Good morning, everyone.

Thank you for taking the time to join us for Denver City's council meeting.

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish.

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

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Hello, everyone.

Thank you for having us.

My name is Sam Guzman with the CLC.

Joining you virtually through Zoom and along with my colleague Jasmine.

We'll be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

Please allow me a quick minute.

While I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, February 23rd, 2026.

Council members, please join me in the pledge of allegiance.

We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the land that we got 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.

Here Cashman.

Here 13 members present.

There are 13 members present.

Council has a quorum.

Approval of the minutes.

Are there corrections to the minute for February 17th?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements this afternoon?

Councilwoman Albidrasan to start us off.

Great.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I want to invite everyone to attend a performance by Modus Theater in District 7 this Saturday at 1 p.m.

at HQ, located at 60 South Broadway.

Modus Theater is a Denver-based nonprofit that brings powerful autobiographical monologues to the stage and does improv theater.

This is an improv theater performance.

Which are improvise live on stage by MODIS Theater Playback Ensemble.

This event creates a space for transforming, for transformative listening and civic dialogue at a time when immigrant communities face harmful rhetoric.

Come witness how these stories change lives and learn about your neighbors.

I think that's something that's really important and appreciate his support of that measure.

I also just want to acknowledge that this is the same administration that in 2024 came to us for millions of dollars worth of incentives for a data center in the GES community and don't want to erase that past.

Finally, I also want to acknowledge the people of Mexico during this deeply complex and painful moment.

I think a lot of us have seen what is playing out on social media and on the news currently with extreme violence.

This reality is that the impacts of organized crime and drug trafficking do not stop at the border.

The United States also plays a huge role in this shared crisis through the demand for drugs that fuel cartel power, through the flow of weapons that too often make their way south, and through political decisions that reverberate far beyond our own communities.

We must be honest about that interconnected responsibility.

And my heart is with the families that are trying to stay safe and trying to have food and water and fuel during this time.

It's been really heartbreaking to see a beautiful place that I love, Puerto Vallarta, in flames, and I just want to acknowledge that.

Thank you, Councilburg.

Thank you so much.

Councilman.

Thank you, Madam President.

Two things that I want to make sure uh community has on their calendar.

This Saturday, several of us are participating on a town hall for electeds representing Northwest and West Denver.

This will feature our house rep, three members from Denver City Council, and two of our DPS board members.

And it begins at noon.

I'll make sure to post that on my social media.

But for right now, it is available on Cecilia Spinoza's Instagram account for finding the location.

So I hope to see folks attending that one.

And then Broncos Community Benefits Agreement meeting, having a focus group this Friday at 5 30 p.m.

regarding housing services and displacement.

So if you have any questions about that, please feel free to reach out to our office.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council person.

Thank you.

I wanted to give a quick update to the council and members of the public.

In January, when we were celebrating the proclamation for the anniversary of the National Western Stock Show, a young woman, her name is Justice Maldonado.

She and her grandmother came and joined us and shared her perspective regarding the Western heirs and how she was treated and that basically the Westerners were reenacting a homicide live with young children dressing up as American Indian people and cavalry officers and enacting this.

And it's been at past stock shows, but that particular evening we had the new CEO of the National Western Stock Center here and his wife, and we did some follow-up with Justice and the community, and on Saturday, Justice's grandmother sent me this text, and Justice spoke about the immense pain and trauma that she experienced being in the Western Airs because she wanted to learn about horses.

She wanted to increase that skill.

She did not realize that there was going to be a cultural aspect of it that was very, very outdated.

And so I am happy to report that the Western Airs board has decided to halt any continuing native dance or programming.

It will no longer continue as of February 2026.

And so I appreciate this council bearing witness to justice speaking on camera on panel eight.

Um that went a long, long way, and we've made an enacted change.

Ultimately, I think the desire would be that it's not an erasure of history by just saying they're not going to do it anymore.

I think that this may be upon further reflection.

Hopefully, there is an opportunity to listen to more young people and families injustice and um her family to do better in this space and not have that erasure.

And so wanted to let this council know that information.

And then we had an amazing town hall last Wednesday with Senator Coleman, Representative Bacon, um, and uh the new DPS school board member Monica Hunter.

Uh it was really well attended.

And then my final item is based on everything that we're seeing uh with the federal government and societally, um, want to continue people to be very vocal about the purchase of warehouses and further detention centers across the United States.

Because when you track those maps and look at what is trying to happen out on the Northeastern Plains, it is creating a detention industrial complex that these contracts and this work will possibly go far beyond this administration, and so um wanting to raise that as far as an issue, and hopefully either the council or in a regional approach with other city councils and other mayors making those um asks, and ultimately the governor pushing back on those detention centers uh in the entire United States, but specifically in Colorado because of the history and showing what they've shown on TV that is not being seen in any shape or form, and it really calls further into question the human rights violations that are taking place in these detention centers.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Coach Member Mayor Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I just wanted to acknowledge the uh councilwoman Gilmore for having justice and the change within the Western Airs.

That's a really big deal, and I look forward to kind of that next step of when the halting of what activities were happening, but then also thinking of what can they do with the little future.

Um that's pretty exciting.

Uh I wanted to invite uh folks in the district and golfers and others this Thursday to the Kennedy Golf uh Clubhouse uh visioning of what it's gonna be.

There's gonna be a new clubhouse um at the golf course, which is a big deal.

Um they have talked about having um and incorporating public space um there as well uh for community to gather, and we have such a limited um uh space in Southeast Denver that is um that is our public space.

So I just want to encourage everyone to go 5 30 to 7 weigh in on the design and what that final um uh clubhouse will look like.

And it's gonna be at Kennedy Golf Course at the clubhouse Thursday, 5 30 to 7.

I said 9.

Ooh, that's too long.

5 30 to 7.

Thanks.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, tomorrow evening, uh Tuesday, February 24th from 5 30 to 7 p.m.

We're having a meeting at core site um to discuss uh data centers.

Uh all are encouraged to attend.

We'll have members from the city from core site from XL from Denver Water to engage in this discussion.

Uh Geotech is located at 2650 East 40th Avenue.

We look forward to community coming out uh to this very important discussion.

Uh two comments.

First, um, thank you to the governor and to the mayor for finally lowing lowering the flags in honor of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Um it's uh definitely a delayed response.

We didn't have to wait for the federal government to do this.

Um, we should have done it on our own, but I appreciate uh Governor Polis and Mayor Johnston making a decision today to start that and for it to be lowered through the end of the month.

A similar story of um impact to African American community today.

Uh, February 23rd marks the sixth year of the murder of Ahmad Aubrey.

Ahmad Aubrey was running in Georgia in a neighborhood next to his.

He was hunted down and shot and killed.

Um that struck me directly as a runner as well.

Um I run through communities.

I've shared with this city council the steps that I take when I run, even in Denver.

Um my husband knows where I'm at.

Um he has a track on me as far as find um define the app on my phone to know exactly where I'm running to make sure that I am safe.

Even today, as I'm running up through Park Hill.

If I see a person that's not a person of color, I yell at the top of my lungs on your left, so that I don't startle them to the point that they think I'm running after them.

It's a damn shame that I have to do that.

But it is the truth.

Um, once Amart Aubrey was killed, um, the week after I got together with some other black runners, and we um renewed the Black Men Run Denver um here um in in Denver.

I want to thank um uh Jeff Armstrong and all the other brothers that have continued um the um uh black men run Denver.

I think there are about 60 or 70 runners this past weekend in honor of Ahmad Aubrey.

So today in our lives, um, the levels of racial prejudice and actually um looking at black men as a danger instead of as a community member uh persist and that persistence uh can mean death to many of us.

And so keeping in mind Reverend Jackson and what he believed in.

Thank you for lowering the flags and remembering uh the life and death in the murder of Amar Aubrey, I think is important this month of Black History Month and every month.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Cashman.

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

Um April 1st is uh normally a day of tricks, and uh District 6 is gonna give you a couple hours of treats instead that evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

at Cook Park Recreation Center.

We're hosting our annual academy in the community.

Uh, this is the opportunity for residents to come out and speak to city agencies face to face, get questions answered rather than get your uh messages lost uh in in city hall somewhere.

Uh we'll have representatives of the Department of Transportation Infrastructure, Parks and Rec, Planning, uh, parks, uh excuse me, Denver Mountain Parks, Police Fire Sheriff, Public Health and Environment, outside partners like Denver Water, XL Energy, a whole bunch.

It's a great evening, and uh uh come on out and face-to-face time with the people who can answer important questions for you.

Again, April 1st, 6 to 8 p.m., Cook Park Recreation Center.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Gonzalez could get us.

Oh, I'm up.

I think Councilwoman Lewis is before me.

Oh, sorry, Councilman.

Um, I just wanted to make a quick announcement about uh joint town hall.

Um, with the leaders of my community, um, some of them Syndrome Park, um United Neighbors, the East Colfax Community Collective, Mount Bellow 2020, the Greater Park Hill community, and I'm probably missing one, and I do apologize to them.

Uh, the Northeast, um, near Northeast Coalition, excuse me.

They are holding a joint town hall tomorrow on February 24th from 6 30 to 8 30 p.m.

Um at the Mosaic Campus, which is on 17th Avenue in Quebec.

And so would encourage all of my neighbors to attend this joint town hall.

We'll be hearing from um Jotti as well as uh a number of other city agencies as well as having a resource there for folks um who are in need of resources.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Sales Cutters.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I just want to thank uh everybody that showed up at the Lunar New Year's celebration.

There were a lot of people there.

It's probably the biggest one that we've seen yet.

Councilwoman Torres.

It is.

And it was beautiful to get to uh do the unveiling of the mural uh on the side of the building, and then to see them get their historic designation from History Colorado for the Far East Center.

Um, just really exciting weekend.

Um, and I'm also really appreciative of the work uh the panel that Councilwoman Watson and I sat on that morning for the Colorado Black Round Table.

Um I think there are a lot of people recording that, so there might be some information out there for more folks, and this was in regards to Flock.

Um, and uh the the last thing I want to do is just as a I guess a personal privilege is to wish my daughter a happy 15th birthday as my middle child.

Um, and so I want to make sure she gets you know all the recognition.

And I wrote her this quote in in her card this morning, um, a quote from Oprah.

Uh always remember you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.

Um, she is um in soccer high school soccer tryouts today, so of course, on her birthday doing tryouts.

So, as we know, um many of us have to wear different hats and do a lot make take on a lot, even on our birthdays.

So wishing her a happy birthday.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Happy birthday to your daughter.

Councilmember Hines.

Thank you, Madam President.

I want to uh my colleagues, man.

There are a lot of uh important and heavy announcements uh today.

So thank you for um uh for tuning in and thank you to my colleagues for uh for naming so many heavy topics.

Um I'll just uh uh open and say that I believe that housing is a human right, and it's important that we all have access to housing and that it is a shared responsibility uh throughout the city of Denver and frankly in the Denver metro area too.

Uh I did not call off 260118 uh for comments uh because uh frankly I'd love for it to stay on consent.

And uh, but I did want to take a moment in announcements to say that I'm very excited to see that uh that we are working on another 133 income restricted units uh through a loan from the city of Denver to um uh Northeast Denver Housing Center that will be in the uptown neighborhood.

And uh so I'm I I think that um it is a shared responsibility, but I also believe that District 10 being uh close to the center city, close to jobs, close to resources, close to health care, and uh and close to shopping.

Uh, uptown at 1600 block of pearl will be an amazing spot for another 133 income restricted units.

Uh thank you to my colleagues for not calling it off.

Um, it will uh go through unanimously on consent.

And uh so thank you for uh to my colleagues for supporting uh housing as a human rights and um and thank you to the city of Denver for being willing to provide a loan to Northeast Denver Housing Center uh so that we can have more housing in our center city.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

One of the bills that is um on first reading is Councilman Sawyer and I are sponsoring a budget reporting ordinance um that is focused on good governance, transparency, and building a shared understanding of the city's financial health.

It will require quarterly reporting to city council.

So on our announcements today, when we have communications, it would be part of there.

Um and the usage of the general fund performance will be and the usage of on call contracts in a standardized clear and accessible format.

Um so thank you, Councilwoman Sawyer for working on that with us.

I also want to um there is some cool things that are happening in Northwest Denver.

Um, the community is invited to attend a public meeting regarding the proposed Little Italy of Denver Historic District in Northwest Denver, and it's Thursday, February 26th at St.

Mount Carmel.

Mount Carmel.

I think Gina, that's correct.

Gina, if you're hearing me, and it's not 3517 Navajo Street.

Um this meeting is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and your voices on an opinion on this important topic.

And um to piggyback off of Councilwoman Alvidres, I have some friends I know who are stuck in Puerto Vallarta right now.

I have some family members who are being impacted.

I have friends, family members who are being impacted, and so my thoughts are with everyone, and I care deeply about the well-being of those communities here and remain hopeful for the most positive outcome possible.

So just want to keep Mexico, which is just our neighbor, in our thoughts and prayers, and that everybody can work together to get home peacefully.

I know a couple who have reached out to me, a couple of my constituents who are literally stuck there.

So thank you all.

And I, that's all the communications, that's all the announcements.

There are no presentations, there are no communications.

There's one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Councilmember Lewis, would you please read proclamation 0197?

Yes, thank you.

Whereas Kwanzaa is a sacred cultural celebration born from African heritage and stewarded within the African American community as an intentional affirmation of identity, dignity, and collective memory.

Guided by the Nguzu Saba.

I don't want to get any of these wrong, so I'm gonna take my time.

Principles that call communities to live with purpose, accountability, and cultural pride.

And whereas, since 1968, African American families in Denver gathered within their homes to rotate nightly Kwanzaa celebrations, transforming living rooms into sacred cultural spaces where education, ritual, storytelling, and ancestral remembrance were lovingly preserved and passed forward.

Whereas, as these gatherings expanded beyond the walls of family homes, Denver's historic Five Points community emerged as a collective sanctuary for celebration, a cultural heartbeat where African American heritage, artistry, and communal responsibility responsibility could flourish in shared space.

And whereas Denver's Kwanzaa tradition has been shaped by visionary African-American cultural stewards, including nationally acclaimed Griot, Opalonga Pond, Pew, excuse me, Kent and Jerry Grimes, Mary Ayers, and generations of elders and organizers whose leadership safeguarded the integrity of the celebration and ensured its evolution remained rooted in the ancestral reverence and community care.

And whereas Denver's observance is distinguished by ending cultural enduring cultural expressions that honor creativity and lineage, including open and night celebrations at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater, the nightly lighting of the 12-foot Grand Canara.

If you haven't seen it, you should.

First constructed in 1991, a senior luncheon celebrating elders as living vessels of wisdom, and Opalanga's big dance, each ritual reflecting the joy, resilience, and artistic brilliance of African American cultural life.

And whereas Denver's Circle of Wisdom stands as a living council of African American elders, inducted each year to embody accountability, affirmation, and guardianship of community well-being, ensuring that cultural leadership remains anchored in lived experience and intergenerational responsibility.

And whereas Denver's Circle of Ancestors honors those who have transitioned, elders who walk in wisdom during their lifetime or were recognized, affirming their ancestral presence continues to protect, guide, and spiritually fortify the community through remembrance and ritual.

And whereas each Kwanzaa gathering in Denver is intentionally curated as a site of cultural education and sacred continuity where Kwanzaa teachings preserve African American heritage, libations, honor ancestral lineage and intergenerational experiences, both elders and children, as keepers of memory and architects of the future.

And whereas the city and county of Denver recognizes that this African American Kwanzaa tradition is not merely a celebration, but a living act of cultural preservation, healing artistry, and collective affirmations, a testament to the enduring strength, creativity, and legacy of African-American community life.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the Denver City Council proudly honors and affirms the African American Kwanzaa tradition carried in the city and county of Denver since 1968, recognizing the generations of families, elders, artists, educators, and cultural stewards whose devotion has sustained this sacred observance.

Be it further proclaimed that the Denver City Council expresses profound gratitude and reverence for the Denver Kwanzaa Committee, Denver Circle of Wisdom, and the Circle of Ancestors whose leadership and ancestry or presence continue to guide this living tradition.

Be it further proclaimed that the city and county of Denver acknowledges Kwanzaa as a powerful expression of African American heritage, resilience, and communal responsibility, and celebrates the values it embodies as pillars of cultural continent and civic vitality.

Sorry, Mr.

Sword.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis.

Councilmember Lewis, your motion to adopt.

I move that we adopt proclamation number 260197.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis.

Okay, Councilmember Parity.

Thank you.

I just wanted to say I one of the um resonances that I have with the seven Kwanzaa Values is with another, I think, related um historical and cultural concept from Southern Africa, which is Ubuntu, which I know you all will be well aware of.

I um was lucky enough to spend a lot of time in South Africa um during some college law school when I was learning about the world.

Um, and that concept to me, that idea that um you're human through other humans, like humanity is relational, and you're only a person through other people, um, I think is just um one of the most beautiful um expressions of humanity that I've ever encountered, and it's um something that I've just taken on as a value.

Um, and I love that particular, I love that word for it.

Um I think the seven Kwanzaa principles um also circle around that idea and reflect it so beautifully.

So I just am so glad we have this proclamation tonight, and um, one of the things I love is learning a little more about um, considering that I'm not from here, um, obviously I'm not from any black community anywhere.

Um, I don't know the history of of these things in Denver, um, and so I've learned some things tonight that um as a council member I should know, and I'm glad to know.

Thank you all for coming, and thank you so much, Councilmember Lowe's for putting this together, um, because we haven't had it before, so thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember, and thank you, Councilmember Lewis, for sponsoring this, and um, the Virgin Islands.

Um, we did not, as I was growing up, uh, Councilmember Parity have this as part of our tradition.

Um, it was only upon moving to Colorado in 1987, of which I heard of Kwanzaa.

Um, and I think the importance of Kwanzaa uh the unifying peace rooted in our elders, and not just simply uh their stories, but their lives, and then also inspiring our youth to take that experience, take that love and to take our culture forward, I think is essential.

So we'd love to thank all of the folks who put this on every year in Five Points, which is the rooted home, no matter how gentrified or displaced our community is.

Five points is five points, and it is an honor that you all have chosen to keep it there, and that you continue to do that good work there.

So, thank you all so much for being here tonight, and thank you, Councilmember Lewis, for sponsoring us.

Absolutely.

Thank you, Councilmember Gilmer.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, it's always good, no matter what, to hear elders' names spoken in public places, um, you know, uh Charlotte and myself and Scott way back when we're at the Colorado Division of Wildlife, now Parks and Wildlife, and I remember Opalanga talking to students when we would take them camping, when we take them fishing.

I remember one time we stood out in a rainstorm at Rocky Mountain National Park, and she had her staff, and she told stories far into the night, and everyone was just raptured by what she was.

It was a special, special moment.

And so thank you so much, Councilwoman Lewis, for allowing us to speak elders' names, um, and know that there's many, many other thousands, if not millions.

We know millions that um that appreciate this recognition.

So thank you, Council President.

Councilwoman Lewis, thank you.

Um I lost my notes, so I'm just gonna have to speak for my heart.

Um, I remember the first time I learned about Kwanzaa, and I was well into adulthood when I learned about Kwanzaa.

Um, and there was some shame around that because I felt like as a kid this was something that should have been taught specifically around the principles because they're such powerful principles to be able to really ground your life in.

Um, and so I have a deep appreciation for it.

I also have a deep appreciation for the work that you all have done to keep uh Kwanzaa alive and running.

And I had such a beautiful opportunity to attend um one of the days of Kwanzaa just this year, and it is so sacred and so beautiful and so heartwarming, and a place that you all just pour into community, and you could see folks coming out of their houses trying to figure out what the heck was happening each day.

And so I just really appreciate that.

So thank you for um pouring into community in such a special way and really grounding community in these shared principles and keeping the names of folks alive in order to be able to do this work.

Um I just really really appreciate it.

So thanks for the invitation.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, roll call, council members Heinz.

Hi.

Albitres?

Hi, Flynn?

Hi.

Gilmore?

Hi.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

Aye.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity?

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer?

Aye.

Torres, aye.

Watson?

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announced the results.

Thirteen ayes.

Thirteen ayes.

Proclamation 0197 has been adopted.

We now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Lewis, who will you be inviting up to accept the proclamation?

I wanted to write up the circle of wisdom.

And then when you all come up, if you all introduce yourselves, because I'd love for folks to know your names and attach it to the wonderful work you do.

Good afternoon.

My name is Mariko Luckman.

My name is Dorothy and King Hyphen Stockton.

And we have five generations here in Denver in five points, our family.

My name is Carlette Calla Green, and um the Styles African American Heritage Center, which you guys honored earlier this month, is the home of the Denver Kwanzaa Committee, which we are proud.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Lee Steed, and um I am a part of the Circle of Wisdom.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Um Minister Daryl J.

Walker and part of the Circle of Wisdom.

And it is an honor to be here to serve, but also to be appreciated the work, and as you say, all of the principles of Kwanzaa that are not for just black people, for everybody, the human race.

That's right.

That's exciting.

Thank you.

My name is John Marsh.

If you look at my birth certificate, I'm referred to as Kojo Babutu Alameyu, warrior and peacemaker for the creator of all the universes.

When we speak of our festival of Kwanzaa, which is from December 26th until January 1 of each year.

However, with that being said, the purpose of Kwanzaa is to leave a principal every day.

365 days.

Me personally, I concentrate on Kuji Chak Aliyah.

Self-determination.

That self-determination is what makes me uh very excited being invited by this committee to speak to it.

We haven't said things beyond Opalanga Pew, we haven't said things like every year, a new group of young people step up to support us, because many of us may not be here this time next year when we're speaking of Kwanzaa.

Again, please accept that.

Every year, every day, I try to accept a specific principle.

And that principle today again is for me, Kuji Chak Aliya.

Self-determination.

And I thank the council for giving us this moment to speak publicly about what we do 365 days each year.

So I do want to thank Councilwoman Chantel Lewis for being so thoughtful and to ensure that this city slows down to understand what is being held.

Kwanzaa is absolutely something that should be practiced and observed every day of the year.

And when we are able to celebrate that at the end of the year, that's an invitation to proximity of the culture.

It is Kwanzaa is for everyone.

It is an invitation.

A lot of people will try to isolate it to just a black holiday or an alternative to Crispus, and it's never been either one.

It's always been an invitation for community to come together with intentionality because when you think about the seven principles, that is not exclusive for black community, that is for everyone.

And if we stay interconnected on those principles, we might actually start doing some things a little bit um more right than we have been.

So with that, it's an honor to just share this space with the circle of wisdom.

Um, I've been watching them since I was a little girl, and so um, and then just the way they hold the circle of ancestors.

My mother is a part of the circle of ancestors, so every year that we celebrate, I get closer to her, and so it's um an honor to be uh participatory and to um I guess be the youngin' in the room trying to keep it alive.

So with that, I'm gonna turn it over to Tahani as well.

Hi, my name is Tahani McMillan, and I'm just glad to be here with Circle of Wisdom.

I've also been involved in Kwanzaa in Five Points since I was a child.

My mother is a part of Five Points.

Opalanga Pew was um a really big mentor for me as a child, gave me my first tea party, and um just a lot of women advice.

So I'm just glad to be here and watch it come full circle.

So thank you.

Okay.

This is Maji McMillan.

She's gonna work in like 15 years.

She'll run it.

She will.

Thank you all so much.

We appreciate you.

Yeah, sorry.

So Dr.

Claudette Sweet also does a lot of work in this space, and she was hoping to be able to connect online, and she's having trouble doing so.

And so I just want to say her name in the space because she's been doing work and community for 65 plus years.

She's a fearless advocating.

Thank you all.

Madam Secretary, please breed the bills for introduction.

From the Finance and Business Committee 26-0128, a bill for an ordinance regarding financial reporting to City Council.

From the Health and Safety Committee 26-0125, a bill for an ordinance amending chapter 28 of the revised municipal code concerning law enforcement officer identification.

And from the South Platte River Committee 26-0103, a bill for an ordinance approving and accepting the Southwest Area Plan, which plan shall become a part of the comprehensive plan 2040 for the city and county of Denver, pursuant to the provisions of section 12-61 of the Denver revised municipal code.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

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

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

Yes, thank you.

Now we'll do a recap under resolutions.

Council resolution 0109 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Parity and Council Resolution 0122 has been called out for count for questions.

Sorry, for questions by Councilmember Lewis.

Under bills for introduction, Council Bill 0125 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Alvidres and Lewis.

Under five bills for final consideration, Council Bill 0096 has been called out for comment by Councilmember Sawyer and Gilmore.

Under pending no items have been called out.

Madam Secretary, you've put the first item on our screens.

Council Bill 0125, a bill for an ordinance amending chapter 28 of the revised municipal code concerning law enforcement officers identification.

Madam President, since Councilwoman Lewis isn't in the room, could we possibly swap that with Councilman Gilmore and I to give her a little bit more time to take a photo?

Because I know that she would hate to miss the opportunity to comment on that.

Please put the next item on our screens.

Council Bill 0096, a bill for an ordinance amending chapter 53 of the revised municipal code concerning property tax assistant payments.

Councilmember Sawyer, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 260096.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I want to just first start by thanking Councilmember Gilmore and our staff for all of their hard work on this.

So tonight is second reading of the updates to our property tax ordinance.

This is something Councilman Gilmore and I have been working on since 2023.

So we're real happy that the night is finally here.

Um that we get to celebrate it.

So for those watching at home, Denver has a property tax ordinance that is a rebate program for qualifying residents of Denver.

Um so you can go on our Department of Housing Stability website.

You can fill out an application if you would like to remember that they it's a rebate, so the program is in arrears.

So if you are filling it out now, you would be filling it out for your 2024 property taxes.

After May 1st of this year, you would be filling it out for your 2025 property taxes.

Um but it is an opportunity for us to um address and help um with the challenge of gentrification and displacement in the city of County and County of Denver, which we know is a significant problem.

Um so the changes that Councilwoman Gilmore and I have made are changes um that help open up the program to more people, to more homeowners in specific, and provide an opportunity to really.

This is really actually our only tool in the city and county of Denver to address gentrification and displacement of property owners, which, and we know we're property owners, where the challenge is there is that that is generational wealth, right?

If someone is forced out of their home because they cannot afford their property taxes, then they lose that asset and they lose the wealth growth associated with that asset for all of the generations behind them who may come.

So that's what we mean when we're talking about generational wealth and when we're talking about gentrification and displacement.

And so councilwoman Gilmore, I will let you speak, but I just want to um flag for we're not uh asking for a vote, just comments today.

We know that all of our fellow council members support it, so it's gonna go through in consent, but really excited in the work that we have done and um to where we are with our property tax rebate program as our opportunity to really help support our homeowners in the city of Denver to ensure that we are doing everything we can to address gentrification and displacement.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gilmer.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh thank you, Councilwoman Sawyer.

Uh, we got here a long time for us to, I think, educate the administration on the program, but then also the program was sitting within Denver Human Services, and so we had to move it out of Denver Human Services, move it over to host, and as we were um sharing all of the information, um, when we started this program, the city didn't even have a housing division.

Post was was didn't exist, and so looking at far how how far we've come as a city, but that also uh homeowners are one of those populations that we don't have a lot of programs either at the city or at the state to really help them out, and so um, super excited to get this uh passed and get the information out to others who it might help more broadly and want to thank um the host staff, um Ian and Melissa, along with the Denver Human Services staff as well, and of course our council aides and councilmember Soyer.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, Council Bill 0125, a bill for an ordinance amending chapter 28 of the revised municipal code concerning law enforcement officers.

Councilmember Alvidres, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 0125.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you specifically for all your support on this and helping us get this through your experience came in very handy.

Um, very grateful for that.

And Councilwoman Lewis, thank you so much for all your work and tell my colleagues I'm really grateful that we're at this place at this time when like Councilwoman Parity said that we took it for granted that law enforcement wasn't wearing masks, and it's not anything that we ever planned or thought of passing, but uh until last year when we started seeing masked agents harassing people across our country and even before we saw anyone get murdered.

So thank you, Councilwoman Lewis, for being a partner in this foresight, and I appreciate all the collaboration from that administration and the city attorney's office as well.

That's all.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

Um, really appreciate the work that I hope we were able to do Councilwoman Al Vidros as well as the support from Council President and the rest of the folks on council.

Um, I did want to just name a few things, and I I think we talked about this a bit during Mayor Council, but just to underscore it, um, that what we during committee there were some concerns from the administration about some changes and and how to ensure that we can make this legislation operational, excuse me.

Um, and so some of those changes included removing the 25-foot requirement, um, additionally removing the penalty for impersonating an officer, which we heard some concerns about, and then clarifying some language about the culpability.

Um, and so just wanted to um name those things, and I believe that these changes um have been acceptable acceptable to my council colleagues as well as the administration, in order for us to be able to keep folks safe.

And I want to say for community, because I've heard this sentiment is because we're putting these measures in place, doesn't mean that we agree with the way that ICE is still handling folks in our community, or that we are in agreement with um circumventing due process and kidnapping from folks from our streets.

Like this is a both and conversation where we're trying to figure out where we have some influence and opportunity, and that we are against these inhumane uh treatment that's happening within our cities and that we're preparing for such.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Council President.

I want to thank once again both sponsors, and I also want to speak quite honestly.

I think there was a thought process that this bill was controversial.

It's never been for me controversial.

The idea that folks would mask um without clear authority are picking up folks in our community and taking them outside of the regular process.

It's not um controversial that they shouldn't be wearing mask.

That's a minimum.

If you are going to engage or contact a community member, they should be able to see your face.

If you're going to engage in lethal force against a member of our community, they should be able to see your face.

So I never saw this as a controversial piece.

I saw this as an important step that both of you took for um to lead on, and I appreciate your leadership.

Grateful for um the opportunity to support that and grateful that this is going to go through tonight.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just want to say thank you to the sponsors.

There were lots of moving pieces.

Um, least, yeah, just if I did put it eloquently, lots of moving pieces, and I just appreciated you.

Um I think I contacted you really late on a Friday, and I asked you if you could both hop on a call, and I think I heard back from you immediately, and we hopped on a call at 7:30 Saturday morning, and we made calls all weekend long to come circle back around on Monday.

Um that's what sometimes it takes is working.

And so just want to say that you two showed what it looks like to lead for the next seven generations.

Your kids will have to live with this.

My daughter and my son are thinking about this right now.

My son works in a restaurant, and he asked me the other day what would happen if someone came in masked at the his restaurant at La Casita.

I've had to talk to the Tamaleros.

What would happen outside the restaurant if someone came in masked?

And so one thing that our community wants is action, and how do you lead with leading with action?

This is how you lead with action.

So just want to commend the both of you for working with the administration and getting those um concerns that we had to so that this could pass unanimously and like Councilmember Watson said, this isn't controversial.

We just wanted it to be operational.

I wanted to make sure that we passed an ordinance that could be implemented right away as soon as the mayor signs it.

So thank you all for your steadfast work on this.

It's really amazing.

Um Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, Council Resolution 0122, a resolution approving a proposed purchase order between the city and county of Denver and Asbury Automotive Group Inc.

for the one-time purchase of replacement vehicles for the Denver Police Department citywide.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your questions on council resolution 0122.

Um yes, thank you.

So can you tell me how DPD does their asset management and how you all determine when to replace your feet fleet vehicles?

Um and is there some language that you all can add to legislature that discusses the asset management practices in the ordinance request form?

Sure.

Sure.

So if you could stop if you can first speak about how DPD does asset management.

Sure, my name is Michelle Fulmer, and I'm a commander with the Denver Police Department, and one of the things I oversee is fleet.

I also have fleet manager Jeff Navarro for access virtually.

Should we need to drill down uh even more into some numbers?

But absolutely, um, in a nutshell, the way that we do our fleet management is based on industry standards in relationship to police vehicles, because we tend to drive them just a little differently than say um a regular customer would drive a vehicle.

So the standard is five years or 75,000 miles for patrol vehicles.

Those are the marked patrol vehicles, or about seven years, 90,000 miles for our detective vehicles, and maybe our some of our more specialty unit vehicles.

The way that we also calculate the use and tear uh wear and tear on the vehicle is uh what's you unique to police is that we idle our vehicles a lot because our car is our office.

So we're out in the field um doing reports, maybe holding a scene, a traffic accident, something like that.

And so on average, our average fleet right now, about 40 to 45 percent is over 10 years old.

And the fleet replacement that we have put forth and asked for for 2026, the average mileage on those vehicles are 108,000 miles, and what we have to add to that is when we do the math for the idling time, it adds about 70,000 miles of engine wear and tear a year, so times that by for easy math for me for uh 10 years.

So we're looking at about vehicles um that we're looking to replace technically have about 700 to 800,000 miles of wear on that engine.

Thank you.

I chuckle because I um I just I haven't had a car in a very long time, but I remember the commercials um and the like the police department saying don't leave your vehicles idling, you know, during the winter, and I was like, maybe it would have been more per pervasive if you all told them that it actually adds wear and tear versus you get your car stolen.

So that's what I was laughing about.

So I wasn't laughing at the answer.

Um the second um piece of that is so how do you all um oh no, no, so the airport does a really good job of of helping us um to walk through their asset management.

And I was wondering if you all could add something like to legislar and the filed materials, just to give us an idea of of how you all are thinking about the replacement of your fleet, or um essentially what you just told me, because in my mind when I read this, I was like, didn't we just approve some police cars?

And probably, that's probably the truth.

Um, but it sounds like we're still behind, even though we're we're approving things.

Yes, council member, to give a little context, um two kind of major things, maybe three, but two major things is about 10 years ago we did a massive purchase of about you know a little bit less than 300 cars, which was great.

However, since then and historically over the last decade, we have been about 20% underfunded per year.

So that's compounding um underfunding for fleet replacement.

And so the other um good news is thank you for for hiring uh more officers.

With that, we need some more vehicles to go along with it.

So with the aging of the fleet at about 40-45 percent of the fleet being at 10 years plus and well over 100,000 miles, then we're starting to have the breakdowns.

And some of that again is you have the replacement, um, and you know, we have the the COVID years, you know.

So we had less replacement during those years, so we are behind the eight ball and trying to catch up.

So we when we did the totals and and if you if Jeff needs to speak in, um currently about a hundred and fifty-one vehicles are meeting that eligibility that need replacement because we're also looking at and and the and I have to give a shout out to the mechanics, they do an incredible job.

Our fleet management uh keeping those vehicles running.

Um but they're also doing the the uh breakdowns on how much that vehicle is costing because some some things are wearing and tearing, so the parts on the vehicles as well.

That all gets calculated into the value of the car and then also the depreciation of the car.

So that's how when um fleet manager Navarro is looking at those assets, which ones we are um trying to put on that replacement lift list to be as mindful and prudent about which ones are costing the city the most money while we're also trying to catch up with replacement.

And it's my final question.

Um, you mentioned a hundred and fifty-one of the vehicles, is that the 41 the 40 percent?

That's within that, yes.

Thank you.

That's it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next up.

Order.

Sorry, everyone.

Yeah, that was on me, I'm sorry.

That was me.

That's all of us.

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

Council resolution 0109, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Insight Public Sector Inc.

for various Microsoft software licensing for the for Denver County Court.

Councilmember Parity, please go ahead with your comments on council resolution 0109.

Yeah, I think that is it.

Um I call the soft because I just think it's worth highlighting, um, similar to how we um considered the issue with Key Lime Air, which is different in in magnitude, I would say.

But there are many private companies making choices about um allowing their products and services to be used for ice enforcement.

Um, and there was an interesting investigation trying to figure out because Microsoft is one of these just massive companies that has its tentacles and so much technology, trying to figure out whether Microsoft was doing that essentially.

Um they have they have stated as a company that the sort of the what a Microsoft's spokesperson said in response to this investigation, which I'll describe in a second, is that Microsoft's policies in terms of service do not allow our technology to be used for the mass surveillance of civilians, and we don't believe ICE is engaged in such activity.

Second clause I think is just not true.

Um, in particular, ICE is using quite a bit of facial recognition um software, and they're using that even sometimes like on the street.

Um, and it seems, according to this investigation by the Guardian, um, which is sort of the preeminent uh news organization in England, um, that on their cloud platform, which is called Azure ICE stores a lot of information there, and it probably is storing um face facial images.

So we have a ice, um, and I just think that that's the wedding.

I will keep doing that if I'm aware of contracts that we're approving with companies that are doing business with ice.

We can't get out of the ecosystem, we're too entwined with it.

It's not feasible.

Um, but I think it's at least worth commenting on publicly, so that's why I called it off because it's a choice by any corporation.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This concludes the items to be called out.

I'll bill for introduction, our order is published.

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

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

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

I move that the resolutions be adopted and bills on final consideration be placed upon final consideration and do pass in a block for the following items.

Council bills number 26-018, 0107, 0122, 0123, 0108, 1986, 0087, 0109, 0089, 0104, 0110, 0111, 0112, 0113, 0114, 0115, 0116, 0124, 0096, 0084, and 0086.

Thank you.

It has been moved executive.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Albitres.

Hi.

Glenn.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Aye.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity?

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting round for results.

13 ayes.

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

Tonight there will be a required public hearing on Council Bill 25 2020, changing the zoning classification for 2001 South Oklahoma in Overland.

A required public hearing on Council Bill 2601, changing the zoning classification for 12150, East Andrews Drive in Mont Bellow.

And a required public hearing on Council Bill 25 1069, changing the zoning classification for 1675 East 35th Avenue.

3532 North Franklin Street, 3558, North Gilkwind Street in Cole.

There are no objections from members of council.

We will recess until 5:30 before we convene our regular meeting.

Denver-based artist Jared Hankins is opening a new exhibition, Alpen Glow.

This latest body of work highlights Colorado's mountain landscapes with a focus on sunrise and sunset scenes.

Join us at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for an evening celebrating Black Joy.

The event features a screening of the award-winning short documentary Woodhood, followed by a panel discussion with Colorado-based leaders who shape outdoor culture, history, workforce development, and access.

Council will now reconvene from our early session.

As a reminder, there are two proclamations read prior to the three public hearings, as well as many individuals sign up at the public hearings.

With this and the room's capacity in mind, we request that attendees who are here for the hearing on Council Bill 1069, changing the zoning classification for 1665 East 35th Avenue and 3532 North Franklin Street and 3558 North Gilpin Street and Cole, which is the third hearing of the evening.

Please be seated in the overall overflow room, which is on the fourth floor, until the proclamations have concluded.

I'll just give us a minute to transition for a minute and let the receivers of the proclamation come on in the UK.

People who are here for the proclamation so that they could be inside the chambers.

Councilmember Watson, we're just waiting to make sure Councilmember Lewis.

Her proclamation goes first.

So we're just making sure her people are inside the room.

If there's anybody who's not here for the proclamations, if you could give up your seats just for the first like proclamation, and then we could rotate people out, it would be much appreciated.

We have the overflow room that's open on the fourth floor next to the city council chambers.

But we have a couple people who are accepting the proclamation in the back who don't have a place to sit and they won't be allowed in the room because of our uh occupancy requirements from the fire marshal.

I appreciate everybody helping to during this time of the council chambers under reconstruction.

Okay, I think we have, do you have everyone here?

I think so.

Yeah?

Okay.

I think we have three more chairs open that I can see.

Do we need three more people?

I think we have three more chairs or four, yep.

And if there's any city staff who aren't here for the proclamations, if you could just wait outside while we get the proclamations done, that'd be great.

We're not starting official city business yet.

We're we're still with the proclamations.

Okay.

We all settled.

All right, there's no unfinished business from the earlier session.

There are two proclamations being read this evening.

Councilmember Lewis, would you please read proclamation 0202?

Yes, thank you.

Uplifting black history month and the unwavering fight for freedom and justice.

Whereas the United States was built on the backs of those stolen from their lands, forcibly enslaved, and subjected to unimaginable brutality.

Their labor and sacrifices shaping the foundations of this nation, yet their contributions have often too often been minimized or erased from the narrative of American greatness.

And whereas Black History Month has its origins in the celebration of Negro History Week, first observed in 1926 to honor the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

It was advanced by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, founded in 1915 by historian Carter G.

Woodman and Minister Jesse E.

Moreland to acknowledge the enduring contributions of Black individuals to America history in a time when the country was actively attempting to erase their contributions.

Initially celebrated as a week-long event by mayors across the nation that honored the enduring legacy of black history and later expanded in the late 1960s amid the rising momentum of the civil rights movement and increasing awareness of black identity and to a full month-long observation observance, excuse me, officially designated by President Ford in 1976 and embraced by every subsequent administration.

While recognizing that the true black history is not confined to a single month, but is a daily legacy woven into the fabric of this nation and integral to understanding its present and future.

And whereas, black Americans have made unparalleled contributions to every field from pioneering advancements in science and medicines by figures such as George Washington Carver and Dr.

Mae Jeminson to shaping music, literature, and art through the works of artists like Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and John Coltrane, who have defined cultural movements and inspired the world.

And whereas Black American leaders from Harriet Tubman to Frederick Douglass from Malcolm X to Angela Davis have relentlessly fought for freedom, justice, and equality, laying the groundwork for future generations to continue the battle for civil rights and human dignity.

And whereas, Black History Month serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle of racial justice and equality, a call to action against the erasure of this history, culture and contributions of Black Americans, and a steadfast demand for a world where all people, regardless of race, have their freedom, opportunity, and respect they deserve.

And whereas, at the federal level, there is a disturbing movement to erase the acknowledgement of black history as a month worthy of recognition, further seeking to undermine the collective understanding of our nation's legacy struggles and progress towards justice.

And whereas, uplifting Black History Month is not only about celebrating the past, but also about creating a future that acknowledges the pain and triumphs of Black Americans, one that recognizes that the fight for justice is far from over and must continue in the face of continued efforts to dismantle DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools, our workplaces, and communities.

And whereas the history of black people in Denver, Colorado, stands as a testament to resilience, ingenuity, and civic leadership as they have for this from the city's earliest days to its modern era, overcome systemic adversity and discrimination to build vibrant, economically robust and culturally rich communities that have laid the foundation for Denver's diversity, diverse identity.

And whereas this enduring legacy is exemplified by pioneering figures whose remarkable contributions have profoundly shaped the community.

Barney L.

Ford, whose entrepreneurial spirit and civic rights advocacy earned him a title, Black Baron of Colorado, Justina Ford, Colorado's first licensed black woman doctor, who surmounted racial and gender variants to deliver thousands of babies and provide critical health care to marginalized populations.

Ruth Denny, a dedicated educator and civil rights activist who championed equitable policies in education and employment, and Elvin R.

Caldwell Sr., first person elected to Denver City Council, whose leadership is economic justice, housing reform, and desegregation has left an undeniable mark on the city, each of whom continues to inspire future generations through their steadfast commitment to progress and justice.

And whereas the Denver City Council recognizes the enduring legacy of systemic racism, discrimination, and marginalization in the exploitation of black culture and labor, as well as our harmful influence of the Ku Klux Klan and shaping discriminatory policies that continue to affect the city today.

And whereas the Denver City Council recognizes the enduring legacy of systemic racism, discrimination, and marginalization.

Oh, that's repeated twice.

I'm sorry.

Sorry, folks.

And whereas the Denver City Council proudly honors the vibrant history and resilience of black communities, exemplified in historic neighborhoods like Five Points, often called the Harlem of the West, where, in the face of segregation and redlining, black residents forge self-sustaining communities of businesses, churches, and cultural institutions, and where institutions like the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library preserve this enduring legacy.

And whereas the city and county of Denver, as a progressive and diverse community, stands in resistance to any efforts to erase black history and is committed to amplifying the voices, achievements, and contributions of black Americans today and every day, while fostering an environment that supports unity, justice, and the ongoing fight for racial equity.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council that the Denver City Council formally recognizes February 2026 as Black History Month in the city and county of Denver and calls upon all residents to honor Black History, not just during this month, but every day, as a fundamental part of American history and identity, we encourage all to stand in solidarity with the fight for racial justice, to resist the erasure of black history, and to support initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.

Section two, that the Denver City Council encourages all Denver residents to engage with and celebrate Black History by visiting institutions such as the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library, exploring the historic Five Points neighborhood, as well as supporting local Black owned businesses and cultural events.

And doing so, our community reaffirms its commitment to preserving and promoting the invaluable heritage of Black Denver rights and ensuring that their stories of struggle, triumph, and innovation are passed into future generations.

Section three, that the clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall have fixed the seal of the city and county of Denver to this property and transmit transmit a copy to Denver African American Commission on behalf of the Black community with the understanding that black folks are not a monolith.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis, your motion to adopt.

Move too early, sorry.

Um I move that proclamation number 260202 be adopted.

It has been moved in.

Any comment by members of council?

Councilmember Lewis?

Yes.

Thank you.

So over the um weekend, um, I've put out a video and I asked the black community to show up in chambers.

And typically we give the proclamation to an individual or to a commission or to um a number of folks, but I just wanted to give a proclamation to the black community for the beautiful contributions that you all give every single day.

From just simply waking up in a world that does not always love you, that doesn't always accept you, and oftentimes gives you a hard time.

And so I am so grateful for all the folks who have shown up to one celebrate this proclamation, but celebrate yourselves for the beauty and for the resilience that you all continue to provide, even when things get difficult, and the beautiful things that we tend to create when people are intentionally making things difficult for us as black folks, from music to um to style to culture to food to you name it, we're great at it.

Um, and so I so I just wanted to say thank you all who have shown up in these chambers to celebrate um the diaspora of blackness that exists in this community.

Um thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Alvidres.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman Lewis, for bringing and putting together such a beautifully written and thoughtful proclamation.

It's really inspiring and the perfect way to end Black History Month.

I think we've done so much over the month, including recognizing things that are not as great.

But the truth is we need to focus on the beauty and the beautiful things that the black community brings.

And so I just want to thank you all also for making time to be here and being a part of our city for you know in the past and into the future, and looking forward to doing more collaboration.

And I'll say, like I have I feel like on my time on council, I've learned from Councilwoman Lewis's leadership as well about the interconnectedness of all of our challenges.

And so I just want to thank you and commend you for that.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Lewis, for um sponsoring this proclamation to uh all black folks in this room.

I want to say, you know, black History Month is just uh, as we always say it's uh just these 28, 29 days of February.

But for us, it's every day, in every way.

Uh that we show up in this community uh as we show up in our communities and uh elevating our stories, elevating our lives, not accepting um uh second class citizenship today, yesterday, or any time in the future is important.

Um these proclamations aren't just simply words on paper.

Um, these are documenting the mat the fact that we matter um and that we have made a difference in this community, this community that we love.

So for each of you being in this audience, um thank you so much for being here.

Thank you for demonstrating who we are to the communities where you live, um, and to those who are learning throughout the last 28, 29 days about Black History Month.

Continue your own research.

Um, it's not our job to educate you, but it's our job to live any legacy of our elders and stand on their shoulders.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Just want to say the name of the proclamation again.

Uplifting Black History Month and the unwavering fight for freedom and justice.

I think that applies to all of us in today's society.

I know it applies to me, and in the work that I'm doing and in this very diverse council that you see before you all.

Um, it's not easy to be some of the leaders in Denver.

Um, but it's an honor to work on behalf of all of you.

So thank you, Councilwoman Lewis.

It really was a beautiful wording and very powerful proclamation.

Really appreciate that.

Madam Secretary, roll call, council members.

Heinz.

Hi.

Sawyer.

I'm Albitris.

Hi, Flynn.

Hi.

Gilmore.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting times the results.

Aye.

Eleven ayes.

Proclamation 260202 has been adopted.

We now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Lewis, will you be inviting that?

Well, I am inviting up the entire black community.

More specifically, we have the uh Denver African American Commission.

I know you all wanted to say a few words, but I genuinely want all the black folks in this room to stand behind the podium because I have a bunch of proclamations for each one of you to take home with you tonight, as well as um Carol, who will also be speaking.

Come on, y'all.

Let me let the coalition get behind me first.

When I was writing this, I did not have this backdrop in mind.

This feels but everything feels a lot more powerful right now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council President, uh and members of the council.

Uh, my name is Justin Toomer.

I'm co-chair uh of the Denver African American Commission.

And I'm Karen Grissom, co-chair of the Denver African American Commission.

And on behalf of our commission, uh I want to first extend our deepest gratitude to you, Councilwoman Lewis, for your leadership, your unwavering fight for for justice for our community, and also for your um invitation to bring our voices and help amplify our voices in this space and bring that very powerful proclamation forward.

What we heard this evening was a history lesson and a mandate that we look backwards to truly see the blueprint for the work that we're doing today.

Our commission is dedicated and proud to be part of the unwavering efforts uh to ensure our community is empowered through policy and equity year-round, each and every day and every way.

We invite all of you to join us this Friday uh from 5 30, 7 30 at the Struggle Love Foundation in the Far Northeast.

We're really looking forward to celebrating you all there for our Black History Month celebration as we honor our past and truly, truly find ways to invest in our future.

Uh so we thank you for recognizing the work that we do every day of the year, and we're excited to celebrate you.

Yes, celebrate with you, yes, uh, this Friday, but to really kick off the ways we want to continue to invest in our community throughout every day.

So we thank you all.

Good evening, everyone, my name is Carol Carter.

Uh, I am a community organizer, a senior in high school, and a proud Denverite.

Uh, thank you, Councilwoman Lewis, for sponsoring this proclamation and for standing boldly with black communities across Denver.

Uh, as a uh as Asada Shakur once said, it is our duty to fight for our freedom, it is our duty to win.

We must love and support each other.

Black History Month is not just about celebration, it is also a call to action.

It is a reminder that progress has never come from comfort, it has come from courage, from organizing and from demanding more.

Black history is resistance, black history is innovation, black history is powerful, and honoring it means commit committing to dismantling inequities that still impact our neighborhoods, our schools, our housing, and our justice system.

So may this proclamation reflect not only where we've been, but the future we are building.

We are a future rooted in equity, accountability, and collective liberation.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Watson, would you please read Proclamation 0198?

Uh yes, uh Council President, uh Proclamation number 260198, honoring the life and legacy of Norman Strickland Early Jr.

Uh, whereas Norman Strickland Early Jr.

was born on November 14th, 1945 in the District of Columbia to Norman Shrickland Early Sr.

and Gloria Robinson Jackson.

Um, and whereas he attended school in Washington, DC, at Paul Junior High and Calvin Coolidge High School, graduating in 1963.

And whereas Norm distinguished himself as both a scholar and a gifted athlete, becoming a top recruit in track and field, and whereas, after graduating high school, he attended American University, where he received his bachelor's degree and developed his passion for politics with his election as president of the sophomore class, vice president of the student association, and was the first elected black president of the AU student government in 1966 through 1967.

And whereas, after graduating from AU, Norm earned a law degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign College of Law, where he received a fellowship that provided him the opportunity to assist under-resourced communities in Denver.

And whereas he was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1970 and continued to pursue his interests in politics, becoming a Colorado delegate for Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run for president, all right.

And whereas Norm joined, that was my all right, I'll do it.

Whereas Norm joined the Denver District Attorney's Office in 1973 as a deputy under DA Dale Tooley, eventually becoming a chief deputy, and whereas he distinguished himself as a highly skilled trial attorney with a keen sense of fairness and justice.

And whereas in 1983, Governor Richard D.

Lamb appointed Nurham as director of Denver District Attorney, a position he held in 1993 after winning consecutive elections in 1984, 88, and 1992 by wide margins.

And whereas his leadership style resulted in many of his staff members ascending to the city, state, and national positions.

And whereas during his career, he helped establish numerous organizations, including the National Organization of Victims Assistance, where he served as president and continued fighting on behalf of victims' rights.

His record of accomplishments were so significant that a Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance named their highest honor, the Norm Early Exemplary Leadership Award.

And whereas Norm was the co-founder of two premier organizations, delighted to helping ensure the success of Black lawyers within the legal profession and served as the president of the National Black Prosecution Prosecutors Association.

And whereas, as a father, brother, grandfather, and father-in-law, he treasured time with his family and friends.

And whereas decades later, the impact of Norm's efforts as a public figure and family member continue to leave an indelible impression on the lives of all those with whom he interacted.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section One, that Denver City Council recognizes and honors the tremendous service, lasting legacy, Roman Strickland Early Jr.

and his outstanding service to our community in section two.

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 copies be transmitted to the Erley family, the Denver District Attorney's Office, and the Denver Police Museum.

Thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Your motion to adopt.

It has been moved.

And seconded comments by members of council.

Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Council President.

It is my honor to uh elevate this proclamation.

I remembered um living in uh Nebraska.

I moved to Colorado in 87, attendance of Denver from 87 to 91, but I moved to Nebraska for a short period of time.

And uh during that time, uh Norm Early ran for mayor of Denver.

And I remember living in Omaha watching this race in the newspapers, highlighting two black men in this city, um, not known for diversity, not known for elevating uh the black experience, having two African American men, exemplars of our community, um, fighting it out for a position to lead uh this city in the Rocky Mountains.

Um I remember watching his life, even after that race, and his commitment to the community.

Uh, I see his son who looks exactly like him, uh, maybe with less hair, uh, exactly like him.

I think it's important.

Many folks are not familiar as familiar with the history of district attorney Norm Early.

And to be a district attorney for a large city in the West, um, took some grit, it took some work, and it took some fight.

He didn't get into that position because it was the custom place for a black person.

He got into that position because he was the best at what he did.

And his willingness to serve this city continuously throughout his life until his death is something that is exemplar of a public service.

And so it has been my honor to watch his life, it's my honor to elevate this proclamation.

I thank you to the Denver Museum, police officers museum for bringing this and many of these other uh proclamations or ideas or proclamations forward that elevate the impact that African Americans have had uh when it comes to victims' rights and supporting our communities at large.

Thank you so much, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilman Flynn.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

I'll just add some brief comments to uh Councilman Watson.

Um I knew Norm um fairly well, and I remember when uh Dale Thule uh resigned to run for mayor in 83 when uh Governor Lamb appointed him.

Uh I remember meeting him down frequently down there at the uh DA's office was at the West Side Courts Building, which is now I think the Bernie Valdez uh center down there on Colfax and Spear, and uh from that day on uh Norm showed Denver uh all of his integrity and his dedication to his profession and to the city as a whole.

And uh the councilman is uh is right, that was one of the more most interesting mayoral contests I ever covered at the newspaper, and to have a majority white city send two black men in the mayoral runoff.

Well, it was remarkable, probably to people outside of Denver, but to those of us in the newsroom, and I suppose over at the Post as well and around the city who knew these men, it was not surprising at all.

And I can't believe that's his son.

I haven't seen you in ages.

Already this is a well-deserved uh recognition.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call.

Council Members Heinz.

Hi.

I.

Flynn.

Hi, sorry.

Uh Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parody.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Floyer.

I'm sorry.

Torres.

I.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote announced the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes, proclamation 0197 has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Watson, who would you like to call up?

Oh, call up the family.

So Adriana Arley and Kendall Early, do you mind coming up for a few words?

And then after I'll ask DA Walsh and some of the other district attorneys to uh come up as well.

This is amazing.

I want to thank everyone here, on behalf of my mom, Adriana and me, uh Kendall Early, who was the baby uh during the mayoral campaign.

Um that uh you saw um different moments.

This is an incredible uh moment for me and for us, knowing just how much my father did for this city um and for the state, um, whether it was, you know, championing victims, um, whether it was, you know, really putting forward ways that black lawyers could continue to thrive but thrive even more, um, and obviously his work with children too.

And I remember hearing stories, I was obviously very young when he was doing many of these things, uh, but not everything, of him going into high schools and really cheering on kids and celebrating them.

And I think during this moment of Black History Month, where, you know, we are obviously um learning and growing and trying to do better as um a city, a state, a nation.

He knew that we should continue to invest in our children.

He did so every single day of his life, um, in such a meaningful way.

And you know, one of the ways that he also invested was with people we worked with with his incredible normograms that I heard about a ton, these notes that he would write um to um individuals who uh were in his office.

But I also want to make sure, which he would do as well, to thank everyone who he worked with as well who supported him every step of the way, um, and some of whom are here today, um, behind me, and they were just as much a part of him becoming the individual who he did become as he was, and he would be the first one to say that.

So I want to thank everyone um who is here and those who weren't able to make it for this amazing proclamation.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Candle was so eloquent, that I'm just gonna thank you for honoring uh Norm in this matter, and um and um I know that Norm would have been so proud and um for this tribute um from the city that he loved so much.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I'm John Walsh, I'm today's district attorney for Denver, and I just want to thank the council for this recognition of someone who is truly a towering figure in the Denver DA's office, but also in the Colorado legal community and beyond.

It's not for nothing that he served as president of the National Association of Black Prosecutors.

That is a significant pro step that he took in those years of the 80s and early 90s to really make a lasting impact.

Uh, I would just say that his impact on the Denver DA's office is truly indelible.

And in fact, if you look behind me, you'll see many, many members of the Denver DA's office, current and former, who are here to recognize the legacy that Norm Early left because of the impact that he had on them individually.

I want to invite the all of you on City Council to a reception that we're holding on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

It's going to be held at the uh Museum for Black Girls over at the Denver Pavilions.

Um, and it would be wonderful to see as many of you uh as can attend.

And I also just want to call out and give special thanks to uh our chief of staff, Lisa Willis at the Denver DA's office, who is responsible for so much of the recognition of our former DA normally this week.

And has worked tirelessly to make sure that that happened.

And finally, I also do want to call out Mike Hess uh from the Denver Police Museum for all his support for this proclamation and so many other things.

Thank you very much, Councilman.

Thank you.

If everyone wants to meet the sponsors in the hallway, you can all take a picture and we'll get started with the other business.

Thank you all for coming.

We have three required public hearings tonight.

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

I will be able to start.

Thank you so much.

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

You will see your time counting down.

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

When you are promoted, please accept the promotion, turn on your camera if you have one and your microphone.

Speakers should begin their remarks by telling council their names and cities of residents.

And if they feel comfortable doing so, their home addresses.

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

Speakers will have three minutes.

There's no yielding of time.

If translation is needed, you will be given an additional three minutes 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 profane or obscene speech and refrain from individual or personal attacks.

Councilmember Parity, will you please put Council Bill 25 2020 changing the zoning classification for 2001 South Decoman overland on the floor for final passage?

It has been moved and seconded.

The required public hearing for Council Bill 25 2020 is open.

May we please have the staff report.

Thank you, Council President, Council members.

My name is Fritz Clausen from Denver's Committee Planning Development.

Sorry about that.

The community planning and development department, of course, uh here to present tonight.

Oh boy, the rezoning for two thousand one South Tacoma Street.

From URH 2.5 to CRX5.

Okay.

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

The request before us is to rezone 2001 South Acoma Street from the current URH 2.5 that's urban row house two and a half stories to CRX 5, urban center residential mixed use five stories.

The property is a 6250 square foot uh lot currently containing a single unit residential.

Single unit residue a single-family residential dwelling.

The intention of the rezone is to allow residential and limited mixed used options.

Now we'll look at the location and context.

The case tonight is in Council District 7, represented by Councilmember Alvidres.

And in the Overland Statistical Neighborhood.

Again, the existing zoning currently is URH 2.5.

There are a number of other zoning designations in the area.

To the west, we see a large area designated IA.

Immediately to the west is a different CRX 5 zoned property.

Immediately to the north is a CMX5 zoned area.

To the south, more URH 2.5.

Immediately to the east, CMX 5, I believe.

Proposed zoning CRX5.

Again, that is urban center residential mixed use up to five stories.

Allows townhouse and general building forms.

In the upper left corner, we see the subject property looking at it from the corner of Ocoma and Asbury, looking southwest.

A newer residential building on the north side of Asbury and Ocoma.

And to the bottom right is the property immediately adjacent to the subject property to the east.

Next.

Oops, I'm sorry, there's a typer on there.

Planning board notice was sent out on December 23rd of last year.

Planning board public hearing was held on January 7th of this year.

That was the second planning board hearing.

It was originally heard on November 19th of last year.

We decided to put it back on the planning board agenda because there was an issue with the registered neighborhood organizations getting the official notice that they're supposed to get via email.

Following planning board approval, the application went to the South Platte River Committee on January 14th, and we are here tonight on February 23rd.

As far as public comment goes from individuals, we have heard two comments in support and one comment in opposition.

Comments in support, expressed support for more residents and more investment in the neighborhood, upzoning in the neighborhood generally, the comment in opposition express concern about preserving the existing character and residential buildings in the neighborhood.

We have a letter in support from the South Broadway Business Association RNO.

There is another RO in the area, the Overland Park Neighborhood Association.

We did not receive an official comment from them.

Next to the review criteria, Denver zoning code specifies three review criteria for any rezoning.

First, consistency with adopted plans.

Second, public interest, and third, consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent.

First, the big one.

Consistency with adopted plans.

You can see from that list there are a number of plans that apply to this property.

We'll start going broadest to narrowest, starting a comprehensive plan 2040, moving to Blueprint Denver, and then into smaller area plans.

Comprehensive plan 2040.

We see the proposed rezoning as consistent with many of the adopted Denver Comprehensive Plan 2040 strategies, which are organized by vision elements in the equitable, affordable, and inclusive vision elements.

We see that the proposed rezoning would allow for mixed-use residential development and include an increase in allowed housing density, which can enable additional housing units close to services in amenities.

Therefore, it's we see it as consistent with the strategies listed in the equitable, affordable and inclusive vision element, especially increasing development of housing units close to transit and mixed use developments.

For strong and authentic neighborhoods, the proposed rezoning would enable residential mixed-use infill development at a location where services and infrastructure are already in place.

Therefore, we see the rezoning as consistent with the following strategies in strong and authentic neighborhoods vision element, including building a network of well-connected vibrant mixed-use centers and corridors.

For environmentally resilient vision element, we see the proposed rezoning as consistent with many strategies in the environmentally resilient vision element, including focusing growth by transit station and along high and medium capacity transit corridors.

Probably should have noticed.

Noted in the context that this property is within the half mile area of the Evans station, the Evans Light Rail Station.

There's also frequent transit along Broadway nearby.

Moving ahead toward Blueprint Denver.

Blueprint Denver is a supplement to Comp Plan 2040, establishes an integrated framework for the city's land use and transportation decisions.

Blueprint Denver identifies the subject property as part of a community center future place within the urban context, provides guidance from there.

Future neighborhood contexts are used to help understand differences in land use and built form at larger scale between neighborhoods.

Blueprint sees this area as an urban context.

You can see it's it's also adjacent to areas indicated as urban center.

We'll address that in a moment.

Homes in this context vary from multi-unit developments to compact single unit homes.

Development should be compatible with existing character, offer residence a mix of uses, and provide good street activation and connectivity.

Just to talk about those contexts a little bit, because the zone district that is proposed is with under the Denver zoning code in a urban center context.

The difference here, urban center is more of a mix of uses throughout the urban set throughout the context, even residential areas are highly mixed use, often with multi-unit residential, mixed-use buildings.

Both contexts feature a regular grid with consistent alley access.

Um we consider the context when there's a difference between proposed and what the plan specifies.

When we're looking at it, when we're looking at different contexts, neighborhood context, place type, street, and street types are always applicable.

We pay particular attention to building heights and growth strategies.

There's a general flexibility statement, boundaries of the context may be interpreted with limited flexibility if the request furthers the goals of Blueprint Denver is consistent with the overall intent of the neighborhood context map.

So while the proposed zone district has a different neighborhood context classification from the urban future neighborhood context recommended, following that specific guidance, looking at neighborhood context, place type, street type, building heights, growth strategy.

We do see that the proposed rezoning to an urban center Denver zoning code district is appropriate and consistent as the proposed district allows a mix of uses and building forms that contribute to street activation, aligned with land use and building height guidance, and is compatible with the emerging mixed use character of the area as it transitions away from industrial uses.

Next slides have more on that.

So we see the place type recommended in Blueprint Denver is community center.

Community centers, whether they're an urban or urban center.

They always typically provide a mix of office, commercial, and residential uses.

Buildings often are larger in scale than local centers and orient to the street or other public spaces.

The buildings in this context exhibit a strong degree of urbanism with continuous building frontages, with heights generally up to five stories, and intensity transitioning out into the intensity highest in the center of the area, transitioning out into the surrounding neighborhoods.

This is part of our overall growth strategy.

Blueprint specifies a growth area strategy.

Community centers and corridor designated areas are anticipated to absorb 20% of job growth and 25% of housing growth by 2040.

There are additional strategies at play here in Blueprint Denver that we feel apply.

We want to promote and anticipate plan growth in centers and corridors and key residential areas connected by rail service and transit priority streets.

We want to incentivize or require efficient development land, especially in transit rich areas, and relating to that growth strategy.

We want to capture 80% of new housing growth in areas that include community centers and corridors.

One more thing about that, there is an ongoing process for the Southwest Area Plan.

The Southwest Area Plan provides guidance and strategies for the city to create and preserve strong and opportunity-rich neighborhoods with diverse housing options that are accessible and affordable to all Denver residents.

Key change that is being proposed in the Southwest Area Plan is to redesignate the area in question that includes this property from urban context to an urban center context, as well as recommend promotion of new affordable mixed income and mixed-use residential housing.

Note on process about that.

So getting more granular into the Evans station area plan.

Essentially, the Evans station area plan recommends a land use type of mixed-use residential, describing that as the primary use is intended to be residential, but office and retail may be supported.

Plan recommends specifically a height of five stories.

More specific and also older.

Suggests commercial and industrial businesses should invest in their sites, including beautification and cleanup.

Second, public interest.

We see the proposed official map amendment as furthering the public interest both through implementation of the city's adopted land use plans and by allowing for additional housing and neighborhoods serving commercial uses connected to the rest of the region through transit.

And finally, on consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent statements in the Denver zoning code.

We can look at those.

I'm not going to read the whole things.

Um, within this context, residential mixed-use zone districts are intended to promote safe, active, pedestrian-scaled and diverse areas through the use of building forms that clearly define and activate the street, uh the streetscape and public realm.

Specifically, the intent of the proposed CRX 5 zone district is to apply to residentially dominated areas served primarily by local or collector streets where a building scale of two to five stories is desired.

Uh seeing all that, we see that the uh requested rezoning is consistent with the neighborhood context description and zone district purpose and intent as the requested zoning is intended to provide for residential mixed use development at a maximum height of five stories.

Subject property is within walking distance of a light rail station and is located in an area recommended by adoption by an adopted station area plan for five story development.

So considering all that, uh, based on the review criteria for review in the Denver zoning code, staff recommends that City Council approve this application for rezoning at 2001 South Tacoma Street.

Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have three individuals signed up to speak this evening.

We have Andre Andrew Orley.

My name is Andrew Ulry, 600 South Harrison Street, Denver, Colorado, 80209.

Um Council Chair, members of council.

Uh, I'm the owner of the property, and I'm here to answer any questions that you have.

Um, I'm not going to elaborate on Fritz's excellent presentation because it was pretty much covered everything that uh need to be said, but we're available for questions if needed.

Thank you.

Next up we have Jesse Paris.

Yes, good evening, members of council, those watching at home, those in the council chambers.

My name is Jesse LaShawn Paris, and I'm representing for Black Star Action Movement for Self-Defense, Positive Action Commitment for Social Change, as well as the Unity Party of Colorado, the Northeast Denver Residence Council Frontline Black News, the revolutionary agenda, Shabaka's Black Experience Enhanced, and I reside at the Roach and Bearbug Infested Legacy Loss in Tetherman, Watson's district of district nine, the fine district nine, historically black district of district nine, otherwise known as the five points of Harlem of the West.

I appreciate the proclamations.

That's all well and good.

This is Black History Month after all.

That's the least you can do.

But I didn't hear no mention of reparations.

In regards to this rezoning at 2020 South Ocoma Street, I have several questions.

The first question is what is the AMI level for the residential?

Is it going to be for sale or for rents?

Has there been a community benefits agreement signed?

Because every time you do these kind of rezonings, there are unattended consequences that harm the neighborhood in which you do these zonings.

So I have that question.

Has there been a traffic study done that stretch the Broadway and that stretch that Evans is atrocious?

So has there been a traffic study done?

Um has there been a parking study done?

Has there been a traffic and a rail study done?

Um what has been done to address the letter of opposition about the character of the neighborhood?

So I could please answer those questions.

I would greatly appreciate it.

All right, I'll see you all on the next one.

That concludes our um signers who are speaked up.

Do we have who are signed up signed up to speak?

Do we have questions from members of council on Council Bill 25 2020?

Council Member Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh just a couple questions.

Uh Fritz.

What is the uh minimum width of a lot in uh this CMX five?

Is this just a single right now single family lot?

I'm just wondering what the frontage is and what's the required uh for an MX5.

You know, I don't have that in front of me.

Um tell you that this particular property is about 50 feet wide on uh on a coma.

This property is 50 feet wide on a coma.

Unfortunately, I don't know have the requirement figures offhand.

It's above the requirement, but I don't think it's big enough to split it if that's what you're asking.

Five stories on a uh 50-foot wide lot.

Do we have other examples of that?

I mean, I realize a lot behind it is uh is zoned uh CMX fire?

Yes, right to the last.

You know, I I'm I'm sorry, you're I'm caught a little bit off guard.

I don't have other examples um set up to go.

I'm sure we could find some, you know, just five stories on this lot.

I I would agree with you.

Seems pretty ambitious.

I don't know if that would actually happen.

You might have to ask the applicant about that.

Okay, I don't have any things.

Any design standards that would say with 50 feet in width, you five stories could not be done.

It could only be three, four, what does the applicant could the applicant uh address that?

Is the applicant here?

Yes.

Thank you.

Can we just um I'm thinking tall and skinny?

Sure.

So with respect to the lot width, I'm looking at Article 7.

There's no minimum requirement for lot width in a CRX 5.

Um the reality is our goal is to um put five individual townhomes on this site.

A five-story townhome is not practical from a standpoint of I wouldn't want to live in one.

Um, it would be uh you'd get a workout every day with the stairs, but so there's some practical realities, but there's nothing against that.

And with respect to zoning, when you're adjacent to a protected district, the URH 2.5, which is a protected district, you have both plane and setbacks that we would have to adhere to.

Thank you for that clarification.

I really appreciate it.

If I may go to that, really quickly.

Also, uh the requirement of the being adjacent to a protected district is what's called an upper story setback.

Uh so it doesn't um the the overall the the big picture height allowance is 70 feet.

Um when you are adjacent to a protected district, as this property would be to the south.

Um anything that remains URH 2.5 is protected district under the zoning code.

Uh so when you get above 27 feet, you have to to step in.

There's another step in above 51 feet.

So it doesn't necessarily limit the overall height, but it it requires that the building basically get narrower, gets narrower as it gets taller.

Thank you.

Uh the last thing is uh my second and last thing uh Fritz on a little uncomfortable having a cart before the horse feeling uh with the change in uh context to uh urban center because we have not yet adopted the southwest area plan, and I know that that's the recommendation next month, the first meeting next month we'll be hearing that, but it's not the code yet, and it's not the context yet.

So it seems a little bit like jumping the gun.

And I guess maybe what I would ask the planning office to do is not to bring us to hearing on something that rezones to uh uh to a uh condition that is not yet authorized.

Like what what would happen if we voted down the southwest plane?

You know, it would be then inconsistent, so I don't want to prejudge that.

It would be nice to have the the office uh bring that to us in proper order next time.

Thank you.

I hear you, sure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Albidares, thank you so much, Council President.

Um, and thank you to the applicant for the outreach.

I know they were able to connect with Arno, but I did want to ask just at least one of Jesse's questions.

I think overall uh very understanding that it's right next to the rail and all of those things.

But uh just uh are you planning on for rent or for sale product?

You can come up and just answer that question.

Our goal at this time would be for sale.

I appreciate that.

And then for five units, it's gonna be all market rate, right?

Yes.

Thank you.

Council President.

Thank you.

See no other council members in the queue.

The public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council on council bill 25 2020.

Council member I'll be there.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, thank you to the applicant for the outreach and communication throughout the process.

It was a little weird since this started years ago and now we're here, but that tends to be the theme around here.

Uh so thank you for your patience and thank you, Fritz, for the great presentation.

I'll be supporting this rezoning and ask my colleagues to do the same.

Thank you.

Thank you.

See no other colleagues in the queue.

Madam Secretary will call on Council Bill 25 2020.

Councilmember.

Hi.

Sawyer.

Hi.

Albidres.

Hi.

Flynn.

Hi.

Cashman.

Hi.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romara Campbell.

Aye.

Torres.

Hi.

Watson.

Hi.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

11 ayes.

Eleven eyes, Council Bill 25 2020 passed.

Councilmember Parity, will you please put Council Bill 26001 changing the zoning classification for one two one five zero east and views drive and mock ballot on the floor for final passage?

I move the council bill 26001 be placed upon final consideration and do pass.

It has been moved.

And seconded, there was hired public three for council bill 26001 is open.

May we please have the staff report.

Good evening, my name is Edson Ibanias with uh community planning development.

Um before you today we have um one two one five zero East Andrews tribe.

So the request is to go from a multi-unit up to three stories, zone district to a mixed use up to three stories.

So this specific presentation will go through the request, we'll look at location and context, we'll go through the process and kind of wrap up with the review criteria for this rezoning application.

So the site itself is highlighted in red here.

Um the subject property is just over just approximately 3.4 acres, so 149,000 square feet.

It's currently a church and assisted living facility, also classified as a residential care, and the request is to go from a um mixed use up to three stories, and so when we look at the site itself, um it's half vacant.

Um so it's um the site, like the current buildings are adjacent to kind of the residential that you see directly to the east, and then um on the vacant portion is where the applicant intends to develop, which is closest to Peoria.

So just kind of giving additional context for this rezoning.

So the site um is an assisted living facility.

Um it's classified as a residential care type two facility.

So our residential residential care is classified by different types.

We have four types.

So type one is one to eleven beds, type one to ten beds, type two is eleven to forty beds, um, type three is forty-one to about 100 beds, and then type four is anything more than that.

And so this one is classified as type two.

It has currently 30 beds, and the applicant wants to add six to three beds that would push it into residential care type three.

Now, when we're looking at the existing zone district, the existing zone district only allows for residential care type one and type two.

So they're requesting the zone district into the MX3 that would allow for a type three and type four.

Now, when we start jumping into larger residential care um facilities, it's a lot of it is governed by density and spacing requirements, and so um a type three would have that.

And so with that, um just wanted to give additional background on the group living text amendment and how that impacted this specific property.

So prior to that specific amendment, we had different regulations based on the type of guests that aren't served.

So, for example, some residential care uses, such as providing elderly care and assisted living were allowed in more locations without requirements, while other serving people recovering from addiction or experiencing homelessness were restricted to only certain parts of the city, and they had strict limitations on proximity to each other.

So something that we did with this group of living tax amendment is that consistent with Denver's adopted policies is that we wanted to treat all residents equitably.

And so the amendment significantly loosened restrictions, such as spacing and density limitation and allowed residential care uses in more places in the city.

So by consolidating elderly care assisted living into the broader residential care category, the code limitation on residential care facilities became effective for those uses that have previously not been impacted by them.

And so residential care facilities increased in size, such as type three and type four were allowed in higher intensity zone districts, like mixed use commercial and industrial in multi-unit, where similar facility sites such as type one and type two were more embedded into low low residential.

And so just wanted to give that background of why this applicant's requesting and how the group of living text amendment impacted this use where it previously didn't.

So looking at the location and context is located in Council District A, Councilmember Lewis's district.

And as you can see here, it's in the Mont Bello district.

It's currently zone SMU3, but if we look to the west on Peoria, we have a lot of industrial.

So directly to the west, we have IMX3, which is a mixed use up to three stories, and then we have our IA, which is our light industrial, and then as we go further west, we have an IB, which is our general industrial that allows much more intense industrial uses.

But when we look to the east of the site, it's predominantly residential, which, you know, kind of you see the base color here, which is a SSUF and SSUD, which are single unit zone districts.

But as we go more south on Peoria on the east side, we do see some R3 and SMX 12, which are multi-unit residential districts.

The SMX 12 allows for mixed mixed use up to 12 stories.

When we're looking at land use, the site itself is class classified as mixed use.

And as you can see, on we're looking at the west, it's predominantly purple, which is industrial uses, and then we do have a school, which is quasi um public quasi-public use.

Directly to the north of the site, we see single family, and then we do have a church to the north, which is public quasi public use, and then to the south and to the east of the site is single family residential.

But like I mentioned, as we go more south on Peoria, on the east side, we see multi-unit residential and commercial.

So the subject property is a photo to the bottom right.

Um, as you can see, it's a church and uh hosts 30 beds of assisted living, which is predominantly one story.

Um, to the north of the site, we see a church that is one story with single family houses there to the left of the photo that range between one and two stories.

Um across the street, we do have a school that is two stories there on Peoria.

And on the bottom left is just um to the east of the site is single family homes that range between one and two stories.

So now looking at the process, an informational notice was sent out in September of last year.

Um it went before the planning board in uh November, but due to a noticing error for ROs, um, it went before uh planning board again on uh January 7th and then committee on the 13th of January, and it's before you tonight.

To date, part of our process is we did notify ROs of this rezoning application.

We did receive one letter of support from the Mont Bello 2020 RNO.

Additionally, we received three letters of support, two from organic two of those letters of support were from organizations, such as the Colorado Council of Church in Innovat, as well as one letter with 19 signatures from a community meeting that was held on July 25th.

Um the signatures as well as this letter support as well as Mont Bello 2020 all highlighted that um that this is a need for the community for the expansions of assisted living.

And they highlighted that strategies and policies within our adopted plans that do point for the expansion of this specific use, and that you know, and then the commitment specifically from the operator that's been there as well.

So now jumping into the review criteria, the Denver Zoning Code highlights specific review criteria every zoning map amendment has to follow, which is consistent with adopted plans, public interest, and consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent statements.

So I'll jump into the first one, which is consistency with adopted plan.

So we're really focusing on three plans here that this rezoning falls under, which is Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver of 2019, and the Far Northeast Area Plan of 2019.

So when we're looking at comprehensive plan, the staff report highlights multiple strategies as this specific rezoning aligns with, but I just want to highlight a few under equity goals, such as equitable, affordable and inclusive goal two strategy A, create a greater mix of housing options in every neighborhood for all individuals and families, partner with organizations to develop permanent and transitional housing, affordable to low-income populations, and ensure neighborhoods offer a mix of housing types and services for a diverse population.

In terms of climate goal, it aligns with the environmental resilient goal eight strategy A, which is promote infill development where infrastructures and services are already in place.

Now jumping into Blueprint Denver, Blueprint classifies this as suburban neighborhood context.

So this is going from an SM SMU3 to an SMX3, so it's consistent in the neighborhood context.

So homes in these contexts are largely single unit, but also can include higher intensity residential.

When we look at the place type, it's classified as low medium residential, where it's a mix of low and mid-scale multi-unit residential options, with building heights generally up to three stories in height.

And then Peoria Street is classified as commercial arterial.

So this site is very unique as it serves as a gateway from the industrial into the residential.

In terms of growth area strategy, it's classified as all other areas of the city where we anticipate to see 20% of new housing growth and 10% of new employment growth by 2040.

Additionally, it aligns with some of the equity goals and concepts within Blueprint, such as land use and built form housing to diversify housing options by exploring opportunities to integrate missing middle housing, as well as integrate the development of affordable housing and mixed income housing, particularly in areas near transit services and amenities.

In terms of climate goal and concepts, it'll help reduce climate impacts because multi-unit mixed use buildings are more energy efficient than low density residential development types.

Additionally, because this is part of a NES neighborhood, an equity analysis was conducted.

And so Blueprint specifically contains three major equity concepts, which is improving access to opportunity, reducing vulnerability to displacement, and expanding housing job diversity.

So we're going to jump into those.

Part of this analysis, it helps to integrate these concepts into planning implantation that will help create more equitable Denver and help to better understand what's really happening in the neighborhood.

So Mont Bello, when it turns to access to opportunity, it scored an average when it comes to access opportunities.

So it had less access to fresh food and health care, and it had more access to centers and corridors and access to parks.

So we do have a park in close proximity to the east of the site, and it is on a major corridor there, Peoria.

When it comes in terms of vulnerability to involuntary displacement, it was vulnerable in the tens of medium household income and educational attainment were low for this specific neighborhood.

And then in terms of expanding housing diversity, it scored less diverse housing costs and lower income restricted units.

So this operator service individuals at uh below 60 percent AMI.

Um so the expansion of these units will help to serve those that are um a low-income individuals within the neighborhood.

In terms of expanding job diversity, um it has a more retail jobs and more manufacturing jobs, given that it's across the street from industrial zoning.

We have a lot of industrial uses, so that's why we see an over concentration of manufacturing jobs in this part of town in this specific neighborhood.

Um, when we jump into the far northeast area plan of 2019, it classifies the subject site as suburban, low medium with heights up to three stories.

Um, but additionally, it follows the lines with a lot of uh strategies and policies within this plan, such as um the like the land use policy 221A, which is promote citywide affordable housing programs in the far northeast area, which states prioritizing sites near employment centers, transit, multimodal networks.

I think the uniqueness of this site is just adjacent to um Peoria that has um uh bus stops right on that corner of Andrews and uh Peoria, which is the site here, as well as employment center across the street from this in the industrial mixed use and industrial zoning.

Additionally, the plan costs for increased health services, affordable housing, and reducing vulnerability displacement.

And so on balance, we believe that this rezoning will help meet a lot of the strategies and um policies that we see in our adopted plans that will help further serve our low-income populations.

Um in terms of public interest, it's consistent with this criteria as it's consistent with the criteria and policies found in Blueprint Denver and the small area plan and complan.

And in terms of consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent statements.

Um, it's consistent as specified in the staff report.

Um, therefore, CPT recommends approval that based off all the findings of the Vercuter Habit.

I'm available for any questions.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Jason.

We have two individuals signed up to speak this evening.

First up, we have Peter Heinz.

Anyways, Peter Hines, I'm representing open arms assisted living 12150 and Drew's Drive, Denver.

Uh thank you all for entertaining our ideas here this evening.

Uh about nine years ago, uh, we embarked on the innovative idea of repurposing a vacant elementary school into affordable assisted living.

Um ultimately we kind of created the affordable assisted living model, which uh really takes care of folks on Medicaid, beneficiaries of the HCBS waiver, uh VA PACE program, and then your below market private payers that just can't afford market rate assisted living.

What we did is we worked with uh church congregations that were there on site, uh, took the vacant elementary school, repurposed it into two licenses, state licenses, where we take care where of um folks that are on alternative care beneficiaries and then assisted living.

So we have a uh most vulnerable population.

Uh that our youngest is probably 39 years old, uh, and our oldest is 96.

So we try to keep everybody in the community, they can age in place, uh, certainly age in their community.

Uh and over the course of time, we have had a couple market studies done, and and the most regional one we did showed the demand in our trade area of about 611 beds for assisted living and memory care.

Uh we're a provider and we only have 30 beds.

Um the land we have is uh available for 63 more beds, and really we're building right up on Peoria, so we're not impacting the residential area at all.

When it comes to parking, you know, uh assisted living.

There's not a lot of folks using cars, so we don't have a high traffic demand.

I mean, the the most uh cars we really have is the mailman uh and innovage.

Um we have a great partnership with innovation, they come and pick our folks up and they take them to the day facilities and they're their primary care providers.

Um we have great relationships with EC Health, and we have been working actually pretty hard to uh really pioneer a uh telehealth model that you can get you know bedside telehealth.

Um we're still kind of working on that one.

So our our goal really is to expand the model we created, which was a pilot about you know five years ago we opened it.

Uh and we're we're thinking that it's pretty successful, and we we see the demand and the need, certainly in the community.

Um Councilwoman Lewis has been great, and so has Councilwoman Gilmore and uh from uh from open arms standpoint, you know.

Our goal is really to employ folks in the neighborhood, take care of folks in the neighborhood, and expand it.

Uh so I'm here to ask for you know your vote or what have you in terms of rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Peter.

Next up we have Jesse, Josie Paris.

Good evening, members of council, those watching at home, those in the council chambers.

My name is Jesse LaShawn Paris, and I'm representing for Black Star Action Movement for Self-Defense, Positive Action Committee for Social Change, as well as the Unity Party of Colorado, the Northeast Denver Residence Council from Black Nose, Subacas Black Express and Hans, the revolutionary agenda, and I reside at the Roach Babested Legacy Laws.

And Daryl.

Councilman Daryl Wallace's position of district nine and historically black district of five points.

Um I was gonna ask the same questions I asked on the previous rezoning, but the occupant did a good job of answering the questions I have, so I have no questions.

Um this is a good thing, um, increasing the number of beds.

So I have nothing to say in regards to this rezoning.

He answered my question about the AMI, and he answered my question about the parking and traffic.

So I'll see y'all in the next one.

All right, thank you, Jesse.

That concludes our speakers.

Do we have questions from members of council on council bill 2601?

Councilmember Lewis, thank you.

Um, really appreciate that um presentation.

I wanted to bring back the applicant, um, if we might be able to.

Um I just would like for um Mr.

Hines to speak to how the group living rule change affected you because you've kind of been through the ringer.

Yeah, sometimes that happens.

Um, so we we rezoned this property in 2017 or 2018, uh, with the intent of um expanding the model once it kind of proved itself.

And during COVID, the text amendment came in, and I don't think any of us really knew what was going on, or at least we weren't paying attention, and when we filed our uh plans to, you know, expand, everybody was you know gung-ho about it, except the text amendment showed up, and you know, zoning said can't do it.

So we said, okay, well, you know, what do we got to do?

Uh and started the process, you know, a little over a year ago now, I think, to kind of get around not get around the tax amendment, but work within it to get from type two to type three to type three.

Okay, I just want to confirm that you are not working with another developer for this project, such as Dell West.

There's been some concern in community.

I know you're exactly right.

Um, thank you.

That's it.

Appreciate you.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Seeing other council members in the queue.

The public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council on council bill 26001.

Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

Um, so I'm in support of this rezoning, and I think that it meets the plan guidance.

I would also like to sincerely apologize um for the rule change that is added time and cost to this project, a necessary project, um, specifically for the folks in Montbello.

And so thank you for your good um and your resilience as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Parity.

I just it's so nice when we get people in the council chambers.

Um, and we had to hear about your work just because you needed a rezoning, which I'm sure you would have rather not.

Um, thank you.

I've actually wondered about this location because I've I've never been inside, I've been by, and just even from the outside, thought this looks like you know something special is cooking here, and I'd like that council member curiosity when you drive around and wonder about things.

So I'm glad to know that in fact it is something special.

Thank you all um for sticking with it.

Um the least we can do is give you this rezoning.

Sometimes the equity factors are easier than others to apply.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Bill 26001.

Council members Hines.

Hi.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Albitrais.

Hi.

Flynn.

All right.

Cashman.

All right.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, closed voting announcement results.

11 ayes.

Eleven ayes.

Council Bill 26001 has passed.

Council Member Parity, will you please put Council Bill 25 1069 changing the zoning classification for 1675 3532 North Franklin Street and 3558 North Building?

I'll move the Council Bill 251069 be pieced on the consideration and do pass.

It has been moved and seconded.

The required public hearing for council bill 25 1069 is open.

May we please have the staff report?

Again, council members and members of the public.

Also known as a tramway rezoning.

So the request is to go from an RMU 20 with waivers and PUD 534 to PUDG 38.

Oops.

One moment.

Okay, it looks like it went.

Don't know.

Okay, great.

So the request is to go from RMU 20 waivers and PewDie to a PUDG 25.

PUD stands for plan unit development.

So with this within this presentation, we'll look at the location and context, then we'll jump into the existing and proposed zoning as well as the review criteria for this application.

So it's located in Council District 9 in Councilmember Watson's district.

So the site itself.

But the rezoning will help facilitate a few several things.

The first thing is conservation of the existing building.

Second, it would allow for the continued office uses in the tramway nonprofit building.

And then on the vacant portion of the line, it would help construct a four-story 32-unit affordable housing development on a vacant portion of the site.

This application has been accepted into our AHART program, which is our affordable housing review team.

And so part of this project just want to highlight two things is that in November of 2025, it was awarded low-income housing tax credits.

Additionally, the applicant has signed an affordable housing plan with host.

And I'll jump into those details, but the nonprofit center is this site itself, also known as the Motor Coach Division Building Denver Tramway Company, is actually listed on the state registered of historic places, but it's not locally designated here in the city.

And so the current zoning does not require conservation.

So rezoning into the PUD would require conservation of the existing building, which would make it very difficult for anybody to knock it down.

It wouldn't even allow the property owner to demo the existing building.

So now looking at the existing context of land use, uh the site is classified as public quasi-public industrial, which is off because it's vacant, so it should be vacant, and then parking.

Um and then it's adjacent to public quasi public, which we have a school to the north.

It's predominantly single-unit residential and two-unit residential that's sprinkled throughout the neighborhood and across the street from the site, as well as multi-unit residential and some areas as well.

So the building itself, as you can see, the tramway center is a um, this is on the top photo is Franklin looking east.

Um the bottom photo is 35th looking north.

As you can see, the vacant uh portion of the site here where the cars are parked.

This is where the applicant is intending to construct a 63-unit um complex here for affordable housing.

And then the photo on the top right is um the parking lot that serves as uh parking for the tramway center.

And then we have some single-family and row houses that are directly to the east of the site there on Gimplin and 35th.

Additionally, to the north, we have the Wyatt Academy, and then to the south, you see some single families to the west of the site that range from one story and two stories here.

So, now looking at the existing and proposed zoning.

So, the current zoning, like I mentioned, it's RMU 20 with waivers in PUD 534.

Both of these zone districts are uh in our former Chapter 59 zoning.

And so it is in close proximity to USUA, which is a single unit zone district, and then we do it is across the street as well from a UMX2X, which is a mixed use up to two stories.

For predominantly in a neighborhood, we see a lot of single unit and mixed use up to two mixed use UMX2X that's sprinkle throughout, and then when we go on Bruce Round off to the south of it, we see some UMS3, which is that main street up to three stories, which allows for mixed uses up to three stories.

Um so jumping into the RMU 20 with waivers.

So the RMU 20 with waivers applies for the entire block bounded by 35th Avenue, 36th Avenue, Gilpin Street, and Franklin Street.

It's a residential mixed use district, and normally under this RMU 20 allows for 55 feet, but when we look at the waivers, the waivers limit the height down to 45 feet or four stories.

Additionally, there's um the waivers call out for zero setbacks and zero open space for the site.

And then one of the big things here is that the office uses are limited to a thousand square feet.

And so right now the tramway nonprofit center is not in compliance because it has more than office of that specific requirement.

So rezoning would help bring the tramway center into compliance.

When we look at the PUD 534, which is a current existing parking lot, uh, it applies to that property on the southwest corner of Gilpin Street and 36th Avenue, and it's a surface parking lot for the nonprofit center, so that's what it operates as now.

So just want to highlight a few differences because there has been a lot of confusions, even in the public comments, there's been a lot of confusion on what is actually allowed and what is being proposed.

So currently, the whole site zone RMU 20 with waivers allows for four stories and 45 feet.

And so what is being proposed here is first thing in terms of uses, the new zoning would remove the cap of office uses in the tramway building, so it would bring that into compliance.

It would conserve the building.

So the new zoning would require conservation of key features on the tramway building, and then height.

The new zoning would um reduce the allowable height to one to two stories on the existing tramway building, which is what you see in blue, and then maintain the allowed height for four stories.

So no real change on that four stories or 45 feet.

Um because it has zero setbacks, this site has gone through concept, and during that initial review, it complies with our code, and and a four-story building with zero setbacks can be built on the site.

Now let's jump into what is being customized in the specific PUD.

So the PUD is broken down into three sub-areas: sub area A, sub area B, and sub-area C.

So when we're looking at sub-area A, this is really the tramway nonprofit center.

It's gonna follow the base zone district of UMX2X, which is our urban mixed use up to two stories, and that X allows for limited commercial uses.

Part of that will help the additional part of that will help bring the current restrictions on office uses into compliance, but it also has custom height and transparency standards, meaning that the height of what we see as a tramway is what would be allowed.

And the transparency standards is that the you know what we see as the windows is what the transportation standards are.

Additionally, we require conservation of the existing building.

So it calls for keeping the um bolted roofs as well as uh the masonry brick and the stone parapet capped um the cap stone cap parapet wall, as well as um uh the kind of sliding barn doors as well.

So it calls that specifically in the PUD.

When we jump into sub-area B, which is that vacant portion where they're intending to build 60 units, it will follow the base zone district of URX3, which is that urban residential mixed use up to three stories.

Uh and so typically our URX 3 allows for limited commercial on that first floor, but what the PUD is doing is that it would only allow multi-unit as the primary use.

It wouldn't allow that commercial use on that first floor, it would just be strictly multi-unit as that primary use.

And then it will limit it to just four stories or 45 feet.

So right now the URX 3 allows for three stories and 45 feet.

In this instance, the PUD limits it to four stories and 45 feet, which is consistent with the current zoning of four stories and 45 feet.

Additionally, under EHA, expanding housing affordability, um, it allows if you if you were to construct um, you know, if you were to construct an apartment complex under URX3, for example, um, and you incorporate a small component of affordable housing, you would give be given a height incentive of four stories up to 55 feet.

But in this in this instance, this PUD will limit to four stories and 45 feet to be consistent with what's currently allowed in the current zoning.

And then sub area C would follow the base zone district of USUA, which we see a lot in the neighborhood.

The USUA is an urban single unit zone district, it allows for single single family.

Um, but uh what's custom in it is that it would allow for the surface parking to remain, but if at any point that surface parking were to change, then it would have to follow the USUA uses.

Uh additionally, there's a concurrent affordable housing plan, which was um the applicant voluntarily signed with host.

What that agreement entails is that under the negotiated alternatives, if the project's not realized, then the affordable housing plan requires a minimum of 100% of the total dwelling units at 80% AMI with a 99-year covenant.

But because they were just awarded in November the low income housing tax credit, it commits to deeper levels of affordability with larger bedroom counts for those 63 units.

Now jumping into the process and review criteria.

So there was an informational notice sent back in June of last year, and it went before planning board on the 16th of July.

And then it was scheduled to go to committee on the 29th of July of next year, but it was postponed due to mediation.

And so the applicant met with members of the community and um sent spent a few months under mediation, and then it went before committee in uh January 13th and is before you tonight.

Um to date, we received 87 public comments and support.

We did receive four additional publics in court, so a total of 91 comments of support.

Those four comments of support did come in over the weekend.

Uh, but I do want to highlight that those letters range from businesses, organizations to individuals from people that live in the coal neighborhood and um some of those organizations and businesses were Historic Denver, neighborhood development co op uh collaborative, uh, the Catholic charities housing, YMB, Open Door Yang, Gang Alternatives, Denver Street Partnerships, Denver Metro Community Impact.

Um, most of those letters really highlighted the need for its impact to the community, um, wanting to see more affordable housing in the community and what this rezoning will do, and consisting with the criteria as well.

Additionally, we received 46 comments of opposition.

Some of those range from concerns with parking, density traffic, uh allowable height.

Overall, there was consensus on not really concerns with sub area A and C, but more concerns with the allowable height in sub area B, which would be the vacant portion that allows for four stories.

And then we heard some comments that it was not consistent with planned guidance, it was not appropriate with the neighborhood, and the overall direct impact to the surrounding neighborhood.

We did receive one comment letter that had 200 names on that specific letter that highlighted some of the similar concerns here.

Um we did receive one letter from the R from an RO, which is a Cole Neighborhood Association.

They submitted a neutral letter, but I do want to read off some of the things that they highlighted in their letter.

Is that you know the coal neighborhood stated that overall they were encouraged by ULC's commitment to preserving the historic tramway building.

Um but with that said, the proposed building heights have generated a diverse diversity of opinions among coal residents.

And so some community members felt that there was um uh it wasn't consistent with the overall character of the neighborhood, and there was too much height and a lot of density and concerns with impacts of traffic and um to the neighborhood.

Um and then other residents expressed um like overall the concerns on height, um, and so some residents were in favor of it, and so um the registered neighbor organization didn't really take an official position for and against, instead, they wanted to just communicate the different perspectives of the residents, and so they provided a neutral letter of support, um, and then additionally uh we read we did receive two individual letters notifying that there was an editor error in the letter of the 200 names as they didn't they didn't give consent and that they're actually in support.

Um, and so when this went to blinding board back in July of the 16, we received a total of 13 individuals spoke, so six support and seven in opposition.

And kind of similarly to what I've highlighted was what was expressed.

Those in opposition highlighted concerns with density, concerns with plant guidance, concerns with it just doesn't match with the neighborhood, um, and those in support kind of highlighted we need more affordable housing.

The existing zoning allows for four stories, there's no real change here.

And so there was a mix of um you know support and opposition, but the board did vote unanimously to recommend approval, and so um during comments, you know, the board did highlight that they felt that this was consistent with the overall criteria and intent with a lot of strategies and policies.

And then one of the things that they did highlight uh here is that how does CPD vet uh names and signatures on a comment letter?

And so CPD accepts and includes all public comments submitted as part of the official record.

Uh names and signatures are general comment letters for not and they're not verified.

So, as one of staff's role is to present all comments to the decision-making body for their consideration interpretation.

Similarly, like in letters of opposition, we received folks that submitted their letter twice, but we just include it as part of the record.

And we, you know, our for us is that we just kind of present it to the to y'all for your consideration interpretation for that.

Um, so this did intermediation from July to about November, and um, and they intermediation with some community members of the coal neighborhood.

And so the main disagreement centered around the proposed four-story building height in sub area B.

And during that, ULC did offer several community community commitments.

It offered shared parking agreements, on-site residential amenities, prioritizing displaced coal residents for um for housing and fostering community uses for the tramway nonprofit.

While those measures were seen positive, it did not resolve the overall concerns of height, specifically sub area B.

So there was no agreement that came out of that.

So we did receive a protest petition last Tuesday on February 17th, but did not meet the 20% threshold that's required in our Denver zoning code and as part of our charter.

It was signed by owners representing 19.7 of the land area within 2000 feet, so very close to meeting that 20, but it did not meet the requirement for a supermajority vote.

So now jumping into the rear criteria for this rezoning.

So the Denver zoning code highlights specific criteria that every rezoning has to follow, which are three, but in this case, it would be four.

So it's consistent with adopted plans, public interest, could see with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent statements, and lastly, the fourth one is additional review criteria for rezoning to a PUD district that has more than that.

And I'll jump into these.

So the first one, consistent with adopted plan.

So this plan specifically falls under three plans, which is Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver of 2019, the Illeria and Swansea neighborhood plan of 2015.

And so this uh rezoning is consistent with multiple strategies called out in the comprehensive plan 2040 as specified in the staff report, and jumping into Blueprint Denver, this uh application fall um falls under the urban neighborhood context.

Um, ABRA non-neighborhood context are small multi-unit residential and low-intensity mixed-use buildings are typically embedded in single unit and two unit residential areas, so all of the uh sub-areas follow the base zone districts of an urban neighborhood context.

Um, in terms of place type, it's classified as low residential, which is predominantly single and two unit uses on smaller lots, and limited mixed use can occur along arterial and collector streets, as well as where commercial use have already been established, and then building heights are generally up to 2.5 stories in height.

Um, and then street types, North Franklin Street is a residential collector, and then 35th Avenue, East 36th Avenue, and Gilpin Street are all local streets which serve more of residential uses, low low density residential uses.

Um but Blueprint also says that when we're looking at height, because this blueprint recommends up to 2.5 stories in height.

Blueprint says that we should consider the following.

What is the small area plan say?

So the small area plan, the Larry of Swansea plan, is actually silent when it comes to height for this specific area.

Um, and then it also talks about you know what is the surrounding context.

And so when we look at it, we do see a lot of single-family houses that are one and two stories, but we do have the Wyatt Academy that's directly to the north of the site, and that at its highest point is 84 um 84 feet.

Um, but it also talks about what's um when it turns in terms of surrounding context, what's the included existing and planned building height?

So the existing allow allowed on the current zoning is four stories, 45 feet, and then the proposed would just limit it to sub-area B to four stories and 45 feet.

Um, we look at that transition by limiting sub area B to four stories and 45 feet, it will allow for transition to happen and occur and and keep the tramway at its site in terms of stories.

So it would transition that, and then adjacent to transit.

So this is in close proximity to the um the 38th and Blake Station, which is about a 13-minute walk, um, as well as we have the 38 bus route, which is on Bruce Randolph in close proximity of this site.

Um, it would help achieve planned goals for community benefit as it has an affordable housing plan, and then rezoning out of former chapter 5059 into the Denver zoning code will help create better urban design goals.

In terms of equity strategies, you know, it's consistent in the terms of land use and built form general too, which would say allow increased density in exchange for desired outcomes, such as affordable housing, and as well as diversify housing options by exploring opportunities to integrate missing middle housing and increase the development of affordable housing and mixed income housing.

Additionally, aligns with several adaptive reuse strategies, such as the land use and built form design quality and preservation policies, which talk about promote incentives to preserve the reuse of historic buildings and the unique historic features of Denver neighborhood, as well as identify important mixed-use historic structures and encourage their continued use or adaptive reuse and incentivize the preservation of structures and features that contribute to the established character of an area, even if they are not designated as a landmark or historic district.

In terms of climate strategies, multi-unit buildings are more energy efficient to low density residential building types, and as well as it has adapted reuse of the existing building, which is that tramway nonprofit center.

Additionally, Blueprint does talk about limiting the use of spite-specific custom zoning tools, such as a plan unit development to unique and extraordinary circumstances.

And so this site is very unique because multiple zone districts were explored.

And given uh multiple zone districts, board, there wasn't one zone district that one would allow for the conservation of the existing building and would allow for the surface parking to remain and then also introduce the affordable housing here.

So we believe that this is a very unique and extraordinary extraordinary circumstance.

In terms of the small area plan, the Illera Swansea neighborhood plan, it classifies the area as single family duplex.

But when we jump into the definition of single family duplex, single family duplicates are single-family homes, duplexes, tandem houses, row houses, and apartment complexes.

And so it doesn't give recommendation on height, but there is some policies that this application is consistent with, which is increased housing choice, encourage the investment of new housing to expand the total number of residents and to provide for a diversity of housing types to bring more people of all ages and income levels to the neighborhood, as well as encourage continued coordination between nonprofit services organizations that focus on in the neighborhood.

I know some like I know I've got this comment.

Like, how is how are we taking a Larry Swansea neighborhood plan applicable to this specific area, even though this is in the co-neighborhood?

It's applicable because it's an adopted plant and it still highlights this area, even though it doesn't give height recommendation.

There is strategy there that we can point to and it follows our criteria of it being classified in an adopted plans.

So on balance, the proposed zone district is consistent with blueprint Denver plan guidance.

Maybe not entirely with the place type, but it's consistent with a lot of strategies to for increased density in exchange for affordable housing, and it's consistent with uh multiple strategies.

In terms of public interest, it's consistent with this criteria as I specified it's consistent with multiple strategies highlighted in our adoptive plans of Blueprint Deborah, comp plan, and small area plans as it would help the conservation of an existing building adaptive reuse as well as it allow introduces affordable housing and it would maintain that surface parking.

It's consistent with the neighborhood context zone district purpose and incentive as specified in the staff report.

And now I want to really dive into the additional review criteria for rezoning to a PUD district.

And so there's five additional criteria that we have to follow when we're rezoning into a plan unit development.

And so I'll just jump into each one.

So the PUD district is consistent with the intent and purpose of such districts, stated in Article 9, Division 9.9, Plan Unit Development of the Zoning Code.

So this PUD will help facilitate the conservation of existing building, which is a valued historic building in the community, while accommodating new affordable housing development on a vacant portion of the site.

And it's a more efficient use of land and energy.

In terms of criteria B, it uh complies with all applicable standards of this criteria under the division 9.6 of the Denver Zoning Code.

And then the development proposed of the subject property is not feasible under any other zone district and would require an unreasonable number of variances or waivers and conditions.

So this PUD district, like I mentioned, we've explored multiple zone districts, and it's necessary because there wasn't a specific zone district that would help conserve the existing building in sub-area, support for infill development of affordable housing in sub-area B and continue the allowance for surface parking use for subarea C.

In terms of criteria D, the PUD establishes permitted uses that are compatible with existing land uses adjacent to the subject property.

The proposed PUDG would allow uses that are allowed in the UMX2X and sub-area, the USUA and surface parking in sub-area C and multi-unit dwelling as a primary use in sub-area B.

The proposed zoning would allow for residential and limited commercial uses on the subject that are compatible with the permitted uses in the surrounding properties, and then much of the last one, which is the PUD establishes permitted building forms that are compatible with adjacent existing building forms.

Much of the subject I use currently zone is in RMB 20 zone district with waivers, which permits residential mixed use with heights up to 45 feet.

So further, the surrounding area includes low-scale residential building forms and limited commercial mixed use zone districts in the media area, which provides an appropriate transition to the subject site.

Therefore, CPG recommends approval that base based at all the finding of the Rue Katia have met, and I'm available for any questions.

Thank you very much.

We have 39 speakers signed up.

So each person is allowed allotted three minutes.

You don't have to use your three minutes, but you can use your three minutes.

So if someone said something and made a point that someone else made, feel free.

It's your three minutes, but just saying 39 minutes, 39 speakers is quite the bunch.

So what I'll do is I'll call up.

I don't, is everyone in here?

There might be people in the overflow who are watching.

So I'm gonna call the first five so that if you're in the overflow room, you can come into the council chambers.

First up, we have Andrea Byrne, Ruth O'Donnell, Brad Dotson, Erin Martinez, and Josh Russell.

Good evening.

Good evening, council members.

My name is Andrea Burns and I'm with Urban Land Conservancy.

ULC is a Denver nonprofit that for 23 years has secured places for community benefit with a goal of making them permanently affordable.

ULC does affordable housing and operates affordable commercial spaces for nonprofits.

We're grateful for the chance to share our story with you tonight.

Originally owned by the Denver Tramway Company, this block is an important place in Cole's history.

Over time, the buildings on this block were adaptively reused for community college and as office spaces for local nonprofits.

ULC acquired the nonprofit center in 2007.

Today, more than a dozen nonprofits operate out of tramway.

From Spanish language health and wellness programs to programs supporting LGBTQ youth to early childhood education and so much more.

Thousands of Denverites and especially young people from coal have become healthier and safer, have learned and grown, and have found their voice or their path through the programs offered at Tramway.

Consistent with our mission, we began working toward housing on the site back in 2018, but we ran into regulatory roadblocks.

Since then, some city and state regulations have changed.

We have learned a lot through a few fits and starts, and after eight years, we have a zoning solution that we believe is a win-win.

All the complexity boils down to this.

There are three things this rezoning seeks to retain.

To keep the four-story heights on the east side of the block, to protect and keep the tramway building itself, which is on the national register, to continue the long-time practice of using tramway as an office hub for nonprofits.

The unique aspects of this zone lot justify a PUD.

The custom zoning retains the existing height limit on the east side, where we've committed to 100% affordable, permanent, permanently affordable housing.

It down zones the majority of the block, conserving the tramway building itself.

Preventing ourselves from demolishing the building may seem unnecessary, but it is a promise we are making to the neighborhood.

The rezoning also allows us to dedicate off-street parking for tramway and for new residents.

And critically, it is the only known solution that would allow the tramway nonprofit center to continue to operate, providing a clean and clear path to zoning compliance, and that would also allow new housing too.

This application meets the criteria and it's a balanced approach that helps deliver on council's priorities.

For those reasons, we ask that you vote to approve PUD G38.

Thank you, and I'm happy to answer questions.

Next up, we have Bruce O'Donnell.

Good evening, Madam President and members of council.

My name's Bruce O'Donnell and I reside at 386 Emerson Street in Denver.

As evidenced by CPD staff report and the planning board's unanimous recommendation of approval, it is unambiguous that this request meets the criteria of the rezoning criteria in the Denver Zoning Code, including the extraordinary criteria for PUDs.

For example, the PUD reduces allowed building heights, preserves the character of an historic structure, facilitates the development of affordable housing in a neighborhood subject to involuntary displacement, and provides much needed additional housing proximate to transit.

ULC is not asking for PUD zoning for the purpose of financial gain, quite the opposite.

The PUD allows ULC to downzone half the property, reducing the property's overall value and preventing demolition while enabling the continued use of the building as a home for community serving nonprofits.

ULC has conducted extensive community outreach as summarized in your packets.

ULCO hosted an open house, presented at numerous RO meetings, did a direct mailing in the neighborhood, flyered neighboring properties, and provided a dedicated website that allowed for neighbors to learn about the rezoning and get in touch with ULC.

This has resulted in earning over 90 letters of support from the community.

The process also included three months of voluntary mediation.

ULC has executed an affordable housing agreement with host to provide 100% affordable units in perpetuity.

We have received LITEC allocation from CHAPTER.

The existing zoning on the site has a 45 foot height limit.

The new PUD does not seek an increase in height.

Rather, it retains the height allowed in the existing zoning.

The proposed affordable apartment building, which has successfully been through CPD concept plan review and has been accepted into AHART, can be built with the existing zoning.

This rezoning brings the added benefit of moving out of former Chapter 59 and into the Denver zoning code, a goal that we share with city planners.

The benefits for the city are clear.

The benefits for the applicant include clear plan review and permitting, modern form-based standards, and the continuation of office uses in the building.

This PUD rezoning is not just the best and most thoughtful solution to zoning at this site, it is the only solution that has been identified through engagement with city staff in the community that protects both the existing building and affordable housing.

We are confident that this rezoning is the right choice for the tramway block.

Because the rezoning meets the city's criteria, I respectfully request that city council vote yes to approve council bill 25-1069, rezoning these properties from Chapter 59 RMU 20 and PUD 534 to Denver Zoning Code PUD G38.

Thank you, and I'm available for questions.

Thank you.

Next up we have Brad Dodson.

Good evening, Council President, members of council.

It's great to see you all tonight.

My name is Brad Dodson, and I am the chief financial officer of the urban land conservancy.

As we've shared, this PUD is designed to retain three things the existing four-story height on the east side of the block, the historic tramway building itself, and the continued use of tramway as an office hub for nonprofits.

I want to provide some context about the housing opportunity on the east side of the site.

First of all, it's important to just to say affordable housing is not simple or inexpensive to build.

It's complex, it's capital intensive, and it requires a modest level of scale to work.

Without that scale, it is not feasible to deliver affordable rental housing.

Our mission at ULC is to create affordable homes.

And we intend to use the capacity that we have, which the current entitlements on the site allow for four stories, and we intend to use that capacity to make a meaningful contribution to Denver's housing shortage and to help counter displacement in coal.

ULC has partnered with Medici Communities, a Denver-based affordable housing developer with a 30-year track record of delivering income restricted housing.

And in November, the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, CHAFA, awarded this project low-income housing tax credits.

CHAPTER's process is rigorous, it's highly competitive, and this project was selected while many others across the state were not.

Some have asked, why can't we build a two-story or three story building here?

And the answer is a matter of practicality.

CHAPTER evaluates whether projects make efficient use of the zoning that exists.

Because four story zoning is in place today, a proposal that does not reasonably use that capacity would not score as competitively.

Without competitive scoring, there are no tax credits.

Without tax credits, there is no affordable housing.

CHAPTER requires construction to begin within 18 months of the award.

If that deadline is missed, the tax credits are subject to recapture.

Right now we have a shovel ready project that will create 63 affordable homes for Denver households.

The financing is secured, the partner is in place, and the remaining step is zoning alignment under the modern Denver zoning code.

This is a real opportunity in front of you tonight, not a hypothetical one, and we respectfully ask for your approval so that we can move forward and begin building homes for 63 Denver families.

Thank you.

Can we please all be respectful of the speaker who's talking?

Next up, we have Aaron Martinez.

Apologies.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Aaron Martinez.

I serve as urban land conservancy's chief operating officer.

Part of my role at ULC is overseeing ULC's land, buildings, and our nonprofit leasing program, which offers rates to community serving nonprofits at an average of about 30% below market rates.

This is affordability for nonprofits that serve the community.

Our goal is to prevent displacement, displacement of residents, yes, but also displacement of the vital community services provided by the nonprofits in the tramway building.

We want to help them stay in their neighborhoods.

We want to stay help them stay close to the communities that they serve.

The tramway building has more than a dozen nonprofits, some that have been there for more than 10 years, and they all have close ties to Wyatt Academy just across the street.

There's a mutually beneficial and often necessary relationship between families at Wyatt at Wyatt Academy and services provided by the nonprofits at the tramway building.

USC ULC has been a neighbor in the coal community since 2007, when we acquired what was then the Phillips Center.

When we acquired the property, the former Chapter 59 zoning was already in place.

Zoning that is rooted in 1950s ideals.

Tramway is a place with a lot of heart, but it is dated.

We want to invest in the building.

We want to uh continue to modify the building to serve the nonprofits uh that operate there, to better serve the tenants and their clients.

However, we have learned through this process that the building is not in compliance with its longtime and outdated zoning.

It's a 60,000 square foot office building filled with vital nonprofit office uses, but it is currently limited to only 10,000 square feet in current zoning in Chapter 59 zoning.

These nonprofits that provide vital community services are trapped in a zoning code from 70 years ago.

Because of this, two workforce development programs that operate in tramway, where we now know that workforce development is not even a use that is allowed in Chapter 59 zoning.

One of our tenants is actively seeking to build a new bilingual early childhood education program.

A desperate need throughout the city.

But to do so, she needs a zoning permit.

And under the current zoning and the current rules, getting that permit is near impossible.

The new households living next door should benefit from the daycare, health care, and workforce training at Tramway.

But for that to happen, these nonprofits need to be able to stay and grow and thrive.

And our hope is that with the rezoning, ULC can reinvest in the building, legalize all the users that are there, and keep this place modern and dignified for the neighborhood.

I urge you to vote yes today.

And I'm also available to answer any questions about the Tramway Nonprofit Center.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Josh Russell.

I'm on Zoom.

Okay, go ahead.

Go ahead, Josh.

Hi, good evening.

I'm Josh Russell.

I'm a partner with the Teaching Communities, and we're ULC's development partner on this project as Brad mentioned.

This will be our third project working with the urban land conservancy.

We're excited to be part of it.

I think this is a wonderful site.

Um, nothing further to add to the ULC team's presentation at this time, but wanted to be here tonight to make myself available.

Council had any questions about the affordable housing project in particular as this hearing continues.

Thank you.

I heard from other people who are in overflow.

So if you've spoken, if you can wait outside so we can get four more people in the room, we're at capacity, so no one else can come in.

You can come, I'll have other people leave, but I do have other people who are in the overflow room who will want to come and speak.

With that being said, I'll call the next five people up.

I have Cassandra Dunn, Kath Dunn, Brian Kraft, Rachel Marion, David Pardo, and Katie Hannah.

I don't believe any of those are in the room, so we'll have to wait.

Cassandra Dunn.

Okay, Cassandra, go ahead.

Hello, council.

My name is Cassandra Dunn, and I am here in strong support of the urban land conservatory zoning application.

Tramway is essential to the thriving of Denver.

Buildings like Tramway and what they bring to the community are vital.

It is a place where people can gather for access and for support and to better themselves in so many ways.

I moved to Denver to be an actor, and I chose the city in no small part due to Family Theater Company, one of the nonprofits that presides at Tramway.

As an institution, the work that Family Theater Company does is vital to the community and to the people who it serves, and it is only able to do that work because of Tramway.

Family employs more than dozens, probably in the hundreds of disabled actors every year, which is an incredible feat.

Being in their shows has given me some of my closest friends in Denver and some of my greatest artistic experiences.

Family supports each of their actors, technicians, and staff very deeply.

Everyone is seen and cared for.

Family produces incredible shows that are beautiful, entertaining, and just good theater.

People are deeply affected by just seeing the shows.

People who have the opportunity to work with family have their lives changed for the better consistently.

I am someone whose life it has changed so much better.

And I see so many people who share the same circumstance.

Please vote yes to continue to let family change lives.

Please vote yes to support safety and security by voting yes on rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Brian Kraft.

Did he thank you?

Hello, my name is Brian Kraft.

Thank you, Council, for the opportunity to speak here this evening.

I'm uh greatly opposed to the residential rezoning in sub area B.

I don't have any opposition to the tramway rezoning.

I'm not sure why these two efforts are coupled together.

Uh per Blueprint Denver, coal has the greatest amount of economically diverse housing opportunities.

We're willing to support even more affordable housing if the urban planning is responsible and consistent with the neighborhood.

The PUD and associated four story building ULC is pursuing is exactly what Blueprint Denver recommends against.

On page 72, stating that PUD should be minimized, and on page 78, that site by site specific rezoning should be avoided.

Furthermore, page 94 and 98 even describe how a new development like ULC's can cause a loss to neighborhood character.

Quote, much of the recent infill in existing residential neighborhoods is out of context with older homes, particularly in massing and scale, and that quote new development tends to max out the available building envelope, producing many buildings with incompatible bulk scale and lock coverage.

Blueprint Denver is spelling out the exact issues we are seeing with the PUD application, and even highlights the exact concerns that we have surrounding scale, uh height and residential density.

Blueprint Denver first saw and is clearly recommending against the type of urban planning this PUD is pursuing.

Additionally, the PUD application fails to meet the required PUD district plan elements listed in section 9.6.1.3 of the zoning code.

The application does not exist uh address transitions to adjacent properties, mitigation of adverse impacts on surrounding properties, variances to URX3 for setback and entry features, the need for adequate amount safe recreation areas for children for development specifically intended for families, and ignores details of the RIA Swansea plan.

The plan specifically designates this block as an area of stability where new development should be minimized and should quote preserve the low rise building heights characteristic of the single family duplex character, end quote.

Given the multitude of issues with this PUDA application, I urge council members to reject this rezoning and force ULC to submit an accurate, honest, and complete PUD application.

These issues would be obvious if a detailed PUD was pursued, but this is not the route that was chosen.

I urge council members to look at some of these incongruities with comprehensive 2040 and Blueprint Denver.

I will also state that uh per ULC's uh own admittance during our mediation, uh, they stated for whatever reason they failed to notify residents within 200 feet.

Uh when we initially approached them about this, they told us it must have been windy that day, and our notification flew away.

So I I really don't think the community engagement that's being highlighted here has actually taken place.

Uh the PUD application requires not just uh stating what your engagement was, but the results of the engagement.

Uh, this is another deficiency in the application that was submitted.

Uh, I urge the council to please uh vote against this PUD and decouple these two efforts of tramway and the residential building.

Thank you for your time.

Next up we have Rachel Marion.

Good evening, council.

My name is Rachel Merion.

My address is 1777 East 39th Avenue.

I am here in my capacity as a member of the Cole Registered Neighborhood Organization Board.

I was also one of uh the board members that participated um as a neutral third party in the mediation, um, and I'm just available for any questions you may have about that.

Thank you.

Pardo virtually.

Hi, uh yes, this is David Pardo.

Um can you see and hear me?

Yes, we can.

Go ahead.

Awesome.

Uh so yes, I am David Pardo.

I currently reside in district seven, but I until recently had lived in district nine, and actually in three weeks, we'll be moving back to district nine within a half a mile of the tramway site.

Um, and I am speaking tonight, both because I believe in this project and that you should vote yes for this rezoning, but also in the name of the 350 paid dues paying members or volunteer members of UMB Denver uh as one of our steering leads.

Um we as an organization absolutely support this project.

Uh I've got used to walking past this site on a fairly regular basis, and the reality is that right now the tramway building is amazing.

It provides amazing things to the community in terms of space for these nonprofits that have already been talked about.

But the site on which the housing is going to be built is currently a crater.

Uh, it is a giant expanse of concrete that detracts from the neighborhood uh in many ways.

It adds absolutely nothing of value, and it absolutely needs to be fixed.

Um we, as an organization, UMB Denver, absolutely back pretty much anything that produces housing.

Uh reports have been coming out that even if you produce a five million dollar home that wasn't there before, it still helps fix housing.

But it is always better if the housing that is built is immediately affordable to those instead of requiring a vacancy chain to add to the housing supply in Denver.

The reality is if this doesn't get built, those 63 families that would live in this building don't suddenly go away.

They will still be living in the Denver metro area, and when they want to get into Denver, instead of being able to take a bus or walk, they will be driving.

They will be polluting while they drive of no fault of their own.

Uh that is the way we built our city, and that is its own problem.

Uh but more importantly, they won't be able to be a part of the community.

We won't be able to bring back the neighbors that we've lost over the years as the neighborhood has changed.

We won't be able to give people the opportunity to become Denverites, to live in this amazing neighborhood.

Uh and so I implore you to vote yes tonight.

Uh this is an amazing project.

These guys have put so much time and effort into making this an incredibly valuable addition to the community.

And unlike some other rezonings, you know exactly what you're gonna get when you vote yes.

There's no question about it.

So once again, I urge you to vote yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Katie Hannah.

Sorry, I said.

My name is Katie Hanna.

I live at 36th and Williams in District 9.

I live within 200 feet of the proposed rezone lot, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all.

For some context, I first learned about the rezoning from the city signage and not community outreach of any sort.

Since then, I have been involved as involved as possible, and of note requested and went through months of mediation with ULC as facilitated by the city and circulated the protest petition to neighbors within the 200 feet.

On that protest petition, we had 44 signatures accepted and got 19.7% of the total land mass needed.

So we failed by just 0.3%.

And that failure is on me because I wasn't aware of the five LLCs that they were gonna fail of the 49 signatures, were because I didn't provide the proper documentation of agency.

So it's not on the neighbors, and I apologize to them because it would have passed if those signatures had remained.

I and here we are.

I've taken advantage of all the processes the city provides to try and communicate the neighborhood opposition to the proposed rezone, most specifically sub area B and the intended four-story 63 uh unit apartment building.

It was requested mediation that it be limited to three floors, so not done away with, which would still provide 48 affordable housing units.

We as neighbors supported 100% affordable.

We asked that the building be more in alignment with the neighborhood and with the planning guides.

Um so it would still provide forty-eight affordable housing units, some as large as three-bedroom, and provide adequate parking then for the size, which was a huge concern to all of the neighboring uh houses and people around there.

Reducing height would mitigate any many of the density and scale issues and better fit into the context, character, and history of the neighborhood.

This lot sits in the heart of coal and is considered low residential urban and is characterized by mostly single family, typically one and a half story homes or duplex and townhomes of two stories or less.

Many of these houses date from the 1890s and early 1900s.

We are not asking for special treatment, but rather to be given the same consideration as the numerous affordable housing projects that fall in low residential urban neighborhoods, similar to coal or in coal itself, and are typically two stories or less and do not max out above three stories.

I do not oppose the development of this lot, and I recognize the importance of affordable housing there.

I fully support it being developed to be affordable housing, but not in the end in the scale size and scope that it is.

ULC is stating that they can do all of this now, but in reality, they are not currently in compliance with the existing tramway use and likely have not been since 2007 when they purchased it.

They want to state the current zoning is wrong for all the reasons that affect them, but want to maintain all the features that benefit them, like 45 feet in height.

Even though current neighborhood guides, Blueprint Denver, all of them would state that in these zones you would do three stories or less.

If the current zoning is too restrictive for any reason as justification, then the new zoning should be a comprehensive overhaul.

We want to see tramway continue, as is.

There is no guarantee of the services though provided out of that building.

And during mediation, one of the things was we have.

Yeah, I have so much.

Next up, we have, and then I'm gonna ask the same for this five, these four people who spoke.

If you can go back out so we can get the other group in here, I have two people who need room in this next set of people.

Shannon Speary, Josh Illrich, Cameron Rivera, Kwan Atlas, and Jesse Paris.

So two of those people are in person.

Shannon, if producer Shannon.

Shannon, if you'll accept the promotion.

Yes, it's been accepted.

Okay, go ahead.

Okay.

Good evening, council and madam president.

Um, I'm uh Shannon Sperry with MDHC Communities.

Um, and uh I was also uh signed up uh to answer any questions that uh the council may have uh towards the end of the night.

So uh I'll be available for those questions.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Josh Alrich.

Thank you for having me today.

Um I do work in the ULC building, but I come here as a private citizen who wants to advocate for it.

I've only been working in this ULC building for or the tramway building for about three, four months now.

Um prior to that, I used to work for an education nonprofit that was based heavily in the coal community.

We serve uh Cole Elementary, Wide Academy, and International Academy of Denver at Harrington, which is tragically shut down, as I'm sure you all are aware.

So through my time of coming in that community, I also live in the Five Points neighborhood, so it's a very short commute for me back and forth to the location I'm at and when I was doing that work.

I know there's gonna be a lot of concern here today about things like parking and traffic and just uh congesting the area.

And look, I hear that.

Like I have a four-minute drive home, and I let out sometimes enough explicitives to fill an MM album.

I keep them to myself, I don't say them out loud, but they do come up in my brain as I'm driving home.

So I get those frustrations there.

Where I get concerned is coming from a nonprofit that was shut down due to budgeting.

Seeing a building that supports nonprofit potentially lose those resources in community would be tragic to me, especially after being inside one of the schools that was shut down in that community and seeing so many displaced families as a result.

So I hope you all will support keeping tramway uh and allowing them to rezone so that way we can keep the nonprofits in that building serving the community.

And thank you for your time.

Next up, we have Carmen Rivera virtually.

Carmen.

Hi, my name is Carmen Rivera.

I live at 3520 North Gilpin Street, Denver, Colorado, 80205.

Um, I'm a native of Denver and I have lived in my home for 20 years.

When I was in search of purchasing my home, I was looking for a property that did not have neighbors across the street from me.

When I purchased my home, it was the main reason I bought it.

I live directly across the street from the tramway.

So the new builds personally affect me and my living and living in the comfort of my home.

Right now, when I look out my front window, I see sun in the sky.

Once this apartment building is built, it would no longer have the evening sun and the sky will be covered.

This building will be towering over my home in the winter time.

Our street will be icy due to the sun not being able to melt the snow.

Also, the apartments that are facing my home will be able to look directly into my home.

I will no longer be able to live comfortably in my home.

It's not fair that we did not have a choice in the matter.

And when we were asked at the meetings that were held, all we all gave our thoughts and we all told Aaron and the people who were proposing to build this building that we did not want it.

They did not listen to us and the plans to build continued.

Does community really have a voice, or is it all just for show?

So that they can say they met with the community that lives in the area.

Does all the community understand that a for-profit company is the one that's building these apartments using nonprofit urban land conservancy as a cover-up, making it look like they are the ones building the low income apartments for the community when in reality it's all about the money.

The voices of people of color always seem to continue to fall on deaf ears.

There are five townhomes that were built at the corner of our block.

These units have one-part garages, which they hardly use.

Every night we come home, our block is filled with cars.

When before they built these townhomes, we all respected each other as neighbors and parked in front of our homes.

The majority of the neighbors do not have garages, even with no neighbors living across from us.

It has been a nightmare.

We have already had to go through changes with the five units.

How much more will have to will we have to endure with 63 units with the limited amount of parking?

Where on earth do they expect people to park on the street that already have limited parking?

We also do not want to lose the feeling of living in a neighborhood when living in Denver.

So I ask that you do not vote in favor of the rezoning, allowing them to build a bigger, allowing them to build bigger.

Please listen to the community of color who you all were here to all represent.

It shows how many neighbors are against it with the petition that was signed by the people it directly impacted.

As you all done the clock proclamation today, reminding us that people of color matter.

When building this building and allowing for it to be bigger, you are mainly affecting people of color who have raised who've resided around the property for over 40 years.

I respectful respectfully ask that you truly take in consideration the people who it directly affects in your vote because of the impact it will directly, the impact it will have on the neighborhood.

That's your time.

Except we have Kwan Atlas.

Many of y'all know me.

First or foremost, uh main reason why I'm here instead of at home is because I was hired to fly uh the neighborhood, and I did that.

Um so I reject any notion that I didn't.

I chose to uh put um put the flyering for one of the first um events that they had um on every door on two-block radius of of the site, which is what I was paid to do.

And as many of you all know, um I do the work I'm paid to do.

So there's that.

Um, in my other hat and capacity, um, I'm director of a nonprofit Montbella Organizing Committee, and as you all know, uh we built 97 units of affordable housing, a high density um new development in Montbello.

And it was a big change to the community.

But with that, you have to understand that impact.

The impact is we have almost 300 folks living in this new building of people of color who may have gone to Aurora or other neighboring communities and left their community.

Unfortunately, with issues like this, you have folks who do own their home and have um they have security fighting against the futures of those who would come into the neighborhood.

As I did flyer the neighborhood, I saw a lot of the small businesses.

Uh a property like this will bring more people to the area that will have more foot traffic to actually support those businesses, as well as when it's a non-profit like ours that is developing it, they bring so many other resources to the community.

We go straight, we go into our own building with our resources that we already provide and directly connect those folks to services, and so this is this is exactly um to me, exactly what we should be doing and developing more in a community.

Nonprofits coming to the city and saying okay, we have land, we have an idea, and we'll do it because they're the type of folks that are going to actually meet all of their requirements, and so I can't speak to what you all see will do.

I would love to help them uh consult on that, but we were able to meet all of our uh construction um promises.

We were able to have our workforce promises, and we were able to meet all of the affordable housing promises that we made, and so I hope that you all see will do the exact same thing being a nonprofit doing very similar work and um doing getting into that development space.

Um also just recognize that I'm a member of the district nine um community, and I want to see more folks come back into the community.

You can only do that when you increase density because people of color have to then compete with people who have more money who can buy these homes, and the the change in the character of that neighborhood that I walked is already changed, and the people who live there have already changed, and so this is the opportunity to bring back people who look like the community that used to live there can actually afford and rent an apartment, and so I urge a yes on this uh ordinance change.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Jesse Paris.

Yes, good evening, members of council, those watching at home, those in the council chambers.

My name is Jesse LaShawn Paris, and I'm represented for Black Star Action Movement for Self-Defense, Positive Action Committee for Social Change, as well as the Unity Party of Colorado, the Northeast Denver Residence Council, Frontline Black Nose, Tabacas Black Dispensive Enhanced, the Revolutionary Agenda.

And I reside at the Roach and Bearbug infested legacy laws in Councilman Daryl Watson's district of District 9, the fine district nine and historically black district of five points.

First, I got a story to tell about this.

I'm glad to see that you want to keep the existing site.

Actually, having conversations with people, that's proper outreach.

And if there's neighbors that say they're within 200 feet of the site, they have not been notified.

That's not proper outreach.

AMI level 80%, that's ridiculous.

As previously has been stated, a traffic study, parking study, a transit study, a rail study.

Has there been a community benefits agreement signed?

Has Ness got involved to minimize the displacement in this rampidly gentrified neighborhood of coal.

Sixty-three families.

I wonder what they're gonna look like.

I'm pretty sure they won't look like uh myself.

Um 46 letters of opposition and 200 letters or 200 names on one letter.

That should tell you something right there.

This is not gonna benefit the community at all.

This is gonna be gentle this is gonna benefit gentrifiers who have recently moved to Denver and they want to live in the supposed urban corridor, and it's gonna continue to displace those of us that have called this area of East Denver home for decades.

So the seven board members that spoke in opposition, salute to y'all on development of a vacant portion.

Yeah, something needs to be done with that vacant portion, but this ain't it.

A five five-story building, the 80% AMI is not gonna get it.

You like I said, you fail to notify the residents within five 200 feet.

Putting flyers on people's doors is not outreach.

And it's not benefiting safety at all.

So I would ask that you a no vote on this tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have I'll call the next five people, and we'll need four chairs.

Aaron Santov, Alan Levantel, Travinsky, Alison, Corinne Melone, Katie, Bon, Omo, and Anna McDon.

I think.

Sorry if I ruined a new one's name.

You can pronounce it when you get up to the is there anyone in the overflow room who.

Is there anyone?

How about we start with Anna who's virtual producer's Anna Reddy?

Okay.

Let's start with Anna, and then we'll go to all the in-person.

Hi there, thank you so much for um having this opportunity for public comment tonight.

I really appreciate it.

My name's Anna McDevitt, and I live at 3653 North High Street.

So I'm a couple of blocks away from the proposed development.

And I joined tonight to urge you to support this project.

Um, I've lived in the coal neighborhood for five and a half years now.

I love it for lots of reasons, but one of them is the diverse development that we have in our community.

We have commercial buildings, we have schools, we have churches, and we have lots of different kinds of residential housing from single-family homes to apartments to other multifamily units that range from two to four stories on almost every block.

And of course, we have affordable housing in our neighborhood already.

So this project would fit right into the quilts of our community.

The other reason I like living here is because of our access to public transit, like the light rail, the bus system, as well as bike lanes.

This project is great because it doesn't require Denver families to own a car to live here and to thrive here.

It's transit-oriented development, and honestly, we need as much of that as we possibly can in the Denver metro area so that everyone has a place to live and not require a car to do so.

So, in summary, coal is a great place to live, and I would love to see this project go through because I would love to have more neighbors to enjoy it with and to be able to continue to live with the neighbors that live here now.

So please vote yes to rezoning and thank you so much for your time and attention to this important issue.

Thank you.

Okay, go ahead.

Go ahead, Aaron.

Thank you.

Hi, my name's Aaron Bantoff.

I'm a resident of the El Lyra Swania neighborhood.

Um, but I'm also a staff member at a nonprofit operating at the Tramway Nonprofit Building, family theater company that is with a pH.

It's a one of a kind organization that produces professional theater performances that exclusively feature the talents of disabled artists.

Right now, the world is getting smaller for many of our disabled artists and audiences every day.

We see new and creative ways to diminish the lives of disabled people here in Colorado and across the country.

At Family, we have become a home for disabled people to find jobs, to find representation, and to find community.

It took us years to find an office building that was affordable, accessible, and could accommodate the needs we had to rehearse our shows.

Urban land conservancy has provided space for us in Denver when no one else really would.

We are really lucky to be currently operating out of the tramway nonprofit building for the last five years, and I hope to continue operating in one of Denver's historic neighborhoods as a local resident.

I believe the tramway building is a necessary hub for local nonprofits, making it an essential resource for families, students, disabled artists, and everyone else who utilizes the space.

I encourage you to vote yes on Bill 251069 and support organizations that are working with your most vulnerable citizens.

I fully support the rezoning that allows nonprofits like family to continue operating in the tramway nonprofit building in compliance with updated modern zoning standards.

I also fully support the construction of more affordable housing to better serve the residents and displaced residents of the coal neighborhood.

I know a lot of disabled people looking for more opportunity here in Denver, and it's getting harder to find.

Please be part of what makes this city a viable place to live and to create art.

We are counting on it.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Next up we have Alison.

Alison, if you could tell me how to pronounce your last name, I'd love that.

Sure.

Hi there.

I'm Alison Leventhal Djokovsky.

I'm the executive director of Sunshine Home Share Colorado.

We support older adults that have empty space in their homes by sharing that space.

And we get lots of people coming to us who are older adults as well, that their apartments have been sold.

They've lived in them forever, and they no longer have a place to live.

As a nonprofit, we were actually working out of another building that happened to get sold and we were displaced as well.

And I went to a many church basements.

I went to other nonprofits.

I was on the quest for something that was affordable and safe and in a neighborhood where we were serving people and realizing we were those facing the same issues as the people coming into our program being displaced from a building that was getting knocked down.

And so we've been in tramway five years.

They have kept our rent almost the same.

It is affordable.

It is a lovely place to work, and it is a vibrant part of the neighborhood that it serves because we have people coming in all of the time that can no longer live in the neighborhoods that they want to live.

And so bringing more affordable housing in to the neighborhood is going to allow people to continue to live in the place that they want to be.

So I am definitely in favor of supporting tramway and the nonprofit side of it, as well as the desperate need for affordable housing in our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Corinne Malin.

Hi, my name is Corinne Mellon, and I am the managing director of a family theater company, one of the many nonprofits who call the Tramway Nonprofit Center home.

I am here to ask City Council to approve the rezoning of our building in block and explain how rezoning supports Denver's disability community.

Family is the longest running disability theater in the nation and one of the few professional theater companies worldwide that works with artists with any type of disability visible or invisible at any level of impact.

Family's 37-year history in Denver has helped the city become a hub for disabled artists of all disciplines.

Each year we present 35 to 45 performances across the Denver Metro, reaching more than 5,500 audience members, and engaging over 200 professional artists with disabilities.

We offer free acting classes and have an internship program for disabled youth interested in careers behind the scenes.

Family also serves many disabled audience members, offering a full menu of accessibility services at every performance.

In addition, we offer interactive shows for those with high impact cognitive disabilities and audience ignored by the majority of the performing arts world.

Family is one of the few organizations that truly moves the needle in arts accessibility and acceptance of people with disabilities, training artists for success at mainstream theaters from Denver to Broadway.

One of our actors is currently in Wicked on Broadway as we speak and is the first wheelchair user ever to be in that show.

Before Family moved into the Tramway building, we did not have a space that could house both our office and rehearsals, which was a huge strain on our small staff.

Having a home at Tramway gives us more time and resources to provide vital services to our community and a place for our community to gather in times of triumph and heartache.

If rezoning is not passed and the tramway building shuts down, family would not be able to afford rent in Denver and would have to move outside the city.

This would make participating in our programming difficult for many and cause Denver to lose one of its cultural jewels.

Denver cannot have a thriving arts community if artists can't afford to live in the city.

Artists, educators, nonprofit workers, caregivers, and service professionals must be able to live in the cities they serve.

The proposed housing development will offer rental units affordable to households, earning roughly 30,000 to 60,000 a year for a single person.

The income level of many of our performers, teachers, nonprofit workers, and people with disabilities.

The median income of a Coloradoan with a disability is 32,000.

Council members, I implore you to support the disability community and vote yes on rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next step we have Katie Bonomo.

Good evening.

My name is Katie Bonomo and I live at 3749 North Gilpin Street, two blocks north of the area that's proposed to be rezoned.

And I'm here because I'm very much in support of this rezoning that will allow ULC to continue to provide space for and support the great work of the organizations at Tramway and to build affordable apartments on the site.

City staff did a great job laying out how this application meets the criteria for rezoning, so I won't dwell on that.

Adopted plans are full of references to the need for more affordable housing.

That need is well documented, and filling the need is certainly in the public interest.

Aside from the criteria, I know that public sentiment, especially that of neighbors, is a powerful thing.

So I'm here as a neighbor to be a voice of support.

I see this project as an amazing opportunity for coal.

I was part of the mediation that's been mentioned, so I know that not everyone is excited about this project.

Though apartments could be built with or without this rezoning, the opposition I've heard stems from opposition to the housing piece of the plan.

So I'll say this.

By the state demographers' estimations, we are short more than a hundred thousand homes in Colorado.

Majority of the need is for affordable homes.

It's tempting to throw up our hands and say that it's an unsolvable shortfall, but we can't do that.

For those of us lucky enough to live in homes that we can afford, giving up on addressing that shortfall would mean sitting on in our own comfortable homes and saying some other people just don't get to have that opportunity.

I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

What I want to emphasize is that there's an opportunity here to allow an organization that's willing to build homes that we desperately need to build some, and to do so in such a way that allows them to also preserve a space that's providing great services in the community.

ULC is proposing to take on the huge task of working with a developer to fund design and construct affordable homes on land they already own.

They're proposing to do that while essentially devaluing incredibly valuable land that they hold by placing an affordability covenant on it.

It's amazing that they're willing to do that, and I'm asking you please to say yes to this rezoning to help do it.

Thank you.

I'm gonna call the next five people, and I believe they're all in person.

Mark DeSett.

You're here, yep.

Lila Galkin, Galakin, Richard Zanit, Toy Macy, and Linda Worth.

Mark, you're here.

Thank you, sir.

And if you've spoken to good evening, I'd like to thank the members of the council for letting me have this opportunity to speak tonight.

My name is Mark DeSett, and I have been a writer, director, and performer with Family Theater Company for 37 years.

I am currently a vice chair of the board of directors for this organization, and I come before you tonight to speak for the rezoning of the fan of the tramway building.

I know my time is short, so as a performer, what better way than pros?

To make my point.

She was built in the year 1911 to house the tramway cars, 62,420 square feet, a building that's quite large.

The years have flown, the city's grown, her mission, it has changed, where once the steel and industry nonprofits are arranged.

From Denver youth to Fontausa Familiara, to my company family, the grand old Dome has a adapted and changed to fit necessity.

But now we've reached a crossroads from which we cannot grow.

Without this zoning change, this tale ends in woe.

Where nonprofits thrive and struggle to survive, you'll have an empty shell, a building that is useless with no life in it as well.

It's affordable, that's a key, and location that is prime.

Because with nonprofits, you know, we count every dime.

It is unique, it is historic, but it needs room to grow.

So I ask you with all my heart, let this zoning through you go.

One last thing I want to say to our neighbors that we know we promise to be gentle stewards and through our actions show that we are all in this together through rain, sunshine, and snow.

So let's all pull together and grow our neighborhood and grive the grand old lady a future that is good.

Lila.

Got my name.

I'm Mike Lincoln.

I live at 3701 North Marion Street, just a couple blocks from the tramway center.

Um it's late, so I won't take too long, but I just want to share my experience as a coal resident and why I support this development.

I walk by the Tramway Center almost every day.

In fact, today, as I was walking by the library, I walked past the tramway center, and I took special note to look at the empty space.

I felt a deep sense of excitement looking at this quite honestly ugly concrete space.

And think about a wonderful opportunity for 63 families to have a home.

I love my community, and I can't wait to have new neighbors, along with the excellent services that the Tramway Center offers.

Without the tramway center, our community would not be the same.

So I urge you all to vote yes to keep our tramway center and also provide new housing to neighbors who just want to enjoy where they live, just like I do.

Thank you.

Alright, good evening, Council members.

My name is Richard Zanet, and I'm resident of the Cole neighborhood over on 37th and Race, so very close to the tramway building.

And I'm here tonight to speak in support of the proposal to rezone the tramway property.

At a neighborhood level, this proposal accomplishes several important objectives.

It protects the historic structure and ensures it remains an active use.

As you've heard numerous times this evening, tramway building is not just another property, it's a part of Cole's history, and keeping it viable, occupied avoids the uncertainty and potential loss that can come with deterioration or speculative redevelopment.

It also creates permanent income restricted housing in part of Denver that has seen rapid change and rising housing costs.

Many longtime residents from Cole have experienced displacement firsthand.

This project includes a binding agreement with the city's housing department to ensure all the residential units remain affordable for the long term.

And that's a significant commitment and one that directly addresses the affordability challenges of our neighborhood.

I also want to acknowledge the outreach that has taken place because over the last year, Urban Land Conservancy has hosted a public open house, attended multiple RNO meetings, distributed mailers and flyers, and maintained a project website where neighbors could learn more and share feedback.

And while not everyone will agree on every detail, the engagement has been consistent and it's been substantial.

From a regulatory standpoint, this rezoning also brings an older zoning framework into alignment with the modern Denver zoning code.

Updating legacy zoning districts has been an ongoing objective for the city, and a rezone approval for the tramway advances that effort.

Finally, after more than a year of collaboration among ULC city staff and community stakeholders, no alternative zoning approach has emerged that one secures the affordable housing component and two ensures the continued operation of the nonprofit organizations housed at Tramway.

This plan provides certainty for those organizations which deliver critical services to residents throughout all of Denver, as you've heard here tonight.

For all those reasons, I believe this is a balanced and responsible outcome for the site and for the coal neighborhood, and I strongly support and hope you vote yes to approve the rezoning of the tramway property.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Tori Massey.

For those first 10 years, I was pretty much in my home.

As you know, with nonprofits, it can be feast and famine or famine.

A lot of times, famine.

The tramway building allowed me to move into a space that truly further validated who we were as an organization serving nearly 600 Denver youth every year with science, technology, engineering, and math, culminated with the arts, and encouraging students who many times hear no more than they hear yes, and encouraging them and seeing them move forward into the um collegiate space and going into the STEM disciplines.

We have become a two-generational impact uh organization, and the tramway allows us to serve those parents that may have been just disinvolved with certifications and introduction to AI and to uh provide for them digital literacy in this space.

In here, we are able to create these genius boxes that we ship all over the world.

Two continents, three countries we have served from the tramway center.

It is an amazing space that affords small organizations like my own to be in a place that is safe, clean, and we have a wonderful um uh sense of family in there, no pun intended family.

They're right across from me, so I'm always, you know, seeing what they're doing.

Um, in that same space, I'm able to serve the LGBTQ young adults that are there.

In that space, I'm able to serve um those organizations that support uh uh Spanish-speaking families, and I can give those kids, and it's so wonderful when they're treating them.

I'm able to provide for them STEM activities, uh now speak a word of Spanish while I try, but the one thing we know is love, amorte, and gracias.

So we're there in that space.

It's unfortunate that we can't come to an opportunity where um the residents and the tramway uh teams are able to um see this wonderful zoning take place because I think even the residents would like to see it happen.

It's just structurally a little different, but I want you to vote yes because I can't afford to go anywhere else.

And it's the best place for us to be.

Thank you.

Next up we have Linda Wirth.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Linda Wirth, and I would like to speak today to ask you to please approve the rezoning of the tramway.

Over the past 36 years, Family Theater Company has demonstrated that with accessibility and appropriate accommodations, individuals with all types of disabilities have been able to showcase their talents while providing high-quality, professional, creative, and inspiring theater.

Denver should be proud that it's the home to the longest running disability affirmative company in the country, as well as having international recognition and being a model for the creation of similar theater companies all across our country through our programming classes and outreach.

Family has been able to educate the larger theater community by showing them what is possible with strong desire and a little imagination to incorporate our disabled into life theater.

So I ask you to please pass the rezoning for this project because we want to stay in Denver, the city that we love, and we want to continue to provide artistic excellence in theater for all individuals.

Next up, I'll call the next five individuals.

We'll have James Roy the second, Mal Schaefer, Candice Duggan, Violi Casas, and Jack Murphy.

James.

It's nice to see you all.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

Counsel.

Um I'm here to support the uh rezoning.

I actually grew up three blocks away from the tramway Nonprofit Center and uh really had a great time.

Growing up in the community.

Um, I live in the Five Points now, and that would not be possible if it weren't for affordable housing.

I own an affordable home in the five points right now, and it's really exciting to have have a home and uh for my two kids.

Um I also I just want to give some background as well, too.

I worked for ULC for uh a number of years for five years, from 2010 to 2015.

They started meeting my career out.

I was uh intern in 2010 when they hired me and they promoted me to a program manager about 2015 when I left.

I have been an executive director of nonprofits since then, uh, for nine years, actually.

And uh have come to understand the challenges of running a nonprofit and uh needing affordable space.

Um, I've got a lot of connection to the tramway as well, too.

I designed the logo that you see when you walk in the building.

Um I love that building.

It's been a great place to gather, it's been a great place to meet with community partners and and uh folks that are trying to get really good stuff done.

Um I think you know, as we as I look at the underutilized space of the other portion of the property, I think about what could be and what other opportunities could be created that uh can uh create homes for folks that want to be in the community and otherwise would not have the chance.

Um, and then lastly, I'd say that tax credits are hard to get.

I'm an affordable housing developer myself.

I am the executive director now of Atlantis Community Housing.

Uh it's challenging.

And when you have those tax credits and it's and you have the the chance to move on something and create something uh like what Urban Land Conservancy is trying to uh to uh create.

I think we really gotta take the chance and go after it.

So I uh I'm here in support of the rezoning, and thank you for your time.

Next up, we have Mal Schaefer.

I am speaking during the time of Mel Schaefer.

Uh, my name is Oliver Cruz.

I have their permission.

Um the coal community has a rich and vibrant history that gentrification is siphoning away year after year.

Former residents have been forced to relocate and current residents are struggling to get by.

This mentality justifies why many of those residents signed the petition opposing the building of a four-story housing unit within the grounds of the tramway nonprofit center.

However, as was already stated, the building of this housing is already approved because of the current zoning on the property.

What is actually at stake is the evacuation of all members of the historic tramway nonprofit center due to its non-compliance with the modern zoning codes.

This means that at least 120 jobs will be lost, and nearly 8,000 people will be without vital services.

These services include alternatives to our incarceration for underserved youth, subsidized child care, mental and physical health education for Latinx families, and many others, including an organization that is near to my heart, Family Theatre Company.

They're a disability-affirming theater company that offers a place a place for people of all walks of life to proudly show off their talent center stage.

Without their existence, many of my personal friends would not find work with companies that are willing to accommodate their needs.

With the cuts to DEI funding destroying the governmental support of this company, and most likely many others of the tramway, the odds of finding a different building with an affordable rent is highly unlikely.

The tramway generously offers its 15 nonprofits 30% below market rates on rent.

Therefore, if these vital organizations are evacuated, most of them will struggle to rebuild.

Furthermore, the affordable housing that the ULC will build serves the coal area residents recently displaced or at risk of being displaced by prioritizing their inhabitants using the host prioritization program.

This means the single parent families, disabled people in SSDI, preschool teachers, trade workers, all of the people who normally spend over a third of their income on housing who have called coal home can return and live comfortably, paying within rates of 30 to 50 percent AMI, according to the Business journal and the ULC, meaning 30 to 60 percent annually.

They earn that much.

They won't spend that much.

Um, without worrying about being forced out again.

This plan fights the gentrification and on for unaffordability that the coal residents are actively at war with.

I'm going to close with some history of the tramway building.

In the late 1940s, philanthropist Chuck Phillips bought it with the hope of creating a place for education and affordable community services to thrive.

Since the ULC bought the building in 2007, it has carried out the Phillips Foundation's century old vision with pride.

People centric, compassionate, and affordable services should not be a novelty.

This building represents community care at its finest, and to let it be dismantled would be feeding into the monster that the coal community was trying to combat by signing that petition.

I know, or at least I hope that those opposed don't mean to endanger the tramway community intentionally.

By hearing the voices of the concerned citizens here tonight, I hope that they understand what is at stake, can look past the neighborhood aesthetics in the name of supporting our neighbors in need, and that the council votes yes on the motion of rezoning.

Thanks.

Thank you so much.

Next up we have Candice Duggan.

Candace, we have a microphone for you.

If you turn around.

There you go.

President and members of council.

My name is Candace Duncan, and I live in Denver at 13th and Sherman in a low-income apartment building that was built in 2022 out of a vacant building.

I am also a family theater actor and support rezoning this block.

From what I have heard, rezoning this block is necessary to keep nonprofits such as family theater in the tramway building.

This location is important to the family actors such as myself who have built our lives around that location.

Many of us use public transportation to get to family and have secured our residences based on this location.

And as many of us live in low income housing, that was not an easy feat.

I also hear from the neighbors that they have no problem with low income housing, but they don't want it to reach four stories.

However, less stories means less units.

As someone who recently searched for low income housing in the Denver area, it is quite a difficult search with wait lists up to three years.

So every one of those apartments units is necessary to the Denver community, and there's a long line of disabled people on fixed incomes who are currently at risk of experiencing homelessness in the Denver area due to a lack of available low-income housing.

Rezoning this block to keep inclusive organizations like family theater and to create more low-income housing will give people like me the opportunity to live and work in safe environments.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Good evening, everybody.

Thanks for having us here.

My name is Jolie Casas.

I'm the Security Director for Viva Wellness, where our home is a tramway building for the last nine years.

I'm very blessed to be there.

So I'm one of here to ask uh to approve the rezoning, as we do all serve a lot of uh children from the area, especially across the street for the Wyatt, Whittier, Cole, Bruce Randolph, Manual, and we have our after school and suburb programs, and we also have our youth pathways where a lot of young people uh get skills to um get jobs.

And so that's really important to us.

And additionally, we're taking a leap of faith, and we'll be taking over the large ECE, making it affordable ECE.

We will be hopefully serving almost nine, close to 90 to 100 children that need it.

So, um, this is a big leap of face, so I really want to hopefully make sure that you know we know what's happening there.

Also, everybody that has been in tramway building, this is our family.

But it is not just a safe place.

Tramway is.

Actually, we see a lot of students coming from coal, coming into the tramway building, doing their homework in there, and they say they feel safe.

So wanted to share that uh to say thank you for everything.

And every time we walk through that open place, it is true it's uh it's it's a waste.

And when I heard that it would be uh affordable homes, it really uh my heart sang.

So, you know, I hope that uh we we know that that is so much needed.

Thank you so much.

Next up we have Jack Murphy.

Good evening, Madam President, and members of the council.

My name is Jack Murphy, and I serve as the government affairs director for the Colorado Nonprofit Association.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Urban Land Conservancy's effort to rezone the tramway nonprofit Center Block.

The Colorado Nonprofit Association is a proud partner to Urban Land Conservancy whose efforts to provide affordable workspace to community-serving nonprofits, not only helps us deliver our mission, but helps so many other nonprofits serve their communities.

We are grateful to be tenants of a ULC property and are delighted to be part of the nonprofit community working from ULC's Mountain View, Mountain View Nonprofit Tower in Denver's uptown neighborhood.

We commend ULC's effort to rezone this site.

This change will ensure that ULC can continue to provide affordable workspace to as many as 15 community nonprofits long into the future.

The nonprofits residing within the tramway campus serve issues such as at-risk youth intervention, provide preschool and after school activities, senior housing support, STEM workshops, among a number of other missions.

These nonprofits are boots on the ground in solving some of Denver's toughest and most urgent issues, but would not be able to deliver on these important missions without the affordable and stable workspaces provided by ULC.

Our city is fortunate to have a partner like ULC that is bringing forth a solution that ensures these nonprofits will be able to continue serving our community.

This proposal goes beyond ensuring stable and affordable workspaces for Denver's community-serving nonprofits.

This effort also addresses Denver's ongoing housing crisis by permitting the transformation of a vacant parcel into affordable housing.

As many as 60 units of affordable housing will be co-located with the existing community-serving nonprofits, all with easy access to the public transportation opportunities provided by the nearby 38th in Blake Station.

Again, we commend ULC's effort to rezone the tramway nonprofit center block.

This proposal both ensures that our local nonprofits like us will have the tools necessary to continue supporting our city through their missions, all while working to mitigate Denver's affordable housing crisis.

This is a needed proposal, and we urge you to vote yes.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Laura Will Edo on virtual.

Yes, good evening, Council.

My name is Laura Willetto.

I live at 2311 South King Street in Denver, and I work with Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver.

And I'm here this evening to represent Habitat for Humanity in support of ULC's proposed rezoning of the tramway block.

As many of you may know, Habitat for Humanity builds and preserves affordable homes throughout the Metro Denver area.

And we've built many homes in the coal neighborhood as well as conducted home repairs.

And these projects include our townhomes at Clare Brown Commons that are at 37th and York, and 11 renovated homes that we worked on at 35th and High Street that were completed just this past year.

So we're really grateful to have partnered with so many coal neighbors and to be part of bringing affordable housing options to the neighborhood.

And so I specifically tonight want to speak to the proposed affordable homes that are part of this package.

We know that some residents near the tramway site have asked whether a lower density project is possible instead of the apartment building, and specifically folks have asked whether townhomes or a duplex-style project would have been possible on the tramway site.

And ULC specifically asked that question to Habitat, and we took that request really seriously and conducted a feasibility analysis of the site.

And what we found is that while it's physically possible to build townhomes on that site, the infrastructure costs there would really push prices beyond what's possible for homebuyers to afford.

So just as a comparison, when we built our duplexes at Clarabound Commons in the neighborhood, we were able to utilize shared infrastructure with the nearby apartments, and that provided really substantial cost savings that made those townhomes affordable and made that affordable housing project work.

So without that affordable or sorry, without that shared infrastructure, we simply could not deliver affordable townhomes on this site and then be able to sell them at prices that would be accessible for homeowners, specifically at those lower AMI levels.

So given that that lower density housing model isn't feasible on this site, we really feel that the proposed affordable rental apartment building here is really thoughtful and it's much needed, as so many people have testified tonight.

The need for affordable options in coal is urgent and only growing.

And a project that this directly responds to that need and does so in a really innovative and thoughtful way.

We appreciate that ULC is going to prioritize housing applications from displaced coal residents, which I think is just really indicative of their spirit to be great neighbors with this project.

And not to mention they're going to preserve the beautiful historic building at Tramway, and provide so many other community services as part of this package.

So on behalf of Habitat tonight, we just want to express that ULC's approach is really thoughtful, community driven, and grounded in an urgent need expressed by the community.

So I encourage you to vote yes on the proposed map amendment and rezoning.

Thank you.

Laura, next up we have Alana Miller.

Virtually.

Hi, good evening.

My name is Alana Miller, and I'm a homeowner at 33rd and Williams, and I'm in strong support of this zoning reclassification, and I urge yes vote.

My wife and I moved to Cole in 2019, and over the years we've watched the neighborhood change.

We've seen new restaurants and coffee shops, ADUs, topped tops, and larger homes.

We've also seen apartments that once offered affordable rents flipped and sold.

Some new neighbors have arrived, and others have quietly left because they could no longer afford to stay.

It was founded around railroads and industry.

For more than a century, it has been home to immigrants, working families, schools, churches, and mixed use development.

The streets carry names like Martin Luther King Jr.

and Bruce Randolph.

Leaders who are committed to dignity, opportunity, and lifting people up.

That legacy matters, and we should be intentional about continuing it.

The land that you're considering today was once an industrial facility.

Decades ago, it was transformed into a community-serving space.

Today, part of that block is a vacant post-industrial concrete flab behind a chain link fence.

We now have the opportunity to turn that empty space into permanently affordable housing, led by a nonprofit with a proven track record of strengthening neighborhoods.

This proposal is not out of place.

Cole already has apartments, row homes, duplexes alongside single family homes.

We have light rail and bus routes, small businesses, schools, and lingering industrial sites.

The city has worked to build more bike lanes, improve playgrounds, and construct the greenway.

This is exactly the kind of mixed-use connected neighborhood where more housing belongs.

For those who are still undecided, I would ask, if not here, then where?

If not on vacant lot next to community services and transit, then where should working families live?

Where should nurses and teachers and restaurant workers and parents and kids find stability?

This is not overreach, it's thoughtful infill and a once in a generation opportunity to build dedicated affordable housing.

Parking will be provided, and the scale fits the context.

And most importantly, it creates homes for families, for new neighbors, for the people who make our city function every day.

Denver is facing a housing and affordability crisis.

I do not believe that we are full.

I do not believe that we should pull up the ladder for those who want to make their lives here.

Cole's history is one of growth, resilience, and inclusion.

This proposal strengthens the neighborhood and our city for the future.

So I urge you to vote yes on the tramway rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Lucas.

Lucas Hagen.

Good evening.

Thank you all.

My name is Lucas Hogan.

I'm the research and policyman.

We're a coalition of 24 nonprofit, Colorado-based mission-driven affordable housing developers.

Our members' services span the housing continuum from providing permanent supportive housing to affordable home up home ownership opportunities.

And we're proud to count ULC and Habitat for Humanity among our membership, and we support this rezoning.

ULC already has the zoning they need to develop four stories of housing on this site.

And this site will uh and this rezoning will update that into the modern zoning code and preserve the non-uh the tramway center.

This is an example of how difficult it is to build affordable housing.

As leaders of Denver who face difficult decisions every day, especially in this difficult time, I'm sure you understand.

Nonprofit housing providers believe that everybody deserves a home and not to be displaced and to have safety and dignity and to and a place to put your feet up at the end of the day.

But their work is very difficult.

It's complicated, it's expensive, and it's full of barriers.

And if we as a city genuinely want more affordable housing, as we've stated that we do, we must hold ourselves to that commitment.

And what precedent would we set uh for the rest of Denver if a modest four-story brick apartment building that is a hundred percent affordable on a property that is already zoned for four stories that has already received low-income housing tax credits fails due to such an arcane procedural matter as former Chapter 59 zoning.

As a city, we have a mandate to deliver affordable housing.

It's messy.

Uh it's not always perfect.

But if we are going to deliver housing that is afford that is that working families can't afford, we have to reduce barriers and not increase them.

And if we're making it difficult for a nonprofit community land trust to bring shovel-ready affordable homes to co-located with some of the most critical nonprofits in this community, then we really need to ask ourselves if we're really provo uh prioritizing affordable housing in Denver.

And with that, I urge a yes vote on this matter tonight, and thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you.

Next up we have John Deffenba.

Thank you very much, uh, members of Denver City Council for allowing me to uh speak in support of this rezoning to you tonight.

Uh my name is John Deffenbaugh, and I am with Historic Denver.

On the face of it, this proposal feels sensible and appropriate, but it also creates change and will result in a new structure being built in a location which has been surface horizontal surface for many years.

Change can be disconcerting and needs to be approached with caution and consideration.

That I believe is what the developer ULC has done.

When I worked in infrastructure and construction in North Denver, it felt like developers could be split into two groups, givers and takers.

Many developers take from the community, they co-opt a neighborhood's represent reputation for their own marketing purposes, ultimately delivering a mediocre product without community engagement.

Givers, on the other hand, seek to give back to the community locally or more broadly.

They deliver outcomes such as affordable housing, they embark on meaningful and extensive community engagement, and they enrich the neighborhood they're working within.

I believe ULC to be a giver, a developer that genuinely wants to do the right thing.

That's borne out by their track record of delivering affordable housing, a very high quality design throughout the city.

And it's also borne out by the extensive journey that they've been on to get us to this point tonight.

Yet this is a journey that ULC did not need to embark on.

Built in 1894 to support the Denver Streetcar Network, converted into a bus facility in the 1930s, and then to a philanthropic center in the 1960s.

And I just want to make sure I said 1894, not 1994.

The rezoning proposes to reduce the allowable development height in the space of the tramway building to two stories, essentially protecting the building and preserving its use for the future.

Without this rezoning to discourage future redevelopment, the building and bring the building into compliance, the future of this much-loved structure could be in jeopardy.

I would much rather be talking to you here in support of something than in the future, talking uh in opposition to a potential demolition.

And that's really what we could be talking about in the future months or years for this historic building.

So, on that basis, I thank you for your time.

Um, and encourage you to vote for this rezoning.

Thank you.

Next up, we have the Reverend Lenin Leon Cali.

Well, you don't understand protocol, but yes, if there's a way I could stay my college to hear certain people who live in the neighborhood, I guess they have you on the yeah.

Well, I guess never mind.

I guess they left here.

Because my thing is being over in the neighborhood for so long.

Uh I've heard I would sit here over these about an hour or so listening to testimonies that as to why they should approve this uh zoning.

And I see people I've met for years, Paul.

Man, you know, we've been here for a while.

Kevin, writing stories anymore, you know, about us watts.

People who've been around here, they know me, they know my efforts.

You know, I look at this neighborhood where I sort of grew up.

My folks moved into the tramway building.

Um my father worked in the tramway building, what I should I say, in 1955, we moved over in the hood, and I could remember him because this tramway has a personal thing with me.

Because my father came home one day in the late 50s, picked up my mom, twirled her around, said that baby, I got finally got a great job working at the tramway bus company.

Making big money, Paul.

A dollar twenty-five an hour.

History.

I look at the neighborhood as we moved in back in the 50s, how it has changed over these decades.

I've seen a lot, and the way it is now is the way it looks sort of back in the 50s, when we were moving from the projects and other places over to work in the hood, yeah.

And it was like a lot of white folks back then, and as uh we started to move it in, and then what they call the white flight started to move out, and but yet we stayed there.

We've seen it change over these decades.

This is my forty-third year of trying to make a difference over the neighborhood, not just in our neighborhood in the city.

I've seen the challenges that we've had to deal with as a city.

I've seen how the tramway neighborhood has transformed over these decades, and it has been my mission.

We were probably at Forced Open Door, been one of the oldest programs still in existence in the tramway bus company.

You know, and so it is a personal thing for me, be remembering how my dad was excited about getting a job at the tramway bus company.

And over the years of me being housed as open door in that facility, in which we've been blessed to teach teach, touch thousands of kids over the Northeast Denver.

Man, you know, so certainly I heard the testimonies of why we should extend it.

And as we're talking about affordable housing, I did what a lot of my families who only look at the opportunities to be able to afford housing.

So I shouldn't have to say anything else based on what everybody else has already said.

Man, you did good, you know, you did good.

And for uh approving, you know, this no, this zoning thing.

So with that, God bless you.

Uh I mean, I got my approval, man.

I mean, y'all, we're good.

We can all bless you.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, sir.

Next up, we have Ginny McCarthy.

Ginny.

Virtual.

Okay.

If you'll accept the promotion.

Good evening, Council Presidents Gandalval, and all city council members.

I want to first thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

My name is Ginny McCarthy, and I work with Denver Youth Program.

I want to just state one one simple fact, I think very uh distinct from what has been said, but in the spirit of of what has already been stated, the work of nonprofits right now is particularly difficult.

We're not here tonight to talk about the benefits of affordable housing, although that is an important part of this conversation.

What we are really here to talk about tonight, in my mind, as a representative of Denver Youth Program, is the opportunity to have a center to work together with other nonprofits who share similar values and similar structures.

Introducing affordable housing is critical in this day and age, and I believe that the work that we are doing across the spectrum, hearing from family theater, hearing from Viva, hearing from Rev Kelly, everything that we are working together to strive to help in the neighborhood is something that will be amplified by the continuation of the work of the nonprofit center.

Being a part of Tramway Nonprofit Center is that opportunity to walk down the hallway to take a client or a family from one resource to another to say how do we support right now?

What difference does our work make and what do people need to live and survive and not only survive but thrive.

So I thank you for the consideration for the rezoning of the Tramway Nonprofit Center.

We call that place home, we call the coal neighborhood home.

We work with coal neighbors to continue to live in their homes and to not only survive but to thrive.

So I would encourage you and urge you and thank you for the consideration of a positive vote, a yes vote to the rezoning of the Tramway Nonprofit Center to continue this good work to introduce the affordable housing that we are and are not here today to talk about, but also to say this is the important next step.

This is what community looks like, this is what neighborhoods look like and feel like today and into the future.

So thank you again for your consideration.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Julie Ralston.

Good evening.

We're almost finished.

And um saw one of my classmates, my daughter's classmates, uh, be shot and killed.

And that led me to volunteer and then eventually work with uh the Denver Youth Program, specifically GRASP, the gang rescue support project.

And um I think the everybody has given wonderful testimony about why this should just remain.

And believe me, I live in a home that has two gigantic homes built on top of it, and I have lost my sunshine, I have lost my view, I have dealt with construction.

And the kids that we bring in, we do grasp enterprise academy.

We have this program where we teach them how to like create businesses.

We've had a cheesecake business, we've had a photography business, we have a t-shirt design and printing business, and they I've had kids come up to me afterwards saying I wasn't gonna I wasn't gonna make it if I didn't get in this program, if I didn't change and I've seen them two years later, and they're out of trouble, they're doing great.

And I just think, you know, we we have these programs in coal where we we take the kids with my out my outdoor Colorado, which is one of Denver Youth Programs' programs, and we connect the kids in the coal neighborhood to the outdoors.

And if we're not in the neighborhood, the kids can't get to us to get to the mountains.

Some of these kids have never seen the mountains, they've never gone hiking and snowshoeing and kayaking, things that we so often take for granted.

And I just think all the time that like if one of those kids that had shot and killed my daughter's classmate had gotten in our program.

Would my classmate, my student, my daughter's classmate still be alive.

So I urge you to vote yes and keep the uh nonprofits in Tramway alive.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Diana Penienda.

Hi, thank you very much for having us here.

I'm Diana Pineda, I'm the executive director and founder of Buela for Health.

And we are in Tramway.

We started nine years ago in the small space that they have, without really fear that we don't know how we're going to survive to pay the rent.

Right now we are in one of the one of the biggest space.

So that is not about the beautiful war that we are doing for sure, but it's the trust that the community has in us.

So we are working with Spanish speakers right now.

And the beauty of this one is it's a place that is close to them, but not only for the house, for the churches, for the schools.

And they have the trust to be there.

And I invite you to go over there.

That all the family that we are here share, it's beautiful.

You can see all the colors, all the language.

Everyone is speaking in the way that we can speak and we don't care.

And the community feels safe.

And I think that one is for me more and more difficult to hear.

We need more places like Tramway in Denver.

That you see, where can you find a community space in Denver?

Where can you spice at this size of organizations and nonprofits where the community believe?

And that is something, an example that I want to put in you.

So really our community trusts on us.

And that is something that is really sad because yes, if tramway disappear, yes, it's going to be really hard for the nonprofits.

Where we're going to go, but this is fair for our community right now, in the moments that we are living.

I know it's difficult to park in.

I know it's difficult to be around the community.

I know when we have a healthers over there, when we bring Denver Hill, we bring the mammothans, we bring the city of Denver.

We are working at tons, a tons of tons of focus group in that building.

And you know why?

They don't go for tramway, they go for all the organizations that we are there.

So I think really tramway, it's a place that the community trusts.

It's a place that the community can go and really find someone that can smile.

And something beautiful there is like you can find organizations like Vive that work with kids, you can find youths, you can kind of find adults, you can find grandparents.

So we are really in all the family component.

And I want to finish, please, please, please vote yes for this one because we don't work with the community.

We are the community.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our last speaker is Jeremy Jerry Morgan.

Good afternoon or evening.

I've been here so long, I'm ready to say good morning.

Um I've learned something crucial, and that's to like sign up first.

The seats are hard.

Um I'm with uh Denver Youth Program, which is also a part of GRASP and AIM.

AIM's work is at risk intervention and mentoring.

We work in the hospitals working with young people who have been shot, stabbed, or assaulted and come in at Denver Health, Children's University, Mountain Ridge, uh, Aurora South, and we talk to them at bedside, and then we uh reach out to them in the community.

So we don't only work with you in the hospital, we work in the community, and part of our spaces are in the tramway nonprofit center.

And I'll say I go back way far when it comes to tramway nonprofit center.

I was there when it was the Phillips Center for you know philanthropy, and I was there when C C D was there.

It was part of one of my first college experiences.

Granted, I went somewhere else and then I came there and I learned a lot, and I was part of some of the mayoral programs like the mayor's office of workforce development, youth opportunity, we're all those things.

And then here we are back in the tramway with urban land conservancy running the tramway and putting so many more nonprofits like GRASP in there.

And part of that is GRASP is helping the tramway nonprofit to become a safe space.

It's a safe space for all of our kids.

We work with gang-involved youth, and you know, we have cribs, we have bloods, we have nortanios, we have serenos, and they all feel comfortable coming to the tramway nonprofit center um with GRASP to learn different things to help themselves, help community being part of Wayla for Health.

Um, being part of Vive, being part of Open Door Youth Gang Alternative, and without this zoning parameter, we lose a lot of those key organizations that are within the Tramway Nonprofit Center.

And I know all of you guys have different thoughts and opinions about it, but you've seen the masses, and they're talking about how that's going to work.

And you have some residents who are like, this may not work.

We're missing parking, we're missing things.

And so I hope that when we look at this and we look at the ability for everybody to communicate and talk about what needs to happen next, that we all come to the table and we work together after this is approved, because we're believing and we're trusting and having faith that it's going to be approved, that we are willing as urban land conservancy and the tenants within to talk with our neighbors to keep this moving forward collectively.

Thank you.

That concludes our speakers.

Do we have questions from members of council?

Council Bill 251069.

Councilmember Weston.

All right, thank you so much, Council President.

Thank you so much for everyone that spoke tonight.

Um Edson, um, can you uh come forward?

Uh can you describe once again?

I mean, the petition process was highlighted, kind of spoke to a little bit.

Talk us through the petition process.

What is the petition process?

What was the kind of the overarching disqualifiers in which didn't meet the threshold for the higher vote of council?

Walk us through so we have that clearly for the right.

Perfect.

Um, so the the protest petition is spelled out in the Denver zoning code in the charter, which requires 20% of property owners to sign, and if they meet that threshold, then it requires a supermajority vote.

Um, and so within that 20%, you know, we typically it gets requested after first reading, and we will give the applicant a spreadsheet with all the property owners and calculate the number of square footage that's required per signature.

And so this instance um the petitioners went around and requested signatures and they failed to get five property owners signatures, and so for those specific fives were entities, and so um one of the big things is that you know the Denver zoning code and the charter require protest petitions to be signed by all property owners, and so when a property is owned by an entity, um, we need proof of authorization for individuals to sign on behalf of that entity, and so that required meant for documentation as stated in the CPD's protest petition guide, which we gave to the applicant.

Um CPD concluded that uh the petition did not include sufficient documentation of the authorization to sign.

So there were six entities in total um that signed.

One we did approve because they did provide that documentation, but for five of them there wasn't, and so they did fall short of that requirement threshold.

So um they got about 19.7% instead of the 20% threshold, and we have that kind of high standard because it pushes us into a supermajority vote.

Um, the mediation process.

Can you describe that mediation process?

And there were two parts of the mediation that individuals spoke to specifically.

Um, their expectation for accommodation of three stories instead of four uh stories, and then also um accommodations around not rezoning the entire lot, just simply rezoning um um uh possibly maybe looking at just tram and not doing all can you speak to the mediation, and then can you do the subset of the ideas that came from community as far as why not just do three stories and then why not just simply just rezone tramway?

You can hit all three of those, or someone else on your team can provide support.

So the uh community members requested um mediation, and so typically mediation is done with a community group or an RNO, but in this instance it was members from the public, so we encourage the RNO to attend, and so the RNO did attend those meetings as well.

But part of mediation is done through a third party vendor find solutions, um, who conducted that mediation between uh ULC, some members of the community, and then R the RNO intended to just as listening to provide support for the community.

Um part of that outcome through those mediations, ULC did offer community benefits and did offer um to sign a community benefits agreement.

Um but there was no consensus and agreement on height, and so of that there was no resolution on the concerns on height and no benefits were agreed.

The concern was always on the height specifically.

Can for example, can just sub-area B be rezoned instead of rezoning the whole site?

And so that would actually become very tricky because then we have a rezoning in the Denver zoning code, and then we have a rezoning.

We have a zone district in the Denver zoning code and a zone district in former chapter 59, which would make entitlement very difficult and complicated.

And because the whole zone lot is owned by one entity, it's CPD's recommendation always to rezone out of former chapter 59 into the Denver zone.

That way it makes things regulations so much more easy and not complicated.

Just two more questions.

Can you describe the parking accommodations?

And in my final question, I need someone to walk us through once again the affordable housing plan.

There are a few things that were said in public comments.

I want to make sure it's clear what is involved in the affordable housing plan, especially the um the level of affordability and a prioritization uh process that's part of that.

So for us first, the parking accommodations.

Can you describe what that what those are?

Um so I can speak a little bit and I'll probably have ULC kind of talk a little bit about parking.

Um since we've had, you know, one of the biggest wrestles since ULC came to us for rezoning a few years ago was there was this parking concern of how many units can the site accommodate and since we've had some parking um minimum amendments that we've done to the Denver zoning code, I spell a statewide requirements that has happened.

Um the site does not require any parking requirement, but the applicant is um committed to doing some parking.

So I can give it to the applicant team to kind of talk about what they're considering in parking and what they've discussed in parking during mediation.

Hi, thank you, councilman.

Um, oh sure.

Andrea Burns with ULC.

Um the Medici Community's development proposal um includes 48 parking spaces right now, and that would be um between the tramway building and the new housing development, and we also have um come to an agreement with Medici to do shared parking for that um sub-area C that is tramway parking, tramway employee parking during the day to do shared parking at night for the residents of the new um apartments.

So again, approximately 48, subject to permitting tweaks, and then um 24 in the evening.

Thank you.

And then the affordable housing.

If you can hit on prioritization as well, good afternoon, council members.

I'm Laya Mitchell from the Department of Housing Stability.

So in June of 2025, Urban Land Conservancy worked with the Department of Housing Stability to put an affordable housing plan in place so that's a voluntary negotiated alternative.

Generally, those would go into place further down the line on development.

Um, this was a voluntary um agreement to put a requirement in place early on in the process at that time and still in effect, they committed to income restrict 100% of the units on that site at a maximum area median income of 80% since that time.

They have been awarded um low-income housing tax credits, um, actually, both federal state, and one of the first properties in Denver to receive the transit-oriented communities um low-income housing tax credit through the state as well.

Um that application um requires them to develop affordable housing at a much deeper affordability and with bedroom count like larger bedroom sizes.

Um, so they have in that commitment, um, eight units will be at or below 30 percent of the area meeting income, nine at 40 percent, 24 at 50 percent area median income, and 22 at 60 percent area median income.

So more deeply affordable than the commitment with the city.

Uh no further questions, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Torres.

Thank you so much.

Um, I don't know if you're the one to answer this.

Um, can somebody port in with a DHA voucher and get a lower AMI?

Okay, I think we wouldn't know yet.

Um I think it depends on the operating mechanism once the property is once it's built and operating.

Um, I think it's possible.

I'm not sure actually.

Yes, yeah.

Yeah, typically they could.

Yeah, okay.

Um, and then just to repeat what you just said, there is a voluntary affordable housing alternative agreement.

Is that a covenant or not?

It is.

It would turn into a covenant once there's a building built.

And so the commitment with the city with the Department of through the Department of Housing Stability kind of runs with the land, regardless of who owns the building and you know what kind of affordable housing or what kind of development is built in the future.

So, regardless of the low income housing tax credits, they've committed to 100% of the units being affordable at 80% at up to 80% area median income.

And the the variety mix that you said is the the detail of the up to that's the commitment to the low income housing tax credit application to CHAPA.

Um, so in order to receive those low-income housing tax credits, you know, pending construction, that is the unit mix that they applied for and received credits for.

Perfect.

Thank you for setting that up.

Um for um ULC, uh, whoever wants to come up.

I'm I'm interested in the um points that were discussed in mediation and whether or not those will still be delivered.

Yeah, um, some of them are already being delivered in that we have made um agreements with Medici.

Um, so for example, the shared parking and um community serving or not community serving, but resident serving uses um spaces in the building in addition to apartments.

Um, others I think are just the right thing to do.

We simply didn't have a counterparty um to make those agreements with um as far as the RNO or the or the actual opponents, so um, yeah, I think all of them are things that we would like to commit to.

Okay, and the prioritization of coal residents is already a requirement.

Are you going beyond um kind of the amount that the prioritization policy points points to?

Um, it's my understanding it's not a requirement that it's an option, but um hosts could maybe speak to that.

That would be something that Medici would do through the course of their lease up, um, but we're very interested.

As you all know, um the Wyatt Academy is right next door.

We would like to, you know, be able to um provide housing for Wyatt families and and folks who are in the neighborhood already or recently displaced.

So it's very much our intent to do that.

Okay.

Um there was one mentioned in there, and I didn't know what it meant.

Shared use opportunities at the tramway nonprofit center building.

What does that mean?

Yeah, um, one of the things we heard through community engagement and mediation is that while there are many, many wonderful programs and services inside of tramway.

Folks who don't need to take advantage of those services or aren't engaged with tramway, um, see it as kind of a black box where they, you know, there's no visibility um for the kind of average neighbor.

And so we wanted to um welcome the community into tramway and be able to offer the um the largest conference room, for example, for RNO meetings and other opportunities like that to just open tramways doors.

Okay, um is there an opportunity for a future like good neighbor agreement?

Because some of the other things felt like good neighbor agreement, like here's the point of contact for the construction uh folks and hosting the RNO meetings and things like that.

Yeah, we're absolutely open to that.

Like I said, we had offered um to um codify those things uh that you're reading in a good neighbor agreement with the RNO, and they and they simply declined.

They just didn't feel 100% comfortable based on the opposition retaining their opposition, but we certainly want to make those um promises.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flint?

Yeah, well, will you just cover a little bit more of what the difference is.

And I apologize, I meant to speak you out earlier.

Council member Watson's request.

So the prioritization policy passed in 2022 in Denver as a way to um address displacement pressures, and so it applies to um buildings over 100 units or any residential development in an area vulnerable to displacement, as well as projects that receive city financing, like gap financing through host, which many affordable projects do.

And it requires that 30% of units be first offered to residents who qualify for the prioritization program, which are residents who live in or have been displaced from an area vulnerable to displacement, and there's other sort of point system that a household who's experienced rent or mortgage burden, who lives in an area that was formerly redlined, and there's kind of a number of factors, and it's a program that allows those residents to have a first opportunity to apply for available units in their community.

Okay.

Thanks, Laya.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I want to, I don't want to talk about the project, what would we build there, what is there, what would have to move or not, because that's not really, for me at least apropos to uh the zoning issue.

Um so I'm gonna try to understand, uh, under the old code zoning that they have now, um, they could build up to 45 feet, across the whole site, across the whole site that's zone, RM20.

Yeah, not the one on the other side of the street, right?

RMU 20.

Uh what are the the staff report mentions uh setbacks or some other things might be different than this district.

So what are what would be the setbacks?

Um so typically there are setbacks with the RMU 20, but because there is a waiver um with this zone district, it calls zero setbacks and zero open space, so it would be right on the property line.

Under the existing zone, under the existing zoning.

Okay, I don't remember reading that, but thank you.

That's that's helpful.

So under the PUD, or I'm sorry, under this rezoning, uh they would be building four stories on just the portion that was the old streetcar barn that got demolished, uh, and preserving the one-story tramway bus bar building.

Correct, and so the um technically it's uh one and a half stories or like a mesoline, so it's like the same thing.

Two stories, right?

Um when you look outside, it looks like one story.

So it would preserve that existing structure, and then the vacant site will follow the UMX3 design standards.

All right, thank you.

I just want to make sure I'm clearly understood that my president.

Councilwoman, I think.

Uh uh my question is why were they all grouped together?

Why not three separate things?

Um, they were grouped together because they've been operating all together, and it's owned by the same entity, so typically it just makes the process a lot more smoother.

Um, and um that's kind of the main rationale, and given that it's former chapter 59, we want to move them into the Denver zoning code.

Thank you.

When it was anything about the waiver or setback part of the negotiation that the neighbors wanted.

Um, if I understand the question, um the waivers are in the old code.

Uh, we didn't discuss the waivers from the old code.

Um, setbacks were something that they were interested in, um and and a height reduction, like any anything that would would shrink the size of the building was something that they were interested in.

I don't want to speak for them, but that was what we heard at least through that process.

And was green space part of what they asked for in the negotiation.

Um, not in particular that I remember I think um just open space or um I don't remember green space being part of it, no.

And the waiver is still going to be active with the new zoning, correct?

No, so but didn't you say that there would be no setback because of the waiver?

Standards comes from that.

So when it gets if it gets rezoned, then the waivers would disappear, and then it would just follow the UL URX three in the URX three.

There's a zero setback side um side front and rear.

Um, but it does have built-in requirements for the frontage.

Okay, but there's no step back from a protected zone district.

There's not.

There is a protected zone, um protected district setback only if it's adjacent to a protected district in distance because it's all it's one block and it you have the tramway, it's not a protected district.

So the protected zone districts across the street, it doesn't count.

Yeah, correct.

Um I did have a question for hosts.

You mentioned uh number of bedrooms.

What was the commitment there for number of bedrooms?

And how many and at what AMI ULC can also jump in here?

But I this was from the application to Chaffa and the awarded tax credit, so eight studios, 29 one-bedrooms, 22 two bedrooms, and wait, so don't yep.

Eight studios at what AMI.

I don't have the exact matrix of bedroom count to AMI, but I have the numbers of bedrooms and then the numbers of AMIs, and I think they're roughly proportionate.

Okay, go ahead.

Eight studios, 29 one bedroom units, 22, two bedrooms, and four three bedrooms available at AMIs of eight units will be at or below 30 percent AMI, so our most deeply affordable units, nine at 40 percent AMI, 24 at 50 percent AMI, and 22 at 60 percent AMI, and then this question is probably where ULC.

Um, one of the things that was brought up was that there is family units, but there isn't any place for children, and that the school next door chains their playground off school hours.

Is there any space for children to play or um the building's still in concept, but I know that Medici is planning to do um, you know, uh community um residential spaces other than apartments in there, so community rooms or fitness, I'm not sure what they'll what they'll end up with.

The tramway nonprofit center does have a playground um that is in use by um one of our tenants, which has been um the early childhood education center, which we hope to be the new early childhood education center.

There might be an opportunity there.

Um, and then apart from that, you know, there are several parks uh quite nearby, but there is not a um uh a playground directly affiliated with the the new apartments, if if that's the question.

Yeah, how many parks are and how nearby are there?

Um we did an analysis of that.

I don't have it in front of me, but there are a few blocks, a few parks within a few blocks of um of the building.

Council president.

Thank you.

Yeah, go ahead.

Um thank you, Councilmember Florida.

Um the 39th Avenue Greenway with several um uh kit spaces, about three blocks from there as well, and so it's an entire strip from Franklin all the way to help me, your uh York.

So I don't know how many that's like 10 blocks.

Anyway, is that a playground?

There are playgrounds, there is green space, it is a fully active space for youth, and then there is a park about two blocks south of there as well.

So there's plenty of um square, Russell Square.

Yeah, so there's uh quite a few um spaces for young people and adults alike to play, and it's all within two to three blocks of the site.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Alvideris.

Sorry.