Government of the People Michael Henry, chair of the INC Zoning and Planning Committee, received permission to share the following with INC members. The Washington Park Profile always gives good coverage to neighborhood organization activities. In the June editorial “It’s Only a Gov- ernment of the People If the People Decide to Help Govern,” the publisher of the Profile, Paul Kashmann, expresses appreciation for the work that neighborhood groups and indi- vidual neighbors do to improve our communities: “As I took my afternoon constitutional around Washington Park (the greenspace, not the neighborhood) this past Memorial Day afternoon, I was struck once again by what a marvelous community it is that we choose to call home. The semi-urban, central, south-central, and near southeast neighborhoods that make July up The Profile’s coverage area really are wonderful places in which to live. Our streets 2006 are lined with sturdy, well-maintained homes and mature landscaping. Our parks and rec- reation facilities – from soccer fields to golf courses, recreation centers to swimming pools – are some of the finest in an impressive city inventory… While much has changed over the last century-plus, one thing has not. We are still www. hanging on to one very appealing piece of turf. This is a great place to raise a family. Or neighborhoodlink. to just raise a ruckus if that be your preference. com/denver/inc And how did it happen that with all the commotion of the past few decades, that south Denver has not only survived, but actually prospered in a major way? It would be my opinion that it didn’t just happen – it was guided. And it wasn’t guided by the Mayors and City administrations (and their vacillating theories about civic improvement) that have come and gone every eight years or so. It’s been you folks who have maintained our quality of life when traffic engineers were focused on moving cars, construction companies were focused on moving dirt, and developers were focused on moving as many greenbacks as possible from someone else’s bank account into theirs. It was you folks who patiently sat Denver Neighborhood through meeting after meeting, study after Elsewhere in This Issue study, explaining the difference between the reality of your life, as opposed to our Executive Committee Minutes 3 city government’s frequently skewed view of it. Delegates Meeting Minutes 3 There’s a traffic light on Univer- sity Blvd. and Virginia Ave. allowing Around the City 4 safe Fire Department access to the road- way because of resident action. The gro- Zoning and Planning Minutes 4 cery stores at Evans & Downing and Xcel Energy Plant Tours 5 Downing & 6th Avenue were built with fewer homes being demolished because Residential Zoning 5 neighbors spoke up. One-way streets have been converted to two-ways, there is no Low-Interest Loans 6 Alameda Ave. bridge across Cherry Creek, the Mayan Theater still stands, Enterprise Workshop 6 there is more parking on the University of Denver campus, there is no through traf- Parks People 7 fic in Washington Park, and virtually Dollar Dictionary 8 every major development you care to look at fits more desirably into the con- Free Concerts 8 text of our community because of citizen involvement… Fireworks 9 We’ve also watched with interest (Continued on page 7) INC Member and Associate Organizations (Patrons in Bold) Member Organizations Assn Southern Hills Community Assn. Cherry Hills Vista Community Assn. Southmoor Park East Homeowners Advocates for Diverse Denver Cherry Point Homeowners Assn Assn Alamo Placita Neighbors Assn City Park West Neighborhood Assn Stapleton United Neighbors Athmar Park Neighborhood Assn Civic Association of Clayton Summerfield at Indian Creek Baker Historic Neighborhood Assn Clayton Neighborhood Assn The FAX Partnership Ball Park Neighborhood Assn Colfax Business Improvement District The Five Points Historic Assn Bellevue-Hale Neighborhood Assn Colfax on the Hill, Inc The Unsinkables Berkeley Neighborhood Assn Congress Park Neighbors University Neighbors Bonnie Brae Neighborhood Assn Cook Park Neighborhood Assn University Park Community Council CCHN Cory-Merril Neighborhood Assn Upper Downtown Development Org Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods Inc Crestmoor Park Homeowners Assn Virginia Vale Community Assn Cherry Creek East Assn 2nd filing Virginia Village/Ellis Community Assn Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Crestmoor Park Homeowners Inc Filing Warrens University Community One Council Denargo Market Neighbors Coalition Washington Park East Neighborhood Denver's Art District on Sante Fe Denver Neighborhood Assn Downtown Denver Residents Org West Highland Neighborhood Assn Connection Driving Park Historic District West University Community Assn East Montclair Neighborhood Assn (WUCA) Elyria Swansea/Globeville Business West Washington Park Assn. Neighborhood Assn Far Northeast Neighbors, Inc Whittier Neighborhood Assn Denver Neighborhood Connection George Washington Homeowner's is published monthly by Assn. Inc. Associates Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Globeville Civic Assn I (a coalition of Denver neighborhoods) Godsman Community Neighborhood Bonna Gayhart P.O. Box 181009 Org Bow Mar Heights Improvement Assn Denver, CO 80218-1009 Golden Triangle Arts District Carter M. Ballinger, M.D. Golden Triangle Assn Cherry Creek North BID Editor: Ken Beaudrie Greater Mar Lee Community Org Councilman Doug Linkhart [email protected] Greater Park Hill Inc. Councilman Rick Garcia 303-798-9306 Hampden Heights Civic Assn Councilwoman Carol Boigon Hampden South Neighborhood Assn Councilwoman Jeanne Robb Articles must be e-mailed to the editor Harkness Heights Neighborhood Assn Councilwoman Marcia Johnson by the 20th of the month . Harman Neighborhood Assn Inc. Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann Subscriptions are free. INC organiza- Hilltop Heritage Assn LLC Denver Health Medical Center tions should send changes to their or- Humboldt Street Neighborhood Assn Denver Water ganization personnel to the membership Hutchinson Hills/Willow Point HOA FRESC (Front Range Economic chair at [email protected] or Inspiration Point Neighborhood Assn Strategy Center) 303-798-9306. Ivy Street Neighbors Assn Gertie Grant Subscription Leetsdale Cop Shop Hilltop information and changes of address for Lowry Community Master Assn. Historic Denver Inc. non-INC organizations and persons Lynwood 7 & 8 Neighborhood Assn League of Women Voters of Denver should be e-mailed to Mayfair Neighbors, Inc LoDo District Inc. Karen Cuthbertson at Mayfair Park Neighborhood Assn Morrison Road Business Association of [email protected]. Montbello United Neighbors Denver North City Park Civic Assn Neighborhood Resource Center INC Delegates’ Meetings are held on Overland Neighborhood Assn Pam Schenkein the second Saturday of each month at Platt Park Peoples Assn The Greens @ Pinehurst HOA 8:45 a.m. See this issue for location. Sloans Neighborhood Assn Xcel Energy South City Park Neighborhood Assn The INC Executive Committee meets South Hilltop Neighborhood Assn monthly. All members are welcome. South Jackson Street Reg Denver Call the Chair for time and location. Neighborhood 2 Denver Neighborhood Connection July, 2006 Minutes of June 12th Minutes of June 10th Executive Committee Delegates Meeting Meeting By Karen Cuthbertson, Secretary By Karen Cuthbertson, Secretary Tamara Banks, Neighborhood Liaison, presented the re- sults of the latest round of the Mayor’s Listening Ses- The meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Chair sions. Top issues are very similar to past sessions: Dave Webster. In attendance were Executive Committee • affordability of health/human services, (EC) members Karen Cuthbertson, Loretta Galla, Charles • reduced air & water pollution, Howard, Bill Johnston, Monique Lovato, and Anthony • availability of transit, Thomas. Also in attendance were Standing/Special • traffic congestion, Committee Chairs John Riley, Michael Henry, and Steve • real neighborhood planning (made more difficult Nissen. The May minutes were approved. The Treasurer’s since all the Neighborhood Planners have quit or been report was accepted. The EC unanimously passed a re-assigned to non-neighborhood planning work), motion to move the restricted funds to a savings account so • attracting desirable businesses that provide jobs with as to earn interest and to report the restricted funds good wages/benefits, separately. • affordable housing, The EC reviewed meeting dates and topics. INC has • quality schools, been extended an invitation to join the Civic Center • zoning code enforcement, and Thursday meeting early. Billie Bramhall will go. Monique • neighborhood safety. suggested that someone from the Education Committee There was frustration voiced that so many people who attend the School Closing Blue Ribbon Committee. David participated had yet to receive any follow-up, from re- will write a letter asking that Billie be on this Committee. ceiving a copy of the results, to hearing about volunteer The City finally signed off on the Neighborhood efforts for which they had signed up, to the lack of online Handbook. Karen got printer bids. Mike and Dave will availability of the results. Many were frustrated that the draft a letter that will accompany the book. input into the Mayor’s 2004 Listening Session did not ap- The EC unanimously passed a motion to have all the pear to result in substantive changes and that this latest important documents of INC consolidated and scanned effort seemed no different. There were questions about with both the