Mayor and Denver City Council Weekly Meeting - February 4, 2025

This meeting of the mayor and Denver City Council on February 4, 2025, began with announcements from council members regarding upcoming district events, followed by a detailed presentation of the city's six 2025 citywide goals by the mayor. Council members then raised questions and offered comments on various goals, including concerns about retail theft sentencing, tree canopy gaps, interagency coordination, wildfire evacuation planning, and retail theft prevention strategies. The meeting concluded with a unanimous vote to enter executive session to discuss the city's response to recent federal action.

Announcements

• Councilmember Sawyer announced the District 5 annual open house on Tuesday, February 11, 5:30 p.m. at George Washington High School library.
• Councilmember Watson announced a Fair Election Fund Town Hall that evening (February 4) from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Glenarm Rec Center, featuring food from Taco Uprising.
• Councilmember Hines announced the District 10 annual survey (DenverPerfect10.com/survey) and a monthly coffee and conversations event on Thursday, February 20, 12:30–2:00 p.m. at Populous.
• Councilmember Torres thanked attendees for Lunar New Year celebrations and promoted a Paletero stories event on Friday, February 7, 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the Revision campus on Morrison Road.
• Councilmember Lewis announced a District 8 town hall on Saturday, February 8, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center to discuss district vision and a community-driven process for allocating $500,000.
• Council President Sandoval highlighted a major rezoning initiative (Council Bill 25086) covering four neighborhoods (Traffee Park, Sunnyside, Highland, Jefferson Park) as implementation of the Blueprint Denver neighborhood plan, describing it as the largest rezoning she has led.

Discussion Items

• Mayor presented 2025 citywide goals (six goals, 27 departments, aligned budgets):
  1. Vibrant Denver – A comprehensive plan for strategic investments, full reopening of 16th Street Mall, deploying Downtown Denver Development Authority dollars, converting commercial property to residential for affordable housing.
  2. Affordability – Bring online 3,000 new affordable housing units (at all income levels, 0–80% AMI) through building, acquiring, preserving, and rental supports, aiming to close the long-term 45,000-unit gap.
  3. Safety – Continue decreasing shootings (23% reduction in past year) and homicides (20% reduction); focus on nonviolent crime (retail theft, property crime) through a coordinated public health and enforcement approach.
  4. All in Mile High – Move 2,000 people from street homelessness into transitional housing and 2,000 exits into permanent housing (all new individuals).
  5. Climate Resilient – Add 2,000 heat pumps, EV chargers, and solar arrays; plant 4,500 new trees; reduce water usage by 20 million gallons; develop a citywide fire resiliency plan.
  6. Family Friendly – Connect 5,000 more middle-school kids to out-of-school programming; expand summer and permanent jobs for youth; plan for expanding childcare access in 2026.
• Councilmember Parady expressed support for a public health-oriented approach to nonviolent crime but raised concern about the mayor's letter supporting local control over sentencing, noting that Denver's maximum sentences for low-level offenses (e.g., 300 days for petty theft) are far higher than state law (10 days). She worried about racial equity and unintended consequences.
  • Mayor responded that local autonomy is important, and that retail theft is a real problem threatening store closures; the city is exploring non-incarceration remedies but needs enforcement options.
• Councilmember Torres asked for details on:
  1. A timeline assessment of delayed capital bond projects (due to COVID).
  2. Clarification that affordable units target all income levels.
  3. Neighborhood-level data on shootings and violent gun crimes.
  4. Whether the 2,000 housing placements are all new individuals (mayor confirmed yes).
  5. A flag that tree canopy partners (e.g., Denver Urban Gardens) rely on federal grants now held up.
  6. Exploring family, friend, and neighbor childcare licensing as an anti-displacement strategy.
• Councilmember Sawyer stressed that interagency coordination failures have undermined past goals, citing a recent issue with funding and safety implications. He urged that city agencies communicate before implementation.
  • Mayor acknowledged and committed to improving multidisciplinary coordination.
• Councilmember Cashman praised the climate goal and highlighted the Office of Children's Affairs' work on a UNICEF child-friendly city designation, which involves assessing current conditions and centering children's voices.
• Councilmember (unidentified, likely District 8 or 11) raised two points:
  1. Push for policy requiring CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) plans as part of business licensing for high-theft retailers, shifting some burden from police to businesses.
  2. Urgent need for a comprehensive wildfire evacuation plan for Central Park, Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, and Park Hill, given proximity to Rocky Mountain Arsenal and lack of transportation options.
  • Mayor agreed, noted they are already working on CPTED partnerships in retail corridors, and thanked the council member for the wildfire concern.
• Councilmember Hines noted a 6% shrinkage rate for a major retailer on 16th Street Mall and suggested placing a police substation in an empty storefront; also requested small business support along 16th Street Mall and Colfax during BRT construction, referencing a budget amendment championed by Councilmember Sawyer.

Key Outcomes

• The council unanimously voted to enter executive session (DRMC 234A sections 1, 2, 3, and 7) to discuss the city's response to recent federal action and related legal advice.
• Council President Sandoval will individually contact each council member to assign them to one of the six goal teams, aiming to have appointments finalized by the following week.
• The mayor committed to providing follow-up information on capital bond project delays, neighborhood-level crime statistics, and coordination with council members on goal implementation.