A bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification of 1290 Williams Street in Cheesman Park. Approves an official map amendment to rezone property from G-MU-20 UO-3 to PUD-G #23 (multi-unit, 20 stories to planned development), located at 1290 Williams Street in Council District 10. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 9-15-20.
Please refrain from profane or obscene speech. Direct your comments to council as a whole and please refrain from individual or personal attacks. Councilmember Torres, will you please put Council Bill 929 on the floor for passage? I love that council bill 29 to 9 be placed upon final consideration and do pass. Back and. It has been moved and seconded by Councilman Flynn. The required public hearing for Council Bill 20 dash 0929 is open. May we have the staff report, please? Yes. Thank you. Scott Robinson with Community Planning and Development. This is their request to rezone 1290 William Street from GMU 2003 to new DG number 23. The property is located in Council District ten in the Cheesman Park neighborhood, is at the southeast corner of William Street and 13th Avenue, just on the north side of Cheesman Park. The property is about 17,000 square feet and is the home of the tour's McFarland House. The request, as I said, is to be down from June 23, which is general urban context, multi-unit residential zoning with a 20 storey maximum height. And the Euro three is an historic structure use overlay, which allows additional nonresidential uses of an art studio, a bed and breakfast and non-medical offices and historic structures. The request is to resign, as I said, to Pdg 23, which is a form of custom zoning. So I'll go into more detail of what's in that in a minute. The applicants are requesting to lease on the property to allow for construction of a new annex building and allow for more diversity of uses. As I mentioned, the property is home to the charity MacFarland House, which is a Denver landmark built in 1899, landmarked in 1972. You can see the McFarland House is in the center of the property there. And then in the bottom right of the southeast corner of the property is the annex building. It was built around 1980 and is not landmarked. That is the building that the would like to replace. You can see the existing zoning properties to the west of the same Jim U 23 to the north, three for three story zoning. To the east is another opportunity in custom zoning. And then to the south is open space zoning park. And here you can see the existing land uses. Property is currently used as an office mostly surrounded by multi-unit, residential and single unit residential with a variety of mixed use, commercial and civic uses scattered throughout the neighborhood. Now you can see all the commercial uses along Colfax, two blocks to the north, and then, of course, the park to the south. Here you can see some photos. The bottom center photo is the subject property. And then the other photos are some of the surrounding properties. And then getting into what is entailed in the community. And also Pdg number 23 would be applied here. That is based on the free zone districts. Our you need to start with the base zone district and then modify from there. So this is based on GM three, which again is general urban, multi-unit, residential, three storey maximum house, maximum height. The it would allow construction in the urban house building form. And then it is divided into two sub areas. And a sub area a is the larger sub area where the existing series MacFarland houses, it would have a three storey maximum height. Most of the standard G suite requirements would apply and you get enough of that property as landmarks, structures, landmarks. Some Area B would be the southeast corner where the current annex is proposed. New annex would go. That's limited to one story in height, 20 feet, maximum height, maximum of 3500 square feet of building coverage and would allow one foot side and rear setback so on south and east to let it sit in that corner. A would also require keeping the existing nine parking spaces and then would allow some additional uses on top of what is allowed only three over three, which again is residential. And then. Art studios, breakfasts and non-medical offices, which would be which is what this is. And then on top of that would allow medical offices, restaurants, retail and a few other accessory or temporary uses. This went to planning board on September 2nd, received a unanimous recommendation approval with one condition that was requested by the applicant that the food truck use be removed. So that has been removed in the future. You have before you that was a condition of the good neighbor agreement that the applicant had negotiated with some of the neighbors. The at the hearing, 18 people spoke in support, six in opposition and three to withdraw. Opposition previously submitted letters opposing it and then subject or following the approval of the Good Neighbor Agreement have withdrawn their previous opposition parties. Went to Wednesday's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on September 15, and it's now before you your packet, you had two letters of support from registered organizations and then 124 letters of support from individuals and 136 letters of opposition. In order to approve a rezoning, the city must find that these five criteria are met. Then there are additional criteria, criteria specific for parties that are going to after these five. I'll start with the regular five. The first criterion is consistency with adopted plans. There are three plans that apply to this property. The first is Comprehensive Plan 2014, as described in the staff report, satisfied the proposed rezoning consistent with multiple strategies from Plan 2040 across several different vision elements. Most of these are related to providing quality infill and a mixed use development and also promoting historic preservation. In terms of equity staff has found the proposed rezoning would be consistent with the strategy for the equitable, affordable and inclusive vision elements relating to providing additional amenities within existing neighborhoods to improve those neighborhoods. And in terms of climate change, that finds the proposed design inconsistent with these two strategies from the environmentally resilient vision element relating to ENSO and mixed use development. Reducing the need for people to travel to get to services. So staff finds the proposed rezoning consistent with Co-operative Plan 2040. The next plan is Blueprint Denver from 2019. The future neighborhood context designation for this property is General Urban, which calls for generally multi-unit residential with residents or commercial and mixed use embedded in those residential neighborhoods. Consistent with the proposal, and commercial should be in a variety of building forms, including residential building form such as this. The Future Place designation is high residential, which again calls for predominantly residential, but commercial uses should be interspersed throughout, which is appropriate in this location. 13th Avenue is designated a residential arterial street, which again calls for primarily residential, but also may include a variety of other uses, including small retail nodes. The gross strategy designation is all other areas of the city, which is intended to accommodate 10% of new jobs and 20% of new housing by 2040. And then Blueprint Denver also includes additional strategies, recommendations that apply here, including multiple strategies about historic preservation. So the community would help preserve the existing MacFarland house and help with adaptive reuse so that it can be continued to use, be used and preserved going into the future. So there are multiple strategies that the proposed beauty is consistent with along those lines. And then Blueprint Denver also includes recommendations around using custom zoning such as these, and says they generally should not be used except where there are extraordinary circumstances and there's not a standard district that would fit. And that's the situation in this case. There's no standards on districts with the existing landmark House that would allow reasonable development of the property. Without an unreasonable number of waivers or conditions. So it is appropriate to in this location and for this proposed development. So staff finds the proposed rezoning consistent with group in Denver. The third plan is the recently adopted East Central Area Plan. It has the same context and place designation as blueprint under general urban, high residential and as definitions are consistent and as I just went over, the proposal is consistent with those designations. The Essential Area plan also includes additional recommendations around historic preservation, including recommendations that to facilitate adaptive reuse, allowing a broader range of uses, including commercial use, as I can be appropriate, which is the situation in this case allowing a broader range of uses through this. That will help preserve and adapt. We use the term in the Parliament House that finds the proposed rezoning consistent with studies of area plan and finds the first criterion met. The second criterion is uniformity of district regulations. STEP finds the proposed rezoning would result in uniform application of the Custom Zone District on this location. The third criterion is to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of city staff. The first rezoning would do so by implementing the city's plans and promoting historic preservation, as I described. The fourth criterion is justifying circumstances that imposed rezoning justified by changing conditions in the area. There has been some redevelopment in the surrounding blocks increasing the population, increasing the number of people in need of services, allowing a broader range of services. Either it is appropriate and then also changes on the property within the annex building is fairly old at this point and the existing zoning wouldn't let redevelopment of that building. So a change in zoning is needed to allow for the reinvestment in the property that is needed. The fifth criterion is consistency with neighborhood context. The purpose of the proposed rezoning would allow it consistent with the general urban neighborhood context, which again is the base zone district of the duty and then for purpose of intent has its own specific criteria that will go into now. So a few criteria. Your final of the first is that the district is consistent with the intent purpose of districts that have described the zoning code that found that that is the case because the customer zoning here is necessary to promote the historic preservation of the existing historic structure of the Urban House. To do so with a standard zoned district would require several variances or waivers from a standard zoning district. So in this case, it is appropriate would allow for a specific diversification in the use of land by allowing more uses of this location, while also maintaining a development pattern that is compatible with the established neighborhood in character and design. The second criterion is that the party complies with the technical standards and criteria of the zoning code, which staff has found that it does. The third criterion is that the development is not feasible under any other zone district and would require an unreasonable number of variances or waivers and conditions which, as I just described the standards this. The fourth criterion if the district would establish permitted uses that are compatible with existing land uses as described in the plan analysis. A wider range of commercial uses are appropriate here, so staff finds that this criterion was met, and the fifth criterion that the duty would establish permitted building forms that are compatible with adjacent building forms. Again, the allowable building form under the view is Urban House, which is consistent with the general urban and GM context of the surrounding area. So that finds the beauty criteria are met and recommends approval finding all criteria have been met. I will be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Thank you, Scott, for the report. Tonight, council has received three written comments on Council Bill 929. There are two submitted comments in favor of the bill and one submitted comment in opposition of the application. All members of Council that are present have certified that they have read each of the submitted written comments. Do any members need more time in order to read all of the written testimony that was submitted? Seeing no hands raised. Council Secretary. Let the record reflect that all written testimony in favor and in opposition of Council Bill 929 have been read by each member of Council and all written testimony will be submitted to the official record of the hearing. Tonight, we have 22 individuals signed up to speak this evening. And I wanted to just remind folks that we also have the hearing on the mayor's proposed budget and another hearing after this one. And so if you feel like you're repeating what others have said before, if you could keep your comments to a minimum , that would be much appreciated. Our first speaker that we're going to be bringing up is Bruce O'Donnell. Hello. This is Bruce O'Donnell. Can you hear me? Mm hmm. Go ahead, Bruce. Thank you, Madam President. And members of Council Bruce O'Donnell, 386 Emmerson Street in Denver. And I'm the owner's rep on this rezoning application as identified in CPD staff report recommending approval and also planning board unanimously recommending approval of the resulting request. This application meets the legal criteria for the rezoning it's consistent with and supported by and implements many goals of the city's adopted plans, including Plan 2040 Blueprint, Denver in the Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park Neighborhood Plan, and more recently, the East Central Area Plan has been adopted. And this specifically is an implementation step of the East Central Area plan, which wants to facilitate compatible infill development and facilitate adaptive reuse of historic structures by allowing a broader range of uses, including compatible commercial uses and appropriate additions. Extensive community outreach over more than two years has taken place to garner support and get neighborhood input on the result of this, which is included focus groups, surveys, open houses and numerous meetings in this effort culminated in our Executing a Good Neighbor agreement with our immediate neighbors on the highways of both next door sides of us to the east and west. This good neighbor agreement has been recorded in the Denver Clerk and Recorder's office. And among other things, it limits the operations allowed in the city and addresses things like parking, management, noise and odor in that constrains the use of the site from an operating perspective much more than just the zoning would. With all this being said, I request that City Council vote to approve Council Bill 20 Dash 0929 Rezoning 1290 William Street to Pdg 23 and I'm available to answer any questions of council. Have any. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Bruce. Next up, we have Andrew Roque. All right. Well, thank you, Madam President. My name is Indrani, and I live at 1530 Detroit Street. I have been a chess board member since 2017, and I'm also a resident of the South City Park neighborhood. Professionally, I work as a senior planner for the city of Sheridan in Arapahoe County. So planning issues are very important to me. As a planner, I'm also aware of both the opportunities and challenges presented by writing a customized PDF document. So I would like to thank Scott Robinson with CPD for his time and knowledge and helping us create ours. I remember back in 2017 I attended my first board meeting and I just remember being so impressed with the Teachers McFarland mansion, but then also realizing over the past three years how much work it truly needs in order to become a community gathering hub once again. During my time on the board, Chun is engaged in extraordinary outreach efforts to both invite community feedback and then eventually to communicate our vision and really the neighborhood's vision for the towers back to the neighborhood. This evening, I would like to touch on some of the key events and milestones that Chan reached in its community engagement efforts . These include three community focus groups, which we held in fall of 2017 and where we obtained specific input on uses from over 50 participants. We also held annual updates at Chen's membership meetings over the past three years. We conducted multiple in-person meetings in open houses with our directly adjacent neighbors at both one Cheesman Place and the Highgate Townhomes. In the summer of 2019. We. Conducted surveys directly with park users and collected over 125 responses. The project has also been featured in multiple articles in life on Capitol Hill and other local publications. China's also conducted targeted Facebook posts linked to our project website, which have garnered thousands of unique impressions. We've also obtained support letters from Denver nonprofit institutions such as P Flag, which was a former tenant of the tiers and historic Denver, which holds a facade easement on our building. And finally, and something I'm most proud of, we gathered over 100 individual letters of support for the project. So to conclude, I believe that China's truly went above and beyond in communicating our plans for the future of the Tours McPherson mansion. And I enthusiastically urge that City Council approves the 1290 William Street PD. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, we have Jesse Paris. Being a member of the council watching out my name is just a pause and I hope the Denver homeless out loud black starts to limit the scope of his commitment to social change as well as the party of Colorado. And while. And I will be your next mayor in 2023. I am against this rezoning. I just wanted to know what the 136 opposition was all about. And Andrew said that John had reached out to several people in the community and of outreach, and that showed some kind of due diligence on his part. But I want to say that 136 letters opposition about and. Oh. Trying. I would really like to know that. And while. So much opposition against the speedy rezoning. So, Michael, please answer those questions. I would appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Jesse. Next up, we have Sandra Goldhaber. Go ahead, please. Sandra. Okay. Can you hear me? Mm hmm. Go ahead. Can you hear me? Okay. I'm Sandra Tabor. Thanks for the opportunity to. Speak with you tonight. I live at. 763 Race Street on the south end of Cheesman Park. And I'm speaking to you today in support of the rezoning of the Tours House at 1290 William Street. 763 Race is my second hundred year old home. On the Cheesman parameter. And I also own two condos right near the park. I'm invested thus, both financially and emotionally, in this beautiful neighborhood. I walk the park every day. I became imprinted on the. Park. In the 1970 779 era when I actually worked in the mansion working for at the time Denver Social Services, now Denver Human Services. And my office was on the second floor and my little desk overlooks the park. So I always wanted to be able to move back and finally achieved it. So you can imagine my me when I had. The chance to tour the mansion in early 2020 and the chipping pin on the bridge and the squeaking stairs, all the deferred maintenance that a nonprofit like Chan could never afford to accomplish on their own. I think any of you who live in or around an old house know that it it can be a black hole. This, as a stakeholder of historic preservation, I support the rezoning for the following two reasons. One is historic preservation. The partnership with City Street, which you'll hear more about, will both preserve the property and protect the low profile nature of any structures on it, including the remodeled. Annex. Well, improving the interior deferred maintenance. Second, that's really important to me is safety in the park. The main modeling of the annex and the restoration of the cafe, which existed in the annex in the 1980s, will increase the eyes on the park. It will improve that community gathering space, as well as provide an attractive venue for adults to have a coffee while their kids play on the patio, maybe have an ice cream and really and offer a place for neighbors to interact and be right there in the first floor of the park. In. This work and facility has been shown by surveys of the neighbors to help read, support and enthusiasm. So I'm in favor of the rezoning and I recommend that council approve the rezoning of 1298. Williams to page 23. Thank you so much. Okay, thank you, Sandra. Next up, we have Travis Leiker. Greetings. My name is Travis Leiker and I am a Denver resident and current president of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. And I want to thank Denver City Council for convening tonight's meeting. I would also like to thank the scores of community leaders, especially the town board staff, volunteers and our partners who helped try and get to this point . China is committed to preserving the past, improving the present, and planning for the future of the greater Capital Hill community. Through smart planning, historic preservation, community investments and programs. China serves as the go to collective voice for Denver residents and our unique neighborhoods. Since 2005, we've owned the Tears McFarland House and Community Center, which is at 1290 Williams. And while the property is currently zoned for 20 stories of residential use, a large structure of this magnitude is something that we think would alter the quality and character of the neighborhood. Instead, we've proposed tonight a different course of consideration for you. The Tears McFarland House is iconic, and it's a historic landmark, so the house and mansion itself will not be touched. Under this rezoning proposal, with the exception of some much needed restoration and preservation. To help preserve this landmark, however, we're partnering with City Street investors to build a new single story, Neighborhood Friendly Cafe, to improve the overall property and add amenities that have been requested by the neighbors. All homes, and especially older ones like this, need much needed maintenance and updating, especially after four decades of deferred maintenance. The revenues collected from the cafe will keep the mansion updated, historic and iconic. It will also allow China to deliver its critical neighborhood services, investments and programs for decades to come. The proposed rezoning, along with the cafe, is intended for residents to immediately enjoy and use whether they walk, bike, bus run or roll from their homes or nearby workplace. And then the the mansion itself will continue to serve as a community asset where neighbors gather, discuss issues, collaborate and shape the future of the greater Capitol Hill community. For three years now, Chan has garnered feedback from residents, business owners and stakeholders, and they've overwhelmingly voiced delight just as they did when they when the cafe first opened back in the 1980s. Whether they were attending a performance of the Denver brass or joining their book club for a great conversation and thoughtful discussion, Chen understands that there is going to be opposition tonight, and we've addressed those concerns and our good neighbor agreement with many of the neighbors that are surrounding the area. More than 20 commercial businesses already exist within less than a quarter of a mile from Cheesman Park. Like the Denver Botanic Gardens. But a constant presence at the north end of the park will enhance safety for patrons and passers by. This revitalization effort and neighborhood friendly amenity are designed for the community to do what communities do best, and that's come together. So I encourage you to vote in favor of this rezoning application, and I'll be available for questions should they arise. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Next up, we have Joel Brown. Hello. My name is Joel Brown. I live at 1801 Pennsylvania Street in County District ten. I want to thank Councilmember Hines for his leadership and his statements tonight. This year's McFarland House is a great historic asset on the north side of Cheesman Park. I visited it many times. When I go to Cheesman Park, I usually walk or bike there and I'm excited for the future of this property. It's a really cool building that has served as a meeting space for nonprofits, and I think to have a café attached to it would really be a win win for the community and the neighborhood. Just to address Jesse's concerns about the letters of opposition. From my understanding, most of the opposition was relating to parking. As I mentioned, there was nine parking spots. And I think that that those concerns were mitigated in the Good Neighbor Agreement. So I'll end my statements here by saying I hope you will approve the rezoning to a pad because that's it meets it conforms to the criteria as stated. Thank you. Thank you. We have Michelle Steed up next. Hi. My name is Michelle Steed, and I live in the Driving Park Historic District just. South of Cheesman Park. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I am speaking tonight in favor of Sean's rezoning application for 1290 William Street. I have spent several hours volunteering for Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, attending meetings, participating in special events, and being engaged in my neighborhood. I throughout the years, Sean has been an invaluable part of our community and as a model registered neighborhood organization that promotes an inclusive culture and is working every day to make Denver a fair, equitable city. For as long as I have been a supporter and member of John, I've been engaged in a number of conversations about this property for. Close to a decade. What will happen to tears? Folks will ask. It needs work and should be open to the community. Others will comment. Now Trent is coming to City Council to support a rezoning that will help to activate a beloved community asset, the historic Teres McFarland House, just north of Cheesman Park. This will bring much needed restoration and care to this architectural gem and fuel chance programing to our neighborhood for years to come. Transplant outlined in this page aligns with the recently adopted East Central Area Plan perfectly. The East Central Area Plan calls on future development. To promote. To promote preservation of historic and character defining single unit multi-unit and mixed use. Develop mixed use. Buildings and to consider individual landmarks, historic districts and other tools as appropriate trends through rezoning, application and plans aligned with this criteria. I also support. This rezoning because I live near a city street investors project the city street near Gilpin Street. I live on Gilpin Street and the on Sixth Avenue and city street investors there. Their good neighbors like through we set up. Sorry, I'm nervous. I did this call for hours thinking about how I'm going to say this. But we've set up good neighborhood agreements and they're good neighbors. Things happen in the city and we can call on them and and things are addressed. And I feel safer having these businesses around. And I want you to vote in favor of this rezoning so that I can go to the north side of the park and enjoy the tears. McFarland building being. Updated and having a café. Thank you. Thank you, Michelle. Next up, we have Randall Lowe. Good evening. It's a great honor to speak to you after such a long time. I'm an advocate on homeless issues in the city and county, and I've been involved with. John. From the standpoint of the Denver Voice newspaper, when we used to have wranglings with John regarding the presence of homeless people in the community. This goes back to the 1990s. I used to work with Tom Knorr and we got to know each other on the commission and my brother Roger Armstrong, who used to be the executive director , and Andy Hanna, who used to do my job. I'm the groundskeeper, I'm the ghost, John. And I've been in that capacity for over a decade. I worked on the People's Fair back in the very beginning of the century. And I must say, this is a place which for me is hallowed ground. And when I use that word, I'm a pastor, I'm a chaplain. I mean that it is a place where people can gather together. My wild rabbits can gather together, the crows can gather together. And we can share in an environment which is holistic for us all. And I really appreciate the opportunity to at least tell you from my heart that this is everything to me. And having been on the board of Charleston, I.N.S., an executive committee of both. I have always been. Honored to be a part of this organization and to contribute my sweat and tears to making series Macfarlane operate. And even though we might be shabby, we are home. And that's all I can say. It means a great deal to me to make it possible for it to continue in perpetuity for as long as is possible. Thank you for your attention. Thank you. Next up, we have Rachel Griffin. You might have to unmute, Rachael. David. Go ahead. I had a. Fancy. Microphone and stuff and I guess it's not fancy after all. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share my support, to return the tears made. For holding us back to a vibrant. Community center gathering place. And in. It. My name is Rachel Griffin. I have lived in Denver at ten Cheesman Park. Neighborhood for 20 years. When I was in high school, I was allowed to use advisory commission of my own local community center in Lakewood. I planned events for my peers. I hosted guest lecturers, encouraged active. Youth participation in the community. And now, as a parent. I began the 600 member hotline, Capitol Hill Parents Group, to help continue that. Community. Activism and to show my own children. And example of volunteerism and building the goals of our group are bringing together. Urban dwellers who are choosing. To raise children in their urban environments. We seek to cultivate community. By connecting families with one another and the necessary resources to take advantage. Of life. To put that into play for the greater Capitol Hill area. We want to lead and partner with local and state government businesses, educational. And nonprofit organizations. And we seek to advocate for programs and causes such as strong neighborhood schools, housing and diversity, enhanced public safety. Environmental quality. And expanded cultural. And. Recreational. Opportunities. That said, Capital Hill. Environment and amenity infrastructure often. Leaves out the family demographic. It's often a cycle of limited. Family. Amenities, leaving too few true community. Spaces for them due to our. Invisibility. People often believe that Capitol Hill has fewer kids than it really does because. Honestly, there are very few places. Together. We truly appreciate the Harlem Rec Center, Park Pool, Cheesman Park, City Park, Playgrounds and more. But we are still lacking for welcoming indoor free spaces to gather and build community. If Council approves this rezoning request, our group looks forward to using the revitalized Gathering Spaces. Café and. Resurrected Community Center at the preserved landmark known as the Tears McFarland House to host Capitol Hill parents events building enjoyment with all types of families, encourage youth participation in the community and help trying to continue further to further the mission. We look forward to turning our online group into an active force in the neighborhood by taking full advantage of the introduction of a free and accessible meeting space. We look forward to further. Engaging Capitol Hill residents no matter what they do for a living. Which they are. Oh, and you're saying took away my sickness or what? Or what they look like. So we urge you to. To voice your support for this reason. Thank you. Thank you, Rachel. Bill de Mayo is next. Yes. Thank you. My name is Bill de Mayo and I live at 1880 Little Raven Streets, but have been on the board of Gen for about ten plus years. And I was involved in the repairs and maintenance of the building during that time and the. Amazing part of that. Time that I found there was that every time we undertook a project or turned it into any kind of repair, it turned into much more expensive than obviously one could deal with. So when we took the opportunity to partner ourselves with the city street investors, we found that there was a partnership that created this wonderful experience to turn this property back into the community center that it really wants to be and. I hope that you will support the rezoning to allow this property to be to continue to maintain its role in the neighborhood in the Cheesman Park neighborhood. So thank you very much for allowing me to speak. Thank you. We have Kevin Kelly next. Greetings. Denver City Council. My name is Kevin Kelly and I live in the East Cheeseman Park neighborhood at 12th and dime. I was born in Denver and my family has made Denver home for six generations. I'm a frequent volunteer for historic Denver, and I've also served on the board of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods for more than four years and co-chair our History Matters Committee. Since I joined John, the organization has made significant strides to improve its financial health, support the community, advance critical issues at the city level, and bring the community together. Tonight, we are here to talk about John's rezoning for a 1290 Williams Street. As co-chair of one of our enduring committees, I am passionate about preserving historic properties and activating them in creative ways. The rezoning application being considered by council tonight just does just that. It will create certainty around the future uses of the property, office space, community, meeting space and added amenities like a café for the neighborhood. The Landmark mansion will be preserved for future generations of Denver ites, and it will receive the much needed maintenance it has required for decades. Joan has engaged in community outreach efforts, including neighborhood surveys and focus groups. The levels of outreach and engagement are extraordinary and we value the neighborhood feedback we have received over the past three years . Finally, preserving historic architectural assets is an essential is essential to maintaining neighborhood character and enduring legacy. Joan was an integral to the efforts to preserve Tamron Hall and recently endorsed the restoration and reuse of the former Cathedral Hill High School at 18th and Grant Street. We are excited to take our great work in these projects and apply it to our new home. Thus, the request for a rezoning is consistent with and implements recommendations and comprehensive plan. 2040 Blueprint. Denver. The Capitol Hill. Cheeseman Park. Neighborhood Plan and the 2020 East Central Area Plan. I asked Denver City Council to approve this application and thank you for your time. Thank you. We have Vicki Berkley up next. Hi. I'm Vicky Berkley. I live on Ninth and Logan in Capitol Hill. I'm involved with Chun is vice president of Community Engagement. I'm a community development professional and have worked for nearly 40 years assisting residents in enhancing their neighborhoods and small communities in Colorado, as well as other states in the U.S.. And in 2019, I joined the Chan board and now apply my community experience to my own neighborhood Capitol Hill, for example, with board support. I launched Chan's Seed Awards, which provide micro grants to encourage civic entrepreneurship and community engagement. In just the first year, Chan awarded 12 seed awards to nonprofits and individuals, providing support to projects that improve safety, promote diversity, foster environmental stewardship and provide enrichment. Urban planners know that third places have a number of important community building attributes. The Curious McFarlane House has served as a third place in Capitol Hill for decades, providing a welcoming place where everyone is treated as social equals. This third place is playing a critical role in breaking down social silos in Denver, which is so important during these times of division and fear. It tears. McFarlane House serves as a place where people can gather to discuss issues impacting our city and collaborate to shape the future of Capitol Hill. Chan has supported a range of events over the years, inviting residents to get to know their neighbors and engage in projects that enhance our community. Chan has served as a neutral ground for sensitive topics in the tours. Macfarlane House has provided the third place for these meetings. For a number of years. A cafe did operate at the Cheers MacFarland house, where people could chat over coffee and a sandwich. Capitol Hill has no doubt benefited over the decades because people could utilize the tourist Macfarlane house as a third place where they could hold fundraising events, holiday gatherings and a host of other activities. I'm excited about the partnership between John and City Street investors who have a proven track record for creating amazing third places such as the Union Station. This partnership will only improve that year's Macfarlane house as a valued neighborhood asset. And can you continue to provide a third place that is open to all? I'm in favor of rezoning and request that the Denver City Council approved the rezoning of 1290. William Street, Depew RD, June 23. Thank you so much. Thank you. We have Peggy Randall up next. Yes, thank you. Can you hear me? Mm hmm. Go ahead. Thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to speak to you all this evening. Again, my name is Peggy Randall. I live at 343 University Boulevard in Denver, and I live and walk the country club neighborhood. And Cheesman Park is really one of my favorite destinations. For inspiration. And a connection to our great city. I'm speaking to you in support of the Tears McFarland mansion as an icon and treasure to be preserved to maintain the character of historic Capitol Hill, to live on for future generations. I believe in. Creating something new and visionary for a Capitol Hill community. What's better. Planning. Then for our future than a cup of coffee, maybe a glass. Of wine. After a beautiful walk or bike ride around some spectacular historic Cheesman Park. That is why I urge you to vote yes on the rezoning of 1290 William Street, Pdg 23. The Future is now. Thank you very much for your time this evening. Thank you. We've got Bruce Corgi. Up next. I'm sorry, Bruce, if I mispronounced your last name. No worries. Thank you, Madam President. And members of council. My name is Bruce Coy, and I'm a resident of Denver, a lifelong resident who lives at 1394 Vine Street. I am the retired executive director of the Colorado Association of School Executives and a nonprofit leader in other ways as well. I'm also the author of The Colorado Guide and Colorado Fest and appreciate Denver's history more than you can imagine. My grandparents lived at 19, Reese. My parents lived at 12th and raised my brother lives at 14th and. Franklin And my wife and I live at 14th and Vine. And we all think of the park as a crown jewel in Denver. It needs to be preserved and also that the youth should be open and this project opens this up. I definitely support the rezoning for 1290 William Street. I do serve on the town board and I am the co-chair of the History Matters Committee with Kevin Kelly, and I think he summed up a lot of my comments. So I'm going to my bottom line so we can save you some time. This is the kind of project to create lasting a lasting community resource. In keeping with the history of the area. It also preserves a valuable asset adjacent to the park on its northern edge. I recommend approval of the zoning request with a mindset of equity, access and inclusion for all residents. Thank you. Thank you, Bruce. Next up, we have Peter Wells. Hi, everybody. Thanks for taking my call. I guess we all do zooms all the time. I'm actually one of the residents that is most affected by this decision. So when you saw Scott Robinson's detail of his maps, they showed ten townhouses there, the Highgate townhouses that are immediately east of Chun. If I went outside and made a snowball but the smell is not good enough to make snowballs, I could probably throw a snowball and hit Chun. So we know all too well what it means from noise and all the other things, because we've heard they sponsored weddings and things of that nature. So the biggest concern from a practical perspective from our from neighbors and I'm not here representing the highway or any of the neighbors, I'm just representing myself. Is the noise the possible you know, we don't want a Blake Street kind of bar suddenly plopping down next to us where they're playing cornhole till midnight and playing music. But we would love a place where we could go and have a coffee, a pastry for breakfast, a late lunch, maybe get a glass of wine for for dinner. I'm a Colorado native, but I lived in New York City. You know, they they they know how to do things in parks. And you can get a glass of wine in Central Park in New York, and it's wonderful. So the idea of being able to have a neighbor immediately close by who will respect our privacy but also provide a service, is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity that I hope we don't give up. Just so you know, these ten townhouses weren't here 30 years ago. The reason they're here is because the city council agreed to close the High Street entrance into Cheesman Park, and that rezoning allowed us to have this marvelous, marvelous home where we live on the park. And I think this is going to be a nice addition to exactly what we're looking for is a great place to live. So I'm in favor of it. I can't speak for my neighbors, but I can tell you this the developers negotiated in a good faith fashion, the GNC. They really did. They came to the table, open arms, and we now have something I think we can live with again. I can't speak for my neighbors, but I think this is a wonderful idea and I hope to be able to go get a glass of wine at our new neighbors sooner rather than later. Thanks for listening. Thank you. We have Charles news from. You might have to go. Charles. Hi. Can you hear me? Mm hmm. Go ahead. I am Charles Nussbaum. Thanks so much for letting me speak in support of the zoning change. I lived in the 1400 block of Detroit. I've been in Congress for 20 years. My two teams are now East Angels. But it wasn't that long ago that we used to ride bikes over to the playground at Cheesman and also to the special CSO concerts. It would have really been nice to stop along the way to or from you get a snack. Here's my. I think this is going to be an amazing game changer for so many people that are walking, riding, rolling, biking, anything to and from the park to be able to meet with your friends, neighbors, colleagues and talk about anything or have a small community meeting. Many of you used to go to the people's fair, and that's how China derived most of his income. Well, that's gone. We've we've gone to other fundraising efforts. And this is going to be an incredible partnership with amazing placemakers that we have to be proud of here in the city that really want to make it special for everybody and minimize any controversy and minimize the noise, minimize the parking infringement on the neighbors. And I think that it's critical to transmission to be able to share in the income from such a café in order to provide these critical services that have never been more pertinent. I mean, so many people need their voices heard. I mean. Advocacy and support is critical to so many. Regarding licensing, homelessness, parking, safety, density, development, traffic, transportation, historic preservation, walkability, likability and general accessibility just to name a few of the things that we're involved in. So we don't have to take care of a historic mansion and can do that for the community while partnering with State Street. I think it's a win win for everybody and I appreciate all the different points of view. I'm a member of the board and a past president and I'm really hoping that council will join in approving this zoning change and that we can be an example for the rest of the city and the state and the nation. Many heartfelt thanks for your time and consideration. Thank you. Our next speaker is James LaRue. Madam President. Council Members Good evening. My name is James LaRue. I live at 1050 Sherman Street in Cap Hill. Being a chess board member since December 2019 even got up to attend one physical meeting before the pandemic hit. For five years now, I've been living without a car. I walk, bike or take mass transit everywhere, and it's really surprisingly easy. In Denver, I really enjoyed getting to know the neighborhoods and bike paths. I probably walk or bike around Cheesman Park two or three times a week, often with area friends, and I'm looking forward to biking to in-person meetings in the future and continuing my conversations with people after meetings or walks over a cup of coffee. We can't have too many warm and welcoming spaces in our community, and I'm proud to be a part of making those spaces. As a longtime practitioner of community centered planning, I was a public library director for many years. I found a vision for the future of the Tours McFarland House compelling. It contributes to a rich and engaging, pedestrian centered civic life. I've been impressed by the persistent and positive outreach of the community, both over the past 50 years and as evidenced by our work on a good neighbor agreement around this project. So I'm in favor of the rezoning and requested the city council approved the Brazilian request. Thank you so much for your time and attention today. I know the work that goes into balancing the interests of community members and I appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you. Debbie Young is our next speaker. Debbie, you might have to unmute yourself. How's that? Great. Go ahead. Okay. So good evening. And I know it's getting late, so I thank you for your continued time this evening. I live in the 600 block of Milwaukee and I am speaking in favor of the rezoning proposal this evening. When my husband and I moved here not so long ago, we chose Congress part because of this community feel with historic homes, mature trees, parks nearby, and mostly for walkability. We've lived off and on in Europe and love the charm and community feel of their walkable cities and parks and cafes for neighbors to meet. So I like many of the others, I walk around Cheesman Park most days of the week. I love its beauty, which includes the iconic architecture of the historic Piers McFarland House. I love that this proposal will continue to. Protect. That historic nature and that the partners in John and the people that are building it are committed to restoring this grand home. I love the idea of a cafe adjacent to the north end of this great park, where I will be able to sit and enjoy a coffee or tea with people in my community, maybe even. Peter Wells wants to be there and will join for a glass of wine. I also understand that it's very expensive to restore historic homes and I love that the idea of this simple cafe will help. Fund the. Much needed work to keep this beautiful house historic and iconic. So I am in favor of the rezoning and request. The Denver City Council approved the rezoning. Of. 1290 William Street. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Patricia McHenry. I. Thank you very much. I live at 653 Reyes Street, just south of Cheesman Park. I'm a principal with Citi Street Investors. And as you've heard, we're partnering with China. I and my city street partners are passionate about old buildings, but even more so. We're passionate about. Reinvigorating historic property and making. Neighborhoods better. You've already heard a lot. About the. Extensive outreach that went on. To. Identify. What was. Missing and desired in the neighborhood. And we look forward. To providing. Our. Tenant bases over 95% locally owned, and we've created over 20 different. Food and beverage operations. The casual. Café. That we will be bringing to. Tears foreign will. Be an amazing amenity to the neighbors. Including me. I would like to thank the city and the neighborhood, two. Of the four island for working with us over. Many months for this rezoning, creating the café concept. And the Good Neighbor. Agreement. I urge you. To. Approve this rezoning application. Thank you. Next up, we have Ian Tafoya. Counsel My name is Ian Thomas Tafoya. Reside in District two, but I formerly lived in City Park West for about seven years. I am a charter member still because I work in the Capital Hill area and I am a former town board member. I am in support of this project because I believe it's reasonable and in scale to bring a much needed amenity to the community and to save this amazing historic property. Now I am an historic Denver board member and trustee. I'm not speaking on their behalf tonight, but in this role I have participated with Latinos and Heritage and Conservation, where they're doing a similar project in Houston to save the original House of Blue like a union house. So I think this is innovative. This is something that's happening around the country. And I've done myself a birthday party here on the park. It's amazing to be able to have both of this available. So I'm in support and thank you again. Thank you. Our next speaker is Joe Foster us. It evening. Thank you, everyone. I will be extremely brief. I think so many positive things have been said already. I don't have much to add to it. I would. I guess I should say my address is 1115 Acoma Street, Denver. This has been a privilege for my my partners at City Street Investors and I to work on this special project. And this is an example of a rezoning that was done the right way. Extensive, extensive community outreach, really custom crafting, not only the zoning, but the specific uses for the property and the good neighbor agreement that we put together. It's just an example of how to do this, right. A couple of points I'd make about this and then so we can move on is just is really just to one is just want to remind everybody, this is a 5050 partnership between city street investors and Capitol Hill United Neighbors. So it's it's innovative in that respect that you have a nonprofit organization partnering with a for profit organization in order to bring this project back to life. This project was donated to the city by by the owners decades ago with the specific desire that it be a community gathering place. And we're going to make that happen. What has really hurt the property over the years is not figuring out how to be financially sustainable. So as a result it has fallen into disrepair. Trends that are a yeoman's job of really keeping it together. But it's time for a major redo. And this sort of private partnership with a nonprofit is going to allow us to to bring sustainable financial sustainability for the project so that the House can be restored to its former glory and it can really fulfill the vision of being the community gathering place that was originally envisioned when the owners donated to the city some decades ago. So with that, I just say I think the rezoning meets the criteria and respectfully request that council approve this application. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, council members. We appreciate it. Thank you. And our last speaker this evening is Megan Whalen. Thank you and I will be brief. I have. Gained quite an appreciation for the. Amount of time you folks spend. In these meetings. And I understand we're. Just the first part of what. You've got teed up here. My name is Megan Whalen. I reside at 520 Marion Street. And I'm also an owner of a small business in. South City Park. I'm speaking today. In support. Of the rezoning of the. Tour's. McFarland property. I was born here in Denver and have lived near Cheesman Park for most of my life. My dad taught us kids how to play softball. In the park. Just so. Many fond. Memories. And I've walked and run the park. Trails more times. Than I can catalog. Several years ago, I was I responded to an invitation to participate in a focus group about the future of the tiers. And the annex and Capitol. Hill United Neighborhoods role. In the future of the. Property. I was excited to learn about the opportunity to create an amenity for park users that would be leveraged to provide resources to restore and maintain the Tears House, which is. A neighborhood. Jewel, and to. Allow it to remain in the hands of children. When I when I was asked about my park use in the focus group, I and most others reported that we. Walk, bike or. Roll to the. Park. And I'm just. Delighted by the potential here to meet friends for coffee. In the park that we all love. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. That concludes our speakers questions from members of council. Councilman Hines. I thank you, Madam President, for. Question for Mr. Robinson. There were 126 letters in support and 134 letters in opposition to the planning board. Is that correct? That includes a few that came in between planning board and last week. But that was mostly mostly when. And were those received before or after the Good Neighbor Agreement was signed? And that came in the form of. Okay, thank you. That's all I have. Thank you, Madam President. All right. Thank you, Councilman Hines. Saying No other questions from members of council. The public hearing for Council Bill 20 Dash 909 excuse me to nine is closed comments by members of Council. Councilman Hines. Thank you, Madam President, I. This is in district ten. I am very familiar with this property. I have been to this property many times, including both the historic building and the non historic annex behind the building. I am excited that this rezoning will preserve and revitalize the historic structure while getting rid of the dilapidated structure behind the historic building. It's really dilapidated. I recognize that there were originally concerns about this rezoning, and I'm excited that China has heard those concerns of the neighbors and reflected those concerns in a signed good neighbor agreement. The to stop simplified noise, it requires the place to close early and has so many other options that provide a tasteful balance between the development and the property owners that are incredibly close by. I see Chun as a model R.A. and I am happy that they continue to work with the community to be a good neighbor and to make our community stronger and better connected. This is definitely in line with my vision of the 20 minute neighborhood that I want so passionately for Denver's perfect ten and for all of Denver. I am elated to personally know so many of those who testified tonight. It is a roll down memory lane to see and hear from so many of you. I feel comfortable saying that virtually every neighborhood and it was perfect ten were represented in testimony tonight. Finally, I am in favor of this rezoning as I believe it means rezoning for Girard and hope my colleagues support it as well. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councilmember Hines. And seen no other hands raised. I do agree it meets all of the criteria and it was just a pleasure listening to folks connection with Cheeseman and the entire area there. Madam Secretary, roll call, please. Hi. I Cashman. I can eat. I. Okay. Good. I. Sandoval. I think Sawyer. I am. Torres. I am black. I. CdeBaca. I. Clark. I. When I. Heard it. I. Madam President. I. Madam Secretary, please close the voting and announce the results. 13 nine. 13 Eyes Council Bill 929 has passed. Next up on our agenda is the mayor's proposed 2021 budget. The public hearing for the mayor's proposed 2021 budget is open. May we have the staff report, please? And we have Stephanie Adams here with us.