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Denver Update: December 11 - 17, 2009
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Denver Update
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Making The Rules For Medical Marijuana
At the very moment City Councilmembers were meeting to discuss the growing number of medical marijuana shops, one such business was robbed at gunpoint.
The business of establishing regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries is ever-complicated. There are already nearly 200 applications for the dispensaries in Denver, and that’s before the City Council has even had a chance to set up guidelines for locations, security and other regulatory practices.
The medical marijuana dispensary that was robbed Thursday morning is near Federal Boulevard and Alameda. According to police, it was the 13th dispensary-related stick-up since July.
Council is concerned that the combination of large amounts of marijuana and cash make the dispensaries prime targets for crime. The committee agreed that owners of dispensaries must be free of felony convictions – as an effort to deter criminal activity within the burgeoning industry.
“We really want to have people who are sticklers for the law so that it has a chance to progress.”
- Jeanne Faatz
Councilmember, District 2
Denver City Council
The committee also determined that Dispensaries should be restricted to 1,000 feet from schools and from other dispensaries. These are similar to the regulations already in place for liquor stores.
“I personally am sick and tired in my district of seeing liquor store after liquor store, check cashing place after check cashing place and now dispensaries -- that’s not fair to the community, and that’s not fair to the people who raise their families… that’s why these buffers exist.”
- Paul D. López
Councilmember, District 2
Denver City Council
That decision then turned to when it should take effect – since some medical marijuana dispensaries are already open for business… and other prospective business owners have made investments in the way of building leases and purchasing retail sales tax licenses. For that reason, the committee decided to allow the dispensaries who have obtained their sales tax license prior to January 1st to be effectively ‘Grandfathered’ in.
“People are investing real money in businesses on the assumption that these businesses are legal, which we’re establishing. So setting some retroactive date – I’m not comfortable with that.”
- Chris Nevitt
Councilmember, District 7
Denver City Council
“Some, in a deregulated environment got on the ground and they are going to be allowed to remain where they are even if they are close to other dispensaries, the new ones coming in after a certain date are expected to be spaced away from those.”
- David Broadwell
Assistant City Attorney
City Attorney’s Office
The licensing ordinance now goes before the full Council on Monday, January 4th.
Clyfford Still Museum Groundbreaking
“Clyfford Still said once ‘A great, free joy surges through me when I work.’ A great, free joy… if that’s not Denver I don’t know what is.”
- John Hickenlooper
Mayor
City & County of Denver
Even with the slowed economy, Denver continues to move into the future, as Monday marked the groundbreaking for the new Clyfford Still museum.
Last month the museum announced it had raised $8 million of new support toward design and construction of the new building, bringing the total amount to $25 million. This is 85% of the museum’s total building costs. 2,400 pieces of the artist’s works were bequeathed to the City of Denver in 2004.
Director Dean Sobel has led the museum to this milestone groundbreaking.
“Given the secrecy and mystery surrounding Clyfford Still and the 2,400 unseen artworks that have been essentially removed from culture, this has not always been an easy task.”
- Dean Sobel
Director
Clyfford Still Museum
The museum will be located on Bannock Street between 12th and 13th Avenues, near the Denver Art Museum. It will provide an intimate setting for artist’s work.
“The Still Collection ultimately is an assemblage of international importance. Its presence here is really going to make Denver a must-be destination for anyone who is interested in the history of 20th Century art. I think it allows us new depth, and real depth that we didn’t have before, and sets us apart from any other city, really in the world.”
- John Hickenlooper
Mayor
City & County of Denver
The museum acts on behalf of the city as the trustee of the artwork. The collection is administered through private donation, and the museum is a separate, non-profit agency. It is scheduled to open in 2011.
City And DPS To Let The Sun Shine In
Early next year, 16 Denver Public Schools and 10 City facilities will turn to the sun for some of their electrical needs. The City and DPS are partnering on several solar projects, with this first one being announced this week. And, the price is right. In fact it’s almost free.
The two entities will pay only for the electricity produced from the systems. Developers on each project will pay the cost of construction, operation and maintenance of the solar installations.
Final engineering and site selection is being completed now, but the City plans to install systems at several recreation centers to promote renewable energy education for the kids who use the centers. And pending vendor approval by the Denver Board of Education, construction at the first 16 DPS sites should begin in the spring.
The 100-kilowatt solar systems generate enough clean electricity each year to power the average Denver home for 20 years.
The City currently has about 2-1/2 megawatts of solar at four sites: 2-megawatts at Denver International Airport; 300-kilowatts at the Colorado Convention Center; 100-kilowatts at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science; and 30-kilowatts at the Castro Human Services Building.
Developing Denver’s Parks
Neighbors Voice Concerns
A common bit of wisdom says that what counts is location, location, location. Well, that was certainly true for Denver’s Department of Parks and Recreation last week when its Advisory Board held a public meeting at La Alma Recreation Center.
It had come to talk about an Admission Based Events policy, and which park locations would be eligible for these events. But, it was the location – La Alma Rec Center at Lincoln Park - that brought out numerous neighbors who wanted to air their comments about the Department’s plans to allow an as-yet unnamed non-profit to take over management of the center to run its community based programs.
“Our agenda and your agenda with the admission-based special events, is almost the same: you want to figure out how to make more money to run Parks & Rec, and we want to figure out how to help you make more money so you can keep the rec centers open in the poor neighborhoods, to the community, for the community, to all ages, not to any private groups, that only target one audience.”
- Dean Sanchez
La Alma Community Action Group
Group members reminded members how hard that community fought to get a center established, how vital it is to the health of their neighborhoods, and how hard they would fight to have a voice in the process.
“We don’t want to go backwards. We want to be able to dialogue. We don’t want to have to go to political action. We will if we have to. Understand that clearly. We will not accept corporatization of pubic facilities.”
- Mr. Lovato
Public Speaker
“The reason we show up today is: 1) we want to be heard, 2) – we want to know that if you do start fencing off parks – public parks – that belong to the City – which boils down to belongs to the community – If you’re going to fence of parks and make a profit – how are you in turn going to use that profit to keep our rec center’s open?”
- Dean Sanchez
La Alma Community Action Group
The Advisory Board did pledge to answer all questions from the community as it moved to the formal hearing on the Admission Based events – a policy that would not change activities at Lincoln Park, but does seek to add three additional parks to a citywide list of sites that could host paid admission events.
Lowry Great Lawn, Parkfield, and Ruby Hill are each recommended to join seven other parks that already allow festivals and larger structured events.
These sites are also allowed to sell alcohol for certain permitted events. Along with that permission comes a long list of responsibilities for the event sponsors and required obligations that must be met.
Some of those include an event site plan, hired security, limits on amplified sound, as well as trash and sanitation requirements.
The Department would like to roll this out in 2011. Yet even as this policy is still being studied and before any actions have been taken, some experienced observers believe the idea runs afoul of Denver’s City Charter and is poor public policy.
“This idea of charging and leasing our public land in our parks is contrary to the Charter and must be voted upon by the electorate.”
- Cathy Donahue
Former City Councilmember
“A time of economic stress is the very last time to think about asking people to pay to come in to Denver’s parks. This is the very time we should be having those park facilities available for free and the activities in them available for free for all Denver citizens.”
- Carolyn Etter
Former Co-Manager of Parks & Recreation
Others however viewed the plan as an enhancement to the city’s cultural life and could help boost the viability of Denver’s assets.
“I would like to see the parks in my city used and enjoyed and as beautiful as they can be, and I guess I expect, as a citizen, that my parks and rec department would be managing that resource in a way that would optimize the use and the beauty of the park. And to me, admission-based events could be a way to raise additional funds to continue to make our parks a beautiful place and an active place.”
- John Hayden
Public Speaker
“I’ve attended admission-based events in parks in a number of cities across the country – almost all of them are wonderful additions to park activities – and by not having admissions-based events we’re just taking that off the whole menu, the whole palette, of ways in which people can enjoy these park assets.”
- Chris Nevitt
Councilmember, District 7
Denver City Council
The Advisory Board will continue to study the policy along with community comments. It is scheduled to make its recommendations in February.
Weekly Council & Council Committee Meetings
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Denver City Council Meeting
Art Museum:
Leaving A Legacy
On the day of the groundbreaking at the Clyfford Still museum, City Council honored Lewis Sharp upon his retirement as director of the Denver Art Museum.
Mr. Sharp worked diligently to secure the Clyfford Still collection for Denver, and to create the Still museum as a neighbor of the Denver Art Museum. During his tenure, he also led the Denver Art Museum to international recognition.
“Every time I have an interaction with the Art Museum, or Lewis, it has been a wonderful experience. And I do want to tell you leadership is everything. And based on this proclamation that I read, my experiences with Lewis… oh, are we gonna miss you!”
- Peggy Lehmann
Councilmember, District 4
Denver City Council
“Through leadership like yours, we have been so affirmed as a class act city, because we have class act institutions.”
- Marcia Johnson
Councilmember, District 5
Denver City Council
“I’ve been simply the luckiest person in the world to come to Denver and to have the support of this community, and City Council. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been able to come before you and talk about the Denver Art Museum, our ambitions and hopes, and it was always this group that really gave us that vote of confidence and support.”
- Lewis Sharp
Retiring Director
Denver Art Museum
Lewis Sharp served for 20 years as director of the Denver Art Museum, which is considered a remarkable feat for a major museum director.
Life-Saving Advice
Also at council, a surprising announcement and a plea from Councilmember Paul Lopez.
“As recently as October, I personally was diagnosed with testicular cancer. And it was something that was very surprising. And something that put me into a sense of mortality, if you will. It has definitely been a very grateful lesson learned, not just for my own self and my own health, but now I feel like it has served an opportunity for me to share this lesson with others.”
- Paul D. López
Councilmember, District 2
Denver City Council
Councilmember Lopez was glad to say most of the cancer is gone. He strongly urged everybody, but especially young men, to get regular check-ups with the doctor, as early detection was the key to his recovery.
“I’ve got to say there’s absolutely nothing bashful about saving your own life. So for that I’m very grateful.”
- Paul D. López
Councilmember, District 2
Denver City Council
Public Hearing Postponed
The one public hearing that was scheduled for Monday night – a zoning hearing for Council Bill 400 – was
postponed to Monday, June 14, 2010, at the applicant’s request.
Denver City Council Preview
Looking ahead to Monday, December 21, there are no public hearings, but there will be at least 2 proclamations,
including one for Habitat for Humanity.
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SPECIAL Public Amenities Committee
Denver’s Night Out At The Movies
Drive-in movie theaters may be a thing of the past – but a night under the stars, watching a film is still a treat. And if all goes according to plan, Denver is going to be treated to a new version of the outdoor movie this summer.
Open Air Cinema has been producing these events internationally for twenty years and has chosen Denver as its first site in North America. They’re proposing a film festival running 30 consecutive nights, to be launched in conjunction with Denver’s Biennial of the Americas: 2010
The event would be held in Civic Center Park using a hydraulic screen that rises in the evening for the film and lies flat during the daytime. If successful, the festival would be repeated in City Park over subsequent summers.
The event would utilize local caterers and suppliers and benefit the City with fee payments and a percentage of gross sales.
Greenprint Committee
Tipping Fees Increase
Trash Rates May Go Up
The city faces an increase in landfill tipping fees – those are the charges to dump trash at the landfill - and these fees would in turn be passed on to its customers such as the city.
One alternative is in the form of spending more dollars per mile to go to other landfills.
Another alternative is to reduce the amount of trash going to the landfill – through diversion efforts like composting and recycling.
The catch is – pilot programs for recycling and composting efforts have reached the end of their funding – and the city can’t afford to continue some of those services without asking citizens to pay for the privilege of composting or recycling their own garbage.
Public works will continue to work on a contract with Waste Management and hopes to have a resolution by February.
Public Works Committee
Valet Validity
If you think using a valet to park for a night on the town is a breeze… but it can be a major headache for the restaurants and hotels that provide the service.
Now the city wants to simplify the application process for valet services – first by eliminating pages of requirements from the application.
One of the requirements to be done away with – is that of filing a traffic plan, explaining which streets and routes the valet drivers will use to maneuver cars. The Excise and License Department has had great difficulty enforcing those plans.
Those plans also establish limits on the number of valet services per block. For example, if there are two restaurants on a single block face, they would have to share a valet service to ensure that there is still adequate meter parking available.
The cost of use for valet services is a ratio of the loss of revenue from the parking meters that would otherwise be in use.
Economic Development Committee
Sky Merchants At DIA
The average traveler doesn’t think about it much – but an airport is much more than the airlines that fly in and out of it. An airport is also a commercial center that offers concessions to the many customers and employees that stream through the structure on a daily basis.
Non-airline revenue is an important dynamic in keeping an airport running. Last year alone, DIA received $40 million in rentals from concessionaires. So over the last two years the airport has undertaken a major revision of its concessions policy – actively seeking feedback from frequent flyers, current concessionaires, industry experts and airline partners.
The results indicate that customers want greater variety of services even while maintaining a focus on staples such as food, coffee, news and books. The survey also indicates that the current concessions program may be in need of a makeover: customers are looking for newer designs.
In addition to revising its merchandising guidance, DIA is enhancing its focus on local small businesses – initiating an outreach plan and implementing a business diversity policy.
Finance Committee
Denver’s Retiring Position
The City is already starting to get a taste of the results of its recent cost-cutting measures enacted to rein in the budget crises.
The early retirement incentive program has resulted in a potential annual savings of $11 million across all funds and a $6.5 million bonus to the General Fund. This is assuming that 50% of these positions remain vacant. It’s still too early to tell what impact these vacated positions will have on the City’s operations. But even those that are refilled will be done so at reduced salaries.
Conventional Wisdom
The Democratic National Convention also had a positive impact on the City.
The City came out in the black by $2.74 million in taxes and fees, $1.5 million in fees for administering its Federal grant, and $12.8 million in legacy equipment purchased for the event – such as fire trucks and communications equipment.
A little over $7 million will now be rescinded back to the Federal Government to close out its grant. This is the result of planning too well for possible contingencies.
Nonetheless, this was money granted to the City that Denver didn’t need to spend.
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Watch for a new program every weekend beginning each Friday.
Friday: 5 p.m.; 8 p.m.; 11 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.; 6 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m.; 11a.m.
Monday: 10 a.m.; 12:30 p.m.
Access For Spanish Speaking Voters
A rare appearance in a Mayor Council Meeting from Denver’s Clerk and Recorder Stephanie O’Malley. She came to propose a Spanish language advisory board to help reach Spanish speaking voters.
“Once the Spanish language voting age population exceeds 5%, a county is obligated to do outreach relative to the Spanish language population in a particular demographic. And this particular board would just lend advice with regards to those outreach efforts to the office of the Clerk and Recorder.”
- Stephanie O’Malley
Clerk and Recorder
City and County of Denver
“This is just a great opportunity for us to make sure that as a City we’re empowering those who are able to vote to get out there and vote. And just encouraging that kind of participation, especially among folks who speak languages other than us. We’ve talked about this in committee. About this potentially being a model later on down the road for other populations that hit that 5% mark.”
- Paul D. López
Councilmember, District 2
Denver City Council
Since 2006 the advocacy group “ACCESO,” which in Spanish means ‘access,’ has worked with Denver’s Clerk & Recorder, but the board will now be officially recognized by City ordinance.
Meeting schedule: |
- City Council generally meets Mondays at 5:30 pm; live coverage begins at 5:25 pm
- The weekly combined Denver Mayor-City Council meetings are shown live beginning at 10 am Tuesdays
- City Council Committee meetings shown on a regular schedule.
- Check the weekly schedules and specific playback times here.
Dog Park Master Plan
Denver Parks and Recreation wants to create healthy relationships between dogs and their owners… and non-dog owners in city parks. Part of that effort will come through a Dog Park Master plan, and they need your input.
Public input meetings will be held in June and the final master plan recommendations are expected in the fall.
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Disabled Parking Enforcement Program (DPEP)
You can help protect the rights of the disabled by volunteering with DPEP.
The Disabled Parking Enforcement Program (DPEP) needs volunteers to enforce disabled and handicap parking within the City and County of Denver, on both public and private property.
If you are interested in applying for training, call the Office of Disability Rights at 720-913-8482
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"Keep it Clean from Drain to Stream" Campaign
Three Denver agencies are teaming up to promote clean water practices – and this means you can get a free supply of dog poop bags and a mini bag dispenser. Public Works, Environmental Health and Parks and Rec want you to help keep the City’s waterways clean and the giveaways are part of the campaign. Pet waste that isn’t picked up leaves bacteria that washes into storm drains and waterways that might increase health risks to humans. Register for the bags and dispensers online at KeepItClean.org or by calling 311.
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Cash Back for Qualified Homeowners
Greenprint Denver is a partner in “2008 Insulate Colorado.” The program offers cash back rebates to qualifying homeowners who install insulation and upgrade air sealing measures. Rebates are on a first come, first served basis with about 100 available. Go to www.EnergyScience.org or call 303-216-2026 to find out more.
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Volunteers Needed
Denver depends on volunteers to serve on more than 100 City and County Boards and Commissions. Several of these have openings for new members. Some of those vacancies are on the Community Corrections Board, Denver Planning Board, Women’s Commission and Denver Housing Authority. For more information on Denver’s Boards and Commissions, contact Anthony Aragon at 720-865-9034.
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CFL Recycling Available
Compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, contain small amounts of mercury and must be recycled appropriately. Drop-off used CFLs at any Ace Hardware store in the state. And learn more about recycling the energy saving lights at the State’s Department of Public Health and Environment website.
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Understanding Denver’s Foreclosures Learn more about residential foreclosure filings in our City. The report is available online. It’s called “Understanding Mortgage Foreclosures in Denver” and is available at:
www.milehigh.com. For information about the study, call 720-913-1999.
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Child Care Assistance The Denver County Child Care Assistance Program can help low-income parents working full time to find adequate child care. The program helps parents working full or part time, parents looking for work, teen parents in middle and high school, parents going back to school, and parents attending ABE, GED, or ESL classes. Eligibility is also based on family size and income.
To find out more call 303-604-1043, or go to www.DenverGov.org/CCAP.
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