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Dear Neighbors,
It is a new year and we have a lot planned this year! Here are just a few of the things we're working on right now:
- A zoning overlay along Colfax to encourage smart and beneficial development.
- A potential zoning change to the Montclair Neighborhood to allow for ADUs in all the single family zoned areas.
- A possible legislation change to allow for increased notification to RNOs and others for permits and work being done in our neighborhoods.
- A traffic study of Uinta Way from Lowry Blvd to 11th Ave
I wanted to give a huge thank you to the nearly 1,500 people who answered out annual survey. It's the largest number of people we've ever had respond and we're so excited to hear what you had to say. We're working through the results now and should have a breakdown in early February.
Finally, I wanted to encourage everyone to participate in our 311 Thursdays. We're asking District 5 residents to call in an issue, problem, or complaint every Thursday in 2023! Not only will this help the City know where problems are, it will generate needed data to show how the City can best allocate its resources to make our neighborhoods safer!
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to our office if there is anything we can do to assist you!
Gratefully,
Councilwoman, Amanda Sawyer
District 5
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GENERAL INQUIRIES
DenverCouncil5@denvergov.org
720-337-5555
Visit our website for useful information and helpful links!
LOCATION
City and County Building
1437 Bannock St., Room 451
Denver, CO 80202
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OFFICE HOURS
Due to the uptick in Flu and RSV, our Office Hours remain mostly virtual. Here is the list of our Office Hours over the next month:
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Thursday, January 19th, from 10 AM to noon.
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Thursday, January 26th, noon to 2 PM.
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Thursday, February 2nd, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM.
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Thursday, February 9th, from 1 to 3 PM.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment if another time works better for you, or if you would prefer to meet in person!
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District 5 Annual Blood Drive is here!
It is time for the 3rd annual District 5 Blood Drive to commemorate National Blood Donor Month in January! It is not too early to schedule your donation — just click the button below. Once at the event page, you can click on the long link to pledge to the drive. Vitalant will contact you to schedule your donation.
At this time, Vitalant is experiencing a critical shortage of Type O blood due to a drop off of donors since the pandemic began with levels at the lowest they have been for a year, and have declared a Blood Emergency. Donations are down 50% over this this time last year in part due to cancellations caused by winter weather and illness. Type O negative blood is the most in-demand blood type and is what emergency room physicians reach for because it can be transfused when there is no time to determine the patient’s blood type, however all blood types are needed. To meet the demand throughout Colorado, Vitalant must collect more than 600 blood donations each day. If you’ve never considered donating blood before, now is the time to act!
Share the event (https://bit.ly/SEDenverGivesBlood-23), and share your donation experience with the hashtag #SEDenverGivesBlood!
And, if you have previously been unable to donate due to extended travel in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s, that restriction has been lifted as of a few months ago. Please call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 to confirm your eligibility to donate.
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Colfax Ave Design Overlay
Councilwoman Sawyer, Councilman Herndon, Councilman Hinds, and Councilwoman CdeBaca's offices are considering putting forward legislation that would create a Zoning Overlay along Colfax Ave from Sherman St to Yosemite St, and we would like your feedback.
We will be hosting two meetings at the end of the month and we have a survey open now. Your feedback and thoughts are essential to this process!
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Virtual Meeting: Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.
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Sign up at http://bit.ly/3DWaWHQ or click the button below! *Translation will be provided in Spanish, Burmese, Amharic, and Karen at both meetings.
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Denver Moves Cherry Creek - Public Meeting
Denver Moves: Cherry Creek is a year-long planning effort to develop a cohesive strategy for infrastructure development that achieves the City’s mobility goals in the Cherry Creek neighborhood and surrounding area. The project will explore improvements to make it safer and more convenient to walk, bicycle, take transit, deliver goods, and drive in and around the area, and will also examine green infrastructure, parking, curbside uses, and other considerations.
When complete, Denver Moves: Cherry Creek will guide how Denver programs, funds, plans, designs, builds, and maintains the future multimodal transportation network of the area.
There is another public meeting on Wednesday, February 8th at 5:30 PM online. Click below to register for the meeting or to learn more at the project website!
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New Trash Services
As you may know the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is rolling out a new trash program this year that will include weekly recycling and free composting. You can read all about the changes in our Citywide News section but we wanted to let folks know that our office has received comments about missed trash and recycling services.
It is the first two weeks of this new service and routes and roles are still being learned. With that in mind we encourage anyone who experiences a missed service to report it to 311 or pocketgov.org and to report it to our office so we can let the right folks know and see if there is any improvements that can be made to the system.
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E. Tennessee Avenue & S. Oneida Street Stormwater Project
Work on phase one of this project continues and we'd like to share an update on how it might affect you while out and about.
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Full Closure of Cherry Creek North Drive at Garland Park
Cherry Creek North Drive will be closed in both directions between S. Holly Street and S. Kearney Street starting the week of January 16, weather permitting, for three weeks. The full closure allows for construction of the box culvert (stormwater drain) under Cherry Creek North Drive. The new box culvert is the first in a series of improvements to provide increased capacity for stormwater flows to safely reach Cherry Creek during large storm events.
During construction:
- Cherry Creek Drive North is closed to all vehicles between S. Holly Street and S. Kearney Street.
- The intersection of Monaco Parkway and Cherry Creek Drive North is open for access to the Garland Park parking lot only.
- The intersection of Kearney Street and Mississippi Avenue is closed to all vehicles. There is no exit from Cherry Creek Drive North using northbound Kearney Street.
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Project Overview
- New stormwater pipe and infrastructure improvements are planned to begin at Lollipop Lake in Garland Park and the Cherry Creek waterway in Phase 1 of a multi-phased project that will extend to E. Tennessee Avenue and S. Oneida Street.
- This is a multi-phased improvement project that will:
- Decrease property damage due to local flooding
- Increase pedestrian and driver safety during storm events
- Improve water quality for stormwater runoff going into Lollipop Lake and the Cherry Creek waterway.
For more information call the project hotline: 720.460.9055 or email them at: ccd.constructionupdates@gmail.com
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Uinta Way Traffic Study
Our office, working again with Fehr and Peers will be conducting another traffic study to identify potential upgrades to streets in the District. This year we've identified Uinta Way from Lowry Blvd to 11th Ave as the first area we'd like to look at.
We'll be kicking off this study on Wednesday, March 1st at 6 PM on Zoom (click the button below to register or visit Bit.ly/UintaTrafficStudyMar1). Keep an eye on your mailbox for our postcard and stay tuned to our newsletters and social media for updates.
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Update on 13th and 14th
As accidents continue to occur on 13th and 14th while we wait for the promised improvements from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) our office is working to host a forum with DOTI and the community to discuss the situation and let us know their solutions.
Stay tuned for more updates and information on this!
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Lempira Restaurant License
Many of our residents have reached out to our office regarding the Lempira Restaurant (1452 Uinta St). You may have read that there was a fatal shooting at Lempira on the 10th. Following that shooting the Department of Excise and Licenses suspended the hotel and restaurant liquor license and dance cabaret license held by the company that was operating at the location.
The business can still serve food during the suspension, but must remove all alcoholic beverages from public view and cannot conduct any business for which a hotel, liquor or cabaret license is required.
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Slow Down Signs Are Back!
You might have seen them around the neighborhood. By popular demand, our SLOW DOWN Signs are back! If you would like a sign or signs please email us denvercouncil5@denvergov.org or stay tuned for our next sign distribution event.
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Zoning & Hearing Information | |
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2022 Payable in 2023 Property Tax Statements
Unfortunately it's tax season again and the Treasury Division will begin mailing the 2022 payable in 2023 property tax statements next week. The mailing schedule goes as follows:
Business Personal Property Tax Statements
- Begin mailing on Friday January 18, 2023 and could start hitting mail boxes on or around January 20, 2023.
- With approximately 8,300 statements
Real Property Tax Statements
- Begin mailing on Friday January 18, 2023 and could start hitting mail boxes on or around January 20, 2023.
- With approximately 229,000 statements, the mailing will be staggered due to the high quantity
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Taxpayer Service Unit at 720-913-9300 with any questions or concerns you might have.
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ADUs in Denver Project
Soon, the ADUs in Denver project will present draft recommendations to remove barriers to building ADUs and ensure that they fit within a variety of neighborhoods. Later, Denver City Council will hold a public hearing on these recommendations. The draft recommendations were informed by your input. Learn more about the feedback Denverites have provided thus far.
For any policy issue, there are usually multiple solutions proposed and that can be implemented. Learn about the possible solutions considered by the Advisory Committee and project team in the Alternatives Report. This report analyzes the pros and cons of different changes to the zoning code considered while reviewing public feedback received to date.
| There will be multiple opportunities to comment on the draft recommendations when they are released in the coming weeks, both in person and virtually. Upcoming events are posted on the project webpage. Mark your calendars for these upcoming, in-person events, as well as the virtual open house on February 7. | |
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Be a Great Neighbor! Everyone Enjoys Safe, Clear Sidewalks
It’s everyone’s responsibility to keep the sidewalks adjacent to their home or business clear and accessible. Shovel all sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, and bus stops around your home as soon as it's practical and safe. Businesses have 4 hours after the snow stops to shovel, and residents have 24 hours. (RTD only shovels bus stops that have a shelter. If it’s just a sign with no shelter, the resident/business is responsible for this sidewalk.)
Show kindness and offer to help your neighbors if they aren't able to shovel! Neighbors helping neighbors is one of the things that makes Denver great. You can volunteer to be an official “snow angel” at www.denvergov.org/snowangels or just do a #NeighborCheck. There are all sorts of reasons why people may need assistance, or they may just not know what the city’s rules are for keeping sidewalks clear. A simple conversation with a neighbor or just lending that helping hand will almost always resolve a snowy sidewalk faster than the city can, and it will preserve city resources for the rest of Denver’s 3,000 miles of sidewalks.
Tips:
- Use the shovel to push the snow; don't lift it.
- Shovel early! When snow isn't shoveled, it gets packed down and becomes ice. Shoveling all the way to the pavement will also prevent ice from forming.
- Shovel into your yard and not into roadways and bike lanes.
- Salt can be damaging when it runs off into your lawn or the storm sewer with the snowmelt. Look for ecofriendly and pet-safe deicers.
- Be proactive and come up with a plan for addressing sidewalks now, before it’s snowing.
Learn more at www.denvergov.org/Snow.
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Solid Waste Management Updates
There are many changes to Solid Waste this year including Volume Based Pricing and the Treecycle Program. Read below for the updates or take a look at the latest Wastewise newsletter.
Treecycle (now a drop site program)
Treecycle is a seasonal program offered to City and County of Denver trash customers that turns discarded Christmas trees into mulch made available to residents in spring. To recycle your tree, drop it off at one of our weekday or weekend collection sites in January from 8 am - 2pm. Visit www.denvergov.org/treecycle to find the drop site nearest you. Otherwise leave your holiday tree where you set out your trash and we’ll collect it on your Large Item Pickup (LIP) day. Trees collected through the LIP program will not be recycled.
Expanded Services
In January, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will begin weekly recycling collection service. Customers can set out their recycling cart, as needed, on a weekly basis on their regular trash collection day. Quarterly billing begins January through March, with customers charged a monthly fee ranging from $9 to $21 based on the size of their trash cart. Rebate applications are available for eligible Denver residents who need financial assistance.
Starting in the summer, the city will expand weekly compost collection for all City and County of Denver customers. If you fill up your trash cart every week, we recommend you wait for your compost service to begin before you downsize. If you always have extra room in your trash cart, you may want to request a smaller size now through pocketgov.com or by calling 311.
Before invoices are sent out, customers will receive their login information for our new customer portal, Denver Utilities Online.
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Denver Participatory Budgeting Results
At the end of 2022, the City concluded the first cycle of its Participatory Budgeting program, where residents of all ages and any immigration status ranked their top neighborhood projects to invest $2 million of capital funds into their communities.
Citywide Ballot: $1 million
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$400,000: Wider and accessible sidewalks in Athmar Park next to Denver Housing Authority’s Walsh Manor, an affordable housing site for older adults and people with disabilities.
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$200,000: Up to five new Tiny Homes for people experiencing homelessness, developed in partnership with Colorado Village Collaborative at one of their existing tiny home villages
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$225,000: Up to three new shower trailers for people experiencing homelessness developed in partnership with Colorado Village Collaborative
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$175,000: Community gardens for Denver Housing Authority affordable housing sites, including a new garden at Columbine Apartment Homes in Valverde, and renovated community gardens in Ruby Hill and Baker.
Far Northeast Denver Ballot: $400,000
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$362,500: New light fixtures or renovated light fixtures in parks and along trails in Montbello and Green Valley Ranch.
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$37,500: A new trashcan at First Creek Trailhead in Montbello and expanded or improved trashcans in other parks around Montbello and Green Valley Ranch as needed.
East Central Denver Ballot: $300,000
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$187,500: A safe route to school in Capitol Hill by adding pedestrian improvements to intersections along Emerson Street from 12th to 14th Avenue.
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$112,500: Accessibility and public transit improvements at City Park to ensure all residents, especially those with disabilities, can access the park. Improvements could include paved routes from bus stops, new benches, etc.
East Denver Ballot: $300,000
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$300,000: Improvements to New Freedom Park in East Colfax, which could include adding a shade structure, a drinking fountain, grills, chess boards, and other amenities so families and children can better enjoy the community space.
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Denver Parks & Recreation Acquisition Program Progress
With the passage of the Denver Parks Legacy Fund, a voter-approved 0.25 percent sales tax supporting the improvement of our city’s park system, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) has established an Acquisition Program to grow and expand the parks and recreation system.
Since the program began in 2019, DPR has made significant progress in the areas of staffing, strategic planning, and system growth. More than $7.3 million of the Parks Legacy Fund has been spent on land acquisition expenses, resulting in:
· 33 acres added to Denver’s urban park system
· 450 acres added to Denver’s mountain park system
· 10 acres of urban open space, waterways and habitat areas protected
· 5,200 additional Denver households soon to have new access to nearby parks (see figure)
Currently, there is about $25.4 million in the Legacy Acquisition Fund with about 23 acres in the negotiation process (expected cost of 7- 8 million, see figure). Denver Parks and Recreation is actively considering and pursuing additional acquisition opportunities that we hope to announce in 2023. Learn more about recently completed and current acquisition projects.
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Noise Ordinance Changes: Public Meetings and Survey
Denver is reviewing and revising the local ordinance that governs noise, including construction and deliveries, music festivals and other noise topics – and we need your help. Please join the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) at an upcoming public meeting to share your feedback about Denver’s noise ordinance:
Tuesday, Jan. 31
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Denver Police Department, District 1
1311 W. 46th Ave., 80211
Wednesday, Feb 8
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5814266986
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Rebates for Electric Bikes Return January 31!
Save money on gas and car maintenance by riding an electric bike! The City and County of Denver will give residents up to $1,400 upfront off the purchase of an electric bike through the Climate Action Rebate program. Join the over 4,000 Denverites who are using their e-bike to run errands and get to work – on average, e-bike users ride 26 miles a week on their e-bike!
Rebates will be available on a timed release throughout the year. The first release date is Tuesday, January 31 at 11 a.m. 860 rebate vouchers will be available. Rebates will go quickly, please make sure you have all paperwork ready ahead of time. Learn how to get a rebate and the 2023 release schedule at www.denvergov.org/ebike
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City Seeking Applications for Housing Stability Advisory Board
Denver City Council is seeking candidates for consideration to serve on the Housing Stability Advisory Board. The board is charged with providing advice and recommendations to the executive director of the department of housing stability related to the planning and implementation of city programs and services related to homelessness resolution, housing stability, and housing opportunities. The council specifically seeks a person with professional or lived expertise living in affordable housing or developing income restricted housing. This position will fill the remainder of a term for a vacated seat and will be eligible to seek additional terms in December 2023. Term lengths are three years.
Interested candidates must submit a completed application and resume online no later than February 3, 2023. For any questions, please contact Luke Palmisano at lucas.palmisano@denvergov.org.
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Home Energy Rebates Now Available!
Stack Denver’s Climate Action Rebates with Xcel Energy’s electrification rebates and incentives offered through the Inflation Reduction Act to save thousands when electrifying your home. All qualifying projects installed after January 1, 2023, are eligible for Denver’s rebates.
⚡ Save up to $3,500 on a heat pump which will heat and cool your home
⚡ Save up to $1,000 on electric vehicle charging
⚡ Save up to $4,000 on solar when you have other electric equipment installed
⚡ Save up to $2,750 on battery storage
⚡ Save up to $2,000 on an electric service upgrade
Learn more at www.denvergov.org/homeenergy
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Denver Digs Trees Applications are Live!
The Park People's Denver Digs Trees tree adoption program is back for its 40th year. Do you have a spot for a tree? They have 12 varieties of high-quality, locally-adapted trees to choose from in a range of sizes and features. Trees cost $10-35, with free trees available to those who qualify. Apply early for the best selection. Apply here
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Community Events & Meetings | |
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2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Marade | |
Closing Soon! Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools | |
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Experience the can’t-miss exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks at the Denver Art Museum before it closes January 22. This is the first time these incredible works by Flemish master painters—who were the influencers of their day—are on view in the U.S. Complimentary audio guides for adults and children help every visitor find details and stories to love in the exhibition.
Use the code SSLF2 for $2 off tickets to see this exhibition. More info and tickets: https://bit.ly/Saints-Sinners-at-DAM.
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Colorado Rapids Kick of Community Day | |
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Join us for the 2023 Community Kick Off Day in partnership with the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club. Engage with several community partners and learn how to get involved in the club's year-round community programming. This event will feature soccer activities for all ages, community partner activations, and appearances from Colorado Rapids players and the Rapid Man!
Sunday January 29th from 1 PM to 4 PM @ The Eddy - 111 Havana St., Aurora, CO 80010
There will also be buses and resources to help transport folks from New Freedom Park to the event. Please contact our office for more details!
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District 3 Coffee with a Cop | |
District 3 Coffee with a Cop is February 1, 10 a.m. at Nixon’s Coffee House at 695 East Louisiana Ave on February 1 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am
| District 3 Citizen's Advisory Board Meeting | |
The Citizen’s Advisory Board (CAB) meeting is designed for your community. Not only do you hear about the statistics for the entire district, you also get to ask the Commander your specific questions. It’s a great opportunity to meet your local Denver Police officers, while staying informed.
District 3 CAB meetings are held at 6PM on the 1st Wednesday of each month at the district station (excluding holidays). If you would like an ASL interpreter, please email us at 3.Dist@denvergov.org at least three business days prior to the meeting. Meeting reminders are posted on Nextdoor.com.
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Registered Neighborhood Organizations | |
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Denver is a unique city in promoting greater citizen involvement through organized neighborhood associations. Currently, there are 78 statistical neighborhoods represented by more than 200 registered neighborhood organizations (RNOs), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Homeowner Associations (HOAs).
In its defined geographic area, an RNO will normally address neighborhood quality of life issues - such as traffic, development and zoning, crime, communication and licensing, and promote social activities to enhance residential spirit, developing a sense of community, and encourage resident participation. RNOs meet regularly and many send out newsletters to keep residents informed on neighborhood issues and events.
Get more involved in your community by joining your Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO). Below is a list of Council District 5 community organizations. You can also find out which RNO you belong to by entering your address or selecting a location on the map.
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