Get your comments on latest draft of Near Northwest Area Plan in this week

The second draft of the Near Northwest Area Plan will be available for the public to comment on through this coming Monday, Nov. 13, after which planning staff will make the final refinements to the draft before it is reviewed and voted on by the Denver Planning Board next month.

This updated version reflects feedback we heard from the community on the first draft of the plan over the summer and moves us one step closer to a final long-term vision for the neighborhoods of Chaffee Park, Highland, Jefferson Park and Sunnyside. Use the buttons below to take a look at the updated draft and documents that summarize community engagement and feedback. 

For those who need additional time to share their thoughts on the draft plan, the comment form will continue to be available for feedback and questions. We encourage you to submit comments on the second public review draft early in November to ensure they are incorporated into the draft that will be reviewed by Planning Board and City Council.  

Join us for the final steering committee meeting

The final meeting of the plan's steering committee will take place this week at the Aztlan Recreation Center. Join city staff and committee members as they discuss community feedback on the updated draft of the plan as well as potential updates before the start of the legislative review process, which begins next month with the Denver Planning Board.

Steering Committee Final Meeting

6-8 p.m., Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Astlan Recreation Center Community Room

4435 Navajo Street, Denver

October 2023 meeting recap

The committee met in person at the Aztlan Recreation Center from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Attendees discussed community feedback on the draft plan and Jefferson Park height recommendations. 

• Download staff presentation
• Download meeting notes

You had a lot to say on the first draft of the plan--here's what we heard

The planning team received input on the first draft plan from comments made directly on the plan document, our online survey and in conversations at more than a dozen community events. Here's a a quick recap:

Engagement led by city staff

• Community Events and Pop-Ups: more than 500 interactions at 18 Meetings/Pop-Ups Attended
• Draft Plan and Survey: 251 respondents 
• Draft Plan Page Views: more than 5,000 views
• Feedback: 800 comments

Engagement led by our community-based "promotoras":

• Surveys: 121 respondents
• Community Canvasing: Focus on Chaffee Park and East Sunnyside, visited areas around schools, supermarkets, rec centers & parks
• Feedback Themes: Affordable housing; access to good-paying jobs; support for businesses; transportation and safe streets; health services.

What's in the draft plan?

After two years of work with community members in Chaffee Park, Highland, Jefferson Park and Sunnyside, the draft of the Near Northwest Area Plan is available for review and feedback. The draft lays out a long-term vision for these neighborhoods that celebrates the “Northside” as an inclusive and diverse area, and ensures that, as it grows and evolves, it remains a place that continues to feel like home.  

Through extensive engagement in public meetings, online surveys, focus groups and conversations with local "promotoras" working across the area, participants expressed a desire to build on the area's longstanding sense of community and belonging through recommendations that:

• help residents build wealth and stay in their neighborhoods long-term
• support local businesses and ensure neighborhood commercial areas that residents have come to depend on and identify with continue to thrive
• ensure access to a variety of housing options
• balance preservation with new construction that's compatible with existing architecture, including both residential areas and small-scale store fronts on historic "street car" corridors
• connect the area through an inter-neighborhood trail network and mobility improvements that prioritize pedestrians and alternative modes of transportation

About the Near Northwest Area Plan