INC ZONING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES – August 27, 2016

By Michael Henry

Chair Margie Valdez convened the meeting of the INC Zoning and Planning (ZAP) Committee and introduced City Councilwoman-at-Large Robin Kniech, who explained the new affordable housing fund, which will have a public hearing at City Council on September 19. If approved, the fund will be a permanent dedicated funding stream, composed of approximately half from a .5 mill property tax on both business and residential property and half from a development fee on all new construction in Denver due upon issuance of a building permit. The property tax mill levy is already allowed by the people’s vote to “de-Bruce” at the last election. If passed by Council, the mill levy increase will amount to approximately $1 per month for the average home and will fund the creation of approximately 6000 units during the first 10 years. She emphasized that the city is already contributing to affordable housing, which has reached a crisis stage, in many other ways. This will not “solve” the problem, but it is a good start. If approved, the fund will replace the inclusionary housing ordinance. There will be a new Housing Advisory Committee which will have public monthly meetings. The committee discussed and passed the following motion to recommend to the INC Delegation on September 10, by a vote of 18 in favor, 1 opposed and 4 abstaining:

Mary Lou Fenili, a volunteer from Congress Park Neighbors, described to the committee how she has created a spreadsheet to track short-term rentals advertised in the Congress Park neighborhood by Vacation Rental by Owner (13 units) and AirB&B (53 units). She explained the method by which she built the spreadsheet, which can be used after January 1, when short-term rentals (less than 30 days) will be required by the new ordinance to be registered with the Department of Excise and Licenses, to track which short-term rentals units are properly registered and licensed and which are not. INC strongly supported the passage of the ordinance. She generously agreed to consult with other neighborhoods. Contact her at 303-808-4207 and leave a message. Such a volunteer task in a neighborhood will require time, persistence, attention to detail and familiarity with the neighborhood.

Charles Nadler of the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association explained the details of newly-adopted House Bill 16-1439, which provides a new type of liquor license – to allow a lodging and entertainment facility to sell liquor by the drink and to convert a tavern license to such a new license. The discussion raised questions about why Denver neighborhoods have not yet been informed of any plans by the Department of Excise and Licenses to allow “entertainment districts.”

Margie Valdez reported that City Council unanimously passed on August 22 the moratorium for 7 months on granting any more permits for new developments on small lots (6250 square feet or less) in Mixed Use Commercial zone districts with a parking exemption. INC supported this moratorium.

David Engelken, vice-president of the Humboldt Street Neighborhood Association described an appeal that the neighborhood association has filed with the Board of Adjustment for Zoning Appeals regarding a parking exemption in their neighborhood, which is described in the following motion that was made and discussed:

RNO representatives are encouraged to attend the Board of Adjustment hearing, presently set for 11am on Tuesday October 11 in the hearing room on the second floor of the Webb Municipal Office Bldg. because this is an issue that may affect many neighborhoods in all parts of the city. Note that the moratorium described above did not apply to this project.