To begin, on December 5th Council heard Bill 22-1430, which was the small area plan related to the Golf Course. A small area plan amends Blueprint Denver and other adopted plans to ensure that any future development is consistent with City plans.

I voted NO on this plan. I do not believe it was appropriate to amend Blueprint Denver without first holding a vote of the people on whether the conservation easement on the Park Hill Golf Course should be removed.

The first bill on Monday was Bill 22-1628, which set five separate metro districts on the land. Metro districts are a financing tool used by developers to build out the needed infrastructure when creating a development. Metro Districts are governed by State law.

Many people have concerns about the resulting property taxes associated with Metro Districts, and I share those; however, this is a State issue that must be taken up by the State Legislature.

I voted YES on approving the Metro Districts because the Park Hill Golf Course is a private development owned by a private developer, and I do not believe it is City Council's role to interfere in how a private development is financed. For context, the Lowry neighborhood was developed using Metro Districts.

The second bill was Bill 22-1629, which rezoned the Park Hill Golf Course. I voted NO on this rezoning for two reasons:

• First, because I do not think it is appropriate to rezone this land until after the residents of Denver vote on whether to remove the conservation easement.
• Second, because access to open green space is a public health issue. Denver has dropped significantly in national rankings of open space per resident, and this has negative impacts on our community health that have been demonstrated by research. Additionally, once green space is developed, it is virtually impossible to get it back.

The third bill presented to Council on Monday was Bill 22-1634 which was the development agreement proposed on the Park Hill Golf Course. I voted YES to approve the development agreement on this land.

This agreement was created in partnership with the community and runs with the land. It holds any future developer accountable to the agreements made between residents of Northeast Park Hill and the current property owner on things like the amount of affordable housing built, the commitment to fostering locally-owned small businesses, and the commitment to bring a grocery store to the neighborhood.

Finally, Council heard Bill 22-1635 on Monday night, which referred the question of whether to remove the conservation easement on the Park Hill Golf Course to the people.

I voted YES on this bill. The right to vote is one of our most precious rights as citizens of the United States of America, and I believe that you should have the right to weigh in on this issue.

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