Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you for taking the time to join us for Denver City Council meeting.

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish.

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

Yes, of course.

Hello, everyone.

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 moment while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

Thank you very much, Sam.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

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

Council members, please bring Council Member 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 a traditional territory of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people.

We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically 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.

Thank you, Councilmember Webton.

Madam Secretary Ruffal.

Gilmore, Gonzalez Gutierrez, here.

Cashman.

Romera Campbell.

Here.

Sawyer.

Here.

Torres.

Here.

Watson.

Here.

Madam President Sandoval.

Here.

Twelve members present.

There are 12 members present.

Council have the quorum.

Approval of the minutes.

Are there corrections to the minutes at February 9th?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements from members of Council?

Councilman Torres.

It's from 11 to 4 on both Saturday and Sunday.

And jam-packed with events and uh celebrations and dance and some of the most amazing food you'll find in one single place.

Thank you.

Council Member Abidares.

Thank you, Council President.

A few things.

This Saturday, February 21st, there will be a meal corazon community art exhibit at the space annex at Nile Cloud Cherokee.

I wanted to highlight that event also on March 7th.

We will be having our self-defense class as a result of all the assaults that have been happening on South Broadway.

So follow our socials for more information there.

And on February 28th, we'll be having a Love Thy Neighbor performance by MODES Theater on South Broadway as well at HQ.

So lots of fun things coming the later this month.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you.

Next up, Councilmember Watson.

I think everyone's aware that this morning, the Reverend Jessica Jackson passed.

He uh Reverend Jackson was born October 8th, uh 1941, and um uh left us uh today, February 17th, 2026.

And um I'm a little older than maybe I look.

Maybe I look how old I am, I don't know, but I was at CU Denver back in 1987, and I moved um from the Virgin Islands to Denver to attend CU and uh immediately join the Black Student Alliance.

At that point, um Reverend Jackson was beginning his second um um uh try for running for president of the United States and a Black Student Alliance um coordinated and organized events on the campus in uh 1988, and I believe he was here in Denver on April of 1988 with many of the young people listening to him and being so inspired by truly who he is and what he meant to our community.

And so it's um it's uh important to celebrate the life of this great man and the civil rights uh work that he did along with some of the greats um uh like Reverend Dr.

Martin Luther King and many others, but it's also important to see the legacy that he left behind, and I will end with a quote of his that I very much love, and it's part of it's kind of part of my focus on the work that I try to do with the community.

Um Reverend Jackson once stated America is not like a blanket, one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size.

America is more like a quilt, many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by common thread.

So on behalf of my family and I think many others to Reverend Jesse Jackson's family, um, he rest in power, and thank you so much for sharing him for so many decades with us and community.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

Thanks, Councilman Watson for that.

Um, I just wanted to make a quick announcement to join me in Councilwoman Parity as well as Gonzalez Gutierrez on tomorrow, along with the Colorado Freedom Flag and the Colorado Community Justice Reform Coalition, and first to discuss municipal sentencing, and then we'll have a lunch tomorrow on February 17th at 4 o'clock.

You can register online and it also is taking place online.

Um we are going to be discussing sentencing as it pretends to city as well as state.

I mean, it's free to attend.

You can find details on our social media accounts as well as in my link tree personally.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman from America.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, and thank you, Councilman Watson, um, for remembering uh the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Um I do remember him running for president a few times, and I think that that is always an inspirational thing to what we have today.

Um, in Southeast Denver, uh February 20.

I gotta make sure I've got this right.

February 26th, um, from 5 30 to 7, we will have an open house to uh give feedback for the final clubhouse design at the Kennedy golf course.

And so the meeting will be at the Kennedy Golf Course.

Um it's exciting, it's gonna be renovated, and we're really um pleased to see that uh we will have a building that is not only tied to the golf course but um what they've talked about is also having space for community to meet.

So thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I just wanted to so this past weekend I participated in an event in actually in Councilman Flint's district, um, at a lovely coffee shop, new um uh locally owned coffee shop, Bravo Coffee, and uh there was an event held there at Know Your Rights event, and people came together and made lovely kits.

So I have a box of kits.

Um, anyone who wants to work, reach out to my office.

I am happy to hand out these know your rights kits that um people helped put together and did a training, and it was very lovely.

Um, secondly, myself with I think I believe Councilman Watson, you and I will be attending the Colorado Black Round Table this Saturday, um, where we'll be on a panel to discuss flock.

Uh that panel starts at 11 a.m.

Uh, and it will be at the um Zion Senior and Community Resources Center, 5151 East 33rd Avenue.

Um, but the entire um program is for Black History Month celebration recognition and reception.

So it actually goes from 10 a.m.

to uh well, 9 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

Uh, but there will be the panel that the breakout panel that will be taking place at 11.

So you know.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yep.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh tomorrow on February 18th, we have a town hall in the far northeast with uh Senator James Coleman, myself, uh RTD board director Joanne Rusha and DPS uh board member Monica Hunter.

It will be held at the Evi Garrett Dennis campus from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

We um will have light refreshments.

We would love community members to come out and ask questions of your elected uh officials and share with us what's going well and what we need to concentrate on in the district.

Thank you.

Thank you.

For Northwest Denver, please join your neighbors in the Highland neighborhood this Saturday, February 22nd at 10 a.m.

for a Hersherm Park cleanup.

Hersherm Park is on the corner of 29th and Tone.

Provided items will include gloves, trash bags, grabbers, and safety vests.

Just bring your energy and community spirit.

It's across the street from Little Man Ice Cream, so you could, if the weather holds, you can grab some little man ice cream as well.

Um, yeah.

See, no other announcements.

Um, there are no presentations, there are no communications.

There's one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Council members Alvidres and Cashman, would you please read proclamation 0166?

Thank you, Councilman.

Councilman Watson also reading this with us.

Um, Denver City Council proclamation recognizing the ongoing struggle of racial justice at Washington Park during Black History Month.

Whereas during Black History Month, the city and county of Denver recognizes the tragedies and injustices endured by black communities while honoring the resilience leadership and contribution that continue to shape our shared history.

Whereas in 1911, at the location on Smith Lake in Washington Park, the city and county of Denver opened a public swimming beach at Bath House that was accessible only to white residents, reflecting the system the systemic racial segregation of public spaces during that era and whereas on August 17th, 1932, African-American residents courageously asserted their right to equal access to public facility, challenging the discriminatory practices that denied them full participation in civic life.

And whereas white beach and bathhouse users violently assaulted these residents, and the unrest spread into surrounding neighborhoods, exposing the deep racial tensions and resistance to desegregation present in Denver at that time.

And whereas 17 African American protesters were arrested by police, while none of the individuals who carried out the assaults were arrested, demonstrating organized by outside agitators and minimize its call for racial equality, further obscement of the legitimate demands for justice and fairness raised by the protesters, and whereas the swimming beach ultimately closed in 1957 due to health concerns.

And in 1971, an indoor recreation center and swimming pool opened at this site and was made accessible to all residents, marking a significant step towards inclusion.

And we're at local efforts to desegregate public spaces and Denver ultimately prevailed, contributing to broader progress towards civil rights and equal access, while reminding the community that such progress was part of incomplete.

And whereas the site stands as a testament to the courage of those who demanded equality and honors the ongoing struggle for racial justice in Denver and beyond.

In section two, that the clerk and record of the city and county of Denver shall fix the seal of the City County of Denver to this proclamation, and that a copy be transmitted to Pastor Nicole Garcia of Epiphany Lutheran Church, History Colorado, West Washington Park Neighborhood Association, East Wash Park Neighborhood Association, and Friends and Neighbors of Washington Park Association.

Thank you.

Councilmember Alvides, your motion to adopt.

I move that proclamation 26-0166 be adopted.

It has been moved.

And seconded.

Comment by members of council.

I'll start with the sponsors, Councilmember Alvidez, Cashman, Lewis, and Watson.

Thank you, Council President.

It's an honor to bring this forward and remember the history of our city.

I think often forgotten, even being a council member for the district that I represent.

I remember when I was elected, some older neighbors in West Wash Park were shocked.

And they told me, you know, your people were not allowed in this neighborhood.

There were signs that said no Mexicans, and actually Marcella, who sells the hot dogs outside, lives there.

And they got a white person to vouch that they're Peruvian, not Mexican, so they could move into Westwash Park.

And I was told that often they had landscapers that were Mexican, that they would have were only allowed to be there before the sun was up or after the sun was down.

And so this history of discrimination is something that we forget and that people alive right now experienced.

And I would love to do more work to find the families that were there that went to go swim, that had that bravery.

And I feel what I've learned as coming from an immigrant family is all the work that was done here before we got here so that we could feel safe, so that my parents could choose to live in a city like Denver from the Chicano movement to the Black history here.

But actually, we can look around and see things happening right now that reflect this discriminatory history, and I'm grateful for to the Lutheran Church for doing the research in History Colorado that's also been doing research to create a plaque to commemorate this history there at Wash Park.

So thank you to them that will speak later, but and thank you to Denver Parks and Rec, who's been a partner in making sure this plaque happens.

Thank you.

Councilmember Cashbury.

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilwoman Albedrez for raising this, raising this up.

Um I truly believe we are made better by the diverse elements that come together to make us a community, even though there's a group of people operating out of Washington DC, right now that would try to make us believe differently.

And uh fortunately, I believe since 1932, we've come a long way, but we're also a long way from where we need to be in truly um making equity uh and equality uh uh so uh essential to who we are as a community, and and I think you know need to recognize their people in my personal life, both uh uh friends as well as those who who have had a more public persona uh that have uh joined informing my social conscience and uh uh the Reverend uh Jackson was one of those, and uh uh I was saddened, really saddened uh to see the news this morning that that he had passed.

Um, we need more voices uh like that.

Uh so to lose one so important uh is a sad time.

But again, thank you, uh Councilwoman Alvarez for bringing this forward, and thank you uh to all the residents of Denver who embrace uh the diversity that is is the true backbone of our city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you, and thank you to Councilwoman Alviders for bringing particular um these things into and to my knowledge.

I really appreciate it.

And we have such a rich history in Denver when it comes to um discrimination when it comes to pools, and it's one of the things that I think we don't talk about when we talk about the real types of people that oftentimes we make um jokes about black folks not being able to swim, and the reason is because black folks didn't have access to being able to swim, or black folks' um pools would be drained in order for them to be able to swim at the end of weeks and things of that nature, and so I really appreciate you bringing this issue here.

Um and I think in Denver we just have a rich history of uh racism and segregation um in our country, um in our state, but in our country in general.

Um we're saying that um at the federal level as well, and to your point around having folks who have lived through this and and the um sentiments about Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Um he was one of the folks who have lived through this and fought in order for us to continue that fight, and so appreciate you and appreciate you, Cashman as well as Watson, and being able to be in that fight with you all as we continue to make some strides um as it pertains to what our moment is in this history and what our battles are and the stories that our grandchildren will tell um each other about what what our fights look like.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watching.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you once again uh Councilmember Albidras for elevating this and Cashman and Lewis uh for on his proclamation.

I think one of the things as I kind of uh thought a lot about uh Reverend Jackson today, I'm feeling kind of just energy's just been drained today.

And I don't know if it's not just Reverend Jackson, it's a lot of the uh the stuff in the ether that we try to keep out.

I remember one of the things that I um the visuals of the civil rights movement that so empowered me um as I watched and uh from a foreign uh on my little island I grew up uh was a sign that black men uh walked around downtowns with and said, I am a man.

Um, and um, that's the basic uh premise.

Didn't ask for anti-segregation, didn't ask for uh removing the colored um fountains.

Just simply a basic acknowledgement that I am a man.

Um and that power of claiming our own agency and who we are um was a massive step.

And um Jesse Jackson, Reverend Jackson would say, I am somebody, and uh the crowd would answer back to him, I am somebody.

Um, this history um wasn't simply about a pool, it was simply about othering, um, and in a world, and there are so many opportunities for us to join in and other others uh to make um others less.

And I think this proclamation and all the ways this council is moving together, um, is making sure we understand that we're stronger together and not separate.

We are one cloth.

Um, and um uh I appreciate uh Councilman of Vidros for bringing this board.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh thank you both for all four of you for bringing this proclamation.

My dad grew up in East Denver up at 28th and um Downing area, and he grew up going into whites only restaurants, and we couldn't swim at the pool at Congress Park, it said whites only, and he could not swim at the pool at Miss Theseal Curtis Park.

It wasn't called that right there, but he grew up with whites only, and so he delivered newspapers.

And when my dad was younger, he had to deliver newspapers through the back door because he couldn't see be seen going through the front door.

Um and not so long ago in the north side where Councilwoman Gonzalez and Gonzalez Gutierrez and I grew up.

It was in 1980 that our pool at La Rasa Park got filled with concrete in the middle of the night because there was a clash between brown people who were celebrating the pool being open, and that pool's gone.

It literally got filled in the middle of the night with concrete one night.

They woke up and the pool was there, and the next day they woke up and the pool was gone.

And the people who had jobs there, which was one of Councilwoman's Alaska Theater's Ants.

My mom used to take us.

And so the only way that we can continue to fight this is to call it out and to name it and to all work together to make sure that we're aware of these injustices.

So I really appreciate this proclamation.

So thank you.

I've been missing him a lot lately.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Heinz.

Aye.

Flynn.

Flynn.

Hi.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Premier Campbell.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam Ruth and Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Twelve eyes.

Twelve eyes, proclamation zero one six six has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Council Member of Edith is in Cashmine.

Who will you be inviting up to accept the proclamation?

You can come accept the proclamation.

You're fine.

It's hard to look to the past and know the harm that has been done to so many people.

But we must recognize the wrongs that were done in order to correct those wrongs and change behavior, change attitudes.

I am proud to say Epiphany Lutheran Church, which is one block west of Washington Park, had the audacity to call a transgender Latina to be their pastor.

They listened to me preach and talk about the love God has for all human beings.

For we are all made in the image of God, made in the love of God.

And I love the quote from Reverend Jackson, for we are a quilt.

Strung together, sewn together, in order to keep each other warm, safe.

Thank you all so very much for your kind words.

Sometimes hard words, reliving difficult times.

Or the fact that my English is really, my Spanish is really, really bad because my father was smacked across the face for speaking Spanish in school.

A bold step of recognizing our hard and traumatic paths can help the people move forward into a time and place where we are all equal in the eyes of God and equal in the eyes of the law.

I thank you all very much.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

From the community planning and housing committee, 26-0096, a bill for an ordinance amending chapter 53 of the revised municipal code concerning property tax assistance payments.

26-0081, a bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 385 South Zuni and Athmar Park.

From the Health and Safety Committee, 26-0084, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed fourth amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Regents of the University of Colorado to provide evaluation services for the Denver Recast Youth Violence Prevention Program, including one collecting and reporting the performance measures required for this project and two administering surveys for quality improvement purposes and building the evaluation capacity of the stakeholders citywide.

And 26-0086, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed third amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Denver Health and Hospital Authority to continue to provide EMT slash paramedics and bans for the support team assisted response star program citywide.

Thank you.

Council member Freeer, will you make the motion for us this evening?

Councilmember Watson is going to make the motions this evening, but I'm going to say yes on his behalf.

Now I'll do a recap.

Under resolutions, council resolution 0089 has been called out for postponement pursuant to rule 3.6 by Councilmember Flynn.

And Council Resolutions 0167 and 0168 have been called out for comments in a block by Councilmember Lewis.

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

Under bills for final consideration, no items have been called out.

Under pending, no items have been called out.

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

A resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and MP concessions for seven years at Evergreen Golf Course.

Councilmember Flynn, what would you like to do with council resolution 0089?

Thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to hold this for one week under Rule 3.6.

Other departments are already uh getting answers for me.

I've gotten some additional information for my own research, but I just have a few more things I need to understand better before I vote.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No motion is required, and council resolution 0089 has been postponed for one week to Monday, February 23rd, 2026.

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

Council resolution 0167, a resolution authorizing and approving the expenditure and payment from the appropriations account designated liability claim, the sum of $25,000 and no cents made payable to Franklin D.

Azar and Associates PC Pauline Guzman.

Paulina Guzman in full payment and satisfaction of all claims related to the civil action captioned Paulina Guzman versus the city and county of Denver filed in the district court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, case number 2025, C V030187, and Council Resolution 0168, a resolution authorizing and approving an expenditure and payment from the appropriation account designated liability claims, liability claims, the sums of 30,000 and no cents made payable to Chandler Blinky and Feidler trial lawyers and full payment and satisfaction to all claims related to the civil action caption, Chandler Blinky versus the City and County of Denver, which was filed in Denver District Court for the state of Colorado case number 2024, CV 32605.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on council resolutions 0167 and 0168.

So after consistent feedback from my constituents, I see it as my responsibility to ensure that the public is aware of every tax dollar being approved as an expenditure and payment of funds for a settlement.

As an expenditure, excuse me.

And immunal funds for a settlement, tracking every dollar by department and as a running total.

With the approval of 260167 and 260168 tonight, the city will approve settlements in the amount of $25,000 dollars and $30,000 to settle cases brought against the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Denver Police Department Department respectively.

So $380,000.

The funding is drawn from a liability claims pool of money that is refilled when necessary from the city's general budget and does not come out of the agency's specific budgets.

We must therefore pay extra attention in this budget environment that we are watching out how the city spends our money and that we are making decisions for the future with this knowledge.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This concludes the items to be called out.

All bills for introduction are ordered published.

Council members remember that this is a consent or block vote, and you will need to 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 on the bills on final consideration?

Passage on the floor.

Adopted and bills on final consideration to place upon final consideration and do pass in a block for the following items.

Series 26, 0088, 0094, 0023.

This is not being friendly.

Let me just do this one second.

0024, 0085, 0168, 0082, 0090, 0091, 0167, 0067, 0072, 251030.

260041.

That's it.

Thank you.

It has been moved and seconded.

Madam Secretary, we'll call.

Council members Hines.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalo Tiedas.

Aye.

Catherine.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sunbone.

Aye.

Madam Secretary.

Close the voting answer results.

Twelve ayes.

Twelve ayes.

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

Tonight there will be a combined required public hearing on council bills 25 2163, amending the Denver zoning code, aligning the code with state mandates and incentives and improving procedures for this alignment.

And 252164, amending chapter 59 of the Denver revised municipal code by aligning certain standards with the Denver zoning code as a result of state mandates and incentives.

And a required public hearing on Council Bill 2125 2138, changing the zoning classification for 1965 Verbena Street in East Colfax.

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

Before reconvening 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 at 5 p.m.

Hey, Denver, here's what's happening around the mile high this week.

Kids will adopt a dog-stuffed animal and create its carrier and collar by hand.

Perfect for a school day off.

This relaxed and playful class offers plenty of guidance and support for little hands with room for big imaginations.

Fiction Beer and the Denver Public Library are partnering for a day to curl up with a good book on a wintry day.

Experts can help you with your next pick from the winner of reading book buzz.

Learn about new and forthcoming titles because a home for a child is very important.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

That concludes our general public comment session.

If we did not get to you today, please join us at our next session or submit your comments in writing.

The next session will be held on Monday, February 23rd.

Sign up begins at 5 p.m.

on Thursday, February 19th.

We look forward to hearing from you again, and thank you for attending.

Council will now reconvene from our earlier session.

There is no unfinished business from the earlier session.

There's one proclamation being read this evening.

Council members Torres Alvidres and Gonzalez Cutieres, would you please read proclamation 0156?

Proclamation 26-0156 celebrating Lunar New Year 2026.

Whereas we honor and recognize the Lunar New Year, which begins on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 as the year of the fire horse.

And whereas the Lunar New Year is the largest holiday of the year in many diverse Asian communities with celebrations spanning the globe.

Its importance is rooted in deep history and remains the most important occasion for generations of families to reunite, spend time together, and celebrate.

Whereas the Asian American and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities have played a vital role in shaping the social, cultural, and economic fabric of Denver, we recognize the contributions of the AAPI refugee and immigrant communities who retained and shared their cultural identities, languages, and traditions with their families.

The AAPI community and the community at large, so we are all, so we all need to recognize and celebrate important traditions, including the Lunar New Year.

Whereas this is a special time to remember the beauty of Denver's diversity and give recognition to many of Denver's Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

We invite the community to celebrate rich cultural traditions and have made our city so special.

Locations like the Far East Center, Little Saigon Business District, Sakura Square, Asia Center, and Alameda Square are among our most treasured spaces and corridors.

And we look forward to celebrating and lifting the community in these and future spaces.

And whereas we must also recognize the pain and damage that discrimination and xenophobia have enacted upon our AAPI communities before, during and since the pandemic that we cannot and do not tolerate.

We commit ourselves to being an active force in opposing these and other destructive acts that divide our community and whereas we believe that honoring our community's varied ethnic cultures, traditions, and religions makes us strong and a vibrant and vibrant, makes us a strong and vibrant city, and that sharing and celebrating community-based festivals enhances the connection between residents and across generations, showcasing the beauty of the more than 30 AAPI ethnicities in Denver.

And whereas celebrating the Lunar New Year is our opportunity to elevate the heritage, history, and contributions of the global community who celebrate the Lunar New Year.

We celebrate both those who have called Denver home for generations and those who are new to community.

And whereas the Lunar New Year has been recognized as an official state holiday, thanks to this lady, in uh Colorado since 2024.

And whereas we invite all Denverites to learn, join, and celebrate with the community throughout the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations as we usher in the year of the fire horse.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, that Denver City Council celebrates the holiday festivities beginning Tuesday, February 17th through March 3rd, 2026 in culminations at the Lantern Festival as Lunar New Year celebrations in Denver and wishes everyone who observes this holiday happiness, longevity, good fortune, prosperity, and a healthy new year.

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 copy be transmitted to the Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission and Community.

Thank you, Council members.

Councilmember Torres, your motion to adopt.

I move the proclamation 26-156 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded comments by members of council.

I'll start with the sponsors, complimentoris, I'll leaders and Alice could get it.

Thank you, Madam President.

Really honored as always to see all of you in the crowd.

Thank you for being here.

And thank you for helping to make sure that Denver never forgets our community, that we are always celebrating it, and uh for ensuring that there are ways for us to plug in.

I know I work a lot with uh maybe in the Far East Center, but I see a lot of really familiar friends uh in the community who come from all sectors to make sure that everyone is represented well uh by the AAPI community and that we are giving due recognition uh to the treasures that have been brought forward in that community.

So I remember um uh and I'm glad our proclamation uh recognizes uh some of the backlash that your community took and felt, especially during the pandemic, and working with several of my colleagues here to do uh COVID clinics um and equity clinics, um, also making sure that we were um uh trying to protect our community members who were getting threats.

That was um one of many I think really challenging times uh that I know uh we all kind of commit to banding together, um, and we will continue to do that no matter what I think our communities face.

So thank you all for being here for being leaders in your community.

Thank you to the commission, and just really honored that we could do this tonight.

Thank you, Councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Alright, I'll be the rest.

Sorry.

Um thank you, Councilwoman Torres, for leading this and allowing me to be a part of it.

The Asian community is a big part of District 7, even to one of our newer restaurants, Makfam, Ban Sang, and then of course the little Saigon Business District.

That's all important parts of District 7.

And one of my favorite things is that you can visit all those different parts of our district and celebrate and as well as cross federal the district three, and it's all one big family.

Um so I'm really grateful for the opportunity and really grateful to be exposed to this culture throughout my life, living and growing up there in um Athmar Park and grateful for all of you for leading the way.

Thank you so much for sharing your culture with us and inspiring us and giving us a new start because we already gave up on our New Year's resolution, so it's time to start again.

Um, and so really excited to celebrate with you all this weekend.

Thank you.

Councilman.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, thank you, Councilman Torres and Alvidres.

Um, glad to be able to join this, and I really want to thank the AAPI community.

If it weren't for you for you know have reached out to me when I was a state representative and said, can we do this work to make the Lunar New Year a recognized holiday by the state of Colorado?

And so I was so happy to be joined by many other legislators to make that happen, and the celebrations have been absolutely beautiful.

Um I am so excited to celebrate with all of you this Saturday.

Um I know there's a lot of big things being unveiled that day, but it is always a lovely way to just come together as community and and take that time to celebrate at the Far East Center, and I know there are many other um celebrations happening across the city.

Um of the things I just wanted to point out, and this came up during an event just this past weekend.

It was a know your rights training, was that you know all of the things that are happening right now in our country, like we cannot forget our uh AAPI, um refugees and immigrants because the backlash is real and it's happening to all of our people, all of our immigrant community, and we need to remember that like we all are here together, and I want the community to know that we also support you as well, and we're here for you as well.

Um, it's the year of the fire horse.

I think we have some council colleagues who this is their year, so that's exciting.

Um, you know, I would I I don't want to talk about what the year of the horse is.

I'll leave that to our our folks that are here to um accept the proclamation perhaps to talk to us about that.

Um, but I I am excited um because it does bring forward a year for you know strength and perseverance um aspiration and freedom and I think those are incredibly important in these times and so um I'm so thankful to be part of this uh proclamation today uh thank you madam president thank you thank you all for being here and thank you sponsors for bringing this every year it's um always important I think I'm one of the year the fire horse I think councilman sorrier is we I just learned that and thank you for our trinkets so if you start seeing these around the city council building or the sitting county building um just know that we're doing our best to bring in some good luck into our lives because I think we all feel like we need it right now and we own a little rejuvenation and coming together with through community I can't think of any better way to do that so thank you all Madam Secretary roll calls aye Gilmore sorry Flynn Gilmore Gonzalez Cashman Lewis Romera Campbell aye Sawyer Torres I Watson Madam President Sandoval Madam Secretary called the voting announce the results 11 ayes 11 ayes proclamation 0156 has been adopted we now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance council members who will you be inviting up to accept the proclamation from the Asian American Pacific Islander Commission and Gigi please feel free to invite up anyone else that you'd like to after you give your remarks I definitely will.

Members of the city council community members good afternoon my name is Gigi Degala from the Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.

And on behalf of all the people including you who bring this lunar new year celebration to life it is truly an honor for me to accept this proclamation.

So our lunar new year is just like any new year it's a time for celebration for renewal gratitude and hope and many of our families over here celebrate it with their traditions and welcome their fresh start but what makes it special this year and especially last year when it was um it when it became a uh state holiday is that now we are sharing it with the state with the city with the community and it is great this has been my like sixth celebration in a week but it's wonderful to welcome people from all backgrounds to enjoy music uh performances art and culture and just for once we celebrate with no fear.

So as a brown skinned Filipino immigrant what this means to me is that and it's it should be for the rest of us is that we are so fortunate to live in this city that embraced diversity that understands that our cultural differences are to be celebrated and not just to be acknowledged to be embraced and not to be feared.

Because we all know that the our city our community grows stronger when we welcome good people with openness and respect.

So I personally and the rest of my API and HPI community wish you happiness health and prosperity and may we continue to work together in building a city in building a community that is resilient that is strong and has the courage to do what is right to build a city where people feel they belong so happy lunar new year and thank you for this proclamation and now because I have time, I would like to invite other members of our community who would like to come here and say something.

Thank you.

Um, thank you, Gigi.

That was beautiful.

Um, thank you, council members, for inviting our family, our community, and um everyone to be here, and thank you for everyone that has submitted uh video too that I'll be posting soon.

Um, I want to say that this holiday isn't just for us, it's for everyone that observes and celebrates it.

It also is for the younger generations to continue learning about the culture and traditions and how we celebrate in Colorado, how we bring the community together.

And um our family at the Fari Center has hosted Lunar New Year for over 35 years, and it has grown into such a beautiful um celebration that brings all walks of life to come and just try all the amazing foods, watch all these cultural performances, and um just be a part of this festive um holiday.

And so I really appreciate everything that you guys have done to support us and our community and always listening to our voice and hearing what we feel, and I really um appreciate working with you all.

And um at this Lunar New Year's celebration this year, we are gonna be uh revealing a new mural, which is um sponsored by um Serena and Jamie, and then also um Fari Center is now recognized as the very first um Asian Plaza as a historical landmark.

So we'll be putting up a new plaque, and I can't wait for you guys all to celebrate with us, and Flora will be there.

Everyone should all come too.

So thank you, everyone, and um thank you for having us here.

Yes, and anyone else want to say anything?

No?

Okay.

Well, thank you.

Thank you all.

Do you all want to go out and take a photo?

All right.

We have two required public hearings tonight.

Every minor council members need to turn their video on 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're 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 residence, 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 begin, we'll have three minutes.

There is no yielding of time.

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

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

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

Council Watson, will you please put council bills 2163 amending the Denver zoning code, align the code with state mandates and incentives and improve procedures for this alignment and 2164, amending chapter 59 of the Denver Reside Municipal Code by aligning certain standards with the Denver zoning code as a result of state mandates and incentives on the floor for final passage.

I move it on the bill.

And do pass in a block.

It has been moved and seconded.

The combined required public hearing for council bills 2153 and 2164, open to me.

Please have the staff report.

Thank you.

That'd be great.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Minor technical adjustments.

Thank you, Council President, Council members.

Good evening.

My name is Fritz Clausen.

I'm a city planner with community planning and development here in the beautiful city and county of Denver.

My colleague Justin Montgomery, unfortunately, won't be able to join us tonight.

So I'll be doing the presentation and giving a staff report.

We will be going over the requests that are make up the various parts of what we call the mini bundle for 2025.

And then following that, uh getting into more detail in on each of those by topic area.

Then we'll be going over the process and public comments and finishing up with the review criteria and staff's recommendation.

So first, the requests and the overview.

Two requests before you tonight.

First is the mini bundle text amendment to the Denver zoning code, and corollary to that is the uh DRMC zoning language amendments for uh former chapter 59 zone properties.

To give an overview of the mini bundle, the proposed mini bundle is a text amendment to the Denver zoning code and DRMC.

Uh it's a small package of text amendments that covers four topic areas, which include proposition one, two, three and expedited reviews for affordable housing projects, wireless telecommunications permitting, accessory dwelling units, and site development plans.

Uh in general, the purpose of this text amendment is to align Denver's regulations with state mandates and incentive programs while incorporating procedural improvements that support good governance and affordable housing.

So looking at proposed changes by topic area, starting with Prop 123 and expedited reviews.

Uh, we're making we are making a few changes here to support the city's uh development and implementation of a Prop 123 compliant uh affordable housing review.

Just as a bit of background, Prop 123 is a state voter past program that provides uh money for affordable housing, but also requires that qualifying affordable housing projects that we establish a 90-day review process for qualifying affordable housing projects in order to support us hitting that 90-day timeline.

Uh we're looking at changing the approval dates or coordinating the approval dates for different types of applications, including zone lot amendments, so that we can proceed to the next step of the application when those items are have a final decision rather than waiting for recordation of those.

Recredation still happens in the exact same way, just when something is approved, we're good to proceed with whatever was waiting on that approval.

Uh in addition, we're making minor changes to the Denver zoning code language about urban design, urban design review boards and urban design standards and guidelines.

And uh, we are also going through a process to update urban design standards and guidelines for in Cherry Creek and downtown, the areas where we have design advisory review boards to exempt them from a formal review and recommendation uh if the project is involved in the affordable housing review process.

Following that up, wireless telecommunications, this is uh item of state law compliance.

Uh, we will be adding not physically substantial modifications to existing telecommunications facilities to list the development types that don't need a zoning permit, provided that we are notified in writing.

Uh, what we're talking about when I'd say existing telecommunications facilities is generally roof mounted or building mounted or free-standing telecommunications and wireless service facilities, not 5G polls in the right-of-way, which are not covered under our zoning code are reviewed and permitted by Dottie.

Uh, and we have a definition of what constitutes something being a physically substantial modification or not in our zoning code.

Um, so when we're presented with a the state law requires that companies notify us in writing, when we get one of those notifications, our staff will review it, determine whether it complies with that list of not substantial criteria, and either um say okay, or come back to the applicant and say actually you do need a zoning permit for our criteria.

Uh similar to Prop 123, we're also making uh changes to UDSGs for uh downtown and Cherry Creek to uh enable these non-permit requiring items to move through the process smoothly.

On accessory dwelling units, uh we will be we are proposing to remove the owner occupancy requirement for Denver Housing Authority owned properties uh as well as clarify our Denver zoning code language to ensure that planned unit developments allow ADUs when they allow single family housing.

Uh, we see this as um, you know, creating establishing more equity in the zoning code.

We went through a long process to allow accessory dwelling units in pretty much every single family zoned area of the city.

What we'd be doing here is simply extending the same allowance to properties that are in planned unit developments.

Oftentimes these planned unit development zonings are silent on accessory dwelling units.

Sometimes they specifically prohibit them.

Sometimes they have language that says something like only one development unit allowed.

What we'll be doing is that those it allows the zoning administrator to make a determination that you know we won't be enforcing those prohibitions in ADUs and where a PUD is silent on accessory dwelling units that we give those that a proposed accessory dwelling unit is reviewed under similar standards to other properties that don't have the PUD zoning in the same area.

Finally, site development plans.

We will be proposing to extend the approval period to 30 months for all site development plans as well as special plans for planned building groups without needing an extension.

And we will be proposing to remove expiration language for detailed PUD district plans.

Just a quick point on that.

Zoning code currently allows 18 months with opportunity for a 12-month extension on approval of site development plans.

What we're doing here is combining those two numbers and uh just simply removing the process to request and be granted an exempt an extension.

I'll be happy to get into more detail on any of those, but gonna move right through to process and public comments right now.

So we uh started drafting the proposed amendments and went through internal review in October of last year.

Uh public review draft was shared on November 14th of last year with a 30-day comment period.

That was followed by a during that 30-day comment period.

We held a planning board informational item on November 19th, as well as a planning board public hearing on December 17th.

Uh, this text amendment came before the community planning and housing committee on January 6th.

First reading was held on January 20th, and here we are on February 17th at the public hearing.

All registered neighborhood organizations received written notice about the proposed mini bundle.

Uh comments and questions were encouraged through an online forum on the project's webpage.

Staff received nine comments and questions from the public on this project.

There was uh support expressed for proposed amendments, as well as more critical comments related to the owner occupancy requirement for ADUs in single unit zone districts with suggestions to remove that requirement entirely.

There were also comments related to ADU building permit policy that is not addressed by this text amendment was actually resolved during the process, and all comments received are attached to our staff report.

Now let's move on to the review criteria.

The Denver zoning code specifies three review criteria for a text amendment.

Uh, they are found in section 124114 of the Denver zoning code.

These criteria are consistency with adopted plans, furthering public health, safety and welfare, and uniformity of district regulations and restrictions.

For consistency with adopted plans, staff reviewed comprehensive plan 2040 and Blueprint Denver.

And in doing so, we found that uh this text amendment will help to create equitable, affordable, and inclusive neighborhoods by adding to the housing options available in all residential neighborhoods.

The proposed land use regulations encourage the development of affordable housing by assisting with the city's future fast track program for reviewing affordable housing applications.

Additionally, clarity for the allowance of ADUs in planned unit developments can add housing options for seniors to age in place and receive income by renting out their primary home.

Staff also found that this text amendment will aid in creating strong and authentic neighborhoods through the preservation and reuse of existing structures for properties within plan unit developments, as they would now be allowed to build accessory dwelling units where previously they were not.

Just as note, peer city research has shown that accessory dwelling units can aid in preserving the existing primary structure when homeowners are able to reinvest in their property.

They tend to remain in place.

They're less likely to sell their property, which of course could lead to a scrape of the entire site.

Moving on to Blueprint Denver.

The proposed text amendment is responsive to the needs of the city, especially our need to stay current with recent state laws.

The amendments regarding telecommunication facilities and site development plans modernize our regulations by eliminating unnecessary review procedures, removing zoning permit review for non-substantial modification of existing wireless infrastructure, ensures that service remains viable throughout the city and encourages minor expansion of existing sites rather than construction and proliferation of new sites.

Extending the approval period for site development plans acknowledges what has become a standard practice in accommodating larger or longer development timelines without wasting staff and customer time processing extensions.

In addition, the proposed amendments provide clarity to applicants and property owners and support policies to increase the development of affordable housing.

The revised regulations clearly allow ADUs in all single family residential areas, including plan unit developments where they may have been previously prohibited.

The zoning updates also align the beginning of the approval period for all plans, permits, and applications to be the date staff makes a determination of approval rather than the date the application is recorded.

This tightens the approval period, helping staff meet the state's expedited review timeline for affordable projects, helping to make the city eligible for grant funding to increase the provision of affordable housing throughout the city.

Okay, moving forward to public health and uniformity.

We find that this text amendment furthers the public health safety and welfare of Denver residents, landowners, and community members by providing clarity and predictability in zoning regulations by removing regulatory barriers to plan development, and by continuing to implement the city's adopted comprehensive land use, transportation, and no, sorry, comprehensive land use and transportation plans through regulatory changes.

In addition to that, the text amendment will result in updated regulations that are uniform within each zone district.

Based on the oh sorry.

Based on the criteria for review in the Denver zoning code, we recommend approval of the Mini Bunnel text amendment as well as the approval of the proposed uh DRMC amendments that go with it.

That concludes the presentation, and we are happy to take any questions that you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

We have three individuals signed up to speak this evening.

First up, we have Renee Martinez Stone.

Good evening, City Council members.

My name is Renee Martinez Stone, and I'm here on behalf of the Denver Housing Authority.

Uh, 1035 OCH Street.

DHA operates over 13,000 units for 29,000 total household members across Denver.

We want to voice our support for the minimum bundle inclusions, and we'll speak to one of the inclusions, which is the ADU clarifications.

Permanently restricted affordable housing is not the same as unrestricted market housing.

DHA manages very long-term federal and local restrictive cabinets.

We support tenants with an array of programs.

We have designated property managers, property inspections, compliance staff, and reporting and ongoing property management.

All of these assets and services are run by DHA on behalf of the city and county of Denver.

DHA is accountable for utilizing all these assets wisely in operating and helping to meet the affordable needs of Denver.

This is why we asked for a review to determine if our affordable restrictions, our services, and dedicated property staff met the intent of the current occupancy requirements.

This is not waiving occupancy requirements for ADUs.

This is a clarification and exception that supports the city and county of Denver to be responsive to a cur current affordable housing needs.

Building on existing publicly owned land where there are deed restrictions, reduces cost and is fiscally responsible.

I want to thank you, and I want to thank CPD staff for the leadership here and urge you to support the proposed exemption for DHA.

These changes align with the COM plan Brew Blueprint Denver and many NPI neighborhood conversations where community members have urged hopes for a range of affordable housing solutions across the city.

This bundle removes obstacles to building more permanently affordable housing for those most in need.

And I'm here with Chaila Moore, our ADU program manager, to answer any questions that you have tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Jesse Paris.

Jesse.

Next up, we have Josh Rich.

A Rich.

Josh?

No, Josh.

Okay.

That concludes our speakers.

Do we have any questions from members of council on council bills 25 2163 and 25 21 64?

Councilman Sorrier.

I will do questions and comments at the same time since they're the same thing.

But wanted to just say thank you to you all for your outreach to particularly to the Cherry Creek community regarding the design review standards and the things that are changing there.

I know you made an extra special effort to make sure that you connected with that community, and we really appreciate it.

So thank you for doing that.

Did want to then ask one follow-up question to that, which is about what you mentioned earlier in the presentation that you will have to go back and do some updating of rules and regs.

Can you just tell me a little bit more about that?

Is that something that is kind of standard operating procedure, or is this something that the community needs to be engaged again with?

Uh it is a bit standard operating procedure.

When we change our rules and regulations, you know, we're required under the municipal coal.

My gosh, we're required under the municipal code to have a public meeting about it, which we did on January 29th.

At this point, the next step for us is to we have them all done.

The edits are ready to be published.

Basically, we give them to our director for approval, then we have to publish an official notice.

So that those are the last steps in that.

Awesome.

Okay, thank you.

Really appreciate it.

Thanks for our movement.

Councilman Lewis.

I think.

So I had a question on during my briefing, and the question was answered, so I don't know if I say before the is it a comment or question comments.

Okay, so then I'll say it's the public hearing, and then it's the comment section.

Okay.

Any other comments or questions by council?

All the way over there.

The public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council on council bill 25, 2163, and 25 2164.

Councilman Lewis?

Thank you.

Um, so yeah, so I I thank you all for the work that you all have done on this.

I had some concerns over two of the provisions in the mini bundle.

The first one was regarding the date of approval.

Um date approval.

You know what I'm trying to say.

And so I spoke with the clerk and I let you all know that the clerk had originally let me know that he had had some concerns, and I wanted to ensure that there wasn't intrusion of his authority.

Um, and after having going back and having conversations with the clerk and recorder, um, it looks like that you all had um had some discussions and worked that out, and so that was resolved, and so I really appreciate that you all address that um concern.

The second was around the um apparent lack of data regarding the paper, which I spoke to you all about, um, and how that would that would be affected by the AUD ADU change.

Um, and so hopefully you all provided me, which was super super super helpful.

The uh state law that required you all to change this law, and in light of the lack of data for the um the uh PUCs uh and the language that you all provided me, it actually made more sense why there was a lack of data because your hands were kind of tied.

And so appreciate you helping me to get more clear on what it what why there was a lack of data and why you all were moving this forward with that lack of data and why there were um no like legacy of bringing those PUDs into um into the ADUs, and so thank you for that.

That's it.

That's all I had.

Appreciate your work.

Council mentors.

Thank you so much.

Um, I just uh I'm happy to support and just really want to point to uh DHA and thank you all for being such an incredible partner.

I think one of the things that we've been hearing from some folks, um, is about why isn't this citywide?

And I think um it's one of the reasons why I think um uh you've been so innovative in this space lately is you're willing to try things and demonstrate that they work.

Um your ability to uh basically land bank and then build an affordable unit and then take advantage of uh funds and incentives that are available to build that unit, is what makes it deeply affordable and being able to offer some home ownership opportunities to folks like you know the gals who work in my office who could finally essentially buy uh a home in Denver that there are entry points I think that you're helping to create that just don't exist anymore, and so really appreciate this partnership and being able to capture it in the bundle and hopefully we can demonstrate it works and maybe expand it.

But um, I want to test the waters and so thank you for being that thank you.

Thank you.

Um, just want to say thank you to CPD for leading on um for sure, including Denver Housing Authority.

This is an important step for that process.

I still do have concerns about the telecommunications.

I have complicated telecommunication things happening in northwest Denver on a lot of buildings.

So I think we'll have to see how that one plays out.

I know this is mandated by the state.

Um, I don't know why I always get these complicated land use things in northwest Denver, but I do have them.

Um, and especially in historic districts.

I have a historic building that I'm gonna have to see, it's five stories off of 32nd.

I'm gonna have to see how this ends up playing out because it is a historic district.

So I still have concerns about that, but I do understand that this was something that was mandated by the state.

So we're just being in compliance with the state as the state continues to move forward in this legislative cycle.

I ask all my council members to please look at the state bills because I didn't even notice this one came through last year, and that it would have this unintended consequence of having telecommunication things happening in our council district.

That unfortunately, sometimes they're money makers, so you can make a lot of money, you can lease the space on top of buildings, and sometimes they're not good actors, is what I've found in my council district.

So I will be supporting this tonight with the caveat that I will also be watching this play out and see how it impacts Northwest Denver.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Roll call on Council Bill 25, 2163 and 252164.

Council members hinds.

All right, I'll be there.

Alright.

Won't say that's aye.

Cashman, Lewis, aye, Romero Campbell.

Aye, Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres, aye, Watson, Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

I'm secretary, close the voting answer.

Eleven ayes, eleven ayes.

Council bills 25, 2163, and 25, 2164 have passed.

Councilmember Watson, will you please put council bill 25 2138 changing the zoning for classification for 1965 Burbena Street in East Colfax on the floor for final passage?

I move to uh one three eight, be placed upon final consideration and do pass.

We move in picking it.

Required public hearing for council bill 25, 21, 38, it's open.

May we please have the stock report?

Absolutely.

My name is Joe Green.

I'm with community planning and development.

And we're looking at a rezoning at 1965 rebate.

We'll walk through the request to the location and context, go through the process that the application has been through so far, and then walk through the review criteria.

So the applicant is requesting to go from E S U D X to E S U B.

Both of these are single unit districts in the urban edge neighborhood context.

The applicant's current zoning DX means that they can have a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet.

The proposed zoning would allow them to have a minimum lot size of 4,500 square feet, which would allow them to split their 9,000 square foot lot and build a second house.

So a little bit more background about where we are in the city.

We're in Council District 8, Councilmember Lewis's district.

We're in the East Colfax neighborhood, just on the northern edge, bordering Central Park.

As I said, the current zoning is ESUDX.

It's completely surrounded by ESUDX.

There's some Chapter 59 zoning just to the north.

Looking at the process, the application's been through thus far.

They submitted the application back in June, and then the informational notice went out.

We had originally scheduled planning board to go in September, but the applicant asked for a little bit more time.

So that was delayed till November.

Or I guess the notice went out in November.

The hearing was held in December.

Then we went to the community planning and housing committee on the January 6th.

And then we're here today.

This will allow more housing to be near amenities on Colfax.

The applicant also went door to door to many of his neighbors and who signed kind of a not necessarily a petition, but a forum saying that they supported the application and they put their name and contact information down.

And we've received no other comments submitted to CPD.

So looking at the review criteria, as you all know, there are three review criteria in the Denver zoning code that we must find to be true in order to pass a rezoning.

Start with consistency with adoptive plans.

So I think it would be consistent with goal one there.

It would provoke infill development where infrastructure and services are already in place, and it would increase the number of housing units close to transit.

It's just a few blocks off Colfax, and there's also a bus line to the north.

Looking at Blueprint Denver.

It is designated as the Urban Edge Neighborhood Context, which talks about low scale single and two unit residential housing, and promoting and protecting residential neighborhoods.

This application is consistent with those with the urban edge neighborhood context.

And then it designates it residential low future place.

And it says that single and two unit uses should be allowed on small or medium lots.

But on the same page where it says single and two unit usage should be allowed, and also has very specific guidance about how to apply this residential low designation.

And it says for applicant driven requests, which is what we have in front of us on individual sites.

We're just looking at a single site.

It is typically only appropriate to allow smaller lot sizes if there's an established pattern in the surrounding blocks, smaller lots with similar uses.

So it doesn't define what an established pattern is anywhere in Blueprint Denver.

So when staff looks at this language, we interpret it as surrounding blocks, meaning the adjacent blocks surrounding the property owner's block.

And an established pattern is that there's at least a few similar lot sizes on each of those surrounding blocks.

So to analyze whether this application would meet that criteria, we did a lot size analysis.

Basically, anything that's white yellow color, orange or red, we'd say was contributing to the lot size, contributing to the pattern of smaller lot sizes.

So there are two on the block with the property owner and four on the block to the east, but there are none to the west to the southwest, to the south, or to the southeast.

So staff does not find this to be a pattern of smaller lot sizes.

The plan does talk about when we can depart from that pattern.

It says that it may be appropriate if the request includes a larger area, generally greater than one block.

Again, we're just looking at a single property.

But if we were looking at a larger area and the intent is to set a new pattern, then we'd look at the small area plan, and if there was a significant neighborhood input, but again, we're just looking at that single property.

So departure staff doesn't think a departure is appropriate.

Looking at the east area plan, the east area plan doesn't specifically mention lot size anywhere in the plan, but it does designate the site as low residential single unit, which is what the applicant is proposing.

But it says specifically additional primary units should be allowed only where they already exist, or as determined through a future regulatory process, like unlocking housing choices, which we're currently in the process of.

But moving on to the public interest criterion is the application in the public's interest.

Certainly argue that it is because it adds more housing to the neighborhood.

But all of our plans in Blueprint Denver call for that type of housing to be implemented at the citywide scale, not at one-off rezoning.

So we don't think it's in the public interest.

And finally, the third criteria is the consistency with the purpose and intent statements found in the Denver zoning code, which describe what zone district should be used for.

It's consistent with a lot of the language we find in the Denver zoning code.

Generally, the urban edge neighborhood context is primarily single and two-unit uses on the more arterial streets.

This is that.

It would promote and protect residential neighborhoods and accommodate reinvestment in residential districts.

However, when you look at the specific intent of the ESUV district, it does intend this zone district to be areas with minimum zone lot areas of 4500 square feet.

When you kind of compare that with the language in Blueprint Denver about when it's appropriate to rezone to smaller lot sizes, this doesn't really match up with the Blueprint Denver guidance.

So we don't think it's appropriate or consistent with this language.

So with that, we do recommend denial.

I'm available for questions.

The applicant is also here, available for questions.

Thank you so much.

We have one speaker signed up this evening.

First up, we have Jesse Paris.

Jesse and Paris is not online.

That concludes our speakers.

Do we have questions from members of council on council bill 252138?

Council, I'll give you a minute while I ask it.

Um it looks like because of the neighborhood plan guidance that they could not also or either go to uh TU zoning code because of the low res single unit language, yeah.

So the East Area Plans language would be similar for a two-unit rezoning.

The blueprint language is slightly different for two unit rezonings, but similar.

Okay.

It's interesting because I didn't realize um until your presentation that low residential isn't low residential everywhere, like we don't have the same standards because in my part of town, it includes duplex, like yeah, across the board.

Um uh so I found I found that kind of interesting.

So a 9,000 square foot lot is uh the only option is one single family home and an ADU.

Yes, okay in the east area plan.

I think there's I think there might be three area plans that are more specific.

Got it.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Heinz.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um question, let's say we were to go down the path um and say yes.

How does that work with two homes on the same lot?

It looks like a narrow lot, so like if we were to subdivide it, would there be two homes side by side?

Would there be one only accessible by the alley, one long driveway?

Uh how does that work?

Yeah, so in this case, I think they would need to do a zone lot amendment, so it would actually just be two normal single unit homes on two separate lots, if that makes that make sense.

Okay.

So they're both accessible but room.

Oh, wait.

Uh I'm sorry.

So I I think maybe the applicant gave an answer, and uh I if I could have the applicant give that answer, into the mic.

Hi, sorry.

My name is Paul Demption, the homeowner.

Um so my my home is currently situated on the northern part of the uh parcel, and so if I divide it in the middle, um the south side can still have an additional home and an additional dwelling unit.

Therefore, um helping solve the housing crisis that we have, and both um homes would be accessible by the road and by the alley.

So that would not be an issue.

Got it.

Thank you.

Uh thanks.

Thanks for uh answering the question.

Um, so uh did I and I'm sorry, I had a a little bit of trouble um getting the staff presentation back up, but I seem to recall that planning board said yes.

Do I do I remember that correctly?

That's right, and they they should go ahead.

Even though planning board unanimously said yes, uh CPD is saying it's not consistent with adopted plans, it um uh particularly blueprint and um and CBD's uh disagrees with planning board.

Is that am I getting that right?

That's right.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

That's that's uh um that's all all my questions.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh so the lot is 9300 some odd square feet, uh, but it's very deep.

So would it meet under the B 4500 square foot minimum?

Would it have the required frontage on uh verbena?

Yeah, yeah.

I believe so.

Um I need to look at the standards real quick for the lot width, but I think it would work out.

I don't know if you applicant have you talked to development certificate?

Yeah, so we can to my knowledge it would need a minimum of 30 to my knowledge it would need um 45 or 37 feet for the minimum width and uh that would work because um I have um my lot currently 75 feet.

So if you subdivide it down the middle, it would still work.

Joe, can you verify the I'd rather not have verified my summer?

That's correct.

Applicant.

Yeah, okay.

Thanks.

Okay, can you?

I didn't watch, I didn't think I would have to, but I didn't watch the planning board debate on this.

But uh, if you took it to the planning board with a recommendation for denial, but the unanimously approved it.

How did that come to you?

You have documents of deliberation in your packet, which has a lot more detail, but to try to summarize it's it's a little difficult to summarize because there's a lot of different um, I guess everyone's argument for why they supported it wasn't the same, but some people had said that they did see a pattern of two-unit zoning or of small lot zoning.

They just saw a pattern.

Um, some people thought that the some of the comments were more related to like one board member didn't think that the east area plan guidance should be considered because it is referencing missing middle housing and small lot um area zoning, a smaller lot area isn't missing metal housing, which uh could be argued.

And they thought that the it was clearly in the public interest and clearly consistent with the neighborhood zone district.

Um I'm trying to think of it.

And just weighing in general the other plan guidance heavier than that specific guidance around uh residential low.

So needing housing, the comp plan guidance.

Uh the planning office found it to be not consistent, not just with blueprint, but with east area plan.

I am I'm more focused on the more specific small area plan, but east area plan and and interested in upholding that more specific guidance, but the inconsistency was with both blueprint and east area.

Okay.

Applied to the missing metal housing policy, which is kind of in an OR statement in the same sentence.

Okay, thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Council Member Watson?

Madam President, I'm wondering for the applicant.

Uh just curious, and if you don't mind coming up to the mic, can you share what your um uh use of the the this for this um uh zoning change?

What why are you requesting this?

What's the plan for the two home splitting of a lot?

Are you gonna live there?

Are you gonna have family there?

Talk me through kind of your why for starting this whole problem.

So the reason why is um more largely is um I know that we have a housing shortage in Denver, and I want to be a part of the solution for it as a homeowner.

Uh I have been part of the community for community since 2017.

That's when I owned my uh bought my house.

Uh since then uh housing prices have gone up dramatically on a smaller scale, why it's important to me is um um I um I'm uh very involved with um immigrants from from Ukraine.

Um I'm currently helping um friends of mine um apply for uh asylum programs and um as uh in the role of uh being a translator, and um part of something else that I could help them out with is by providing um potential housing and um uh being in my home um I have already we have opened up the home and took in three families that um came in as refugees from Ukraine and it is a little more difficult you know when you're having to share a kitchen or you're having to live uh share a kitchen room uh with another family versus having more opportunities to have additional housing units um just makes it so much more seamless and and I feel like I'd be able to help support my immediate community thank you so much the CPD um I'm struggling with this one this is has been a conniption for me from the minute I read it I just I just don't get it I my question to you on the the area plan commentary as you speak to the um if a future regulatory process to integrate missing middle housing um actually apply so if our the missing middle change was to pass this would from your perspective would meet the um um the adopted plan it would meet the east area plan's guidance if the missing middle if the the rule that we're looking at the change within the city once that goes through would CPD then say yes this meets the um the uh east area plans um explain that to me because i i know that we are looking in tandem to change that to increase more density on lots which is exactly what this person is doing that has not heard as yet yeah um explain what the timing is on this um so I think if I'm understanding your question like if this rezoning came after UHC um I think I guess two thoughts and I think it's a really good question um first as it's currently looking like it's going there would be the provision to allow an additional unit if the existing structure was preserved so potentially you wouldn't need a rezoning at all to do what he's hoping to do you would be able to build that second primary unit um however if this application came forward after UHC just looking for a smaller lot size um I haven't I don't think we've discussed that um but just thinking out loud the plan pretty clearly states that no additional primary unit should be allowed except as part of that future regulatory process so I think the recommendation would still stand um even more confused now but if we voted this down if this is a no tonight he's not able to can he come back um and go through a zoning process before 12 months or does he have to wait him in 12 month cooling off whatever you call it period.

We wouldn't be able to come back if somehow this doesn't pass tonight within 12 months I believe there's a period yes away if you like it.

Good afternoon with CPD.

So yes so there is like the 12 month if they applied for exactly the same district it needs to wait the 12 months um but as Joe was saying like hopefully the the goal of the unlocking housing choice would be that he wouldn't need the rezoning just for from from my edification can you remind me kind of the proposed timeline for that change.

So it's what you're looking at I mean it still has to go through several steps but yeah and that's the difficult part of it right like it's like we can't and I think that that was a little bit of the disconnect that we had with planning board.

It's like we're already actively working in this project, and of course, we want to see this happen, right?

But we can't approve something before we know what's going to be the final outcome of unlocking housing choice.

Like we have an idea of what it's going to go into phase one that we're hoping it's gonna be approved by the end of the year, and then there's going to be phase two that it's gonna approve a second part of the project.

But we can't say for certain at this point that these exact case is gonna be allowed before the rezoning before the project is approved.

So that's why that's the struggle.

Okay.

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Lewis, thank you.

Um, so on the slides where you discuss the parcel area analysis.

I see that there are a number of smaller lots on the surrounding blocks, and so can DP uh CPD excuse me explain why you all have interpreted this as not being part of the established pattern.

Is it strictly a numbers inquiry?

Can you just speak a bit more about that?

Absolutely.

So when we analyze these and we see more of these in pre-applications than we do in applications, um, we look at the adjacent blocks, so the ones that are immediately surrounding the block in question.

Um I don't know if we can.

Okay.

Um so in that case, with our interpretation of that language of surrounding blocks, which is an interpretation.

Um, it's just the blocks directly to the north, to the west, to the east, to the south, and the northwest, southwest, et cetera.

So the blocks that you see that are farther north from the property are not in the surrounding blocks that we're looking at.

It's just the one the the only units that fit the pattern of smaller lots that are actually adjacent, are the ones on the block and the ones to the east.

So the ones to the north are just not close enough for our interpretation.

So, what would what would it look like on this map for the pattern to be established?

Or with those land?

Yeah, it would look like most of the blocks looking like the block to the east.

Most of the blocks surrounding the property would look like the block directly to the east, which has four of those smaller lot sizes, all right.

Um, and what would precipitate that?

Like, how do you get to that outcome if if the if you all make the recommendation not to do that, but the planning board makes the recommendation too, then what does how do you begin to establish that pattern?

Yeah, um, it's difficult to establish a new pattern um without rezoning properties.

There are a lot of places in the city which do just naturally have more small lot properties.

Um I know there's been four or five of these that we've brought forward with a recommendation of approval, but it's just analyzing what's on the ground now.

It's I don't know how you would establish a new pattern without going through the neighborhood planning process or getting that significant neighborhood support to intend to set the new pattern.

Okay, those are the only questions I have.

Seeing no other council members in the queue.

The public hearing is closed.

Comment by members of council on council bill 25 2138.

Councilman Lewis, do you want me to call on you first?

Well that's what we have.

I had to keep it hard.

We have established technologies, no, my friend.

Sorry about that.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um this is a really hard one because we we want more housing.

Um, and this seems and feels like an easy way to get it, right?

Um I think we can all agree with that.

The challenge here, having sat through the East Area Plan before I planning process and community outreach process, even the last like a year before I was even elected, um, is that the community was pretty specific about the land use recommendations that came.

And I for those of you guys who sit in Tuesday afternoon committee, you heard this is what I was talking about today.

This is the kind of thing I was talking about today.

The East Area Plan started the conversation in 2018.

It's 2026, that was eight years ago.

It was approved in 2022.

End of 2021.

End of 2021.

That's during COVID.

Five years.

Yeah, it might have been an end of 2020.

Yeah.

During COVID.

We're gonna be fair and say five years, right?

Um and the fact that nothing has been done on the recommendation, um, that's the conversation started on in 2018, almost a decade ago, and was approved and implemented half a decade ago.

It's it's just incredibly frustrating.

So this for those of you who were there today, this is what I was talking about, right?

Um, and now we see the outcomes of what happens when that doesn't get um implemented and those changes don't get made that are promised in an area plan.

Because now we sit here with a really good plan with a really good progress.

I still have to be a no on this today, which stinks because I don't want to be a no.

I want to be a yes, but if we set the precedent that we are making exceptions to what our land use plans say, those exceptions will never stop because we are setting a precedent, and it is so unfair to people who have come before, who have had their uh plans denied or restructured, and people who will come after who will have their plans denied or restructured, um, just because we want this one and we want to vote yes on this one, and so um I certainly understand is coming from in recognition recommending a denial, and I support that.

I also certainly understand where the planning board was coming from in recommending approval, and so um this is a tough one, but for us to go against the recommendation um of CPD, create a precedent for uh a land use area that is not um consistent with our adopted plans and to do it in a way um that undermines and overrides a process that we're in the middle of right now when it comes to unlocking housing choices.

I think it's just uh it's our responsibility to make sure that we are um being fair and that and we have these criteria because following that criteria makes it fair to everyone who comes through.

It just really stinks because this is a really good one.

I really like to vote yes on this, but I'll be a no.

Thanks, Councilmember Flynn.

Well, I'm sure I probably couldn't have said it any better than Councilmember Sawyer, uh, so I'll just kind of add on.

It's very important that we be consistent.

Following our adoptive plans because if we're going to do if we're gonna recognize it, well, this isn't wholly consistent with blueprint or the East Area plan, but we'll approve it anyway because we like it.

Then why are we going out to the public and asking them they're in adopting plans based on our input?

What future is and so uh representing uh uh part of the city that's had two MPIs, one that's now been adopted and one that's coming to the uh shortly.

Well, that's the way this seems to happen because we don't know what UHC will recommend.

And I'd hate to see us break or start to establish that pattern.

Uh that only exists in a few places, in the surrounding area, uh just because we like it now, I don't think that's appropriate for us.

One thing we shorten the criteria down to three, but the most important one is consistency with adopted plans.

No, it's in our face, right here.

This is not consistent.

With adopted plans, I don't believe that that I really have a choice.

I guess because I I like it, and so I'm joining you in board now.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Council member Hank.

Thank you, Madam President.

I agree that this is a uh this is a tough conversation.

Obviously we want housing uh we also want to make sure that we are following adoptive plans which we have to accept that uh these adaptive plans are based on what neighbors want and neighborhoods want.

I sat on Blueprint 2019 so that gives me a little bit more context on that particular adopted plan than um than many of the others um you know uh blueprint 2019 was a reboot it was actually based on blueprint 2002 and the the biggest change between the two blueprint 2002 and 2019 I believe was uh blueprint 2002 had areas of change and areas of stability and by 2019 we were in such a housing dearth such a housing crisis that uh blueprint 29 got rid of the idea of areas of stability and with the uh with the overarching goal of we should have housing uh a housing density that is um uh respectful of the neighborhood so um you know I was a obviously I was a candidate in uh the 2019 election um there were comments about how uh I said I want density um particularly downtown and areas that um that that support density and and I again today if someone were to ask for a 50 story apartment building downtown I'd say that's great uh doesn't make sense in Congress Park which is in District 10 doesn't make sense in in uh in east colfax either but um but you know the the the idea is let's put density where density is is warranted and um and then as far as uh consistency uh you know I think all of us have served on council long enough even the um the the first term folks to know that these uh these planning documents are huge and um and there are sometimes ways to uh to come up with the the three criteria and find ways to support a rezoning because of the three criteria or to say no to the zoning because of the three criteria which is part of what makes it difficult for us to uh to cast these votes but at the at the end of the day um you know council because we are a body of 13 um and because we're elected by our peers we are meant to uh and entrusted with making the hard decisions and deciding um you know how we interpret how the community interpreted the uh the the guiding document so um i wasn't there for the east area plan i was also uh I was I was busy with the East Central Area Plan which was uh just to the west of the East area plan um but I would say the huge overarching principle for Blueprint 2019 was we need density commensurate with the neighborhood and um and I see an opportunity here for us to have uh two homes where there is currently one we're not putting in a 50 story building uh we're not even putting in a two uh you know 10-story building or whatever these are two potential either one or two uh single family homes and I believe that was the overarching intent of blueprint 2019 and um and so I I'm gonna support it.

I think we should have uh additional density that's commensurate with the neighborhood.

Uh might be the minority, might be the majority, don't know.

But um, but I'm gonna vote yes on this uh because while rents uh and uh um land values are are kind of coming down a little bit in Denver, we are still one of the most unaffordable cities in the nation, and uh we'll have to come you know, rent rate rates will have to come down quite a bit more for us to become in line with the average rents for uh uh for our country.

So uh I'll be yes tonight.

Thank you, Madam President.

Councilmember Watson.

I'll say I like it now.

Um I I think what is being presented um is my interpretation of kind of the the adopted plan.

Um I I know that the community in which you live, um, that the as far as this being something that that is um a value to the community that is also one of the criteria that we're looking at, and I think that it's matches.

Um I this I do have a struggle with the inconsistency in um planning board being so clear unanimous and CPD and then UHC as I read and interpret each of the steps, the stages we're going through.

I am seeing that this fits um uh where that's going as well.

Um so uh just wanted to say that this one um read us over and over.

Um, and so uh this one was not a slam dunk for me.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis.

Thanks.

I appreciate this.

Um so I'm actually in favor of this rezoning.

I think that the proposal actually does meet an established pattern of development based on the personal analysis slide we were shown earlier in this presentation, and therefore does not require an exception.

It is consistent in my mind with the plan guidance as well to the extent that the blueprint Denver does that blueprint Denver says more plan guidance is needed for low residential areas, and we are working on that with the unlocking child housing choices that we've heard about.

I find it arbitrary that we would deny this tonight when we know that guidance is in the works and this denial tonight could have been accepted in the near future.

While nothing about the surrounding conditions of the neighborhood will have changed in that time, I would also like to second Councilwoman Sawyer's frustration over the lack of progress with the follow-up plans, and we'll work in whatever way we need to move those along.

The neighbors in the neighborhood association are in strong support of this proposal, and I wish to honor that support based on increasing housing in the public interest as well as the best interest of the city.

So thank you.

Thank you.

See no other comments from my colleagues.

I'm gonna be a no tonight.

I don't agree with going against CPD when they provide plan guidance.

Um I voted no consistently in Councilwoman Nelbe.

There's his district for the same exact reason.

I just feel like so I won't be supporting this this evening.

Madam Secretary, on council, five twenty-one thirty-eight.

Council members hides.

Aye.

I'll be in there.

Aye, Lynn Mary.

Gonzalez Cortier.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Nay.

Sawyer?

Nay.

Torres?

Watson?

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Nay.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

Five ayes, six nays.

Five eyes, six nays.

Six nays.

Council Bill 252138 has failed.

On Monday, March 16, 2026, council will hold a required public hearing on Council Bill 260081, changing the zoning classification for 385 South Zunai in Athmar Park.

Any protests against Council Bill 260081 must be filed with the council offices no later than noon on Monday, March 9th, 2026.

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