canopy). Jesse Paris raised questions about affordability (AMI levels), implementation timeline, and the Welton Street corridor. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Visit Denver expressed strong support.
Discussion Items
- Announcements: Councilmember Alvidos addressed the proposed women’s soccer stadium at Santa Fe Yards, stating that postponement of the IGA was necessary to ensure complete information and community benefits, and that Denver wants the team but cannot be rushed. Councilmember Parity announced a community hangout for federal employees on November 21. Councilmember Watson announced office hours at Welton Street Cafe. Councilmember Pro Tem Mural Campbell announced senior luncheon and Turkey Trot events. Councilmember Lewis announced the Hiawatha Davis luncheon.
- Proclamations: The CYDC team and pregnancy/infant loss were recognized with speakers including CYDC director Omar Martinez and Ariana Barton, who shared personal stories.
- Resolutions and Bills: Multiple resolutions were called out for questions and comments, including:
- Resolution 1529 (Police District 6 design contract) – Councilmember Parity expressed concern about lack of public input on use of city-owned parcel.
- Resolutions 1626 and 1627 (command vehicles for Jefferson and Douglas County bomb squads) – Councilmember Lewis explained the UASI grant structure.
- Resolution 1640 (Colfax BRT design services) – Councilmember Lewis questioned traffic overflow mitigation and contract specifics.
- Resolutions 1569, 1570, 1571 (marketing contracts) – Councilmember Alvidos asked about scope; extended one year.
- Council Bill 1634 (building and fire codes, single-stair provision) – Councilmember Flynn voted no; bill passed 12 ayes.
- Council Bill 1607 (dedicated linkage fee fund) – Councilmember Lewis questioned escrow agreements for Ball Arena and River Mile affordable housing.
- Council Bill 1714 (Downtown Development Authority fund conversion to revenue-based) – Councilmember Alvidos questioned oversight; passed 10 ayes (Alvidos, Gilmore, Parity, Lewis voted no).
- Council Bill 1590 and 1594 (2026 budgets for Rhino and Downtown Denver BIDs) – Councilmember Lewis voted no citing concerns over private security oversight; both passed 12 ayes.
- Council Bill 1813 (2026 long bill) – Councilmember Lewis explained why she voted no on budget but yes on this ordinance.
- Resolution 1580 (community firm contract, corrected from “annually” to over three years) – Amended and adopted 13 ayes.
- Public Hearings – General Improvement Districts (GIDs):
- Ballpark GID (Resolution 1600): Ambassadors removed 3,134 bikes, 1,283 biohazard items, 5,314 graffiti items, and 13,320 lbs of trash. Adopted 10 ayes.
- 14th Street GID (Resolution 1601): No private security plans. Adopted 9 ayes (Heinz abstained).
- Gateway Village GID (Resolution 1602): No private security. Adopted 11 ayes.
- Rhino GID (Resolution 1603): Six percent of budget allocated for a potential pilot security program in partnership with the BID. Councilmember Lewis voted no; adopted 10 ayes.
- Sun Valley GID (Resolution 1604): No direct private security; third-party security through housing authority. Adopted 11 ayes.
- Downtown Area Plan (Council Bill 1578): The plan, a 20-year update, focuses on play, housing, mobility, public space, and economic resilience. Staff reported over 1,100 public comments. Councilmember Heinz championed the plan; Councilmember Alvidos expressed concerns about lack of public bathrooms and child care; Councilmember Lewis questioned representation on the advisory committee and financial responsibility for potential light rail changes on Welton Street; Councilmember Flynn questioned Spear Boulevard consolidation and Welton Street transit; Councilmember Sandoval noted the plan does not change zoning but anticipates a future rezoning effort. The plan was adopted with 11 ayes.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamations: All four proclamations adopted (see above).
- Resolutions and Bills:
- Council Bill 1634 (building and fire codes) ordered published (12 ayes).
- Council Bill 1714 (DDA fund) ordered published (10 ayes).
- Council Bills 1590 and 1594 (2026 BID budgets) passed final passage (12 ayes each).
- Council Bill 1813 (2026 long bill) passed final passage.
- Resolution 1580 (community firm contract) adopted as amended (13 ayes).
- All resolutions called out in block (including 1626, 1627, 1640, 1569-1571, etc.) adopted (13 ayes).
- GID Budgets: All five General Improvement District budgets approved (Resolutions 1600-1604) with votes ranging from 9 to 11 ayes.
- Downtown Area Plan: Council Bill 1578 adopted as a supplement to Comprehensive Plan 2040 (11 ayes). Implementation steps include a future zoning study in 2027 and a DOTI study on Welton Street transit.
- Next Public Hearing: December 15, 2025, for rezoning of 709 South Delaware Street (Council Bill 1541).
Meeting Transcript
Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now. Afternoon, City Council meeting. Today is Monday, the 17th of November. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish. Sam or Jasmine, 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. Joining you virtually through Zoom, and along with my colleague Jasmine, we'll be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish. Please allow me a quick minute while we give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation. Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, November 17, 2025. Council members, please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members, please join Councilmember Parity as they lead us in the 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 forty-eight 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. Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. South Broadway Street Streetscape Iowa Avenue to Westley Avenue, South Broadway Street Scape Wesley Avenue to Yale Avenue, South Downoon Street Pedestrian Mall, St. Luke's Pedestrian Mall, and West 32nd Avenue Pedestrian Mall. Councilmember Alvidos, why don't you start us out with announcements? Thank you, Council President. As the council member for District 7, I just wanted to respond to a conversation happening right now, and that my priority is making sure that any major public-private partnership, including intergovernmental agreements for the proposed National Women's Soccer League Stadium at Santa Fe Yards, delivers a long-term value, transparency, and real community benefits to Denver residents. The postponement of the IGA that we had last week is not a denial of the projects. It is a necessary pause to ensure we have complete information, realistic timelines, and a clear path to infrastructure commitments that support both the stadium and the surrounding neighborhoods. Our constituents deserve that level of respect. I am aware of the team's recent statement suggesting that without an immediate approval, Denver Summit FC is considering locations outside the city. I want to be very clear. Denver wants this team here. I personally have been working for months to bring professional women's soccer to Denver and ensure the West Side, a historically underserved neighborhood, receives the financial investment it deserves. But Denver cannot be pressured into rushing through an agreement worth millions of dollars without finished CBA, complete infrastructure planning, and transparent financial terms. This project must strengthen the city, not burden it. And it must strengthen the people who make women's sports what they are, the players and the fans. Denver is one of the few places in the country where women's sports are met with unwavering support, where reproductive rights are protected, where LGBTQIA plus athletes and supporters are embraced, and where safety and belonging are not a political statement, but part of our core values. That's why I remain committed to working in good faith with the ownership group, with the mayor's office, and our neighborhoods to bring the stadium and team to Denver in a way that is responsible, equitable, and sustainable. Women's support, women's sports deserves stability, community investment, and a home where players know they will be respected on and off the field. And I believe that home should be Denver, a city that stands by women, stands by equality, and stands by this team, and I will continue to do the work to make that a reality. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Councilmember Parity. Thank you so much, Council President. I just wanted to share on behalf of Councilmembers Gonzalez Gutierrez, Cashman Lewis, and myself, this Friday, the 21st, towards the end of the day, we're gonna have a gathering, um, community hangout, I think is the term we chose, uh, for city employees, federal employees. It's been a rough time to be a government worker, and so um, if you have just gone through the federal government shutdown, um, if you work um in any of those workforces or did until recently, we would love to see you. Um it'll be catered by same cafe, and we'll be there between 3:30 and 6 30 p.m. at 775 Mariposa Street. There's a registration link that you can find um on any of our social media so that we have a head count for food. Um, but we just have the sense that people could use a little bit of um thanks before the holiday, a little bit of community um a meal, bring your family if you want to. Um, and it's just some time to spend with other people who may have been caring a lot for the last couple months. Thank you. Thank you.
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