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

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now for Denver Council's 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.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Sam Guzman with the COC.

Joining you virtually through Zoom.

And along with my colleague Jasmine.

Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish.

Thank you very much, Sam.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, April 6th, 2026.

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

Council members, please join Councilmember Albedres.

Did they lead us in the City Council land acknowledgement?

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the U Cheyenne and Arapahoe peoples.

We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands which make up the state of Colorado.

We honor elders, past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land for generations.

We also recognize that government academic and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous people.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call Council members for here.

Lynn.

Here.

Gilmore.

Here.

Gonzalez Petites.

Here.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Parody.

Here.

Romero Campbell.

Here.

Sawyer.

Here.

Watson.

Here.

Madam President Sandman.

Here.

Eleven members present.

Approval minutes.

Are there corrections to the minutes of March 31st?

Seeing then the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements from the BC Council?

Council Member Abby that I started south.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, this weekend we were made aware of a shooting that occurred on South Broadway where a life was lost, and I just want that individual this senseless act of violence has left a family grieving and the community shaken, and our thoughts are with all those who are hurting.

I'm heartbroken for the victims and all those who went through this experience and thank um DPD District 3 for their quick response to this unfortunate situation.

Um stay tuned for our next book club meeting on the 29th, where we'll be talking about articles one, two, and three and how our government is structured.

I also wanted to uplift uh upcoming event tomorrow, unlocking housing choices.

Join us tomorrow at 6 p.m.

at the Athmar Park Rec Center for community meeting on the city's ongoing effort to unlock housing choices.

You'll have the opportunity to learn about proposed updates to the neighborhood housing options, ask questions and share your input.

It's an important conversation about the future of housing in our community, and we hope to see you there.

And then also want to uplift the beginning of these meetings about the front range passenger rail.

Just a reminder that there will be a QA event coming up this Saturday, April 11th, from 10 to 11 30 at the Center for African American Health at 3350 Hudson Street.

This event is a chance to learn about the project and ask questions.

That was named today, Coco, Colorado Commuter Rail.

Sorry, Colorado Connector.

So stay tuned and stay informed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Council President.

I also want to start off tonight with uh acknowledging a senseless shooting that happened at Russell Square Park.

Um a life was loss, um, and the investigation is ongoing.

Um the uh senseless violence that occurred um Denver Police is investigating.

We're looking to see the why my composites of family that lost a loved one as well as to the community members in coal that are wondering about their safety.

Um Denver police uh have increased patrols around the area.

Um they will we will be holding some level of community informed um meeting, but obviously it's a very new um case.

Um there's still work to be done.

Um but um I will be reaching back out to community uh to find place and space for us to sit and um convene within community and receive direct feedback from district too.

So our thoughts go out to families, and as soon as we have any information um that's public, um, we'll be able to share it with you and um um and your families.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Lewis, thank you.

Um I'll be quick.

Um many of you might belong to local progress, and if you do, you may know Vice Mayor Nancy Mateyer, um, who is um the Vice Mayor in Coral Springs, and had an opportunity to get to know her as a member of the Black Caucus, and unfortunately, she lost her life earlier this week to domestic violence, and so just wanted to lift her name and her legacy and her light in this space.

We have the opportunity sometime to walk to work across um different municipalities and cities.

Um, and so I had the opportunity to work with her and just wanted to uplift her name and her family for such a tragic life uh loss.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sorry about that right about all the losses of life.

Um I have another announcement.

Um, if anyone wants to join us, we're opening La Rasa Park.

I invited the two at large members.

It's on Friday, May 1st at 4 30 ish, we think.

It's still kind of being like community is lightly leading the whole entire process.

So Friday, the weekend before Cinco de Mayo.

Yeah, La Rasa Park around 4 30.

Um, and then just a moment of personal privilege, I push my husband an early happy birthday.

Um, seeing no other announcements, there are no presentations, there are no communications.

There's one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Council members Watson and our leaders, would you please read proclamation 0481?

Yes, Council President.

Uh proclamation number 260481, recognizing April as financial literacy month.

Whereas financial literacy is a critical life skill that strengthens individuals, families, and communities by supporting informed decision making about earning, saving, budgeting, credit, and investing, and whereas the month of April is recognized as financial literacy month, a time to raise awareness of importance of financial education to be encouraged, practical learning, and support long-term stability, mobility, and opportunity and whereas early age appropriate financial education helps children build positive money habits, confidence, and goal setting skills while reducing future risk related to high cost debt, fraud, and financial insecurity.

And whereas the Global Children Literacy Financial Literacy Foundation expands access to children's financial education through resources, partnership and community engagement designed to meet children where they are and empower them for the future.

And whereas GCFLF was founded by Prince Dykes and Chadwick Davis, retired United States Navy veterans whose service, leadership, and commitment to community have helped elevate the importance of children's financial education in Denver and beyond.

And whereas Prince Dykes is also the founder of the registered investment advisory firm Royal Financial Investment Group, further demonstrating his longstanding dedication to financial literacy, empowerment, and responsible wealth building.

And whereas for more than 10 years, GCFLF has advanced children's financial literacy through the country and city and county of Denver through engaging youth-centered instruction, including the Wesley Learns Children's Financial Literacy Book Series, related cartoons, media, and in-person classes.

And whereas GCFLF promotes long-term opportunity by encouraging families and communities to invest in children's futures, including through custodial investment accounts for kids that support long-term savings and investing, including investments in broad market funds that track the SP 500 and whereas GCFLF has helped expand these opportunities by awarding investment accounts to children in Denver and across the nation, reinforcing the message that every child can learn, plan, and build to give toward a stronger financial future.

And whereas the start smart summer kickoff on May 30th, 2026 will bring together youth families, educators, and community partners to raise awareness and provide hands-on learning opportunities, resources, and activities that promote real-world financial skills and long-term empowerment.

Now therefore be proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the Denver City Council recognizes the Global Children Financial Literacy Foundation and its founders, Prince Dykes and Chadwick Davis, for their service and sustained commitment to advancing children's financial service financial literacy in Denver and beyond.

And section two, that a clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall have fixed the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to Prince Dykes and tragic dates.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson, your motion read.

I move that proclamation 260481 be adopted.

It has been moved in secondary comments by members of council.

I'll start with Councilmember Watson, followed by El Liefer.

Thank you so much, Council President.

I'm honored this year once again to co-sponsor not just this proclamation, but um the kickoff to the summer uh smart uh summer kickoff um event that's gonna be on May 30th.

Uh as most folks know I had a uh 30-year career in financial services.

Um that was the work I did uh that allowed me um and my family to focus on a financial literacy, bridging a gap between families of color, my family, and others, um, to ensure that we can have um retirement planning and financial literacy that helps us to and through our retirement.

I grew up um young sub seven um um uh um uh with a single mother, and I always wondered um why were we so poor?

Why couldn't this brilliant woman that I know um why weren't we able to move forward?

Um and part of that reason was understanding the dollar, understanding investments, understanding uh purchasing homes and building wealth for communities and for us.

Um I was able to purchase my first home in uh 1997 um doing work with uh CHAPA to provide the down payment assistance, and from that, we've used the equity from that home to help my brother and sisters in other states uh do the same.

Um this program, I believe that Prince Dykes and his team is done, um, will have many other families that look like mine are doing the same to make sure that we lift up uh brown and black communities and we ensure that we're as financial literate as um as all of other communities.

So thank you to Prince.

Thank you so much uh to Councilmember Albidras for your good work and collaboration on this.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Thank you, Councilman Watson, for continuing to work on children's literacy and the foundation, the Global Children's Literacy Foundation, Financial Literacy Foundation.

Uh really grateful for the work.

I still have some of your books in my office that kids love when they come to our office to learn about these things that uh few didn't learn about credit, and the first time you do is to check your credit and see that you don't have good credit or nobody worked on your credit before that age.

It can be a life-changing thing if we can help our children get to a point where they know about these things before they're trying to get a car or taking on debt.

I talked to before, you know, I I worked in real estate, and I always told my clients don't buy a car with a loan, buy a house first, because once you buy this really expensive, really cool car, your credit is going to suffer and your debt-to-income ratios are going to suffer, and you're gonna have to put a whole plan together before you'll ever be able to purchase a home, for example.

And so I think that these books really get children familiar with these phrases that they should be.

I think wealthy families are familiar with these phrases.

Um, and so every children, every child across the city should understand what is investing, what is credit, what are all of these financial systems that rule over our ability to build wealth over our lifetime.

So thank you so much for that work.

Thank you, Councilman Watson.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you both.

Madam Secretary Ruffall.

Madam Secretary, we'll call Councilman.

Aline there.

Hi, Flynn.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Heinz.

All right.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parody.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting notes.

The results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes, proclamation 0481.

Pass it.

Um we now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Who will you be calling up?

Thank you, Madam President.

Prince Dykes and any members of his team that he would like to bring up to this podium, and you have uh five minutes to accept the proclamation.

Please come forward.

Thank you, City of Denver.

Um, Councilman Watson, Councilman Vitres for making this proclamation.

Uh, more importantly, last year you made the steps and we made investment accounts for kids.

Uh, what do I say was $2,500 went out to kids last year?

I'm thinking probably around about 3,000, but five kids all haven't funded investment accounts due to your work, not just saying it, but actually getting behind this.

So, as you guys and girls here can see that uh, you know, retired military, and this is my continuing service back to my community for over the past decade or so.

And April being National Financial Literacy Month, and now we have the new established by the uh federal government Trump accounts that are coming out that are funding kids, but this is an effort that we've been doing locally grassrooted for um since 2017 since Chad and I uh met in the United States Navy.

Chad is not here, he's back in uh Maryland, he's probably watching live, but um, you know, thank you for his work and he always said thank you to everybody else.

So everybody here, we all know that we wish that somebody had started an investment account for ourselves.

And the reason why we see what we're in today is because no one took the time to start this off as a child.

We know every child in Denver and throughout the nation will want a house one day, they will need a car one day, and they're coming from the most robust economy in the world.

So why aren't we not teaching these kids today and not only teaching it to them and talking to them, but making it tangible by creating investment accounts for kids at the youngest age possible?

Because you know, anybody who can raise their hand and say if they did not want an investment account when they were in kindergartner, you know, I don't think nobody would probably raise their hand.

So it's very important that we start at these the age, the youngest age possible, teaching kids about a credit, teaching kids about investments, teaching kids about real estate.

So thanks for helping close that wealth gap by taking that first step because as we know, if you're an investor, as you see the housing prices continue to rise throughout the nation, that's great equity.

But there are people on the other side of the tracks who are looking to purchase a home.

How do they ever how do they ever get there?

So by this program, turning kids into first-time shoulders of stock through purchasing an investment account for them and put them into the SP 500, a broad-based index that tracks the top 500 companies in America.

Um, I thank you so very much for backing this.

And I also welcome the other council members to join in behind this effort as well.

Um, we've done this and we're going to continue to do it, and we're proud to be here.

So thank you so very much.

And also want to give a special thanks to the Park Hill Pirates who came out today, who have students' kids as well, which we would like to have investment accounts for their students as well.

So we know every day kids are buying Nike, they're buying Apple, they own Amazon, they own Apple, everybody wants the iPhone.

And why aren't we investing kids into what they're purchasing?

Because turn them into cons from consumers into investors, and we have that opportunity to do that.

It doesn't matter how big it is or how small it is, but we have plenty of organizations that contact us all the time and say, hey, we want those books, we want those stocks, we want you to come out and do that.

But without the support of you guys, we can't support the other end.

So I think you know, everybody here for all of their um contributions and continued contribution.

Thank you very much to the city of Denver.

Thank you very much to Councilman Watson, and also thank you very much to Councilwoman Al Vitres.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

26-0345.

A bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 992, North Knox Court in Bill A Park.

26-0346, a bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 1453 North Wabash Street and East Colfax.

From the Finance and Business Committee, 26-0366.

A bill for an ordinance authorizing expenditures in the General Government Special Revenue Fund based on a letter of intent from the United States of America to award funding to the city and county of Denver for the Denver Great Kids Head Start FY 2026 to 2027 program from the South Platte River Committee 25-1861.

A bill for an ordinance vacating a portion of South Delaware Street between Interstate 25 and West Kentucky Avenue with reservations.

A bill for an ordinance relinquishing an easement in its entirety, reserved and ordinance number 522, a series of 1982, recorded with the Denver Clerk and Recorder at Book 2661, page 377, located at 748 South Cherokee Street, and 26-0336, a bill for an ordinance relinquishing an easement in its entirety, reserved in the permanent non-exclusive easement.

Recorded with Denver Clerk and Recorder at reception number 2022 049162, located at 3875 Walnut Street.

Um Councilmember Alviders will make the motions for us tonight, but Council Woman Pertum Ramarkin, will you make the motions while she's out?

Yes.

I'll do under resolutions.

Council resolution 0340 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Lewis.

Council Resolution 0329 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Parity.

And Council Resolution 0329.

Sorry.

Okay, hold on.

Let me start over.

Under resolution, Council Resolution 0340 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Lewis.

Council Resolution 0339 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Parity.

And Council Resolution 0329 has been out called out for comments by Councilmembers Flynn, Parity, and myself.

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

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

Under pending, no items have been called out.

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

Council Resolution 0340.

A resolution per approving a proposed mandatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Leon Cali for emergent forensic pathology services.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 0340.

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry, I called this item out tonight to mention that it is extremely distressing to know that we are short staff for positions that do exceptionally important work, some of which is required by state and local law.

I also note that while I have now nothing against the contractor we have selected, it is disappointing that a Denver provider was not selected at the very least.

But wanted to flag for the public that the city council passed a budget goal for this upcoming budget cycle aimed at restoring city services, and it will be a focus of mine at the upcoming meeting where we will share our priorities for the upcoming cycle to ensure that these positions of need are filled ASAP, whether due to budget cuts or to turnover.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, council resolution 0339.

For the annual usage of Amazon Web Services Software Citywide.

Councilmember Parity, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 0339.

Yeah, so similarly to having called off our um Microsoft contract a few um weeks ago.

Um I'm just sort of highlighting when we have these contracts with really large corporate actors that also work with um immigration enforcement entities, um, and in many cases the military and and those kinds of things.

Um I think Denver is probably overdue for sort of an ethical contracting or ethical investment policy.

And of course, it's hard to find um actors in these text spaces that aren't uh really a part of all those systems.

But Amazon Web Services certainly also is no exception.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, Council Resolution 0329, a resolution amending city council rules for procedure.

Councilmember Flynn, please go ahead with your comments on council resolution 03 29.

Uh thank you, Madam President, and uh I know the other sponsors, including yourself will have some comments on this, but this is the culmination of a lot of fits and starts to improve council's charter responsibility to review and approve or vote on contracts under 3.2.6.

That's been in place since 1982.

And I want to give a shout out.

I hope she's watching because I alerted her to this.

I want to give a shout out to a former councilwoman Debbie Ortega.

Uh Debbie uh Councilwoman Ortega brought this concern to me when I was first running in 20, actually in 2014, how the prior council had surrendered one week of review time by approving contracts with a resolution rather than a two-reading bill.

And so that gave us basically four days to see the actual document that got filed on noon Thursday for the Monday meeting.

And so we noodled on a couple different uh avenues to restore some kind of better period of time for us to review these contracts.

And so this resolution is a a uh an amendment to our rules of procedure that says at the time a con uh an item, because it's not just contracts, it could be intergovernmental agreements, is presented to uh to council to consider at committee, it must be accompanied by either the signed document or if not signed yet by a draft of the document because we sit in committees, and we will give a shout out to agencies for doing almost always doing a very good job of explaining what the contract will say once we get it.

Uh but that's that's not enough.

That doesn't substitute for having an actual document in hand.

So uh what this uh rule of procedure amendment does, it says by the Thursday filing for the next week's series of committees, the administration must submit at least a draft of the contract so that we can when we vote a contract out of committee to come here Monday and a half later, you know, a week and a half later, uh we will have uh we will actually have a contract to vote out.

The companion to this is a Denver revised municipal code amendment that clarifies that the 30-day shock clock that the 1982 charter amendment gave us, within which we must act, does not start until the contract is filed for this meeting, our legislative meeting.

Because council committees aren't in the charter, that's a construct of our rules.

So in the charter, it says a the 30-day clock starts when an item is submitted to council for its approval, not to a committee.

And so I want to thank someone else who's who's no longer here to hear me mention his name, but that is uh George Sarony.

He was a legislative council, assistant city attorney who was the legislative counsel for city council during the 1990s.

I got to know him.

He was a scholar on all things charter, and he is the one who brought some language to me about two, three years ago, said here might be a way to solve this.

Just say the clock starts Thursday filing.

When we give a contract to committee, it's not submitted to the council for their approval because there are only seven members of the council who are on a committee.

One of them is ex officio, the council president.

So to say the 30-day shock clock starts then is to, as he put it, vitiate the voting rights of the six members who are not on that committee.

So it must start the Thursday that you uh uh that is filed for the full council.

So I want to thank uh uh former legislative council George Sarroni, uh true friend of this city and and a scholar.

And with that, Madam President, um, I apologize for taking up so much time, but Councilwoman Ortega, if you're watching, thank you for your partnership on this uh in the time that we were together, and we're finally getting it done.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Parody.

Yeah, mostly one of those Councilmember Flynn who um did kept this issue alive and knew exactly the moment to keep bringing it back up with the rest of us.

But um, yeah, I think the I just want to highlight how much um of our job actually is review of contracts, you know.

Um it is by far the just by volume, um, the biggest type of thing that we are asked to look at and uh where our money goes is you know kind of everything.

So I think this will strike a very good balance and uh probably no coincidence that it's you know the editor and in Councilmember Flynn and the lawyer and me really want more time to read those.

So thank you.

Thanks, Madam President.

Thank you.

Just want to say thank you, Councilmember Flynn for allowing me to join this.

I think it's good governance.

I think it's really smart.

Um, and I think it will really help us do our work.

So appreciate you.

And if councilman um Ortega, you're watching, as you mentioned today in operation.

Sometimes it takes a long time to get some of this work done.

Um decades.

Um, so thank you for bringing this forward.

Um seeing no other um call-outs.

Oh, Councilmember Hyde, sorry, about that.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Councilmember Friend, uh Councilmember Flynn.

I also want to thank you uh for keeping this alive all the way back to Councilmember Ortega and George Sorone, whose name I don't recall, so it must have been quite some quite some time ago.

So um, but I'm glad that we're finally uh uh closing this book after such an extended period of time.

And thank you for um the revision.

I learned something new every day.

So thank you, Council President.

Try to use it every week.

That's good words.

All right, see no other members in the queue.

This concludes the items to be called out.

All bills for introduction are ordered published.

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

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

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

Yes, Council President.

I move that and this is my read them all, correct?

Yeah, they're resolution.

You mean that whole sentence.

Okay.

Um all bills for uh sorry.

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

All of the series 26.

0338, 0339, 0369.

It's kind of funky.

Sorry.

Uh 0329, 0362, 0363, 0370, 0371, 0340, 0341, 0365, 0355, 033, 0235, 0337, 0368, 0358, 0364, 0327, 0300 0316, and 0316.

Awesome.

Thank you.

It is been moved in second end.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Councilmember.

Aye.

I'll be there.

Aye.

Flynn.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Heinz.

Hi.

Lewis.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sonderball.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close room, absolutely.

11 ayes.

11 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 0176, changing the zoning classification for one, seven, six, zero zero, east 56th Avenue and 4991, North Talleride Street in Gateway Green Valley Ranch.

There are no objections from members of council.

We will recess until 5:30 before convening the regular meeting.

City Council provide a half-hour general public comment session to hear from the public on city matters.

Except for any matter that is scheduled for a legally required public hearing.

The general public comment session will begin at 5.

Problems of meeting everyone's demand and of having a quality of life that continues.

Creating a place where people want to live and where we have agriculture, where we have strong and healthy streams, where we have thriving communities.

Those problems are complex and complicated.

Colorado's cities, villages, towns, ranches, and farms were built on the richest soils with the greatest resources.

They hugged.

If we did not get to you today, please join us next week or submit your comment in writing.

The next session will be held on Monday, April 13th.

Sign up begins by 5 p.m.

on Thursday, April 4.

And thank you so much for attending.

Council will now reconvene from our earlier session.

There's no unfinished business from the earlier session.

There are two proclamations being ready three being read as evening.

Council Pro Time Mary Campbell, will you please read proclamation 0482?

Yes.

So proclamation 0482 recognizing the hundred-year anniversary of the Welshire Golf Course.

Whereas established in 1926, Welshire Golf Course represents a symbol of community investment, public access, and lasting tradition, as the course has stood as one of Denver's most treasured public spaces, bringing together golfers, neighbors, and community leaders across generations.

And whereas, located on the grounds of the former Skeele family farm with the historic Highline Canal flowing through it, Welsh reflects Denver's rich natural and cultural history.

And whereas George Olinger developed Welsh as a private country club and sold it to the city in 1936, ensuring the course would remain accessible and serve the community for generations to come.

And whereas, designed by renowned golf course architect Donald Ross, Welshire is one of the nation's premier municipal golf courses and the only public Ross designed course west of the Mississippi.

And whereas the clubhouse was designed by the Denver architect G Meredith Musick, and its iconic tutor style stands as an enduring architectural landmark.

And whereas the Welshire Full 4 Ball, held annually since 1943, is the longest continuously running golf tournament in Colorado, a testament to Welsh's enduring role in competitive golf.

And whereas two major golf figures, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, played in USGA golf tournaments or USGA tournaments at Welshire, further elevating the course's reputation on a national stage.

And whereas in 1959, 23-year-old Bill Wright broke the golf color barrier by becoming the first black man to win a major national title at Welshire, changing the game of golf forever.

And whereas the Welshire has been nominated for the National Registry of Historic Places in recognition of its historical and cultural significance.

And whereas on June 5th, 2026, we invite the entire community to join us at the Welshir Golf Course and Event Center for a day of golf, food, activities, and a historical celebration as we honor a century of this remarkable public treasure.

Now, there be for be it now, therefore be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1.

The Denver City Council proudly recognizes and recognizes and celebrates the hundredth anniversary of the Welshire Golf Course and its endearing contributions to Southeast Denver.

Section two, the clerk and reporter shall affix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and transmit copies to the Welshire 100 steering committee and Denver Golf.

Thank you.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Council Pro Timber Mr.

Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

This is super exciting.

You guys have heard me make the announcements that the that we're celebrating the Welshier 100 in June.

And you also heard that the registration opened and sold out in 24 hours.

So we have a golf tournament that's happening alongside this celebration.

Many of you know that I grew up in Southeast Denver, and I grew up between two golf courses.

Yet I never really stepped foot on either golf course.

It wasn't something that I ever saw accessible to me.

Um yet I always thought, oh, they were very beautiful.

Um but just it was never something that I did.

And it wasn't until I came into this position that I had an opportunity to um step beyond the and I'll talk about the the um the Welshire um building itself, but to step foot on the golf course.

And for me, it was um former uh councilwoman Kendra Black, who is actually in the audience today and will accept the proclamation.

But it was it was something to kind of opening updoors for me.

Um, and then I thought, well, if we're gonna have a golf tournament, I should probably learn how to play golf.

And I figured how hard can it be?

Um that I have how hard can it be, right?

Um, but I do have a fabulous instructor, and Susie makes it not only easy but fun to be able to participate.

Um but I really want to say it's it really has inspired me, and my hope is not only to be able to celebrate um the hundredth year of the Welshire, but also to be able to open it up to more people who can come and see the golf course, who can see themselves playing and open it up to the rest of the community.

But tonight, it really is an honor to sponsor this proclamation and celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Welsh golf course.

Um tonight we only not recognize a century of golf, but a century of community building, uh shared tradition, events, and cherished memories.

Welshire is more than just a golf course, it's a gathering place for our community, um, hosting school dances, weddings.

My niece is getting married there this summer and having her wedding reception there, but also welcoming our senior luncheon, and it's been held there for the last 10 years.

Um, a beloved place that is packed to the gills every year.

Uh and it's just where friends and family and people come together, whether they play golf or not.

Um, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Denver Golf as well as to again my predecessor, um, Councilwoman Kendra Black, whose leadership in bringing this recognition as a milestone for the community.

Um, she inspired it uh to come together.

We have a steering committee, um, and it's really something special for District 4.

So very nice in that transition to be able to carry that on.

Um, the golf tournament sold out in one day.

That's pretty darn amazing.

Um, I think we were worried that it wasn't going to sell out, and boom, there you go.

So thank you to all of the community members who signed up to play um in the morning on June 5th.

But I'd also like to invite um all the rest of Denver to come and join us on June 5th from 5 to 8 p.m.

for the centennial celebration to honor the legacy, the history, and the future of the Welsh.

Um again, it's a long-standing pillar of Southeast Denver, but it's just I think a jewel for the city and county of Denver at large.

So you can find out more information on my website, you can find out more information on Denver Golf, and here's to another hundred years.

Awesome.

Thank you so much.

Council uh Madam Secretary Rucal.

Members Torres Albitris.

Aye Flynn.

Hi Gilmore, Heinz.

Aye, Lewis, Parody.

Aye Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting ops the results.

Eleven ayes.

Eleven ayes, proclamation 0482 has been adopted.

We now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Council Pro Temper Mair Campbell, who will you be calling up to accept the proclamation?

Um, I'd like to invite up former council member Kendra Black and Susie.

I'm gonna have Susie come up too.

And whoever else uh that you'd like to have come up.

I have some remarks.

Oh, okay.

But first, I want to say hello, George Washington.

Hi, I used to work there a really long time ago.

So go Patriots.

Um hello, all my old friends.

It's great to see you.

Um thank you for inviting me to come.

It's always fun to come down here.

I really think it's cool that the meetings are in here.

It's a very nice room.

Um you may wonder why councilwoman Romero Campbell invited me to come and speak.

And I think it's just because I have lived near Welsh almost my entire life.

I grew up near there, going to events there.

I raised my family in that neighborhood.

We've golfed there and gone to events at the event center and the restaurant and the winter.

We used to cross country ski there when we had snow.

And as Councilwoman Romero Campbell said, it's really a big part of the Southeast Denver community.

I think the hundredth anniversary is really significant.

Our city was only about 65 years old when this club got developed.

Our state was only 50 years old.

And I think it really represents sort of the optimism and the opportunity and the pioneering spirit that these Denver leaders, George Olingar, and the other one is Cal or Lloyd Fullenwider.

Those are both names that are still relevant in Denver today.

They both had this vision to build this, of course, country club, which is not open to the public, but then also to build the neighborhood into country estates.

At the time it wasn't even Denver, it was in Arapahoe County.

But they had this vision of what Denver was going to be.

And I think it it represents sort of that story of the West.

Unfortunately, they built the club and they bought the whole neighborhood between Yale and Hampton and Colorado and University, and they were gonna build these country estates.

It didn't survive the depression.

So they sold all the land off.

The houses didn't get developed till the fit till the 50s, and then they were all ranch houses, not at all what they had envisioned.

And the creditors had to uh they forced an auction of the club and it became public.

And one of our mayors, our controversial mayors mayors named Ben Stapleton, actually added a lot to our park system.

And he and his parks director, George Cranmer, were the ones who bought it.

And they only paid $60,000 for it.

And Olinger and Fullingwater had spent $350,000 on it.

So it was a great deal.

It wasn't even in Denver when they bought it.

It was in Rappo County.

They bought it for $60,000, and then it became open to everyone and open to the public.

So it's a great story.

The city council voted to annex it into the city in 1950.

And ever since then, there have been some very momentous things that have happened there.

Councilman Romero Campbell mentioned Bill Wright, who who was, I just told Scott Gilmore he's like the Jackie Robinson of golf, who's the first black man to ever win a professional tournament.

And Arnold Palmer played there, and Ben Hogan won't his seventh consecutive win there, and General Dewite D.

Eisenhower was standing there on the green watching that, which is kind of cool.

The Welsh, the clubhouse has been open to the public for 90 years, and many old-time Denverites remember it as the Welsher Inn, which was one of the most elegant restaurants in Denver from 1977 to 2008 when Leo Godo ran it.

I know Kevin Flynn knows who I'm talking about.

If only Paul Cashman was here.

Okay.

Councilwoman Romero Campbell knows what I'm talking about.

But the Welsh Inn was where you would go for a special occasion.

And it it there's so many people who have fond memories of that restaurant.

And now your niece is getting married there.

That's awesome.

Anyway, so much more to be said, but I'll let Susie talk.

Thank you so much for honoring Welsher, and it's great to see you guys.

Hi, I'm uh Susie Helmrick, and I'm a golf pro.

I oversee all of our pro shops for the city of Denver.

And I was just gonna show some videos of Diana's golf swing.

If you guys can all amuse me with that.

Um, I you know, as a golfer, there's always the stigmatism that golf is just an old man, an old white man's game.

And I think both Miss Black and Mr.

Romero Campbell have done an amazing job to make Welshire open to everyone.

This is a community event.

Everyone is welcome.

I believe our sign on the outside says everyone welcome.

So thank you for both of your efforts in making this such a big deal, and that it's not just golf, it's community.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Councilmember Sawyer, would you please read proclamation 0488?

All right.

I got I promised you guys a proclamation was coming on this, so here we go.

Proclamation 26483, honoring the George Washington High School speech and debate team.

Whereas the George Washington High School speech and debate team was founded in 1960, the very same year the school was opened and has been a competitive and nationally ranked team throughout its history.

And whereas the George Washington High School speech and debate team is currently ranked in the top four nationally, woo-woo, and number one in Colorado.

This past summer, the GW speech and debate team had its 51st national appearance at the National Speech and Debate Association Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.

The GW speech and debate team placed in the top 20 debate debate and speech teams overall at the tournament.

This achievement earned them the title of Debate School of Excellence and Speech School of Excellence.

And whereas Coach Mary Rose Cohen teaches multiple sections of speech and debate, as well as coaching the speech and debate team, along with assistant coaches Devin Sarno and Miles Owens.

The George Washington High School speech and debate team members and coaches put in countless, this is true, countless extra hours of work honing their performances during the season.

And whereas 63 out of the 154 students who are enrolled in a section of speech and debate class at George Washington High School competed in the 5A division of the Colorado State Championships on March 6th and 7th, 2026.

And whereas, okay, I'm gonna mess up your names, you guys.

Yoel Emanuel and Kate Ramirez took first place in policy debate, and our co-champions with Camila Jenkins, Ingrid Zuniga Boyle, thank you, um, Coltrane Weaver, Olson Bachelor, Reese Fleischer, and Gabby Sanchez Heller.

Naomi Nicholson won program of oral interpretation and in duo interpretation.

Kat Walsh and Graham Elson were crowned champions.

And the GW speech and debate team had six top five dishes.

And whereas, based on these results, the George Washington High School speech and debate team was awarded the overall 2026 Division 5A state title in speech and debate for the third time in four years, and are the reigning champions.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council.

Section one, that the Council of City and County of Denver recognizes and celebrates the achievements of the students and coaches of the George Washington High School speech and debate team and congratulates them on their success.

And section two that the clerk of the county uh the clerk of the city and county of Denver shall affix the seal of City and County of Denver to this proclamation and a copy be transmitted to Coach Mary Rose Cohen.

Thank you.

Councilmember Sawyer, a motion to adopt.

I move that proclamation 26483 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I am so excited to have members of the George Washington High School Speech and Debate team.

As you know, George is in District 5.

It is our only high school in District 5.

Um, you know, we see so many sports teams roll through here getting their proclamations.

Um, and I think that proclamations for the nerd should happen too.

So I I can say that because my daughter Lily Sawyer is sitting right over there as a member of the speech and debate team.

Um I am so proud of you guys.

I am so excited for you guys.

I have watched you work so incredibly hard all of these years in order to be this amazing source of pride for our community, and you are, and you have achieved it, and um there's only one small thing that I can do to celebrate you guys for all of your hard work, and that is give you this proclamation, and so I'm so honored to do it.

Thanks for being here, and thanks for everything you guys have done.

Congratulations.

Awesome, thank you.

Councilmember Heinz.

Thank you, Madam President.

You can provide food.

She's your daughter out there.

I could feed her.

I could.

So I I just I can't congratulate you enough.

Um, I am rounding up year seven on City Council.

Um it's kind of an interesting journey to get here.

I have a computer science degree and being in finance.

Um, I don't use either of those degrees.

Well, I used to computer science a little bit.

Um, but uh but I went to state and debate twice in high school CX junior senior year, and I use it every day.

Every day uh in this job.

Uh so all that money that I spent, well, I got a scholarship undergrad, but for the MBA, um all that money I spent, um it's the speech and debate uh training that really has helped me formulate my thoughts, research evidence, remember where I found that evidence, you know, keeping track of uh citing sources, and um, and then uh uh putting something on paper and then being able to defend it in a concise period of time.

I am kind of wordy, um, so I've I'm languishing a bit from my uh CX years and in high school, but um, but it has been incredibly valuable for me, and you already have it.

Going, you know, winning state, being the speech and debate team uh for and the and uh school, high school in Colorado.

I mean, all the places we'll go, and oh the skills that you already have to help you go to those places a little bit faster.

Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just wanted to say there's never been a better time to um get used to uh being able to be in the public fray and to um express yourself clearly and push back on other people.

That can be really hard and really uncomfortable.

Um I will say I was not really like raised and socialized to do that as a girl in a small town, um, and so I had to learn to do that uh as a young attorney, and there's just nothing more important.

So um I'm so proud of all of you, and I um I see some tears in my colleagues' eyes.

Um, and now I'm getting them too, because it's pretty cool to have you guys uh right here in Denver taking home the trophy for the state and doing so amazingly at the national level.

Um thank you for being here tonight.

Good job.

Thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Very quickly, uh speech and debate is uh the ability to uh learn, understand a topic, to stand firm and to speak your truth, but also I think most important in speech and debate, and being someone who uh uh engaged in that in high school is to listen.

Um and uh you can be as prepared as you want to be.

Um but if you're not listening to the counterpoint, um, your ability to respond, to respond um with something that's material um is diminished.

And I think as an adult and as a city council member, uh the greatest lesson I've learned is um not only standing and delivering, but listening and be able to understand the other point of view and be able to still stay in firm on the things that you know that are the facts.

So congratulations to you.

The skills you have are gonna take you so far, and it's so good to get a proclamation in a non-sport um athletic sport uh topic.

So congratulations to you, Councilmember Sawyer.

Yes.

Thanks, Matt.

Thank you.

Bravo, congratulations.

Well deserved.

Um, Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council members Torres.

I'll be through.

Flynn.

Gilmore.

Heinz.

Hi.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

I.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandwich.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes.

Proclamation 0483 has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Sawyer, who will you be inviting out?

I am called Coach Mary Rose Cohen and some members of the speech and debate team who have joined her today.

Well, thank you so much for inviting us.

It's such an honor to be able to come and to see that our hard work is recognized and valued.

And to just give such inspiring words for our students for their future and having them understand that what they're doing really is important and really is valuable.

So thank you so much for recognizing that.

And I'll let you hear from them.

I just want to say that all of our success needs to be accredited mostly to our coaches and specifically to Miss Cohen.

She really is the heart of this community as a whole, and we wouldn't see the success that we see without her.

So just thank you, Miss Cohen.

We all appreciate and love you so much.

I'd like to second that.

I think that our coaches have such a big influence on how our team runs and how we are as a community, and I love each and every one of them.

Uh thank you to our assistant coaches too, Devin and Miles.

They do an amazing job at keeping our team running.

Um honestly acknowledging each other and us as a community and everything that we're able to do together is really beautiful.

Thank you.

We have one required public hearing tonight.

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

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When you are promoted, please accept the promotion.

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

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

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Speakers will have three minutes.

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

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

Councilmember Alvidres, will you please put council bill 0176 changing the zoning classification for 1760 East 56th Avenue and 4991, North Tally Right Street and Gateway Green Valley Ranch on the floor for final passage?

I move that Council Bill 26-0176 be placed upon final consideration and due pass.

It has been moved in second in.

Yes, thank you, Council Chair.

Um I'm Libby Glick with Community Planning and Development, and I'll be presenting the rezoning for 4991 North Tell you Ride and uh 1760 East 56th Avenue, which will hear me call the Denver Spur.

So first we'll go through the request, then the location and the context, followed by the process, and then finally the review criteria.

So the applicant is requesting to rezone the property outlined in red from a former Chapter 59 zone district, so CMU 10 with conditions and CMU 30 with waivers in the adult use overlay to mixed use five-story and eight-story district.

So you can see on the map where exactly SMX 5 and SMX 8 are proposed.

And the purpose of this rezoning is to construct a mixed-use development, including multi-unit residential.

There's 17 acres that are current that have already been sold to Denver Public Schools for a future school site.

Then there will also be some park space that's provided as a part of the gateway subdivision regulations.

So now we'll go through the location and the context.

So this is located in Council District 11 in the Gateway Green Valley Ranch neighborhood.

And then as stated previously, the current zoning is in the former Chapter 59 zoning code, which is the city's old zoning code.

It's a commercial mixed-use zone districts, and it's surrounded by a lot of other old co-zone districts, and then DIA along Penya Boulevard.

And then the proposed zone districts are suburban mixed-use districts of five and eight stories.

And the heights are up to 70 feet for the five-story district, and then 110 feet for the eight-story district.

So the current land use, it's mostly vacant.

You can see the surrounding area.

There's some vacant uses, single unit, multi-unit, and then agricultural uses.

So the existing vacant lot, and then you can see the some existing single units that's directly east of the site.

So this because this is a large property, it went through the large development review process and it was deemed applicable because the site's larger than five acres.

There's clear guidance in the far northeast area plan to do the LDR process, especially when they're doing a mixed-use development.

They were proposing a rezoning, and then there's also infrastructure improvements that are required as a part of the development.

There's also urban design standards and guidelines that are applicable to this site.

So these are really to make sure that the built environment is at an appropriate scale to promote pedestrian activity and a sense of place.

And then as a part of the large development framework that came out of the large development review process, the applicant has entered into a high impact development compliance plan.

So this is to provide affordable housing on site.

There's two potential pathways depending on if they received a low, if they if they receive a low income housing tax credit award.

So if they receive live tech credits, then uh the 21% of the units will be income restricted.

If they do not, then 12%.

But regardless of which avenue is taking at least 50% of the income restricted units will be two bedrooms, and 20% will be three bedrooms.

So now we'll go through the process.

So this application was complete in September.

It went to planning board in uh on January 21st, and we're here before you today for the city council hearing.

So we received a couple of public comments.

The first is from Montbello 2020 and beyond RO.

So they submitted a letter in support citing the applicant's community engagement, the public amenities that would be provided with the school site and the future park space, and then also the affordable housing that's provided.

And then we received one comment from a neighboring resident in opposition to the request.

They had concerns about traffic, a loss of green space, and then public safety with potentially more multi-unit uh with the multi-unit development coming in.

Planning board heard this on January 21st, as I stated previously, and they unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning.

They had a few questions on traffic impacts and like the large development review process.

So now we'll finally go over the review criteria.

So the Denver zoning code has three review criteria that must be met for a rezoning to be approved.

The first is consistency with adopted plans, the second is public interest, and the third is consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose, and then the intent statements found in the code.

So we'll start with a comprehensive plan for consistency with adoptive plan.

So this rezoning will allow for more equitable access to a variety of amenities, including education and parks with the rezoning.

It will also develop housing that is affordable to residents with the high impact development compliance plan that they've entered into, as well as providing or improving access to education again with that Denver school site that's included.

It will encourage a mixed use development where residents can live, work, and play in their own neighborhoods.

And then finally, it will encourage quality infill that again will increase amenities for residents in this area.

So now moving to Blueprint Denver, the city's land use and transportation plan.

So this one, the future neighborhood context is suburban, and the zone districts proposed are in the suburban context.

And then the future place type is community center, and these areas provide a mix of office, commercial, and residential uses.

So this would be consistent with the mixed-use zone districts that are proposed.

And then the street types are commercial and mixed-use arterials, again, that um really allow for a variety of more intense uses, um, like is what's proposed under the uh the proposal under the proposed zone districts.

The growth area, the growth area strategy is community centers and corridors.

This is where we anticipate 25% of new housing and 20% of new employment growth.

So rezoning from the existing old code districts to SMX 5 and SMX8 will allow for a significant amount of density than what is currently allowed.

So that's consistent with the growth area strategy.

And then we also looked at the uh the equity concepts found in Blueprint Denver because this site is so large.

So that includes access to opportunity, vulnerability to involuntary displacement, and then housing diversity.

So for access to opportunity, this area scores as moderate.

So the lowest scores are in child obesity, access to parks, fresh food, and then transit.

And so as a part of the subdivision rules and regulations, um, parkland will be required.

So that will increase this area's access to parks.

And then for vulnerability to involuntary displacement, this area scores as moderately vulnerable.

They score or scores as vulnerable on two of the three indicators.

And as stated previously, the applicant is has entered into a high impact development compliance plan that does include affordable housing on the site.

And then lastly, expanding housing diversity.

This area is more diverse, it's diverse on all five metrics.

Um, the proposed zone districts allow for a variety of residential uses.

Um, so hopefully that will continue the housing diversity that's found in this area.

And then it will further one of the strategies in Blueprint Denver in that it's rezoning an old code property into the Denver zoning code.

It also addresses climate by allowing a mixed use development in an area where uses are generally separated, and it's proposing multi-unit buildings, which are generally more energy efficient than lower density residential developments.

So now we'll move to the far northeast area plan.

So the future context and places is the same.

So I won't go over those, but the Far Northeast Area Plan does have specific height guidance.

And the height guidance for this area is up to eight stories.

So the five and eight story districts that are proposed are consistent with this height guidance.

And then there are also several strategies in the Far Northeast Area Plan that this rezoning will further.

So it also talks about rezoning former Chapter 59 properties into the Denver zoning code, um, as well as uh encouraging affordable um housing along high density mixed-use corridors, which this site will be doing with a high impact um development compliance plan, and then having a mix of uses and community centers along Pena Boulevard.

So again, this is a site right along Pena Boulevard, rezoning to mixed-use zone districts.

And then it will further the public interest um by dedicating property for parks, a school, as well as um having affordable housing on site.

And then lastly, it's consistent with the suburban neighborhood context, the purpose of the mixed-use zone districts, and then the specific intent of the SMX five and SMX8 zone districts.

So finding all three criteria have been met.

Staff recommends approval of this rezoning, and I'm happy to, or that concludes my presentation.

Thank you too much, Libby.

We have three individuals signed up to speak this evening.

First up, we have Jesse Paris.

Jesse Paris here.

Yes, ma'am.

I'm here.

Matthew White for you to promote me the panelists.

Yes, my name is Jesse LaShawn Paris.

I'm representing for Black Star Action Movement for Self-Defense, Conservation Commission for Social Change, as well as the Unity Party of Colorado, the North Park Hill Residence Council, Frontline Black Noose, Shabacus Black Experience enhanced the revolutionary agenda.

And I reside at the Roach and Bad Bug Infested Legacy Loss in Darrell Watson's district of District 9.

Define district nine, the historically black district of five points.

Um this sounded like gentrification off top of my head.

So I was definitely against it.

Um but after the report, I can see what you're trying to do here.

Um I have to change my stance on it.

I have to ask my usual questions when it comes to rezonings like this.

Um they said something about affordable housing.

What am I level are we talking about for the housing?

How many units or houses are we talking about or apartments?

Are we talking about being built on this?

What did you say?

Uh 16, 17 acre something property or space.

Um I'd like to know that.

Has it been a neighborhood agreement sign?

Has there been uh traffic study done?

Has there been a um rail study done and has there been uh community uh a good neighborhood neighbors agreement sign?

If someone could please answer those questions, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you and have a good night.

Thank you.

Next up we have Scott Gilmore.

Hello, City Council.

Thank you so much for um allowing me to speak.

Um I wanted to actually just state that I am a um founding member of Montbella 2020, so I'm glad that the organization has been supportive.

Um overall, I am supportive of this rezoning.

Um there needs to be a um uh reading through the application.

I want to stress that this is not a regional park.

It's it's that this will be a regional park.

A regional park is very specific.

It's 80 acres or more.

This is actually, you know, six, six maybe seven acres.

Um there's gonna be an additional um three to four acres of um trail system.

So um this is actually a neighborhood park.

So I did want to um clarity on that.

Um it's a smaller park for this specific community.

Um, some clarity on the um acreage.

Um it says that it's 71 or 74 acres.

Does that include the 17 acres of the school site?

Does it include the acreage for the park?

What's being rezoned and what's not being rezoned?

Because I would think that if you have the school, the school should be rezoning its own space for what it is.

I want to be clear too that you know this is great.

They're adding more parks to a park deficit community.

Montbello is very shorter parks, Green Valley Ranch is very shorter parks.

They're adding 10 more acres of park.

The votes of this council mean something.

And so now we are left with something that the council voted on just recently.

The maintenance shop in District One, $13.5 million.

Beautiful big maintenance shop, the maintenance shop that's going to be built down the street from this brand new park is 1,800 square feet, one office and a big garage.

That shop, the deficit that this council voted for, that created a deficit for my community that took money away from my community to build the park standard shop that should have been built will now not be built because the deficit that this council voted on, it created.

It took money from my community to make sure that parks like this are taken care of.

You will be receiving a uh email from me, which I tried to send earlier today.

I drove around my neighborhood this um this morning.

Not one park had its trash picked up.

Not one.

Trash bags everywhere.

Community did what they were supposed to do.

They picked up their trash, they put it by the trash cans, and they really took care of the parks.

But the parks department clearly does not have the resources or the site to maintain the parks at the level they should be taking care of.

So just remember the votes that you guys take here mean something because there are ramifications to those votes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up we have Peter Will.

Good evening, Madam Chair and Council members.

Uh, my name is Peter Wall here on behalf of the applicant.

I was just here to answer questions, but have to happy to address uh a couple of the questions that Mr.

Gilmore asked.

The property is 74 acres in total.

Uh the DPS parcel is 17 of the 74.

And then the park land, and noted on the neighborhood park versus regional park.

The parkland at the bottom of the southern part of the property is 5.88 acres, and it's next to I believe three-ish and change acres that the parks department already owns to combine for a little under 10 acres for that neighborhood park.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

That concludes our speakers.

Do we have questions of members of council on Council Bill Zero One?

Council Porter Finn Gilmer.

Thank you.

I have a question for Stephen Wilson.

We've been going back and forth a little bit today because there's two requirements that overlay on this property.

And so if you could explain that, Stephen, um, it's a little bit more complicated than perhaps other neighborhoods in the city because of the metro districts.

And so could you clearly for the record um state what acreage um falls under the metro district and then what acreage is with this remote?

Yes, uh good evening.

So Steven Wilson with uh community planning and development.

Uh, thank you for the question.

I might ask for a little bit of clarification.

Uh so are you are you talking about the 10.81 open space versus the the open space required by the subdivision ordinance?

I'd like to um have an overview of it all, and then you can delineate it out.

Okay, great.

Um, so I'll start with by the gatewood um gateway subdivision rules and regulations uh for this part of town in northeast Denver.

Uh there are requirements uh for parkland.

The parkland um is divided up into by the ordinances divided up into uh major parkland and then neighborhood parks.

Uh within the gateway subdivision rules and regulations, um, there is a calculation, there's a chart, but there's a calculation uh where the open space is based on the number of residential units and then the amount of commercial area.

Um so within the again, the gateway subdivision rules and regulations.

Uh there's a requirement for a uh a fee simple land dedication, so the actual land dedication.

Um, and then there's also an option uh to do a fee in lieu.

Um so for this, the applicant is choosing to do uh a combination, which is agreeable to parks.

Uh so there's the the land dedication um that Mr.

Wall was talking about, um, and then they'll make up the difference in fee and lie.

So the the dedication that's coming with the project is um again that's six acres that we've been talking about that's adjacent to uh the existing approximately three acres, so that those combined uh would be um together to satisfy that major park.

Uh the other portion that is with this project is we've been working on a north-south uh pena trail um that will go from um uh approximately 40th and then all the way up to 72nd uh once we get that connected.

Um and that trail will count for um some of the requirement um within the gateway subdivision rules and regulations.

Um just a comment.

So the gateway subdivision rules and regulations are separate from the rezoning.

Um so the the final determination on open space will be determined with the subdivision plat.

Um this also overlaps with in the Denver zoning code, we require 10% open space um as part of the zoning, and that can be overlapping with the gateway subdivision rules and regulations.

Um so both of those will be satisfied.

Uh what am I forgetting?

What haven't I covered that you is part of your question?

Uh thank you for um that information.

Um I guess with uh um the flexibility, or if there isn't the residential units built, um what is the agreement uh to make sure that the far northeast does indeed get that 10% of parkland or open space?

Yep.

So the um so the 10% by the zoning code uh will occur that's it's delineated in the infrastructure master plan, and then as site development plans come in, they'll have to be consistent with that infrastructure master plan specifically to meet the 10% part of it.

Again, some of that will be satisfied with the land dedication.

Um, and then the land dedication um will occur with the subdivision plat, so that uh amount of acreage that's going to be dedicated to this city fee simple will come with the plat, and then the fee in lieu um occurs uh with development with the agreement that will be signed by the city and then the applicant.

Um the benefit of having that uh agreement is that there's a we put a clause in the agreement that says if the number of units changes in the future, if it goes up, then we can collect those fees.

We do have in the rules and regulations that if that number goes down, the applicant can come back to the city and say we're not building that number of units, so we would like to pay less fee.

Okay.

Um with the um the fee and lie, um, what stipulates that once um if there is a fee and lie paid, do those dollars stay within District 11?

I don't have the answer to that question.

I'd have to follow up with uh parks and recreation.

Okay.

Um I have a question.

Um, thank you, Stephen.

Um I have a couple questions for uh Peter Wall.

Um so that does leave a big question mark, Peter, um, that we right now can't um ensure that if there is a fee and lie that will be paid.

Um what's your understanding as far as that um those dollars um staying in district 11?

Sure.

Um yeah, it's the first time that the questions come up, it's certainly a good one.

I think the only, and I'll I don't have a I think it's the same answer as Steven, but I have to defer to the parks and rec department on that.

The only thing that I'd add is that in our agreement with parks and the gateway subdivision rules and regs, the 5.88 acres that we are committing to dedicate, that doesn't go away if we lessen the units, right?

That land is going to be dedicated on that spot within the subdivision plat that he talked about.

I can't speak to the fee and lieu, though.

I think that's a question for the parks department.

Okay.

Um I have a couple more questions for you, and um wondered if there is somebody from the parks department online to answer questions.

Is there any hand raised on the park for the parks department?

They would just normally raise their hand if we had or yeah.

Okay.

Riley, do you have anyone on with with the city attorney who you know who's online?

Uh is Nate Lucero online?

You could ask Nate.

Okay.

Why don't we go ahead and ask Nate that question, and then I do have a couple other questions for you, Peter.

Good afternoon, members of council.

This is Nate Lucero with the city attorney's office.

Um can you ask the question again?

Uh yes.

Um hi Nate, this is Councilwoman Gilmore.

Um, I wanted to know what the assurances are if there is a fee and lieu agreement, and for some reason um that gets activated and there is that payment made.

Are there assurances that those dollars will stay in district eleven for our parks?

Yeah, thank you for the question, Councilwoman Gilman.

Um, so the gateway subdivision rules and regulations require that that the fee-in-lu money um be spent uh within a certain area.

Um so given where this project is located, those funds will more than likely be spent within district eleven.

Thank you for that.

Um beyond you stating that um here tonight, is there something within the planning board report or the CPD report that um further explains that?

I don't believe that the um staff report speaks to the contents of that agreement.

I could be mistaken.

Um if Libby is still present, she might be able to answer that.

Hi, Libby Gluck again.

Um no, the staff report does not discuss the infrastructure master plan or the subdivision rules and regulations.

Okay, all right.

Um thank you, Louie, and thank you, Nate.

Um just so um I think our lawyers um are understanding.

Um I would like to postpone this.

Um you can kind of I but I would like to postpone this for one week, if um that's an option because I would like to get the fee and lie language from Denver Parks and RAC.

Um, otherwise District 11 might see parks and rec move this money to another district, and then district eleven is shorted our park plan.

But go ahead, Stephen, if you have I was able to get in touch with Stacey West, and she did confirm it stays in the gateway subdivision area, so so within the subdivision rules and regulations, which is not it's not entirely district eleven, but but it's primarily district eleven.

That that's um within um the gateway area, that's a huge area, and we're talking about a very narrow if you looked at the map or look back at the map, it's a very very narrow um swath of land.

So if we don't get the park land that is required for the health and safety of district eleven residents, we might never get it in that corridor or in that area, and so um I can continue asking my questions.

Um, but before we proceed, I guess Bryan procedurally, how would we move forward with this?

So after we closed the public hearing, you would have to move to uh postpone it to a day certain.

You'd have to give a second and uh vote on that one.

Okay, great.

If you could be finding us um a date certain to postpone this um to so that we can make sure that um we get the proper um documentation from parks and rack um for this, this would be much appreciated.

Understanding that to postpone it, postpone it in this way, it would have to be a unanimous vote of this council um to do that, which I'm asking.

Um, but Peter, if I can ask you a couple other questions, please.

And I know in other parts of the community and other parts of the city, there's been a real push away from the drive-through model form.

What were those conversations, I guess, between you and CPD?

So when we a good question, when we first started out looking at zone districts for the property, and particularly at 56th Intellide, that hard corner where commercials most likely to go, we actually had a commercial corridor zone district.

And this is the time that you all were removing commercial corridor zoning from many of your corridors.

So CPD pushed back on us and said, hey, we prefer you to go to MX zone district here.

And then within our IMP, we've been working with Stephen Wilson and team to work on design guidelines.

Although I'd say when we're looking at prioritizing uses and the company that's under contract on PA1A, one of the biggest pieces of feedback we heard from your office council member, as well as the community, was prioritizing sit-down full service restaurants.

So really thinking about what does the community want, what does it need?

But long and short of it is we had a more intensive commercial corridor zoning, and because of feedback we heard from you, community and CPD, we backed off of that and went to the MX zone district.

Okay.

And so you're um then saying there won't be any drive-through models?

It's early on.

I don't I don't know for sure, but what I can tell you is when we're talking to the company that's under contract on PA1A, they are a prioritizing sit-down restaurant.

All right.

Um that's that is a concern of the community, especially with the drive-through model form, and that there um is the Evi Garrett Dennis um campus across the street, the Registroff campus, each of those I believe have three different charter schools in them, and then there's a proposal for um another school on the um west side of telluride that's gonna be an elementary middle school, or what was that?

Yeah, this the DPS school site.

The 17 acres, I believe, is slated for a K through eight.

All right, so K through eight.

So um we're gonna have a lot of school kids um along this corridor right here.

Um, and so definitely the drive-through model form um is concerning.

Um, and then um with traffic signals and roadway construction, um, is there an agreement for you as the developer, Peter, to um put in some of that infrastructure, especially traffic signals?

Yep.

So the infrastructure master plan calls out multiple signals.

So there's gonna be one that's at 51st Intellide, uh, which is located closest to the new site for the K through eight school.

Uh there's one that's located farther to the north at 51st in Elmendorf.

Um so the one at 51st Intellide, based on the language in the IMP, has to go in at 2028, and that's it's going in around the anticipated time of the school opening.

Um, and then the one that's a little bit um farther to the north also has to be put in.

Um, and I believe that's 2031.

Uh and then there's also a hocke signal that's planned in between those two uh lights.

And what's the timing for the hot signal?

Might have to I don't know if we've agreed on the exact timing of the Hawk signal yet.

Okay.

Um and then um beyond traffic signals um and the hoc signal, um, have you committed to um right now it's it's about five acres of land, but have you committed to helping build out um that park or any of the Pena trail system?

Yes, so we will end up parks wanted just the simple land.

Uh the trail system, the regional trail that's on our uh western boundary, we will be slated with building that out and actually maintaining it in the future.

All right, and what's the um acreage of that trail?

Yeah, we're total, I'd have to go back and look at the exact acreage of the trail system, but on top of the 5.8 acres that we're dedicating towards the neighborhood park.

Um I think we're in the ballpark of I want to say it's 4.6 or 4.7 additional acres of land that's being dedicated through public easement to the city as open space on the site.

So a collective we're right around 10 acres.

All right, um, great.

Um, and then I guess have you committed um to any maintenance or ongoing um improvements of uh the parkland long term?

We have not, it was never something that was asked of us in terms of parks.

It was a fee simple we're looking for 5.8 acres of parkland.

So that's what they asked for, and that's what we we gave them.

Okay.

So there was never any negotiation with the parks department around, well, um, you know, we have a lot of money now in the city.

Um, we're at a huge deficit.

Um, you're gonna make a lot of money on this rezoning potentially through affordable housing, tax credits, etc.

Can you help build out the parks and trail system uh to make sure that there's um proper infrastructure for people's recreation, mental health, and safety.

There were never any ask to the ask that we had was on the regional trail on the western side was to build that out and to maintain that, as well as the other acreage that doesn't include that regional trail for us to maintain that as well.

So we are maintaining the green space within our project, but it's the four-ish 4.6 acres that I talked about and not the 5.8 acres that we're giving parks that they're gonna be building out.

Okay, all right.

Um thank you, Peter.

I appreciate that information.

Um so to reiterate, um I don't believe that there was proper homework done on this, and there's no way that I can get these answers unless I get these answers on the record in the public hearing to see how much parks and rack has shortchanged district eleven in the parkland, not that we deserve or can satisfy this agreement, but what we need in the area, and then you've heard that there's a whole bunch more acreage coming on, and no plan to build that out and no plan to maintain it.

And so um I will I don't have any other questions.

I would like to postpone this to a date certain so that there can be more I's dotted and t's crossed, um, so that District 11 doesn't get shortchanged parkland.

Okay, so just the word clear if in the future you need someone from parks and rec here in the future.

I would prefer before we get back here that parks and rec has a meeting with myself and the RNOs and Peter and everybody else, so that we're all clear on what the parkland is going to be before it comes back to this body.

So you asked for a week and now you're asking for a meeting, so do you still want a week?

For a postponement to a date certain.

I'm not trying to invoke 3.6 the postponement.

I had notes.

I'm taking notes.

You asked for one week postponement.

So I'm just trying to figure out on the calendar how much time would you need to have a meeting with the parks department and your RNO?

Make it a month that you can get 30 days out, date certain.

Can you look at the calendar?

Alicia or Melissa.

There's there's an opening on the 27th of this month.

On April, hold on, let me look at my calendar.

That's only three weeks.

That's not 30 days.

So do you want do you want to go further than 30 days?

Fourth, if that's available.

Do we have how many do we have on May 4th?

There are three.

Oh, yeah.

Can we go?

Do you want May 11th?

Also three.

Okay, May 18th.

Also three.

And then not the 25th.

So June 8th.

Only one on June 8th.

Does that work?

Yes.

Okay.

Do you want to script the motion for Councilwoman Gilmore and put it in teams for her?

I'm totally good.

I'm um council president.

I'm happy to make the motion uh for postponement until June 8th for uh the rezoning hearing of Bill 26-0176.

Council member Waton did yeah, we use our computer.

I'm still at the Welsh.

Paper both.

Uh okay.

Uh councilman Perry, do you have a question?

Yeah, I didn't ask the question of the applicant before we vote on this district party.

Yeah, um, I looking at the slides, there's one amount of housing that will be provided if Litech is received, one amount of housing that will provide if it's not.

I just want to make sure that there's no um application timelines pending that that this would interfere with so that we are we know that if we're gonna if we're gonna postpone council member parody, there's no application timelines that this messes with.

Thanks, ma'am.

All right, we have a motion to postpone to June eighth.

Um Monday, June eighth, we have a motion and a second roll call, Madam Secretary.

Council members Torres.

Aye.

Albitrez.

Hi.

Flynn.

Hi.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Heinz?

Hi.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romeric M.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Eleven ayes.

Eleven ayes.

The motion to postpone to Monday, January eighth.

Passes.

Um I Madam Secretary, I don't close the the hearing, right?

Or do I if I close it?

Ryland, do I close it?

Because I can't remember if I close it.

I want to make sure Councilwoman Gilmore has the opportunity to ask questions.

So I'm afraid if I close it, I I don't have that opportunity.

You can close it and reopen it.

Okay, I'll just close it.

Okay.

That motion passes.

Um see no other business before us on Monday, May 4th, 2026, Council will hold a required public hearing on Council Bill 0344, amending the Denver zoning code concerning approval periods for site development plans.

They require public hearing on Council Bill 0345.

Changing the zoning classification for 992 North Knox Court in Villa Park and a required public hearing on Council Bill 0343.

Any protest against Council Bill 0344, 0345, 034.

There'll be no further business before this body.

This meeting is adjourned.