A bill for an ordinance approving and accepting the Loretto Heights Small Area Plan, which plan shall become a part of the Comprehensive Plan 2040 for the City and County of Denver pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-61 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code. Approves the Loretto Heights Small Area Plan, as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 8-20-19.
Council is reconvened. We have two public hearings this evening. Speakers should begin their remarks by telling the council their names and cities of residents and if they feel comfortable doing so, their home addresses. If you're here to answer questions only when your name is called, please come to the podium. State your name and note that you are available for questions of council. Speakers will have 3 minutes. There is no yielding of time on the presentation monitor. On the wall you will see your time counting down. Speakers must stay on the topic of the hearing and must direct their comments to the council members. Please refrain from profane or obscene speech. Direct your comments to council as a whole and please refrain from individual or personal attacks. Councilman Sawyer, will you please for council vote 818 on the floor. I move that council bill 19 dash 0818 be placed upon final consideration and do pass. Thank you. It has been moved and seconded before we get into the public hearing. Councilman Flynn had asked for a quick moment of privilege. Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. As we begin this hearing on the future of the Loretto Heights campus, I just wanted to take a moment of personal privilege to make note that on Thursday last week, the very last sister of Loretto who served as president of the campus passed away at the Motherhouse in Kentucky. Sister Patricia Patricia Jean Mannion, who was the president of the college from 1967 to 1972. And I think it's just remarkable that that and her funeral is today. And I understand that the sisters over at the Harvard Center got to watch a live feed of the services. And in fact, I believe President Clark, your mother, who was an alumna, was among those who watched. And I just think it's remarkable that today, as we discuss the future life of this campus, that it's done under the watchful eye of the last sister of Loreto who reigned over it. And if it's appropriate, we could just take a few moments of silent reflection on that and the remarkable women who made that place for more than 100 years. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilman. All right. The public hearing for accountable eight on eight is open. May we have the staff report? Good evening, members of council. My name is Jason Mawson and I'm senior city planner with Community Planning and Development. I'm the project manager for the Loreto Heights Small Area Plan. This is a very exciting planning effort that has been taking place in Southwest Denver. That's really the first of its kind for the community at one of the most iconic and unique areas in all of Denver. On the heels of the recent sale of the 72 acre former Loreto Heights campus, CPD has been working with local residents and stakeholders since the fall of 2018 to create a community vision for this important piece of southwest Denver. Our agenda tonight focuses on three objectives. I want to start off by giving you a little background on the plan. Next, I want to walk you through the structure and the content of the plan. And finally, we will present the review criteria where we will document the following how an inclusive community process was used to develop the plan. How the plan is consistent with the vision, goals and strategies of comprehensive plan 2040. And finally, how the plan demonstrates a long term vision. The Loreto Heights planning area is located in southwest Denver. And I'll get into the specific boundaries of the plan here in just a moment. But generally speaking, the area is located near Federal Boulevard and Dartmouth Avenue. The area is unique in that the city of Sheridan is directly adjacent to the south of the planning area, and the city of Inglewood is just southeast of the planning area. The planning area falls within Council District two and Council District seven. When considering the boundaries of the planning area, we had two choices Take a master plan approach and focus primarily on the development parcel or think outside of the box, so to speak, and consider the surrounding neighborhoods and how they may be impacted by or influence any future redevelopment. We chose to do the latter. We wanted to acknowledge the predominantly single family context to the west and to the north of the planning area, and also anticipate what changes may occur along Federal Boulevard to the East as a result of redeveloping the site. We understand that this is a community draw and it's important to get feedback from the adjacent neighborhoods as well as other jurisdictions like the City of Sheridan and the city of Inglewood. It was also important for us to look outside the boundary for things like bike and trail networks and larger infrastructure impacts, such as drainage and sewer . There are several existing buildings and historic resources on the former campus that have served many roles over the years. The site contains everything from the iconic and towering administration building completed in 1891 a cemetery, an indoor pool and a theater. These buildings were constructed over a period of 100 years and illustrate a variety of architectural styles designed by well-known architects, notably John Monroe and Frank Edberg. As you can tell, the former Loreto Heights campus has a very rich and storied history. And for this reason, and for the first time, the project team included a Denver landmark preservation planner who has been helping to facilitate the conversation around these historic resources. So why are we doing the area plan and why now? Simply put, CPD wants to ensure that there's a plan in place ahead of any redevelopment to ensure decisions such as rezoning are done with current policy guidance in place that reflects the community's vision for the area. This area of the city has no neighborhood plan, and we want to make sure that there is planning direction ahead of any type of change. The adopted plan will provide policy recommendations based on community input that will help guide the coming redevelopment. The framework for this area plan follows the six vision elements contained in the recently adopted comprehensive plan 2040. Those six vision elements are on the screen here. This area plan uses these vision elements to guide the plan and ensure each recommendation or strategy applies to at least one or more of the six vision elements. Keeping this in mind, a 17 member steering committee refined these ideas and concepts within each element based on the relevancy to the Libretto Heights planning area to create vision statements. The result is a series of statements within each element that is consistent with the citywide vision, while at the same time defining what each element means specifically for the Retro Heights planning area. Similarly Blueprint, Denver identifies three elements that form a complete neighborhood. Complete neighborhoods are accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability or income. Three and Teredo related elements form the foundation of a complete neighborhood, and those are land use in built form, mobility and quality of life infrastructure. The planning process has used these three elements to shape conversations and evaluate feedback throughout the process. The Area plan also uses these three elements to provide structure to the draft plan and create sections for the recommendations and strategies. One additional element that informs every part of the Laredo hide small area plan is that of equity. Equity means that everyone, regardless of who they are or where they are from, can thrive. Blueprint Denver introduced three equity concepts that inform this plan. The first is improving access to opportunity. Second, reducing vulnerability to displacement. And third, expanding housing and jobs. Diversity. These concepts are interlinked with all the elements of a complete neighborhood. Most importantly, the plan calls for any equity based recommendations and strategies to be given priority during implementation to ensure that the redevelopment of the former the former campus helps Denver achieve its vision for an inclusive, complete neighborhood. For example, integrating affordable housing throughout the planned area to accommodate households of different ages, sizes and incomes. Minimizing involuntary displacement and gentrification. Creating a complete pedestrian network. And finally, increasing fresh food access, availability and affordability. At this time, I would like to introduce Brandon Shaver, senior city planner, who will walk you through some of the key recommendations within each topic. Thank you, Jason. And good evening, Council. I'm Brandon and I'll be working through the key concept, key concepts of the small area plan. The first section of the plan is land use in built form. From day one. The community has consistently voiced that they want to live in and visit a plan area that does a number of things. Plan recommendations seek to encourage a mix of land uses, including office, commercial retail and a variety of housing types for different demographics and income levels. The community also wants to ensure that new development doesn't negatively impact adjacent neighborhoods and that new buildings are well designed and constructed of sustainable materials. Of similar importance are recommendations that speak to affordable housing, the threat of gentrification and involuntary displacement. The plan recommends incentivizing affordable housing for households of all ages, sizes and incomes. In a nod to some of the historic buildings on campus, the community has recognized the opportunity to explore reusing some of the buildings for affordable housing. One such example is Pink Crystal Hall, a former resident, a former residence hall, which will include 60 plus units of affordable housing as announced earlier this year by the developer. The community has had the opportunity to weigh in on these recommendations. And as you can see, there is a great deal of support. Results show us that 96% of survey takers strongly agree or somewhat agree with the land use recommendations, 95% strongly agree or somewhat agree with the historic preservation recommendations, and 88% strongly agree or somewhat agree with the economy and affordable housing recommendations. Throughout the planning process, there were a number of topics that warranted future conversation and work with the community. These are topics of utmost importance to the community. The first being the height of any future buildings in the plant area. It is important to note that the Ruby Hill View plane, enacted in 1969 guides the building heights that can be achieved on the eastern side of the campus. The plan supports varying building heights of up to eight storeys, but as redevelopment occurs on the campus, it will be important to maintain these sheds to and from it due to the topography of the site and height restrictions imposed by the view plane. Not every portion of the eight story maximum area indicated on the map in front of you allows for buildings to reach that level of intensity. Additionally, the plan calls for design standards and guidelines that further restrict the number and placement of any building over five storeys to one single location with the limited footprint to protect the views. It is equally important to transition from higher intensity development in the center of the campus to lower intensities that are compatible with the existing residential areas where the viewpoint does not cover the western portion of the campus. The plan further imposes height limitations that speak to this transition. Finally, the plan contains recommendations that speak to supporting and enhancing public transit in the plan area, especially along Federal Boulevard. Some of the most defining features of the Libretto Heights campus are the sweeping views of downtown Denver in the front range of the Rocky Mountains. As such, plan recommendations note the importance of maintaining these view sheds. Historically, there was a grand view of the administration building from Federal Boulevard, and the community finds this view said to be one of the most important attributes to preserve. Therefore, the plan calls for zoning regulations, design standards and guidelines, and other regulatory tools to ensure that the height and mass of new buildings are not only compatible with the existing historic structures, but also protect and frame the key view sheds. Furthermore, the plan identifies key open space areas identified by the community and specifically calls for a publicly accessible open space area or promenade in front of the administration building. As I touched on historic preservation and the re-use of historic resources is a central concept within this area plan. And as such, there are several recommendations that speak to this topic. The history of the campus, coupled with the preservation and re-use of existing structures and features on the site where some of the top community concerns and desires. A consultant, written inventory and survey report along with community feedback provided direction on which campus structures and features should be prioritized for preservation and re-use. These include eight historic resources the administration building in Chapel Pancreas, the Hall Cemetery, Matchbook Hall, Pool, Library and theater. Similarly, the community agreed on using multiple tools to achieve its vision in both the short and long term, including historic designation, preservation, easements and historic covenants. These options allow for the best tools to achieve the preservation and re-use of historic structures, including local historic designation of the resources as individual structures and or historic districts. The second section of the Small Plan of the small area plan deals with mobility. There is a strong desire to improve streets by making them more connected, safer and more comfortable. This includes making streets more functional for pedestrians with amenities like enhanced crosswalks and medians, street trees and lighting. The need for intersection improvements, especially along Federal Boulevard, is critical to create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Additional multimodal recommendations include connections to and from the Bear Creek Trail, the South Platte River Trail, and making it easier and more comfortable to take bus and light rail. These detailed recommendations can be found within the plan and in the staff report. Again, the community had an opportunity to weigh in on these recommendations. And you can see there's a great deal of support. Results show us that 96% of respondents strongly or somewhat agree with the mobility recommendations contained within this plan. The proposed Street Network calls for a variety of street types, which will help improve north, south and east west connections and acknowledges the strong voice of the community to not have Dartmouth Avenue punched through. From Federal Boulevard to Irving Street. To further strengthen this recommendation, the plan calls for the implementation of necessary street improvements, operation enhancements and traffic calming measures along South Irving Street to help mitigate traffic impacts and to improve connectivity in the area. The plan also encourages a new street connection extending south from the Denver School of Science and Technology as a way to relieve traffic congestion along Dartmouth Avenue. The community has also specifically called out South Julian Street and West Amherst Avenue as needing traffic calming measures as redevelopment occurs. The plan further outlines pedestrian and bicycle priority streets with the maps on the screen right now. In addition to investing in pedestrian safety, comfort and accessibility, the plan recommends both on street and off street trails and facilities throughout the planned area of equal importance as the need for equitable access to the regional trail system, which has been lacking up until this point. The final section of the plan is quality of life infrastructure. This includes recommendations for addressing access to healthy food parks, recreation and open space, green infrastructure, and how the how the built environment affects health outcomes. The plan puts a focus on new tree plantings along streets to improve walkability and comfort for residents and visitors. In addition to trees, the community has also recommended creating a system of green infrastructure which will improve water quality, reduce stormwater runoff and minimize the urban heat island effect. Similar to the recommendations found in other sections of the plan. There is very strong support for these recommendations as well. With 97% of respondents strongly or somewhat in agreement. Couple of things to highlight in this section of the plan. First being the connection to Loreto Heights Park, not just in terms of infrastructure such as sidewalks, bike paths and the potential Hoch signal, but also with open space and recreational opportunities such as a multi-use trail that runs from the park to the center of the campus along the existing irrigation ditch. I mentioned green infrastructure earlier and it is important to note that the plan area is located within the West Harvard Gulch and Bear Creek Stormwater Basins, both of which have been identified as priority basins with a greater need for water quality improvements. Green infrastructure, both natural and engineered, will be necessary to make the site a sustainable model for future development. Blueprint. Denver identifies three types of implementation actions regulatory and policy, public investment and partnership. Examples of this include historic designation, Denver Zoning Code, text and map amendments. Infrastructure improvements associated with development and requirements regarding open space. Public investment strategies are those involving public funding of public infrastructure. These examples include street reconstruction, park improvements and the installation of bike and transit facilities. Lastly, partnership strategies come in the variety of forms that require an investment from the city property owners, private developers, or a combination thereof. Examples found in this plan include partnering with historic Denver to implement appropriate short and long term protection mechanisms for the historic resources identified in the plan. Also partnering with the cities of Sheridan and Inglewood and Arapahoe County to study and implement transit, bike and pedestrian improvements to West Dartmouth Avenue and crossing improvements at U.S. 285 and Knox Court. Having gone through the key aspects of the plan, I will turn the presentation over to Jenny Budden Burke, who will walk you through the review criteria. Thanks, Brandon. Good evening, council members. I'll take us through the City Council review criteria for the evaluation of this area plan. As Jason had previously mentioned, the three criteria asked that City Council consider if an inclusive community process was used to develop the plan. The plan is consistent with the vision, goals and strategies of comprehensive plan 2040, and the plan demonstrates a long term view. The Loreto Heights small area plan is based on a year long engagement process designed to be authentic, fair and inclusive. This inclusive committee process was carried out in three phases visualized, strategize and realize. Each of the phases included multiple steering committee meetings, community meetings and other public outreach to inform the plan's vision and recommendations. At the final steering committee meeting in July during the realize phase, the Steering Committee agreed to move the plan forward for review and implementation. Key organizations represented on the steering committee that endorsed the small area plan include the Sisters of Loreto, City of Sheridan, Vietnamese American Community of Colorado, Southwest Denver Coalition and multiple registered neighborhood organizations. The steering committee was comprised of 17 members representing neighborhood and community organizations, nonprofits, businesses and major property owners. It guided and informed the plan over ten meetings that were open to the public and attended by over 150 community members. This work built upon what had been previously started by local leaders and neighborhood groups in anticipation of the redevelopment for community meetings, including a meeting conducted in Spanish, illustrated the strong community participation for this area plan with an average attendance of 100 people per meeting and a total attendance of 450 participants across the meeting series. Two online surveys were also made available for those unable to attend the community meetings or who preferred a different option for sharing their comment. The first survey mirrored content from the first and second community meetings, and the second survey provided an opportunity for the community to comment on the draft plan. Paper versions of the survey were also made available. Over 750 community members participated in the online surveys, providing 2300 individual comments. In total, more than 1300 individuals participated in the community meetings and online surveys. CPD staff also attended additional community events like registered neighborhood organization meetings in a cabinet, in the community meeting at College View Community Center. Promotion of the Laredo Heights area plan, process and advertising of meetings, surveys and draft plans was conducted by CPD Communications Staff Councilman Flynt's office and Steering Committee members and produced very strong results. Over 25,000 fliers were distributed and districts to and seven to promote community meetings and a thousand fliers were taken home by public school children, all of which were bilingual English. Spanish which contributed to the robust attendance numbers. Via social media, we have nearly 5000 Twitter followers and more than 400 email subscribers. This plan also experienced more media coverage than comparable plans put out by CPD. The Denver Post, CBS for seven News, Fox 31, Denver eight and a Duke of Radio Denver in Spanish all carried stories on the plan. I do want to note this plan did strengthen CPD's relationship with the Duca, so that will benefit us moving forward with all of our future planning efforts. Lastly, reflecting the demographic diversity of the area, Spanish translated material was provided in all marketing efforts as well as at every community meeting and online interpretation. Services and child care were also provided at all public meetings. Based on this engagement and outreach staff, find that the Loreto Heights area plan was developed through an inclusive public process. The Loreto Heights small area plan is consistent with several goals and strategies in each vision element within comprehensive plan 2040. The goals and strategies met for each vision element are indicated here on the screen and detailed in the staff report. Because this area plan refines blueprint. Denver We have also address its consistency with the land use plan policies and strategies. In general, this area plan contains content, specifically addressing each of the minimum standards outlined and blueprint Denver related to the opportunity to create area plans citywide via the Neighborhood Planning Initiative. In other words, area plans provide more specific guidance than Blueprint Denver, which is what this plan achieves. The plan is also consistent with several Blueprint Denver policies and strategies noted on the slide and detailed in the staff report. In summary, the Loreto Heights area plan is consistent with comprehensive plan 2040 and Blueprint Denver. The Syria plan provides a comprehensive, long term vision for growth within the plan area over a period of 20 years. The vision, as reflected in the plan recommendations, respects existing historic character and development patterns while promoting sustainable growth within the plan area. Staff finds that the Loreto Heights area plan establishes goals, recommendations and strategies that will guide change in the plan area for the next 20 years, thereby meeting the criteria for demonstrating a long term view based on the finding that the applicable review criteria have been met. Staff recommends adoption of the Loreto Heights small area plan as a supplement to comprehensive plan 2040. We thank you for your time and are happy to take any questions. Thank you very much. All right. It looks like we've got 44 sector people signed up to speak this evening. So I'm asked staff, if you don't mind if we get clear this front bench, I'm going to call five at a time up. If you could come up to this bench and be ready to step right up to the microphone when I call your name so that we can get through everybody. So I'll cover the first five. First five are John Moore, Sochi, gate ten, Gail Bell, John Olsen and Karen Calamity. And John Moore, you're up first. Hi. Am I good to go? All right. My name is John Moore. I'm a east tie graduate class of 2000. I live in Dartmouth Heights, and I'm the president of the Dartmouth Heights. R.A. We're also in. I was our neighborhoods representative to the small area, to the Loreto Heights small area plan process as well. I'm here to speak in favor of the plan. Our neighborhood has gone through three phases with this project so far. At first we were fearful and anxious. When the sale was first announced, we imagined huge volumes of traffic coming through. Our quiet neighborhood, blocked views of the historic admin building and other terrible visions. The second phase started when Councilman Flynn outlined his vision for the campus, and we realized we had a partner who understood our interests. The third phase was the longest and continues today. It began when we started to get to know Mark were kept, which I'm sorry I messed it up. I practiced earlier and I still messed it up. Excuse me. We slowly built trust and his devotion to preserving the history and character of the campus while also activating it and making it into an asset for Southwest Denver. The fourth phase is yet to come. We're excited about the additional open space shops, restaurants and future events the redevelopment will bring. But we also remain very concerned about the increased traffic. Volumes are quiet, neighborhood streets will see. So I'll close with the same requests we have made throughout this process, which I also outlined in my letter to the Council. Number one, Dartmouth Avenue between Federal and South Irving Street should not be made of Three Street. We've had very consistent support from the City Planning Department on this, and it is very critical to our support for the plan. Number two, the residential alleys between the extension of Bates Avenue and South Irving Street should be designed to serve local traffic only. And number three, traffic calming and traffic deterrence measures be implemented across the area. Plan to minimize the impact of traffic on existing neighborhood streets. These are all things that are contained in the plan and some that Brandon even called out specifically in his slides. I just wanted to emphasize our our interest in seeing them happen. I think in the future, it'll probably involve Dartmouth Heights being here, continuing to work with Councilman Flynn, because I think there's a funding element to this as well eventually. In closing, thank you to Councilman Flynn for his leadership and thank you to the other members of the smaller you plan process for your thoughtful contributions. Thank you. Next up, Sochi Gay Town. Hi. My name is Sir Chili Guyton, president of Hip Co. The Harvey Park Community Organization, voted to oppose the Right of Heights Area Plan and the Metro. District Service Plan. Zip Codes five Concerns of the Area Plan. Our number one it must be a landmark historic district designation. So rather than having weak language about it being a possible tool, the developer agrees to apply a historic district designation period. Number two, we need strong language indicating that Dartmouth Avenue will not go through taking traffic into the elementary. School, which is only four blocks away. Number three, mitigation of traffic. Must be stronger. Language for other streets and avenues heading in the southwest direction of that region. Number four. The maintenance of the pond, waterways, wildlife in the southwest region has been nearly ignored and we need to address this in a very sustainable way. Number five, limit the building heights to five storeys and not going higher because we lose adequate view planes of the admin building. We all know that the. Higher the penthouse, the higher the prices. Hence, causing unaffordability and gentrification. As the Denver City Council continues with their training on a renewed commitment to racial. And social justice. Help me understand how you. Plan. On. Preventing the gentrification outcome. If you. Support this area. Plan. And Metro District Service Plan. In your commitment to racial and social justice, would it not make sense. To work towards dismantling racist structural systems such as metro districts. Within Denver and question the consequence of property taxation doubling in the district and question using a financial. Tool that causes gentrification. We elected you to hold developers accountable to those you represent. You have given the power to corporations. You hold the greatest latitude and power to disavow what. Is within the state law. Title 32. You are the last line of defense. Only 8 to 9% of the housing affordable housing is affordable housing units. So stop the scam of having developers, bond investors and special. District management companies benefiting from pushing black, brown, indigenous people out. City Planning. And Development did a poor job of. Authentically engaging with black brown indigenous community by not informing. Us of metro districts being the financial tool the developer would use, not informing us of how this tool would negatively impact the property owners within the district and cause gentrification and not authentically. Engaging with the Latino community. Only 10 to 12 people at the Spanish speaking community is not. I'm sorry, but your time is up. Next up, Gayle Bell. Good evening. My name is Gayle Bell of Denver, Colorado, and I am an administrator at City College View High School, directly adjacent to the Loreto Heights campus, Colorado Heights campus. And its future is of great significance to the DST community. Yes, because of proximity and traffic. And we appreciate those needs being addressed in the small area plan. Perhaps more importantly though, it is significant because the campus is a place that our students and families have moved through and connected with for years. It is a space that they see, at least in part, as their own. For several years, our students have wandered through the signature Laredo Heights quad on their way to eat lunch and match before Hall with its stunning views to the West. And even as of today, our students spend their outside time playing and chatting on the small field that sits at the foot of the iconic admin building. When I speak to our students about the Laredo Heights campus and its future, they speak of it is a space that feels uniquely theirs in some way. This space matters to them deeply and as such. It is critical that the DACA community continue to be engaged deeply in the changes happening at Loreto Heights. DST College View appreciates the. Efforts made during the small area plan to engage our community by keeping us informed. We were recipients of many of those fliers hosting Spanish speaking opportunities, both in-person and online and as. Staff at College View. We shared the input. Opportunities with our students and families and encouraged them to engage however they could. Tonight, DST wants to urge the City and West Side Investment Partners to continue to engage the DST community both deeply and by including alien dedication to be used as a soccer. The old division of the small area plan is one of inclusion, diversity and placemaking. It is a truly beautiful vision and the students and families of diversity college view are critical stakeholders in bringing that vision to life. They already see Loreto Heights as their place. Engaging them in the way their place changes and dedicating space for them to use will continue to keep Loreto Heights their space. How beautiful would it be for our 12th grade students to be able to celebrate their high school graduation at the theater that they walk past every single day? How wonderful would it be for our soccer teams to be able to complete, compete and build school and community pride on a soccer field right on the very site. Throughout the small area planning process. The city made strong efforts to engage the diversity college view community, and we have value that immensely. Our urging is to not stop there, keep engaging us, keep providing engagement opportunities in Spanish and other non-dominant languages. Connect with and draw in the incredible community assets that are the diversity community. Thank you. Next up, John Olsen. Hello. My name is John. Also, I'm the deputy director of Historic Denver. Participating in the steering committee for the world height. Small area plan was one of. The highest priorities for our organization. And our board. Given the historic and architectural heritage. Of the campus. We believe that this plan of the future. Redevelopment is a unique opportunity to build on the site's legacy as the cornerstone of the Southwest Denver community. Throughout the planning process, during both community wide meetings and steering committee meetings. Participants and. Stakeholders emphasized and prioritized the preservation of the unique assets and qualities of the campus. We appreciate that the. Plan has responded with the inclusion of many positive elements. Related to historic preservation. Which recognize the campus's iconic nature. At the core of the vision. We also are pleased to see preservation strategies and sensitivity to historic. Resources reflected in several parts of the plan. As preservation cannot be an action taken. In isolation from other key decisions. While the included. Recommendations in the small area plan for. Individual designations and the explore. Exploration of tools. Such as historic. Districts for the campus are very important. I want to. Emphasize statements we've made throughout the process asking for greater. Certainty regarding. The future of the site's most significant assets, like the administration building the Chapel Cemetery and Pan Rachel Hall. Including addressing how they will be protected in the short and long term. We have been working with the master developer. West Side Investment Partners to solidify these and remediate. Protections so that the goals of the small area. Plan, as expressed by the community, can later be best achieved. We now hold a commitment letter and it's right. Here in our hand from the developer that those assets will soon be. Protected under perpetual easement. Agreements with historic Denver easements are also a tool indicated in the small area. Plan and prevent demolition of historically important buildings. They run with the land and offer a. Review during the rehabilitation. Process to make sure historic integrity. Is maintained. It is a tool that can be applied immediately and protect the property until such. Time as this designation moves forward. This allows for a balance in the community's desire for property protection, while allowing for a flexibility in the owners. Timeline for rehabilitation. We are especially excited for this will involve and create a hall since it will be one of the final first opportunities. And. The first properties developed on the site. And it will be a showcase for the opportunities that historic buildings. Have for affordable housing. We thank Mark Markovich of West Side. We thank the Community and Planning and Development Department. We thank all of the. Community members and the steering committee. For all of the work they have. Done. And we thank Councilman Flynn for his his work as well. And we hope that this continues for. All the people that have contributed. And that it continues now. For all people to. Continue to contribute as we go through this plan. Thank you. Very much. Thank you. Next up is Karen Calamity. And I'm going to call the next five to come up to this front bench Jim Carpenter, Martha Kirkpatrick, Bonnie Gilbert, James Hawksworth and Jim Gibson. If you could come up to the front row, that would be. Appreciate it. Go ahead. Hello. My name is Karen Laverty. We were asked to state our addresses in the past, I've I've brought up that I no longer live in Denver, but I grew up in Denver and I care about this property just as I care about many properties, I. I write letters about the Arctic Wildlife Refuge that's. Meaningful to me, even. If I don't live there. These special spaces need to remain special and to be treated well. There's some concern. I mean, Sister Mary Nell, her friend Ruth and I visited with Jason Morrison. I have nothing against Jason Morrison. But in our. Conversation with him he mentioned that he meets with the public about once a month, but he met with a developer every two weeks. And I'm sorry that I in the small area plan, I see more reflection of what the developers would like to see than what when I attended many of these public meetings, what the what the community would like to see. The words are all very nice, but the plan graphics are really what dictates the kind of development that's planned. And I'm very concerned. There's no reason why we should have eight stories in there at all. That's not what the community wanted. This view plane thing, you can barely hit the View plane with eight stories, so they feel as though that's their. Level of height requirement, no height requirement. And the open space requirement, those are. All those are something that can be created in the small. Area plan, not dictated by other other kinds of plans. This is the opportunity to make this the best site that it can be, not in relation to some random priorities or programing in other spaces. This place, this area lacks some parks and open spaces is a beautiful open space area. And to me, beyond the historic buildings, the open space is the most important criteria to keep intact. And I don't think this small area plan does that. Thank you. Next up, Jim Carpenter. Good evening. Thank you. My name is Jim Carpenter. I'm the executive director of Choice and planning at Denver Public Schools. I'm here to briefly comment on the progress of conversations between DPS. And the master developer in regards to school needs at Loreto Heights. I want to first of. All say that DPS was grateful to be brought in early into the process. We had a member on the steering committee and have been able to participate in the process throughout the throughout the past year. And while your focus tonight, of course, is on the small area plan, our eyes are on that, but also on. Further steps in the approval process. As you're aware, at the time of subdivision, developers are required to account for school needs from. Their developments in the form of land allocation or fee. And Lou. While I cannot stand here tonight and say that we have an agreement that we've reached, I can say that we have had the experience of working constructively and positively with the master developer to date as we work towards towards that agreement and try to of land allocation or fee in lieu to respond to to school needs. We want to just take the opportunity tonight to thank city staff for bringing us in early into the process and also to thank the master developer for the positive approach they've taken so far in these conversations. Encourage both groups to continue to work closely with us as we attempt to to respond to the likely school needs from the development. And we have every hope that when this comes back before you, hopefully in the future look for subdivision, that we will be able to report that we have an agreement and to support that without reservation. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Martha Kirkpatrick. My name is Martha Kirkpatrick, and I live in Englewood, Colorado. My name is Martha Newland Kirkpatrick. I am the alumni alternate for the Small Area Plan Steering Committee. I'm a 1982 graduate of Lauretta Heights College, where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree. I grew up in southwest Denver, the Harvey Park and Bear Valley neighborhoods, and I currently live in Inglewood. Loretta Heights has been part of my life for my entire life through community and alumni groups. I became very involved and of course concerned about what the future held for Colorado Heights. When West Side purchased the property in July of 2018. Things took a decidedly positive turn. West Side agreed and welcomed the small area plan process so that they could dove deeply into what the community wanted and needed. Through a well thought out and methodical approach in appointing people from adjoining neighborhoods, alumni, the Sisters of Loreto, community leaders and others, Jason Morrison and his team have joined hands with us through ten plus months of meetings, insights, discussion and debate for community meetings on the campus have hosted over 400 people lending their support, their voices and their concerns for what is to become of a beloved piece of history and a touchstone for many in the southwest Denver area. While most of us understand that not everyone will get everything that they want, most of us will get something that we do. And what this larger community wants is a gathering place somewhere to find respite and either a good meal, a street fair, less greenspace, an outdoor concert, a comfortable home. The words that come to mind our respect, reverence, reuse, reclaim, and the other word that many don't wish to utter. Redevelopment. However, this redevelopment is being done in a different way. By respecting the wishes of the community that will be using it and living nearby, by revering the past and letting it inform the future by reusing or reclaiming what was once grand and bringing it back to a full, colorful, vibrant life. There are some who would have you believe that more time or a different plan, effectively putting a bell jar atop that campus is the best strategy. But what that campus is is now a ghost, a shell, quietly crumbling and fading, moldering away. It will never be what it once was. That time has passed. Let it be rewarded for waiting. Let it be rewarded with voices, laughter and a new legacy. Dedication to this process and to the community seems to be foremost in the minds of the city planning team. I personally feel that every one of the team members have gone above expectations to deliver a vision that we can all build on. The community has been brought together through this city led small area plan process is truly the seed that will begin the new life that is being envisioned for the Loreto Heights campus. In closing, I fully support the Loretta Hite small area plan. I am greatly and deeply appreciative of the partnership which has been created with those on the city planning team, the community and with West Side. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next up, Bonnie Gilbert. I'm Barney Gilbert and I have lived in Harvey Park. He lived in Harvey Park not far from Loretto Heights for the past 30 years. I am disappointed about the lack of community engagement in the process of the small area and special district plans. Questions about gentrification. Affordable housing. Increased traffic. Historic districts, including view planes and open space were not adequately addressed at the community wide meetings. It would have been helpful to have an open mic where we can have a give and take with other participants and talk out our concerns. There was also a Spanish language meeting that had very little attendance, leading us to believe that there is not much outreach in this heavily Latino community. The lack of outreach was disappointing. When asking questions during the area plan meetings. The community had been told over and over that certain topics would not be addressed because it was too soon in the process. Then we found out just a week after the summer, small area plan meetings were over by accident that the service plan was released and including many of the answers to our questions, but still not about the but still there was no answer about the amount of affordable housing other than with Pam Hall. Another major concern an historic, historic district designation in open space, which specifically includes views in Denver. We, what identifies us as Democrats and what people talk about when they come from outside is the views in the mountains. That's the number one thing that make this a special place visually. So that brings me to The View planes at Loreto Heights. Do we want to have row after row of buildings that block views of the beautiful administration building and block views from the administration building? These views and the buildings on the campus are treasures. The plan also does not allow for enough green space. There needs to be more, which complements the historic feel of the campus and helps to keep the area's original feet, feel of natural beauty and magistrate protected from the densely populated city that Denver has become. The campus should be designated a historic district, which would protect the character defining features such as the views and the buildings for future generations. Because we don't want Denver to become just any big city, and specifically, we don't want Loretta Heights to become just another dense housing development which may not be affordable. I request that you do not pass a small area plan until we have assurances about historic districts, including views, affordable housing, open space, gentrification and suitable information on how the increased traffic will be handled. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, James Hawksworth. Good evening. My name is James Hawksworth and I'm a local pastor and member of our community who has a deep interest in the future of Loreto Heights. I had the privilege of leading a special Christmas service in the historic chapel in December of 2018, in partnership with Councilman Flynn, who I commend his singing to anyone as well . All right, Father Joseph Dang, chaplain for the. DPD, as well as a member of the Vietnamese community and a great leader there. And at that event, we saw approximately 300 members of the community come out in force to celebrate Christmas in such a beautiful and sacred space. The evening for told the potential of the renewal of the campus for the sake of the entire community. And I would argue again, it was a beautiful evening. Well, Representative, the community, after looking over the small area plan myself, I believe the plan. Will accomplish the dreams of the city and the community as a whole. I believe this plan will help create a deeper identity for. Southwest Denver and will seek to be a community that engages people from all walks of life. I believe the history of the campus will be honored by repurposing it with integrity for such a beautiful space. As we've even heard tonight from even the historic Denver gentlemen. Contrary to what some. May say this evening, the process was transparent, well-received and broadly open to the. Diversity of the area. I believe the process is truly. Created a consensus that allows the process to move forward in good faith. Few individuals may have attempted to create a bit of disruption to an overall what I would argue, beautiful process. And I commend the city. For managing disruptions with integrity and. Utmost professionalism. In conversations that. I have had with West Side, other members of the community and members. Of the steering committee. I have been encouraged by how sensitive, particularly the developer, has been when it comes to maintaining the integrity of the area by giving it new life for long term use and enjoyment. I personally attended many of the steering committee meetings and I found the process thorough and well-executed. I would like to encourage council to approve the plan as submitted. And that planning board that has brought forth this in such great effort, and that I would recommend once again that you approve this. The process, again, I would say, has been filled with integrity and hard work, and I hope no further delays would hinder the progress that has been made. Thank you. Next up, Jim Gibson. And I'm going to call the next five to come up with the front row. Paul Fea, you know, Carl Christianson, Bonnie DeHart, Jim Hartman and Kathleen Kind. Wait. Good. Okay. Good evening. My name is Jim Gibson, and I live in Harvey Park. I lead the Laredo Heights Community Initiative, a project of the Harvey Park Community Organization. Our group has been working on this project since late 2016, when Tokyo University sadly announced it was closing and putting the property up for sale. I had the honor to serve on the Loretta Hyde small area plan steering committee. I'd like to thank Councilman Flynn for the opportunity to serve our community. Unfortunately, this area plan is filled with specifics of what the developer wanted to be included, but has very little details about what the community needed to be included. The response from the developer to many of the community community's questions was always the same. It's too early to address those issues. Then one week, exactly one week after our last area plan steering committee meeting on July 23rd, a service plan to create a metropolitan district for the property was presented by the developer to the City Council's Finance and Governance Committee. The document clearly worked on during the area plan process provides many of the answers to the questions the community had been asking. Unfortunately, those answers were never provided and the community never had an opportunity to more meaningfully weigh in on the issues. As a result, the area plan, while well-meaning, is simply too broad and does not provide a roadmap to meeting the goals that I think we all share. When the site planning process occurs, these provisions will need to be significantly strengthen the plan and provide what we need. Placing a historic district designation on the property before any redevelopment takes place will go a long way toward preserving the unique, historic and esthetic character defining features of the property. The site needs stronger and more specific protections to preserve the iconic views to and from the campus. The site also needs more open space and more details on the size and location of these open spaces. Finally, traffic should be more thoroughly addressed because the project at Resident and Daily Visitor information provided by the developer right after the small area process was completed is now available. I hope you understand our strong feelings about this beautiful site and why we're asking for these additional specifics. This place has been a big part of our community for decades and it is near and dear to our hearts. Please help us save this important south west Denver treasure. Thank you very much for your time this evening. Thank you. Next to Paul for your you know. Good evening, counsel. You know, it's interesting. I'm here with Eli Hartman. We met at Ridge Counsel about two years ago, maybe three years ago, trying to get a performing arts center in the Fruitvale School out in Rio Ridge, which would have been a fantastic facility for education in its proper. If you've never been out on 44th out there, 44th and Oakridge area. Go out there and check that out. But the building is now homes. I don't know how affordable they are, but the idea of the fact that another public facility is now housing never again to serve the children or adults or anybody for that matter. You know, we're going back to October 12th, 2017, when the Florida Heights Redevelopment Community recommendations came out and that the number one was develop a comprehensive cultural, historical, topographical, environmental esthetic assessment report. And that's all that's it. There's nothing about housing or anything of that nature. And on the second point, plans and designs need to ensure ensure the continued usefulness and integrity of the cemetery or a place of reflection and contemplation. Now, in order to ensure anything, you need a deed. Now we have offered the developer a quick claim deed and that still stands. As far as a quitclaim deed, the city and county of Denver could put it together. And I have five quitclaim deeds here for five parcels. If nothing else, number one should be for the cemetery. And I'm asking for you to tonight to put this off until the cemetery is insured. And is safe for not the dead nuns, but the living through Jesus Christ nuns. Okay. We're not dealing with a situation that of course, I'm about the arts and I've given you a proposal. All the new council people have a proposal from 2017. Check it out. We are number one in arts and humanities in the nation coming from zero. I'm sorry about your time is wiped out. Next up, Karl Christiansen. Evening Council. I'm Carl Christianson. My wife and I are both Denver area natives. My wife grew up in the Bear Valley area. I grew up in the Green Mountain area. We purchased a home in Harvey Park, just west of the Laurel Heights area 26 years ago. And we love our neighborhood. We love the Laurel Heights campus. We've enjoyed being neighbors with that for so many years. And when we saw that particular our heights was failing, we kind of dreaded what might happen. And so we were really excited to see the development plan come forward. We were really pleased with the community engagement and we felt like we had a lot of opportunity to give input into the plan and what that area would become. We feel like they were very respectful of looking at the things we valued in terms of historic preservation, open space and also thinking in terms of economic development. I don't know how. Many of you think. That we can preserve the beautiful buildings on campus without some kind of revenue stream? You know, they're not going to fix themselves. And so I think it is a very sustainable plan in our view. And we're really looking forward to all the potential that's going to be on that site for a community gathering place, for cultural development , for different kinds of housing. And so my wife and I are just very excited to see what the next 26 years will bring for us in that neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Bonnie DeHart. Thank you. My name is Bonnie DeHart. I lived in Harvey Park, just north of Yale Avenue since 1989. And I'm hoping to age in place there if I can. And although I share some of the concerns of the Harvey Park Community Organization concerning future impacts on the area, including traffic congestion, possible gentrification, higher taxes, possibly small businesses currently in the area being unable to compete once the new development occurs. I also believe that West Side Investment Partners have made an extensive effort to include the community in in the planning effort. And I. Believe the plans will in all. Likelihood move forward at this point. So I'm here today primarily to add my voice to the historic preservation plans for the area. And I want to preface those comments by saying I'm neither a sister of Loreto, Nora co member, I'm not a graduate of Loretto Heights, not even Catholic. But but I say all that to stress that there's a broader support for the historic preservation pieces of this plan beyond those who have a long term and specific. Engagement. With Ladera Heights. The sisters in Loretto have contributed to Colorado and to this community for over 100 years and continue to be a force for justice and peace in this very divisive world we're now living in and to advocate for the most vulnerable members of our society. I stand with them and I want to see their legacy continue. One small way we can do that is to ensure the preservation of some of the icons of the Loreto Heights campus. I'd like to specifically see not just a verbal assurance, but a firm written commitment in place for the care and maintenance of this cemetery at Loreto Heights into perpetuity. You're into perpetuity, not for five or ten years, but forever. I'd like that commitment to be made in writing before plans move forward. I'd also like to see stronger language and about the preservation of the administrative building. And whatever is the strongest assurance that we can get. I, I support the historic district designation and again, would like to see that happen sooner, not later. Regarding Pan pre-show hall. I'd like to see a commitment. I'm sorry, but your time is up. Thank you very much. Next up, Jim Hartman. Good evening, counsel. My name is Jim Hartman. My partners and I are the Pan Croatia Hall redevelopment team. We've been passionate about historic preservation and affordable housing for almost the past 40 years, working on several projects throughout metro Denver. We were invited first to get involved in a lot of heights a couple of years ago by Councilwoman Sally Daigle from the city of Sheridan. We were fortunate to attend a community meeting that Jim Gibson had put together, and Jim's led many good community meetings. And we observed the change in some of the tenor and some of those meetings. In general, we believe that this has been a very inclusive public process. We've observed it over the past year, and we think it's really representative of what the city should do on all of the types of plans that were before you tonight. We urge you to accept the plan as recommended tonight, and we think it's been as good, if not better, than many other planning efforts around Denver. The library community is one that we've been involved with and we think it's a really great example of historic preservation and community reuse. So we're excited to be involved. We urge your action tonight to approve the plan. And thank you very much. Thank you. Next up, Kathleen Conway. And I call the next five to come up to this frontbench where you will have Susan Leigh, Christine O'Connor, Adriana Pena, Larry Ambrose and Thomas Sanders. If you could come up to the frontbench. I hope I don't sound like a broken record, but my concern is for the cemetery on the property that contains the graves of about 62 sisters of Loreto, some of which died over a hundred years ago. These women took the arduous journey, journey from Kentucky to serve the people of Colorado and New Mexico. They experienced all the discomfort and fears that occurred along the way. They and other women religious really helped settle the West. The Sisters of Loretto found schools all over the area from Trinidad, Colorado to Denver, and every place in between. My sister in law, a German immigrant, graduated from Lauretta Heights. The sisters of Loretto taught her in Illinois and she won a scholarship and pursued her education here. My husband and children went to Saint Philomena School and I went to Holy Family Great and high schools, all run by the Sisters of Loreto. We owe it to these women to preserve their final resting place, and I think we need a historic designation for the cemetery and perpetual care. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Susan Lee. Good evening, council members. My name is Susan Elliott, Boulder, Colorado. I'll keep my comments really brief, but as a member of the development team working on the redevelopment of Pancreas Hall into affordable housing, I've witnessed the inclusive process used to develop the small area plan. I fully support the adoption of the plan as I believe it is. An appropriate. Sustainable and long term vision for the future of Loreto Heights campus. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Christine O'Connor. My name is Christine O'Connor into foyer and I co-chair the RNC Zoning and Planning Committee. And I'm going to let Ian talk about our resolution in a minute. We thought he could go first, but that didn't happen. I'm here tonight both as an ANC rep and as an individual. We're not here to oppose the plan, but to make it better, to strengthen it. And I don't think that's obstructionist. I'm aware that there's extensive discussion in the plan because I've read the whole thing about historic preservation. I'm aware of the recommendations. I just heard something about one of the tools, protective easements being put on, but I don't have enough information yet to know how that's going to play out at the site development and large development review phase. But the takeaway is that preservation will be addressed some time in the future as development unfolds. And I'm here to tell you that that sounds great. But to ensure the desire of the community to preserve the historic site as re-use unfolds, we believe it will be more prescriptive to ask for historic district designation at the front end. This historic district designation does everything that the other tools might do at some time in the future might. Depending on how the developer and historic Denver choose to work together, this campus may well be the most historic site in Denver today, and it makes sense to use the most comprehensive tool. I am going to describe Jim Hartman and Marcus Packer and maybe Brad Buchanan if he's listening. Well, know this example in Lowry where historic district designation saved hangar two in 2007. The owner and Brad Buchanan is the architect and Marcus partner as the promoter. He's also helping these developers came forward to demolish Hangar two. They said, oh, we have to demolish hangar two in order to save another historic structure. What happened? They both structures. Both were in districts that had been designated in 1995 before development started. As a result, it had to go to Landmark. It was defeated 8 to 0. At Landmark, we still have one or two and a beautiful dining district. I am asking that you think about the importance of putting this upfront. This step of district designation is not specifically called for in the plan, and it is our position that the plan should include the more specific recommendation that it be. Come to that designation be recommended under large development plan review and section 12.4 12 point 12.6 EA to be implemented prior to rezoning. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Adriana Pena. Good evening. My name is had an opinion and I met. I am a member public school member of the Loreto Heights Steering Committee. Also, I'm here on behalf of the board, the director of DPS for District two, Angela Corbin, who is not join us today due to a school district board meeting at this time. For the context, the public schools on the land where the assisted college view middle school and high school are currently located on the already to heights. We are thankful for the consideration that our community partners gave to the success of our students and their families as we work together on this project. This work includes multiple community meetings, surveys and other information, such as draft of these plan blueprints and guidance in progress. All were provided in English and Spanish to our community. We were particularly excited by the all Spanish language community meeting that we hosted on Saturday, March 16. We provided support with the community outreach through multiple outlets such as announcement during the community calendar in Univision, in Telemundo, Hispanic television networks Dipset Educate Radio and television in the Rodolfo Cardenas radio station. We distributed players in libraries, libraries, community centers and rec centers and community organizations as well. As well as emails to DPS parents and community members. Support from our school was particularly crucial during this process by them not only providing fliers in this student folders in their network, but also provided more information at any time they needed. We are so grateful to have been able to help convene and support our community, had several opportunities to provide our input on the plan in the planning process at different levels of our community. We engaged our DPS parents, students and overall Southwest community to make sure all their voices were heard. The process has been inclusive, clear and well-organized. The school district listen to and consider all comments, feedback and concerns. And they were included in the draft plan. Our top priority is our students. For this reason, the mobility proposal was crucial for this project. The study for a new street connection extending south from the SD campus towards the Floyd Avenue. With this proposal, we minimize the exposure of our children and families to heavy volume of traffic on the school route. This is important for the safety and security of our students. We want to create a safe and inclusive environment for all Denver students, current and future generations. Denver Public Schools is committed to meeting the educational needs of every student, and we look forward to working together to provide support resources to our students and ensuring that this neighborhood reflects our time as a community. Thank you very much. Next up, Larry Ambrose. Good evening. I'm Larry Ambrose. I'm here tonight as an alternate representative to Tony Hernandez to the Loretta Hyde Steering Committee from the Loretta Heights Community Initiative. I am on the LHC, I representing the Southwest Improvement Council. Swick has a 30 year history of community advocacy through its mission to advance human rights and improve living conditions of the residents of Southwest Denver through civic engagement, health and Human Services programs and affordable housing. Loretta Hyde site is the gateway to Denver from the Southwest, the iconic hilltop site with its rich history, magnificent buildings, landscaping and panoramic views. It's not only the most distinctive, landmark and source of pride for Southwest Denver and all of its residents, but perhaps is currently the most significant and vulnerable historic site in all of Denver. It should be a source of pride for the entire city and the region for centuries to come. As a representative of LHC I on the city's steering committee, Tony Hernandez and I have been relentless in advocating for historic district designation for parts of the site as the most comprehensive manner in order to protect and preserve those features which the community holds dear to its hearts. There is not much to criticize in the plan. It is what is not in the plan. That's a problem. Saving buildings and surrounding them with large scale development is not what people expect, but it is what they could get. Southwest Denver is now beginning its journey into large scale, potentially displacing and gentrifying development. Planning process for the site will serve as a precedent for future development in the southwest quadrant. It should be done correctly, consistent with recommendations given to the steering committee and a city funded study. We are here tonight to continue to advocate that historic district designation, be recommended not just mentioned as the correct process to ensure preservation of the key features of the Loreto Heights campus. The area plan mentions several preservation tools. However, it does not specify when any of these tools could be implemented. Therein is the obvious floor. To preserve something, you have to do. Do it before it's changed. It would be impossible to preserve the important parts of the campus once they have already been redeveloped. Please amend this at the either at these or the large development review stage or in the site planning process that reject that recommendation. And those requests are reasonable and time timely. History will look kindly upon us. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Thomas Sanders and then McCaul. The next five up to come, please. Up to the front bench. Mary Nell Gage, Brant Kirkpatrick, Andrew Chapman, Dmitri Fortney. I'm sorry about that. And Norma Browne, if you could come up to the front. Go ahead. Good evening. My name is Tom Sanders. I'm a long time resident of Inglewood. I'm a retired architect and a member of Historic Denver and historic Inglewood. I support the redevelopment plans for the Loretta Heights campus. I believe the city of Denver has a unique chance to come together with the other neighboring municipalities to create a special place for the citizens of southwest Denver, as well as the metropolitan area. I want to focus my comments on the plans and the developer. First of all, the plans publicize a significant story of Denver's history and landmark buildings. The plans provide attractions and event places for the entire city, as well as outlets for artistic and cultural expressions. Also, residential diversity is created and retail and commercial opportunities are accommodated. The plans include open space, mature landscaping and recreational areas. Finally, a unified community center and identity for Southwest Denver is established. I feel the area plans are a win win for all. The developer Westside Investment has a proven track record and importantly is committed to the project. They have participated in a lengthy, encompassing planning process open to the public at large and the city's adjacent to the campus. All types of interests and ideas are incorporated through a wide ranging, innovative study, and I believe the developer is dedicated to doing what's best for the community, all the while making it a profitable investment. In my experience, it's rare to have a developer who is not solely focused on the bottom line dollar to determine the outcome. In closing, the redevelopment of the campus will revitalize and enhance Southwest the Southwest Denver area for many years in the future and extend the life of the campus beyond the 128 years since the Loretto Heights Academy began on this site. I say the plan is here and the time is now. Denver is a leader in the country of historic preservation, recognizing neighborhood identities and establishing cultural destinations. Loretta Heitz Let's Denver bring this legacy to Southwest Denver. I urge you to support the Loretta Heights area plan. Thank you. Next up, Marie Nell Gage. I'm Sister Mary Nell Gage. I'm a sister of Loreto and an alumni of. Loreto Heights College. Thank you for the opportunity to address you. I have a lucky number, seven. Points to share with. You. The Sisters of. Loretto have been in communication with West Side regarding the cemetery. Our priorities are the proper maintenance and the. Perpetual care of that sacred. Space. Where 62 sisters. Are buried. Number two feeds mores culture. Faith, morals, culture. The motto that is engraved above the main entrance. May those values faith, truth and. Beauty be enshrined. Forever on the campus. Number three. In the area plan there is reference to. Live, work and. Play. Please modify that phrase to proclaim, to live, to learn. To work, to pray and to play. Those have been the life on that campus for 125 years to live. To learn, to work, to pray and to play. Number four, ample open space, open green. Space. To enhance the quality. Of life, learning and playing on that space. Number five, the height and density of new construction must maintain the prominence of the Academy building. Number six, the view plane must allow. The unobstructed. Views. Of the tower building on the hill. And the majestic. Mountains to the west. Number seven Please lend a watchful eye to ensure the historic designation. That the proper tools be employed at the right time to preserve. Sorry for your. Time at Sea of Loreto Heights. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Brant Kirkpatrick. Good evening, City Council. My name is Brant Kirkpatrick. I'm a long time resident of Inglewood, Colorado. And have lived and worked adjacent to Loreto Heights property, which is in the process of being repurposed. I am speaking today in support of Denver's process, described as the small area plan for Loreto Heights from the. Beginning of West Side. Partners, ownership of Loreto Heights property in July of 2018. They and the community. In and around the former Loreto Heights campus have worked and collaborated with the City of Denver to achieve the most reasonable and revisioning. Of. This important property. I have attended and participated in several of the community meetings which have been held as part of the small area plan. I found them to be inclusive and sensitive to the desires of the community residents and also dedicated to the visionary repurposing of the iconic structures and natural beauty of this area. I believe the collective efforts will add value to the community of Southwest Denver and its surrounding neighbors. And again, I support the collaborative process between the city government, community members and property development partners who have worked so hard to provide a new and bright future for Loreto Heights. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Andrew Chapman. Good evening, counsel. Thank you for this chance to give support to the small area plan. I've been to all the public meetings, including a few before the small area process began, thanks to Councilman Flynn. And so I want to thank Jason and his team for putting that on and opening the doors. They're very interactive. I was able to ask questions as well as see them interact with other neighbors and residents. My wife and I and four children bought a house on Grove Street near Amherst in the small area plan seven years ago. Sadly, we cannot buy that house today because it's doubled in value. So, you know, gentrification and home prices are already an issue. And I don't think it has anything to do with the proposed redevelopment of the right of heights. It's another issue that I think requires other solutions, but one is we need more housing. And so that's one reason why I support this plan, is it encourages more housing of all kinds and hopefully a variety of types as well as income levels can be included in in the future redevelopment as well. Having lived there for seven years. My wife and I will walk the neighborhood, take evening walks, and we walk around a park that's already existing. So this the idea of a lot of green space, I don't know, makes a lot of sense. There is a neighborhood park right next to the right of heights that my wife and I and our kids already enjoy. But we do want a walkable neighborhood, a place that we could walk to. We've talked about Pearl Street, Gaylord Street, other nice neighborhoods, Tennyson Street, that that have amenities that people could walk to small scale. It doesn't need to be huge like dome or anything. Just something with a coffee shop, ice cream restaurant, things like that that my wife and I could take our kids. And also we go out for a date night. So we're excited. We see the small area plan encourages that type of walkable neighborhood. My few interactions with the developer gives me confidence that he desires the same kind of walkable neighborhood, that it's a sense of place, a destination that the community proud of. And so for those reasons, I strongly support the smart plan. Could you state your name for the record? What's that? Could you state your name for the record? Oh, sorry. Andrew Chapman. Thank you. Next up, Dmitri is Xavier Rodney. I hear earlier Norman Brown and are going to call in the next five up to the front bench Claire Harris, Grant Bennett, Richard REPP, John Joseph Nieman and Tara Durham. You could come up to the front. Go ahead. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I'm Norma Brown and I'm a graduate of Rada Hinds, class of 1959. Makes me a little awkward. And I'm also the representative of the Spirit of the Hero Association, which is the Alumni Association. I am pleased to say a representative on the meetings that we have held. I live in the area. 2200 south her away. So that's not very far from the heights. I see it nearly every day. The stockholder committee had been meeting with the City Planning Department and working on the small area plan for the past year with much discussion. Pros and cons and a lot of input. I feel that the West Side has been very helpful in speaking what they needed and what they might do. Our work will bring this area of old, beautiful buildings, along with some new buildings alive. And this is what we need in that area. This project has brought the community together. All of the area's developments have been represented at these meetings. I am in favor of the small area plan. I have this written. We have worked hard on it this past year. I am looking forward to seeing you. Vote yes on the plan as written so we can begin to see a beautiful, historic and thriving community in the southwest area. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Claire Harris. My name is Clare Harris and I live four blocks from Mirada Heights and this is the third house I've had in this area in 50 years. So I've lived near Lorenzo Heights for 50 years. I graduated 1978 with a degree in nursing. I also hosted Japanese students Take You in the nineties. I used to take my kids swimming and to the theater for plays. So and I represent college view, which is the whole neighborhood across the street. As you can tell by our name, Loretta Height's management man matters to our whole neighborhood. I'm totally in favor of the plan. We've had a unanimous vote at the College View Neighborhood Association Board. Many of my remarks were covered by Martha Kirkpatrick. She did a great job and I've also seen the project. Jim Hartman is done in Northwest Denver, so I'm looking forward to pay increase your hall being developed. I want to mention that the group that met together, I went to every meeting, every community meeting. I went to see every site visit for the for the group that we worked with that many, many people were represented at that group, including all the neighborhoods, all kinds of other interested parties. We had many people behind us who gave input. What I noticed was the people that had negative remarks and things to say or questions about the plan. We were open to hearing all of them. One striking thing to me was that the developer was essentially just a member of the group. I didn't hear him take over any meetings. The city employees ran the meetings fairly every month. When we got back together, they ran a summary of the previous meetings comments. So positive comments and negative comments were raised again and again. I felt that we debated all those publicly. Some of the people you've heard speak tonight against the plan raised the same issues over and over. We discussed them, we debated them. We came to conclusions. No one seemed to be leading us. They seemed to gather our input and put it all together. So my feeling is that the process was very open. I know people have spoken about how many people didn't attend that fliers were sent out in all in Spanish. I will note that many people in my neighborhood of College View don't show up for these meetings. So I don't think it's about the outreach. I think it's about a lack of participation by citizens. So I am in favor of the plan as it stands and hope it is soon. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Grant Bennett. Good evening, council members. Thank you for your time tonight and president of council. I note that, um, my name is Grant Bennett. I am a resident 40 at 30 East Alabama place in Denver and my councilman stepped out of the room. But kudos to Councilman Cashman and he lives a block away. I was introduced to the Alert Heights Steering Committee as I'm part of the Pink Racial Hall Redevelopment team. We're pretty excited to be working on that project, bringing affordable housing and historic preservation to that project. And I can just tell you that it is complicated, very, very complicated. And so you've heard a lot about historic preservation tonight. And it's not straightforward. It's not simple. It takes two years and layers and layers and layers of bureaucracy to get a project done. And so I just want to start by saying that's what I'm working on. That's my connection to the steering, the small area plan process. So we were invited and sat through those steering committee meetings listening the whole time, and we were impressed by what we saw because of the conversation. Welcome back, Councilman Cashman. I noted that we're neighbors and you're District six. I called you out or you're gone. Sorry. And so we were excited to see the process unfold. Brandon, earlier, the staff member mentioned about the historic resources and the inventory that was done and how really there was a robust discussion about the historic inventory done for the buildings on the campus. And obviously, I very much care about paint creation on that project coming together. But really the city had a great process in place and allowed for that robust discussion to occur. I have a background in real estate development and in sort of city planning. I worked for six years in the last decade for the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and came to many council meetings to watch this process unfold. And I was impressed by how the city really got a plan in place before development activity is happening. I know being a resident in Denver and seeing certain development projects unfold, I don't always like what I see. But the fact that a planning process is happening now, not six months from now, not a year from now, but well in advance of even the project I'm trying to promote means that we're doing something right. So he's excited to see that play out in this stead. And to just really listen in to that process. So with that, I support the plan. I encourage you to all do the same. And I will add on that. Sister Mary No, I like it. It's wordy, but live, learn, play, pray, work, work. Oh, darn it. I forget the work part. Okay. Good job. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Richard repped. Good evening, City Council. I've been in Colorado for 33 years and I've lived in my. House in southwest Denver for over 20. Now. Raised four kids, son in Denver public schools. Ran a small business in southwest Denver. They joined all the sports clubs, did all after school activities. And in that time, I met a ton of people from my neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods. And I see those people at Belmar. Southwest Plaza because that's where we have to go. We don't have anything like that. We don't have. A jewel in southwest Denver. If Loretto Heights gets redeveloped, as is, that might give us something to come visit. It's in our own neck of the woods and people are willing to travel from our neighborhood to these destinations. I think about the people outside that will travel to our destination if it gets developed properly. Let's give ourselves something to be. Proud of in southwest Denver. It's a beautiful place and I love it. Thank you. Could you state your name for the record? Yeah. Rich rep. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, John Joseph Newman. Good evening, counsel. My name is John Joseph Neiman. I was born and raised in the north side of Denver, and I'm a current resident. Of the Harvey Park neighborhood. I want to start off by thinking of you guys for your service as council people and for your dedication to our wonderful city. I'll switch it up a little bit. I'll do a little allegory. There was an old elderly man who was walking down by the ocean after a big storm and the beach was covered in starfish. And he saw a little boy who was by the ocean grabbing starfish one at a time and throwing them back into the ocean. And he wandered over and he told the young man, What are you doing? There's thousands of starfish in the on this beach. There's no way you can save every one of them. And the young man picked up the starfish and he said, Yeah, I may not be able to save them all, but I can save this one . He threw it back in the water. I've been participating in a small area plan and I speak to Matt for myself for over two and a half years. Our initial idea of what we wanted to see happen with Florida Heights was one of the good result. We wanted a historic appreciation for the history of Florida Heights. We wanted to maintain open space and that campus feel that Loreto Heights has. And we wanted a vibrant and diverse community because that's what we already have in Southwest Denver, and we wanted to help maintain the really high quality standard and way of life that we have in southwest Denver. This small area plan is the community driven vision that matches those desires. It was led by Councilman Flynn, who I think led with an exemplary effort. And I want to give him thanks for that. I'm former president of the Inter Neighborhood Cooperation. And in that time as president, I heard a lot about the problems that came from the West Coast Facts Area plan. And I heard about the disagreements and contentions that came from the Gates area plan. And I can tell you after this year long process that I think this letter had similar to plan, is the best summary of plan the city has ever created. And so I'm very happy with the results. I think it does have the community voice and it actually did include the developer, which I was concerned with in the beginning, because in the north side developer's kind of a dirty word. But I think the problems that we have with gentrification as a city, the problems we have with growth problems we have affordability are not problems in this plan. This plan actually helps to address those issues. It tries to give the community voice upfront and tries to give us a chance to show the developer what we care about . And this plan does that. It'll help avoid gentrification. I heard something about 7 to 8% for affordable housing. I think that's a guaranteed low. That's that's the part we've heard definite. And I know from hearing others that we're going to see a lot more. This is a very important plan and I'm really. Glad to be a part of it. So thank you all very much for your time. Thank you. Next up, Taro Durham and I'm going to call it the next five. Glenn Durham, Renee Moffat, Mark Upshaw, Brad Will Wilkin and Sherman Sekou. Go ahead. Counsel. My name is Tara Durham. I live in Chatham Park, which is adjacent to the Loretto Heights campus. I am a secretary for our R.A. It's Sharon Park, South Marley in Brentwood. Arno. I also was a steering committee member on the Loreto Heights small area plan. I think it was a very community driven process and I was very thankful to be a part of it. And I would like to. Thank Councilman Kevin Flynn as. He was tremendous. In getting all of our community. Involved and to be a part of this multi-year plan. And I do support the plan in full favor. And I ask you all to as well. Thank you. Next up, Glenn Durham. Thank you for hearing this out side by side. My wife and I are passionate about history, architecture, and we care deeply about our neighborhood. Kevin helped us organize our registered neighborhood organization. South Marly, Brentwood. Sure. Sharon Park. We also participated in other meetings and organizations as well as HCI, and that that was helpful when Catullus was interested in purchasing this property. A little history lesson. They would have brought everything this this community fears. I used to call them, can't tell us. Because they couldn't. Give us a straight answer on anything. I think West Side has been generous, understanding, flexible in hearing us out. We we literally live five houses from the cemetery. We back up to the open space. I'm a little nervous right now because this is a big deal. I fully support this plan. I believe it encompasses everything that we've worked for for these last three and a half years. Thank you for hearing me out. Thank you. Next up, Renee Moffitt. Good evening, handsome. My name is Renee Moffett. I'm a songwriter and art director and homeowner in Harvey Park, which borders Loreto Heights. I approve of this plan and I'd like to share three reasons and a. Prepared statement why I. Highly encourage you to approve the Loreto Heights plan as well. This process has been sound. I've attended numerous meetings over the past year and have found the entire process to be inclusive, engaging and transparent. Community voices have been heard. Hopes, wishes and concerns have been expressed, and the majority sentiment has been well captured by this plan. Where side partners have been present throughout this entire process. And have shown themselves to be ready and willing to personally connect with our community. Councilman Flynn and his office have gone above and beyond in creating a new. Model for public and private collaboration. I've met more neighbors, community leaders and city officials because of this very process. We are all working towards the same outcome and this process. Exemplifies that work. That outcome we all desire is my second point. We need a true gathering place for our neighborhood. Denver is growing and that includes. Its communities to the Southwest. To keep up with that growth, we need better infrastructure. That means roads, sidewalks, bike. Paths and housing. But to grow a true sense of community, you need a gathering place to relax and convene and increase the day to day interactions with our neighbors of all ages. When the recommendations and guidelines in the area plan are followed, I believe it will create this gathering place that we can all call our home and share with the city. Lastly, the redevelopment of the right of heights will create a regional anchor. Once established, I believe residents will begin to notice concentric. Circles of progress and rehabilitation and revitalization throughout the surrounding areas. I've witnessed this this this effect firsthand in other cities. That I've lived in. Approving the Loretta Heights area plan won't improve the livelihoods. Of just me and. My neighbors, but has the potential to increase the quality of life for the entire region of southwest Denver for generations to come. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Mark Upshaw. Mr. President, members of council. My name is Mark Upshaw. I live at 3492 West College Avenue. I support the plan. I live in the Dartmouth Heights neighborhood, a homeowners association of 72 homes. I've lived there for 17 years prior. I lived in the College View neighborhood for over 20 years and was active in its leadership. I am very familiar with Lauretta Heights campus and the surrounding communities. I remember fondly my experiences on campus of attending theater productions, workshops and especially running around the Campus Loop Road. I have communicated frequently with the stakeholder members who are part of the planning process. It's a good vision plan. It is founded on much good work. City staff, led by Jason Morrison, has done a highly professional job of distilling and assembling all that was gathered and presented. The community outreach was beyond anything that I have seen. The community, the developer, Loretto alumni and other related individuals. And community groups were engaged and. Represented on the stakeholder team, stakeholder group throughout the process. Here's here's what stands out for me. I always felt heard. This was especially true of the developer and owner Mark Markovich of West Side Investment Partners. He answered every email and phone call and was remarkably timely and thoughtful in his response. He attended community meetings that he was not required to attend or did not need to attend, and some of them were not friendly. He was present. He listened and he gave input where he could. I acknowledge and thank Councilman Kevin Flynn for the forethought of convincing the city administration that we need this area plan now. We need it now. I simply don't know what we would do without a big vision and long term guidance that that it will provide for the phased development and related zone change request that will come forward over the next two years. One last important thing that stands out to me as I know what the citizens and organized groups, neighborhood groups of Southwest Denver love and care about our corner of the city. We know its history and value, its history, its beauty, its vital neighborhoods, the inspiring open space, the parks, the greenways and natural areas. We know what schools and thriving commercial areas. However, Loretta Heiss campus, with its storied history and sacred purpose, is more than an icon for Southwest Denver. Rather, it is a high among the great cultural gems of all Denver. This plan gives Denver an opportunity to enable the greater heights to be an important part of Denver moving forward. I ask that you support and adopt this plan. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Brad Wilkin. Hi, my name is Brad Wilkin and I'm a Denver resident and also work as a project manager with Thrive Homebuilders. We're a healthy, local and efficient home builder, and we create communities where families can thrive. I feel really, really. Privileged to be a peer assessor, especially after Sister Mary now just really eloquently described the site. So I feel privileged to be able to work on this site. We're working on a portion with West Side. I also feel privileged because I've worked on a couple of other developments before, and this one is the most community for community centric process I've ever been involved with. Specific specifically. One example is in January, there's a community meeting. In March of Hall and I thought it was so cool and maybe I thought was cool because my wife's a teacher just down the street. And they handed out grade cards. And everybody got a grade card and they could grade how well CPD and Councilman Flynn and the developer was doing and everybody got to grade that and they didn't just put it into a folder then they, they published it on online. So I just want to say thanks so much for CPD. Kudos to you guys for a really transparent process. So we are so much in support of this plan. Thank you. Next up, Chairman CQ and I'll call the next five to come up with the front bench. Tony Hernandez, Gene Myers, father Joseph Deng National and Donna Rapp. Good evening, ladies. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Colleagues and. Folks coming. Here for this very. Important legislation. I was born and raised in Colorado and attended schools here, including college. Do you. And one of the signs that we had a deal was that if you are looking for a rich, sexy girlfriend, you'll find her at the U. And if you're looking for a wife, you'll find her at Loreto Heights. And that's kind of how this thing is work in the United States, this legislation. So you guys are sort of do you want to get a girlfriend or do you want a wife, though? Because once permanent was temporary. All right. And so what we have here really is the first step toward a happy union. One of the things that's a tragedy is that these zoning hearings pit neighborhoods and neighbors against each other so that developers can slide in on the down low like they did with this one. And all of a sudden, hey, there are things. We can't address now, but we're addressing them now. Anyway because everybody's like, and we're getting this. Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah. It's sly. It's like it's wicked. And yet. Councilman Flynn. It's kind of like the cop on this. Is this is this Jack? He let this one get messed up. He's fired. Chairman, please, please refer to the council as a whole, not individual members. Okay. So what we have here really is an example. I need your community to pay attention. What happened to my community on this side? They ethnically cleansed us. There are now very little or no black people on each side. None. And then when you look out there, I mean, black people usually are dead. Look how many? Zero. None. Where there was outreach. Did you go look for. Hmm. And then we went to the Christmas program out there looking out for my friend, who I. Didn't know he could play an. Instrument. I'm sorry, but your time is up. Thank you very much. But guess what? Next up, Tony Hernandez gets you. The going gets you because they line up there and they go to tell. Care to discuss? Hi there. My name is Tony Hernandez, and I would like to thank Kevin Kim, my city councilman, for your leadership in bringing the area plan to our side of town. We've needed an area plan for a very long time, a neighborhood plan. So thank you very much. I also want to thank the city staff for their outstanding facilitation of these meetings. These are hard to do. I've done there was in my past that was appointed by Kevin Flynn because of my expertize in affordable housing and community development across the country and in Colorado. So I'm very excited about the redevelopment. I support the redevelopment. Unlike at Colorado Heights, what we're trying to do is make sure, as the system talked about the preservation and protection of the buildings, the views, those are the things we're looking for. The vision plan that we have in the area plan really provides a vision which is about 100,000 feet. That's what visions are supposed to do. And that's why we're looking for the next phase, which we call the Large Development Review Committee, which will help us pin down what we need is certainty in protection and preservation of the buildings, open space and view plans. That's what's not been done yet. And so what we're asking for is continuing a process that really protects. The last iconic building and campus in Denver. But to do that, we're. Encouraging the city council to ask those tough questions. When do we preserve those. Buildings and views? Well, we have to do it before they start the construction, because once they start the construction, things have changed and the protection is less. So when you have a horse in the barn, you close the door so the horse doesn't leave. You don't open and let the horse go and say, We'll get a new door pretty soon. So I'm encouraging the large development review committee to really certify and give us some certainty in the preservation of the views and the protection through a historic district designation that is so important. Last thing I'd like to share with you is the importance of looking at the metro districts. It's a great tool for financing. As a financier, I've brought over $21 billion in the state of Colorado and have used the metro districts to do that. There is concern with Metro District. That means the Metro District becomes the local government. They have the board, they do the votes without input from the citizens because they're out there votes on the board. So I encourage you look at it because if you do not do a designation at the large review committee, developer can do whatever he wants. And I believe Mark will do good things. But I've been with lawyers and developer for if you don't put it in writing, it's not certain. So encourage more certain powers. So thank you very much. Thank you. Next up, Gene Myers. Good evening. I'm Jean Meyers. 1875 Lawrence Street in Denver. I'm the CEO of Thrive Homebuilders. And as a local builder, we are very grateful to have. Been selected as one of the builders of Loreto Heights. So thank you to West Side and to Mark and to Andy. I was going to talk about my first day as a freshman at DU in 1969, but the chairman still stole my thunder. I think I was told on the first. Day that Loretto Heights is where the pretty girls were. I would just like to compliment the collaborative. Process that has been undertaken. You've heard heard that from numerous people. I think a kudos needs to go to the city staff for genuinely investing in this inclusive and genuine process. I have to admire Councilman Flynn. I've never. Experienced anybody quite as engaged. As he is in this issue, and. I spent a couple of hours in his presence and very impressed with his command of the issues. Thank you for listening. And we we very much support the project. Thank you. Next up, Father Joseph De. Boy, you guys are holy today because we have priest, we have minister, we have rabbi, we have sisters. Hallelujah. My name is Father Joseph. Dang, I. I'm on behalf of the Vietnamese-American community of Colorado. I'm honored to participate in the Loreto High Steering Committee and the creations of the area plan for the Loretto Heights campus. I have attended monthly at the steering committee meetings, public input, open houses and worked closely with Jason Morrison, Councilman Flynn, sister of Laredo's sister Mariano, and mostly with Mark. And yes, I have a problem to spell that is pronounce your name to icon. W I am super impressed with the astonished students with it. Very impressed of the level of input and collaborations with the community planning and development process. The Vietnamese-American community of Colorado is fully supporting the area plan for lower out of height. We are looking forward to seeing Loreto Heights development to kick in as soon as possible. The building has been vacant too long and vandalism has been a nightmare there. We believe the future of this great area will be a hub for the Southwest community where it can serve a multicultural center. I will continue to do my best to work with the city councils of Denver Councilman Flynn, West Side Investment Partners in any way I can to support this implementations of their Laredo height area plans. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, national. Name's National and I live here in Denver. I currently work for. Harris Cooker Smith, that's a consultant. For West Side Development and I fully support this development. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Don, a rep and I'll call the last four up Daniel Craig into for you Nora Jack was and Marc were quick go ahead. Hi, I'm Donna Noble Rep 4850 West Colorado Avenue two and nine. I'm president of my neighborhood organization and an alternate to Terry Tara Durham on the Loreto Heights Steering Committee. When they bought Loreto Heights, West Side Investments could have started building right away without even seeking a rezoning. But they made it abundantly clear from the beginning that they wanted to understand the pulse of the community. So the steering committee was formed a huge win for the Southwest committed community. The committee didn't always agree, but the steering committee members, most of them were respectful and collaborative. We also had some bumps in the road by agitators who tried to knock us off our focus by creating confusion and doubt. But in the end, we had this wonderful, guiding, visionary document without any amendments that I am very proud to have played a role, and I hope you adopt it. The process was transparent and communication flowed freely to and from city planner Jason Morrison and staff. We met monthly and throughout the process there were far for large community meetings for people to share their hopes, ideas and concerns. Some of my favorite things about the plan are the developers asking for a down zoning. I've heard it said The higher the penthouse, the higher the price. Which is exactly why I'm excited that down zoning puts a cap at eight storeys rather than the 15 story of this, the current zoning allows for the first time ever, Loreto Heights will be open to all people to enjoy all that it has to offer. The development will be an inclusive community and will be welcoming of all ages, ethnicities, abilities and backgrounds. It will offer a variety of price points for housing, including affordable and attainable housing. Not to mention opportunity for jobs. This is what our neighborhood needs, and it's what we asked for. We have a developer that heard our desires as a community, and now it's time for you to approve this plan. So the legacy of Loreto Heights can continue. It's such a shame that as time goes by, more windows and those wonderful buildings are shattered by rocks or bullets. Graffiti is sprayed on the buildings. A dumpster is set on fire. That's happened. A vacant Loreto Heights 72 acres is not good for our community. We need to begin breathing life and love back into that wonderful space that the Sisters of Loreto first loved. Thank you for your consideration and thank you so much for all you do for Denver. Thank you. Next up, Daniel Craig. If you need counsel. Thank you for your time. My name is Dan Craig. I'm a resident of the city of Denver. I followed the law out of Hyde small area planning process closely over this past year. And as a resident, I'd. Like to voice my support for the smaller rate plan. I'd also like to note. That I'm an. Architect with. Shares Adkins Rockmore Architects. We are consultant to West Side Investment Partners. And in this capacity we were tasked by West Side with attending. Each and every. Steering committee meeting and public meeting to ensure that we would have heard. Firsthand the community's goals and aspirations for Loreto Heights. I personally attended each one of those sessions, as did. Many other folks from the consulting team. And as an architect, I would like to say to all the folks involved in the Loreto Heights similar plan process. Thank you for offering this. Opportunity to listen to your goals and aspirations for. Fuller. Heights. I applaud your efforts for your thoroughness, for your inclusivity. We appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, interfaith. Hello. My name is Ian Thomas Tafoya, and I'm the duly elected co-chair of the Zoning and Planning Committee for the Denver Area Neighborhood Cooperation. Denver I c is an association of nearly 100 organizations in Denver. I'm also a trustee of historic Denver, and I want to be clear that I'm not speaking on their behalf tonight. In fact, you heard comments from John earlier. I also live in District two. I see in particular, our ZAP committee has been watching the redevelopment of Loretta Heights close for many years before this concurrent developer and before this small area plan. We regularly discussed updates, shared promotional materials from community planning and development and directed our members to attend meetings. I myself attended the last meeting and had the opportunity to engage with city workers and even held a design forum on the site. And we'd like to once again thank Mark and his company for opening the doors for this forum. And we'd like to thank the city employees for their hard work at our monthly meeting. This last August, we hosted an open dialog for the Loretta Plan, during which a resolution was brought forward asking for a historic designation district. Our committee members believe historic designation is the best way to ensure protection. And apparently so. Too many of the people that came here tonight, we forward this to council for the official record. And I do want to note that the 90 we made it in the resolution, we made it clear that we agree that this plan should this area should be redeveloped with a focus on attainable housing. Our members are requesting strong commitment to historic districting, and amendments to improve plans are something that we shouldn't discuss. A recent example is Councilman Cashman's. Climate Change Amendments The Comprehensive Plan. I want to be clear Hastert's historic designation shows the importance of the campus to the city as a whole. To designate or not is not a courtesy zoning issue. Typically, we would move this forward to a vote of the entire ANC member delegation, but due to a shortened window we were unable to bring it to the entire body for discussion. And so our Executive Board had us testify on behalf of the committee of which my co-chair, Christine O'Connor, added additional comments. If there are additional questions regarding our process, we're both willing to come back and answer them. I do want to repeat what Christine's point was, that upfront historic designation was the thing that required more scrutiny for all the buildings within the district, even if they were not individually landmarked. And without this process, hanger two would have not been preserved. I am pleased to hear that two of the buildings were committed to easements only mere hours ago, and I believe at least three are committed to. There is still work to be done to ensure that other assets are protected and approved tonight. It is our hope that our members will this is our hope of our members that this will be addressed in the planning stage, but know that the stronger the plan is, the more certain the community can be. At Preservation Agency is committed to hosting a community conversation with city officials Westside and historic Denver about how best to ensure this amazing asset is here for my grandchildren to enjoy. Now I want to add, I had heard from local community members that only a handful of folks attended the Spanish meeting despite a concerted effort. There are many Latinos in this community. Look at this room now. There are more consultants than there are people of color. Where is the Spanish media? I'm sorry. But your time. Is up. The outreach for this vote. And is this something that came before your time as a neighborhood planned? Next up, Nora Jacqui's. I'm not orcas. And I did my undergraduate work at Laurel Heights. I was a resident of Creature Hall during my stay at Laredo. And I want to say that I am very impressed with the plans for Creature Hall, where all 68 units will be designated affordable housing, and more than half of these are 2 to 3 bedroom units suitable for families. I am impressed also with the effort that has been made for community input for the small area plan. I understand that more than 1400 people had their voices heard either on in community meetings or in online surveys. I want to thank the development teams and the city planning group for their efforts for that and also the Denver Public Schools. May I particularly note the effort that was made to reach the Spanish speaking people in the community? I might say that if the return on the Spanish input was less than expected, it might have nothing to do with your efforts, but more the fact that some of these people. Are having. To stay under the radar in today's world and cannot come out to public meetings and give their name. I support the small area plan and I urge the Council to do the same. Thank you. Thank you. Mark or cabbage? Good evening, President Clark and members of Denver City Council. My name is Mark Ward Cavic. I'm a principal of West Side Investment. The owner of the Lauretta Heights campus at 3001 South Federal tonight, the Florida Heights area lead, Loreto Heights community led area plan is in front of you for adoption. West Side purchased Florida Heights campus in the summer of 2018 only. And I said this before only after all avenues to continue the 130 year legacy of an educational facility were exhausted. For the past year, we've been on the pause button and I have to say that initially I was apprehensive about the process, but I can tell you that I have nothing but wonderful remarks about what we've gone through, and we've been working in collaboration with the community and we've been also working with the city on this area plan process. And the results, as I just indicated, are overwhelmingly positive. I am honored to be a part of this process. I'm honored to have heard every comment, both in support and in opposition. The process has been beautiful because everybody's voice has been heard. We heard loudly that Southwest Denver has been overlooked for many years. It is clear the community is seeking a place to call their own. A community that envisions a mix of use, a mix of incomes, and a multi-generational development which honors the spirit of Loreto, celebrates the existing culture, embraces the campus characteristics and preserves the historical legacy. And that includes the cemetery, while at the same time the community is not seeking to move forward under the current zoning, which is incredibly dense. In closing, it is my wish to think about the future of Loreto and not be sad. So let's rejoice. Let's get together and breathe life back into this campus just as the community led area plan envisions. On behalf of the community, I ask for your support and approval of the Right of Heights Area Plan tonight. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes our speakers. Are there questions from members of Council Councilman Flynn? Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to ask Irene Aguilar to come on up, who's the head of our Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization Team? Because I, like many of the speakers, I'm very concerned about the potential for displacement and gentrification. And I think a lot of us have the same goal, but we view differently how to get there. My view of this is that it is currently vacant, so new housing there displaces no one, in fact in any places people. And the plan that's in the area of the mapping in the area plan has a range of housing from Pancreases Hall and others to come under the affordable housing program, but also affordability by design from thrive builders with price points that start actually below the average values in some of the surrounding neighborhoods. So Senator Aguilar, I would like to ask you, what is your view on the potential for development at Loreto Heights to either help prevent gentrification, to provide a defense against gentrification or the opposite? Thank you, Councilman. Flynn, and thank you, members of the committee, for your attention this evening. And to. All my neighbors who are here, I do live. Across the street from the vacant. Property. I actually, as you know, I've been doing research into gentrification and what can cause and what can exacerbate it. Interestingly. The the placing of a development being placed in areas that are largely minority is a mitigating factor against gentrification. And if you look at the area maps of southwest Denver, this is a largely Latino population. I think the analysis of the small area development plans show that it was 63 or 68% Latino. The other thing. That. Tends to be mitigating is if there is a large percentage of affordable housing and in addition to the housing that West Side Investment Partners has committed to, it at this point is only pancreas. While as part of the large area development plan, we will be having our housing people. Actually, Melissa Tardy was here earlier meet with to talk about deeper affordability and larger units for the area. Loreto Heights. Is right next to a Catholic Health Initiatives project. And it is across the. Street and are surrounded by. A lot of multi-level, very affordable housing buildings, which actually actually again tend to protect against gentrification. The further you are from downtown, the less likely you are to gentrify. And one of our complaints to Councilman Flynn constantly is how difficult it is to get from our community to downtown. And so there are a number of factors here. Yeah. You were on that RTD board. I remember that. But I there so there are a number of factors here that I'm speaking to you as your constituent now. Not as an employee of the city and county. That my apologies. That will actually potentially help mitigate this. I think. I think the largest. Thing that will help, though, is if we do get a true commitment written on paper as part of a development agreement for affordable housing in this area, it presents a unique opportunity to potentially build, as you mentioned. Attainable housing for. Many people in our workforce, including our teachers. It is a big barrier to recruitment in. Our city, is that many. Teachers cannot afford to buy housing. And so if there is a potential to by force to put for sale housing here and the 300 to $350000 range. That could really help to stabilize the community in general. I am hopeful that the amenities that the developer plans will come to fruition and will. Be sustaining and will help to create some jobs in the area. There are a lot of schools nearby. And around the area who would benefit from partnerships and employment and certainly economic development and opportunity could work with. Them around. Work force if that was the desire of the developer as well in terms of ensuring that we had utilized some of the city's development goals around. Redevelopment. And so I think done correctly, there's a lot of potential here. I think interestingly, areas in which the city has had high levels of investment are more likely to gentrify. And as we've been telling you for years, you have not been investing. In southwest. Denver. So I think we're protected. Thank you, Senator Jason Morrison and Mr. President. Oh, Madam Pro-Tem, sorry, I. Know that there are others in the queue. So I will just ask some rapid fire questions maybe for Jason and then for Mark and then I'll I'll defer and then come back into the queue. Jason, could you describe after we had the first community meeting in January where we had 230 people come out on a very cold night Thursday night in January. I came to you and I said, you know, we're not getting outreach or we're not getting turnout from the Latino community. We need to do more. And so I asked CPD to take on a monolingual Spanish meeting. And could you describe the outreach that was done for that? Sure. Absolutely. So great question. So as Councilman Flynn mentions, and I think Irene touched on this earlier, the very beginning of this process, we did our due diligence and want to kind of understand the demographics of the area, the planning area. And we did discover that over 60% of the folks that do live within the area identify as Hispanic or Latino. So in working with Councilman Flynn, we realize there's a great need to engage these folks. And, you know, we from day one, from that first community meeting, we had the bilingual fliers realized we weren't getting the turnout that we wanted to see. So we wanted to partner with Councilman Flynn to have this particular meeting. And so we sat down as a group. And rather than hold that meeting in the evening, we really wanted to kind of think think through this a little bit more and really kind of identify avenues and ways to get folks to these these particular meetings. So we decided to have the meeting during the Saturday morning. So traditionally, we do typically hold our meetings in the evening, but this particular meeting was held at first thing in the morning on a Saturday actually to get folks to to come in in the hopes that we can engage these folks. But in working with Councilman Flynn, we, you know, tried a lot of different avenues to get folks to come to these particular meetings. And so we we did everything, as, you know, not only distributing fliers through a company, but walking up and down Federal Boulevard and putting these fliers on businesses, apartment buildings to try and engage the renters and then even marketing the vendors more. Just kind of get to know your neighbors, you know, complete with breakfast burritos supplied by a local vendor. We actually had a communications team that went to a Zumba class. Believe it or not, I was not at that Zumba class. But there were folks that went to a Zumba class at College View Rec Center to try and try and get folks to to show up. So we really tried to get, you know, just be innovative and, you know, really work with Councilman Flynn in the community. And Adriana Pena was up here speaking about our outreach with Denver Public Schools and working with the Duka and Univision to really kind of promote this particular event. And we were very happy. You know, we did end up with 30 folks that did show up to this particular meeting. Did we want more? Absolutely. But we I think we learned a lot through this process. And we worked with our steering committee to kind of identify ways to continue the outreach moving forward. And I would encourage folks to work with CPD in the future to really, really get folks to think over this. I think I mentioned to you also that the Saturday before the meeting we held this at a neutral at a church at All Saints church on a Saturday morning. And I think I mentioned to you that the Saturday before that I personally drove up and down federal and post to those fliers. Correct as well. And that I also approached CPD because of what Mohawk has said. The second the last person to testify that there was great concern in the community about what what's going on at the national level with with immigration raids and things like that. And I asked CPD to develop a protocol, should we hold this meeting that we advertised pretty widely so that what our response would be if ICE showed up at the door at All Saints and we did develop that, correct? Correct. Okay. Thank you. And now very quickly, Loretta Height's community initiative had about you sent me the spreadsheet today for comments on the final draft. And by my count, with your resolution of them, 14 of them were incorporated into the final draft. 14 Those comments, eight of them involved such specific requests that actually come later and will occur after area plan is adopted but are more site plan oriented. Two of those were beyond the scope of what area plans do I think one of them wanted us to measure demographics with a five mile radius, including the city of Littleton and things like that. And that was determined that that's not something an area plan does. And the only one that was actually not accommodated was one that you heard here that the rest of the steering committee would not agree to. And that was an immediate, historic landmark district designation as the only tool on the table for preservation. And wasn't it the determination of the steering committee other than LHC and Harvey Park, that we should leave all the tools on the table and use the ones that produced the best result at the time they're needed? That's absolutely correct. Yes. Thank you. And just a couple of questions for Mark before I defer my name for a time, Mark McCarrick. Because you have been talking with a strike Denver for quite some time. I have been talking to historic Denver for quite some time. Okay. And those talks were aimed at determining the timing and the sequencing and the application of whatever historic preservation tools we want to use to save these buildings. Yeah, the talk has always been about preservation and, you know, preserving the buildings that are very important on that campus. No one, including West Side, but no one in the community has ever said we should tear down the academy building. That has that has never been in any conversation. As a matter of fact, to take it one step further, when we purchased the property, the property. That was our next question. Put on a covenant that prevented demolition. Tokio Group When they sold the campus, they would not even entertain a an offer from any buyer who would not accept that covenant that runs with the land. Correct. That is a true statement. Okay. In fact, how many minutes do you think it would take me to file a hostile landmarking designation bill? Should you or anyone in your group even breathe the word demolition. To the administration building. Or Pancreases Hall or the chapel or reload or relocating the cemetery? Yeah. I mean, I think we all know the answer to that question quickly. Okay. And finally, what's up with the cemetery? Tell me the status of your talks with the. Oh, I'm sorry. Before I leave that you've you did send a letter today to historic Denver, because although you're not finished and Mr. Olson is still here, I assume, although you're not finished with the instrument that accomplishes this, the intent and the committed intent now is that there will be permanent preservation protection on the I call it the Academy Building, people say administration. It was built as Loretto Academy, the Chapel, Pancreases Hall and protection for the cemetery. Is that correct? It is true. And let me take a minute to explain that letter. It is a true statement that today I did send a letter over to historic Denver, which was I think John used the word a commitment letter. The commitment has always been there. You know, I come from the Midwest. You know, my handshake is worth a lot. I know people don't necessarily believe that here in Denver, but it does. We have always said in all of the steering committee meetings that those buildings would be preserved. Mm hmm. You know, there there is already a covenant on the administration building where you can't tear it down. And chapel. And the chapel as well. And the way that the rehabilitation and the adaptive reuse of those buildings are going to work, you absolutely have to have historic tax credits. The historic tax credits are governed by a very strict guideline by the Department of the Interior, you know, which does the exact same thing, to be honest, that those easements are going to do. So the reason why the letter came out today is that we were trying to get an easement done beforehand. We're having the easements reviewed by our financial advisors just to make sure there's not a problem. But again, it's completely redundant to everything that we're already doing. Okay. You know, it's like belt and suspenders. Last, last, last question before I defer. What's up with the cemetery? My impression is that you have offered to facilitate whatever arrangement is is acceptable to the Sisters of Loreto. Yeah, I've been meeting with Sister Mary now and Ruth for a long time, maybe almost a year. And, you know, their relationship is going beyond the cemetery. You know, they've taught me a lot about the history of the campus. We've spent time up at Regis in the archives digging through boxes. In fact, Martha was there with us and on all the journeys as well. And at this point in time, we have offered many solutions to the cemetery. And at this point in time, we are waiting for the sisters to let us know which solution that they like the best. Okay. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Hines. Thank you, Mr. President. You know, with 41 speakers, it gives us an opportunity to rack up a couple questions, so I hope it won't take too long. May I chat with CPD for a minute? Just some about some of the data around the, you know, in the surrounding neighborhood. So we had Senator Aguilar say it was about two thirds Latino, 63 or 68%, I believe was her stab. Is that. And I think you said you felt that was approximately correct. Yes. Has the do you know if the demographic composition has changed much in the last decade or two? So I don't personally, I don't. No. I think my assumption would be that it's it's mermaid pretty consistent and it's in line with what Senator Regular said. Correct. In line with and also in line with all of the investment that we've done as a city in southwest Denver, as in not much. So there's not really a whole lot of need, I suppose, or a lot of opportunity for change, I suppose, just from natural evolution. The how many other do you know if there were other potential suitors for this property? I think there there were there were few companies or organizations that I considered purchasing, but those all fell through. Is that is that right? I believe so. So the one that comes to mind is, I believe in metro state was offered, but they did not they did not want to move forward with the purchase. Other than that, I thought my head I can't think of any others. I'm sure there may have been more and I don't know if someone else and that purchase was like for a dollar or two or less. Yeah. So that I guess in my mind kind of speaks to again to the opportunities in southwest Denver that have not really materialized and also speaks to perhaps the difficulty in doing something with this property. How many other culturally significant structures are there in southwest Denver, do you know? So what do you mean by culturally significant if you had to put a definition on it? That's a fair statement. I'm so I'm new to council two months as of and a couple of days. And I'm starting to realize that the questions that I ask people want to be very careful with their answer. And so when I ask vague questions, I understand that that's difficult. You could give vague answers, but I guess are there other community centers in southwest Denver as in like placemaking, where people go to to collect, they go with their neighbors and they you know, they that does that is that may be a bit more specific or . Yeah, that helps. So to my knowledge, I know Bear Creek Shopping Center, which is kind of located south and west of this particular planning area, is most likely, I think, you know, probably known as kind of that, that main kind of commercial, you know, destination place type Federal Boulevard has a lot of local shops and restaurants and small businesses. So that's another area I know. You know, Councilman Flynn would know the area, I think, a lot better as far as, you know, southwest of the actual planning area itself. But those are kind of two areas that I think come to mind for kind of a destination where folks can actually shop and experience retail and have kind of that community gathering. Okay. And I guess he does live there and represent District two. So I would hope that he he understands the neighborhood. May I also ask you a couple questions of Mr. Miscavige, please? So think thank you for coming and and thank you for presenting and being available for questions. We've had we've heard from a lot of people. I it seems that in my unofficial estimation, we probably had more people in support of the conversation than than opposed. There are a couple of things that I want to try to wrap my arms around. And and perhaps you can help me help me do that. Some of the folks who were against said that the community wasn't in favor of the plan and that but then once we looked at the surveys, you know, when CPD presented, the surveys were overwhelmingly positive. Do you have any sense of perhaps why, you know, the people who were against the plan felt like there wasn't community support, but then the surveys and obviously there were other people afterwards that said there was plenty of support. I just I guess I'm I'm not understanding exactly why there might be opposition to support. You and I both I don't understand either. I can tell you that the process, you know, has been very inclusive. I can tell you that when I first started, I was apprehensive as well as you can imagine. I think that the insight that we have learned from the community through this process has been absolutely amazing. I have personally tried to have conversations with some of the individuals that are in opposition, and all I can tell you is that the answer is no. When I talk to them. As in they. Daniel. I just. I don't understand. I wish I had an answer for you, because if I did, this conversation would be a lot easier. Okay. And so zap the ANC zoning committee, I believe, mentioned historic designation. I think Councilman Flynn had mentioned it's smart to keep all the options on the table instead of moving forward with one can. Can you help me understand a bit more about the, you know, keeping all the tools in the tool belt, why that's important. Specifically with regards to the idea of historic designation first. Sure. Like with anything you want to begin with the end in mind. And I think we're 100% aligned with what the end in mind is. The end in mind is creating a great community gathering place, maintaining the spirit of Loreto. And included with that is preservation of a number of really iconic buildings. So if the goal is preservation and there are a number of ways that you can provide for the preservation, why would you want to eliminate all of them? But one, why would you not want to take the best tool in your toolbox and use it? You know, we have buildings that are going to be very expensive to repurpose. Just by way of example, Pan Croatia is going to cost $22 million to renovate. The administration building is probably going to be in the upwards of the neighborhood of $40 million to renovate. One of the very most important tools that we have got to have in our toolbox is through the historic tax credits. And the historic tax credits will absolutely provide for preservation of not only the exterior of the buildings, but very important interior components as well. So I'll ask you again, if you were in my shoes, why would you want to get rid of a tool that you could find useful in the future? I know that's rhetoric. I am in the very wonderful position where I get to ask the questions. So the so because I'm not a developer or an expert in development after this, say we were to vote for it today, you know, start breaking ground tomorrow. Right. That there is there the large development review, is that another necessary step before you can do anything with the property? Yeah, absolutely. And that's a great point. I'm glad that you brought that up, Councilman. This is the first step of a of a number of steps that need to happen. You know, we do have the LDR process that has been referenced a few times here tonight. You know, after the LDR process, there's still zoning documents that need to be done. There's a development agreement inside the development agreement. We'll have the affordable housing components, the open space components and all. Yeah, the historic preservation components. And then beyond that, we also have to have site plan approvals and then there's things called construction documents. So there are a lot of opportunities for input still. Okay. So the the comments about displacement or, you know, effect of pushing out communities of color, we still have opportunities to weigh in on that in historic preservation before ground is broken. Is that correct? Yeah, that's true statement. But nobody lives on the campus yet. But if you're not pushing out, all the people are vandalizing the place. Oh, no, you're not going to displace them. Okay. So I think that's that's all I have for now. Thank you, Mr. Councilman. Councilwoman Joyce. Thank you so much. Jason, can I ask you a couple of questions? And this trails off of the last comments that were made just in terms of what the community can expect next, in terms of steps that either they will see or that this body will see. And it sounds like a large development review, zoning process, development agreement, site plan approvals. At what point are you plans determined? Sure. So great question. So as you know, it was in our presentation, we've heard multiple times this evening that the views of the campus to and from the campus actually just incredible. You know, having grown up in southeast Denver, I didn't spend a lot of time in southwest Denver. But the fact that I've been able to, you know, participate in this process and be on that site, you know, since we've started, this has just been fantastic. And to be able to see those views, I would highly recommend it. So the views will actually continue throughout the LDR process, where when we start to get into things like the development agreements, you had mentioned that that something like that, that's where the views would potentially live. So what would happen is within the development agreement we would work with the developer, continue to work with the community to make sure that the development agreement adequately addresses the concerns surrounding the views. The plan goes as far as to make reference to specific locations, so to and from the administration building from Federal Boulevard, the sweeping views from the top of the campus to the southwest, the Rocky Mountains, the front range, and then also to the northeast, to the city of Denver. That's the skyline. So those specific plans or scenic views are called out in the plan. And now it's up to us as we move through implementation to make sure that we capture those and it would be in the development agreement. Thank you. Is it possible to do a traffic analysis of Dartmouth at this stage? Not not at this particular stage, so not at the visioning stage. However, we have obviously we've heard the concerns. You heard the concerns tonight, particularly with Dartmouth Heights, where we worked with them to actually the language that lives in the plan now was crafted by Dartmouth Heights. And we worked with them to get make sure that, you know, the vision was captured. But it's a little too early right now to have that traffic analysis. But one is coming. The traffic study is coming in order to make sure that we address those concerns. Is it at a particular stage that we mentioned before? So it would be within the, I believe, the site plan, site planning process? I believe that's correct. And then my third question for you is the outreach and engagement for Latino Spanish speaking communities. It was mentioned that parent engagement took place at DPS. So everything independent of the of the single single meeting. What kind of input was received through that engagement? So I believe so what we did is we worked with Denver Public Schools and Adriana Pena, who was our kind of liaison, and we worked with her to not only distribute fliers but also, you know, incorporate feedback if she was hearing anything from those folks. And then at the particular meetings, we would have the sticky notes and we would have, you know, pages and pages of feedback that we received from those folks incorporated into the plan. And then we would bring that back to the steering committee, bring that back to the other community meetings in order to make sure that we were listening to these folks and we we had everything covered. So I can't speak specific to the engagement that Adriana Pena did, but she was instrumental in us, first of all, asking us to print thousands and thousands of fliers that were distributed in backpacks of children in area elementary schools. And I know that she did have engagement with some of those folks throughout the process. Okay. Thank you. Just one question for Mark. Now the increase to haul affordable housing units are already set. At what point would anybody know that additional affordable units are being considered? We are considering them so now. Okay. And do you know. What that will be? I do. I have some ideas of some concepts that we're working on. It involves some pretty heavy lifting on one particular project of another adaptive reuse of a building. It would be potentially gauge towards seniors. And that is my next target that we're working on right now. Is there a point where community will know exactly when they'll be able to either hear what those unit numbers are, what the percentage of the overall plan will look like, anything that indicates to them it's going to be more for sure than increase the whole. Yeah. Part of our LDR process as a community outreach, there is a community public meeting I think is the technical term for it. That meeting is already scheduled. It's on October 1st over and match both on the library. So those that want to come, you're welcome to attend in that meeting. You know, it's where our plan is to unfold more, you know, talk about more ideas. We are expecting fact expecting is the wrong word to we are wanting to do more than just penetration on this project. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman and Councilman CdeBaca. Just a few questions for Jason. Can you come back up? Jason, I have a quick clarification there. Were you what was the partner or partner groups role in the development. Of this site plan? So I believe the partner company served as kind of a consultant to the development team. So they were they consulted with was side. Did you come from partner. Before coming to the city? That's incorrect. No. What was your relationship to partner before coming to the city? Sure. So in graduate school. So I went to University of Colorado, Denver for two years of graduate school. And in 2012, I believe I, of course, you know, was was trying to find a job in planning. And there was a presentation that was done by the partner company working with one of the professors. I applied for an internship. I was an intern with the partner company for I don't even think it was six months back in 2012. And so again, that was, you know, so six, seven years ago. So you didn't work on this plan before coming to work on it? I didn't. And so can you. You mentioned that 30 Latinos showed up to the meeting that was designed for the Spanish speakers. Are any of them here? You know, it was so long ago. I honestly, I, I mean, I don't know. Did you guys receive any support from any of those. Participants for this project? So support is in. Letters of support statements. So we did receive. Sorry. Just sorry to cut you off there, Councilwoman. We did receive a letter of support from Cassandra Ornelas, who is with the Southwest Denver Coalition. And so she works she works with this community, and she was also a member of the steering committee. And so she was instrumental in helping us without that community meeting. So we did receive that letter of support that represents that organization. Okay. All of them. So I heard a lot prior to this meeting from people who had participated that there was a very clear separation between the site plan and discussions about how to finance it. Is that typical of CPD processes where you keep it separate, siloed? Yes, absolutely. And so I know it is a little confusing because I know that the Metro District was in front of council, gosh, a few few weeks ago now, I suppose. But the Metro District was identified in this small area plan as a financing mechanism or a tool that could be used. I know Marc and I think others spoke to the constraints on getting that particular measure on the on the ballot at a certain time. So that's kind of why that leapfrog. But you're absolutely correct that it is separate from from the process. Why do we keep those conversations separate? I don't know if I can answer that question. Does the financing mechanism ever. Factor into the ability of the plan to meet the goals of equity and inclusion? I believe it does, yes. And if I know that Andrew Johnson is here to speak a little more specific about the metro districts, I did not work on the metro district and I don't really know the ins and outs, so I'm a little worried. I'm not going to speak eloquently about that. So if we can bring up Andrew, I think you might be able there to answer that. Well, we can save that one. But do you know off the top. Of your head what you guys spent to do community engagement, outreach from your office and then perhaps from you. All mark my work. So I do not have a specific dollar amount, but I can tell you that we spent a great deal of time with the outreach. And again, I just want to reiterate the you know, the avenues that we went to try and come up with innovative approaches. One thing, Councilwoman Torres, I did forget to mention is all of our spin or excuse me, all of our surveys were also in Spanish. So, you know, we actually went outside of the planning realm and work with our community folks that, you know, are specific with community engagement and develop these types of surveys. So a lot of time and effort went into these and I don't have a dollar amount for, you know. Do we ever monetize it? So we do. I know that it is part of our budget. I don't know off the top of my head what what is specifically allocated for that. But we we do have kind of a chunk that is used for that and that that involves the outreach, that involves supplying, you know, food, things like that. Some of these particular meetings as well. Is, is there's no. Dollar amount attached to that chunk. So there is a dollar amount. I do not know what that dollar amount is. And one question before I ask us a couple of the same questions to my mark. How do you define inclusive? I think that's that's a great question. So I think, you know, inclusivity is it's where, you know, I always think back to that definition of equity that it's it's to make sure that everyone has a chance. Right. Everyone has a chance to participate. And I think that that involves. Proper engagement that involves thinking outside of the box. But I think that's how I would you know, I would define inclusive, is that everyone can participate and everyone has a say moving forward. Thank you, Mark. Can you tell. Us a little bit about what your budget was for outreach and engagement? We didn't have a budget for that, councilwoman. Our goal was to get out to as many meetings as possible. And I think that you heard from a lot of individuals that every meeting that I could possibly attend, I was there. There was no budget set aside where I had to spend X number of dollars or once I spent X number of dollars, I was done. So what did you spend? I have no idea. I really don't. And so when you guys were firing haphazardly throughout the area, was there any consideration. For the fact that you have. Yes, a majority Latino community, but. In college. View, 76% of homeowners are Latino. In Mali, 44% of homeowners are Latino. And in Harvey Park, 23 are 29% are Latino. Was there any. Consideration to maybe sending postcards to their. Houses to let them know or engage them. With all due respect, this is a city led area plan. This is not a developer led area plan. The outreach program was through the leadership of the city and me. Mark with Cabbage and West Side as the developer participated. We went to meetings, we answered questions and we engaged with the community. But we specifically didn't do the outreach. So with this. Majority Latino neighborhood and 44 people who spoke tonight, I think there was one Latina who lived in the area, one who participated on the group, and then one who was a representative of DPS. Does that feel inclusive to you or does. That fit with your definition of inclusive? The answer to that question is they weren't. It wasn't that they weren't reached out to councilwoman. I think it's the question of why aren't they coming? And do I think that that's inclusive? I think the outreach was there. The question, and I think somebody asked it earlier, is why are they not coming? It wasn't for a lack of trying, and I can assure you of that. Thank you for that. Just just. A little. Piece about inclusion, though. It's an acknowledgment. Inclusiveness is an acknowledgment of the injustices. That have gotten us to this point. And it's not actually a favor that. Those of us with privilege do for those who have less privilege. It's a partnership and intentionality behind what we're doing to make sure that whatever those barriers are, we're not explaining them away later. We're actually addressing them. But thank you for your questions. I'm sorry, what was that last point? Thank you for your questions. You can rewatch the video. We'll need it for the next parts of your your process. Are you alone? All right, Councilman Ortega. Thank you, Mr. President. Let me start with. I want to ask Jean Moore, are you still here? Gene? Jane Myers. I'm sorry. Jean Myers, is he still around? No. He's out in the hall. They're getting him. Sorry, Jane. I'm calling you up to the podium, if you don't mind. So I just want to clarify, are you going to be developing the affordable units in reshuffle? No. Okay. Are you intending to do any development on the on the site at all? Yes. Okay. And will that be affordable units? We're in the midst right now of working that overall project plan out for the development agreement. Okay. So we're counting up pancreas creation units, units that would occur elsewhere and then arriving at what we need to be doing on our site. Okay. And I just wanted to ask you if you could just talk a little bit about some of the affordable housing projects you have done within the city? Well, I think the big one is Stapleton. And I think between Thrive, we're a for profit company and Northeast Denver housing. I think we built all of the for sale housing, affordable housing in Stapleton. I think we've done three or 400 units and continue to build out there. Great. And we're is was that a mix between for sale and rental? It's all for sale. Okay. So we're a homebuilder, never done rental, never done any historic preservation northeast. And we have enough trouble getting. What we do right that we aren't trying a lot of new stuff. So I'm getting too old for that. So what you're looking at is for sale affordable? Yes, that's correct. Okay. Thank you. And I am familiar with the work you've done at Stapleton, which I think has been outstanding housing for folks that are at a lower price point. So appreciate that. Let me move on to have a couple of questions for the city attorney. I have a copy of the letter that was written to John Olsen by Mark. And I'm wondering if that is something that we can just incorporate into the record and what is the the most appropriate way to do that? Kirsten Crawford Legislative Council in yes, you can put that into the record. And I would suggest, I think that you give a copy to medication. She can make sure it's part of the record. Okay. Okay, great. And just make sure that, Mark, you have no issue concerned with that being part of the record since it's already been referenced on a couple of occasions. As I mentioned before it, we're doing it anyway. Yeah. So it's completely redundant and I welcome it to be part of the record. Okay, so while you're up, I have a couple of questions for you. Can you tell me? So I know you're just focusing on what the financing is going to look like for this project. Had to get through sort of the the planning and trying to understand where the roads are going to be and, you know, what buildings are going to be preserved and what other types of development to include on the site. But do you anticipate the use of tax increment financing at all at this point in time as you're sort of brainstorming what those different financing tools might be? I do. Okay. And do you intend to own and. Maintain the development or do you are you looking to master plan the whole site and have other developers come in and do other components of it? Yep. Great question. My vision for Loreto is to find the best. Developer for each component of the project. There are some things that I know that we can do well, and there are other things that I know other people can do well, like Jean behind me. We brought Jean into this process early because I wanted the person who was going to be doing the for sale to also be at every community meeting and listening in the background without tainting the process, which was a little bit challenging to do, but just to keep them in the background and listening and to continue to have us, you know, regurgitate what we heard. And so the plan, as we're working on them, can incorporate what the community is asking for. So my next question is kind of focused on what those additional reviews are that still need to be brought forward for approvals. Some of them will be done by the Planning Department and some of them will be done by city council. Obviously, if if TIFF is one of your financing tools that will come before this body. Yep. The large development review. The zoning. And the historic preservation rate as well as the TIV. So those would be the additional opportunities where the community gets to have additional input before this body on those various components of this development. Right. Yep. I'll be up here a lot. Okay. Um, my last question is back to the city attorney, and this has to do with the Metro District. There were some questions, and I think Andrew came back into the room. If there's a need to have you weigh in, Andrew. So I want you to clarify. There have been some comments or concerns expressed that a metro district gets to completely do language that waves them out from having to participate in TABOR. And I just want to clarify that. The city of Denver still gets the bass mills from the development. And Andrew, I don't know if you or Kirsten want to speak to this issue. So can you just clarify that this doesn't completely waive all taxes, collected property taxes, and exempt them from from TABOR entirely? So can you just clarify that? So we know this project has 50 mills, but that's on top of the RTD DPS. So can you just speak to that? Right. My name is Andrew Johnston. I'm with the Department of Finance. I work on special districts. I was here a couple of weeks ago talking about the metropolitan districts. And so I'm. I'm a little. Confused by the question, so help me understand it a little. Bit. But. Metropolitan districts the question. To can they waive. The right to impose taxes is that. No can can they. Not. Not opposed taxes, but. The The Tabor. You know, the taxpayer bill of Rights cannot be just completely ignored. But in terms of the bills that are collected on any metro district project, the metro district funded project, the city still gets those base mills. Correct? Correct. So the Metro Pass metropolitan mill levies are on top of their additional taxes because there are special taxing district areas. So DPS, the city and urban drainage, which constitutes about 77 mills across the whole city, are impacted by the activities of the Metropolitan District. The project will still collect that. Those will still be remitted back to the city. The additional mills are what they get to use to offset the cost of the infrastructure that's being built to do the project. Correct. Correct. And I just would like to clarify that, like the city treasurer and assessor. You know, impose all those. Impose and collect those taxes for each of those taxing entities, whether it be the city or DPS and the metropolitan district is a special taxing district that overlays the area. And so just on that, what areas are. In any special. District? They get only those taxes that they impose. So my last question is, have you seen that where we have met districts where it's layered on top of the base that's collected for every other property that it has? Created more challenges for a developer in either building affordable housing, attracting either buyers for housing or tenants for the commercial spaces. Can you just speak to that? I mean, obviously, it's a little, little more costly to be in some of these developments. But yeah, so I can't exactly speak to the answer to your question, but I think just if you think about economics in general, right. So if you have additional taxes in an area, then that's a burden that's just in that area. But the theory for. Metropolitan. Districts really. Goes to. Is there's also additional services and benefits being derived in that area, which is what those taxes are being used for. So it does sometimes provoke propose a challenge with affordable housing or trying to bring certain businesses in there. But usually the offset is the desire to, if it's a commercial business, that they want to be there because there's additional placemaking going on and things that drive people to that area for affordable housing. It's hopefully not too much of an impact, but when we do affordable housing programs. And bring those units to. The site, there's usually compensating factors besides the metropolitan district. And the state legislation that allows the creation of metro districts. Does it really give local government the tool for us to use that financing mechanism as a vehicle to mandate affordability and some other things that are not within the list of allowable things? Can you just speak to that? Sure. You are absolutely correct. You're talking about metropolitan districts, which. Are Title 32. Special District Act districts. They are an infrastructure financing tool. And actually. Creating. Affordable. Units themselves is not part of the purview of a metropolitan district. However, they could provide, let's say, the infrastructure. To help make give like, you know, roads and sidewalks and water. And light and dri utilities to those affordable units. So it's not a direct relationship. Okay. Thank you. I have no. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Flynn, you back up? Yes, Mr. President. And at the risk of, you know, we've been at this for two and a half years in the neighborhood, and I apologize to my colleagues for the length that we've gone on. But this is such an important issue to us. So I'd like to have. Tony, could you come up for a second? I'd like to do some maybe Rapidfire questions before we go on to the next person in the queue. Tony, I was. Tony reached out to me because I was very concerned about the fact that the steering committee was coming together and it was not it was very low on representation from our Latino community. So what we had was, if you recall, Tony, we had Jim Gibson from Loreto Heights Community Initiative representing LHC, HCI, and J.J. Neiman over here represented Harvey Park. None of my neighborhood presidents were appointing or designating Latino members for me. So you reached out to me, I think, through Larry Ambrose. Is Larry still here? That's correct. Larry had suggested you and I've known you for years. You're former state representative, which we should acknowledge your service in the legislature. And and you also had this deep background in affordable housing. I said, perfect. So I feel like a baseball manager. And we we did like the double switch. Right. And you took Jim's seat on on as the LHC person? Correct. That's correct. And Jim moved over. And so. Q You designated Jim as the Zahavi Park representative, and that's that's how you came to be and your input. You had a do you remember all those meetings that you came to? I know some that you missed. And Larry Ambrose was your alternate. And you remember those. And I remember you as you and Jim, frankly, as two of the most active contributors to making changes and tweaks to the language and things like that. Is that your recollection? That's correct. My whole goal was trying to make sure that the vision actually represented with the citizens wanted, and that's why they stressed so much. A historic district's affordable housing. Mixed income. Mixed use. Mm hmm. And not having traffic going through Dartmouth, those are things we stressed, trying to make sure that we'd hold that vision. But at the same time, we've been trying to find ways to have more certainty in those same areas to protect. Because a vision is a vision. It's the execution documents that are so important. So that's why the next phase, the site plan and the large development review committee allows us hopefully to put more certainty, say this will be protected and the toolbox that you helped us create. And I want to thank you for helping us do that. Try to make sure we have the right tools. The key is using the right tool at the right time. And we've been pushing to use historic districts sooner, not exempt beside something else, but trying to get it at the right time. And so my representation of both Latinos, as well as affordable housing has, I think, added value to trying to make this a better vision. More importantly, the execution of it that better meet. One of the questions we're going to be asking more in the next part is will there be a covenant for affordable housing because the prices of the housing on Loreto Heights will grow so fast. So if you build affordable housing now or attainable housing, you may have to consider what the covenant where you put on there to retain those and still have people move up the escalator for rental to townhomes, to single family homes. You have to have an escalator, but you have to have some strategy to make sure that happens. And let me ask you, we can count on you to stay involved in this. Yes, sir. Thank you. And thank you. I saw that you were leaving. That's why I wanted to bring it up. Thank you very much for that. Thank you. I don't think you need to leave, but thank you for staying. Jason, on again, just to not to belabor, but to amplify on the Latino outreach, the question was raised about flowering and outreach. And actually my council office supplemented not the developer because the developer putting money into this is something we actually did not want. But I my office supplemented CPD's outreach. You recall on one occasion for one of those community meetings, we leaflet it 13,000 houses. That's correct. Apartments, door to door. Door to door. We hired a service and we covered, I believe, every address and RV park, RV Park, South College View, Brentwood, Sharon Park. I think Donna we even did Marley and we also I talked to Sally Daigle, the councilwoman from Sheridan, and I got her permission to to leaflet in the city of Sheridan as well. And you recall that we did that for three public meetings, and those fliers were in English and in Spanish, and we had every door in college view and in the north. West corner of the city of Sheridan. That's correct. Yeah. And I believe it. There was for meetings. It wasn't just the three. It was all four of them. Oh, all Spanish. Now, we didn't flier for that because we targeted we we used the Univision and Adriana Pena. We went to the to the backpacks in college view and Dust Elementary to reach the the Spanish speaking community that way. So in that particular meeting, though, we we did actually flier for that. So that's when my team printed fliers. We work with Adriana to get those fires into the schools. Okay. But then my team actually went door to door along Federal. Boulevard real quickly. Then our view sheds addressed in the plan. Yes, they are. Okay, including from Loreto Heights Park looking toward the campus. Yeah, correct. From Lora Heights Park, looking southeast to the campus and. From the campus looking to the southwest toward Fort Logan Cemetery in the front range. Correct. And from Federal Boulevard, looking toward the. Administration. Building. The administration building. Correct. And actually from the northwest, also looking toward downtown and looking toward the building from the northwest. That is correct. Okay. On heights, we described that in the campus core, there is a maximum building height of up to eight stories. We revise the area plan at the suggestion of LHC Mr. Gibson and and I think Larry Ambrose was part of this. We actually did a site tour on a Saturday and we walked the campus and that led to West Side agreeing to language that says there will be one and only one such building of up to eight stories with of a limited footprint, correct? Yes, that's. And is it true that the Ruby Hill view plane covers the entire campus that is subject to an eight, eight story limit? That is correct, yes. So if that one building of small footprint were to be built closer up the hill toward the campus, it could not be eight stories. That is correct. In fact, the view plane mandates that no structure ever, ever will exceed the height of the dormers on the Academy building. The dormers that are on the the the the low roof there. That's correct. Yes. No building. No building. Okay. Did you do Mr. Chapman, an inch of Sharon Park spoke of wanting various wanting various housing types and price points. Does this plan enable that to happen? It does. That was something that was made very evident and very clear at the very beginning of this process, was to have a variety of housing types for a variety of incomes. Okay. Thank you. We heard some testimony that the recommendations in the plan favor it gives the developer everything he wants. And my impression is actually the opposite, because I saw all I saw 230 people from the community come out to the first meeting and we had about 120 at the second and 100 at the third. We had 30 people at the at the monolingual Spanish meeting, and everybody got to put their marks on the maps, including the steering committee. There are 28 major recommendations in the plan, and in them I counted a total of 193 specifically recommended strategies. It seems to me that they all originated from public input. It was 100% community driven. Thank you, Mark. Real quickly. Can you explain the relationship the West Side developed with Thrive builders? And just to preface that, your teams, your architect, your planners were in the audience specifically so they could start to think about how you can comply with this area plan. Is that correct? That is a true statement. I wanted to have them all hear what the community was asking for so they weren't getting it regurgitated through me, through the city or through reading a document. Jason, I'm sorry. I should have asked you this real quickly. An area plan is not a site plan. Correct. So when when we hear talk about the fact that West Side was developing a metro district with a service plan and they had some mapping, regardless of the fact that the mapping was totally consistent with what the steering committee was saying and what the public was saying. They are always kept separate, are they not? That's correct. I said you did not know that they were doing this. I did not. As a as the plan states, it is a mechanism that's used to finance. So we knew that it was in the plan, but I was unclear. I did not know that it was going forward. In fact, if the area plan process became more of a site plan process, we'd be meeting for three years, trying to site every building and design it and whatnot. Correct. So this is an iterative process. The area plan says, here's the vision and then we have the large development review. Then we have rezoning, we have site planning. We even have a subdivision plan that comes to us. Correct. Okay. I believe. That. That is all on Open Space LLC. LSI wanted at first 10%, but I see that they've asked for 15%. And maybe I should ask Mark this like you only asked Mark in the Metro District Service plan. I looked at the open space plan and there seems to me when I measured on my map, there is an excess of 1.1 acre in front of the academy building LHC. I was asking for 1.1 acre. I believe that's slightly larger than that as well. At the time we put the Metro District plan together, which we needed to do as part of the service plan, we we took the best information we at the time and put it down. So I know that you don't have a percentage yet of open space, but 10% is the maximum that you're required to provide. The open space plan mapping I saw on the service plan actually has substantially more than that, doesn't it? It does. Okay. Thank you. That's all. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Gilmore. Thank you, President Clark. Jason, I have a couple questions for you. So Mark had mentioned and I just want to make sure I understood correctly. So it sounds like there's a community meeting that is already scheduled for October 1st for the large development review process? Yeah, that's correct. So that's the required community meeting. That's part of that process and it has been scheduled for October 1st. So I. I. Because I understand what Mark was saying was that this wasn't a developer led process. But I guess, you know, with that meeting being just a little bit well, about two weeks away and we're just hearing about it now, I guess I want to understand what is the the the agreed upon time frame in which CPD sets meetings ? Because, you know, when we did the far northeast area plan, we told city agencies, don't try to schedule anything out unless you give us at least 30 days so that we can be. Respectful. Of working families, families with children. And so could you talk a little bit about your internal policies on scheduling? Sure. Absolutely. So within the early hour process, when we do notice for that community meeting, it is a 30 day notice. And so notices went out 30 days to the property owners in the area. The code actually specifies that it needs to be within 200 feet. And the developer, you know, we communicated to him that, you know, within there's another process coming along. I believe it's the I think it's the tiny home village. Tiny home village is actually looking to amend that that hasn't come in front of you yet, but that's to bump that requirement up to 400 feet. So he told the developer that that was coming and it would it would be a good faith attempt. I think that, you know, we encourage him to do so. So he did notice up to 400 feet of property owners that live within the boundary. There were also postings that went out and I believe and so postings in terms of actually posting the property. And I believe there were nine, maybe ten signs that were posted along the Colorado Heights property and various locations, strategic locations. But to get back to your initial question with the notice on the notice was satisfied within 30 days. The developer got that out in time. And then are those notices also at least bilingual in Spanish? They are correct. So we worked internally to make sure that it actually it is more like a postcard and that it is in English and in Spanish. And are you open to work with other agencies, other community organizations? I mean, we have a really great agency, you know, human resources and community partnerships that might have some different outreach, some different ideas, maybe faith based ideas. Are you open to working with them to increase the Latino involvement and engagement in the LDA our process if this passes tonight? Yeah, absolutely. And again, I want to extend the invitation to councilmembers and also folks in the audience that if there are other mechanisms that you think you should look at in terms of engagement, I know across the board we are open to that. Absolutely. Okay. Thanks, Jason. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Hines, are you back up? Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. President. So may I ask and thank you, counsel, our president pro tem for the question about engaging Latino, because I guess I'm confused about that, too. So, Mr.. We have each affiliate got your name right? I think I did. Um, are you intending to encourage people in the surrounding neighborhoods to purchase or invest in Loreto Heights? You know, purchase a home or. That has never been part of any discussion. I mean, if they want to talk to me, I'm more than happy to talk to them about it. You know, the process up to this point has not been about selling houses, though the process has been and only been about what is the vision that the community is asking for . Okay, fair enough. Mr. Tafoya, may I ask you your thoughts on. Yep, yep, yep. I figured I'd ask the question as you were making your way. So you question. You live in District two, correct? So how far from Loreto Heights are you? Are you pretty close. Or you live in Bear Valley, which is a couple of miles to the west. Oh, okay. So maybe you're not the best person. I'll ask you anyway. Since you're co-chair of the Colorado Latino Forum, though. So we've heard that there are 13,000 fliers issued, you know, cut some of Flynn personally, did some firing. CPD, did a lot of outreach. Do you have any thoughts? And I know this is somewhat speculation, but but with your connection to the Latino community and living in District two, do you have any thoughts as to why more Latinos didn't participate in the process? Well, I can say a couple of things. One, if flowering worked, I would have won city council. It takes a lot more than just putting fliers on people's doors to get people to turn out. A lot has to do with process. And this is something that I see. The Colorado Latino Forum people are trying to take a look at before the West Side MPI processes, which I got cut off on. I can't speak 100% to why people didn't participate. I can say that there is a supreme distrust of processes like this by people in our community, particularly people of immigrants and dreamers. You know, there's also recent examples where Latinos did voice their opinions like I-70. Where they were completely. Run and shot over despite the fact of participating at every step. So if I had a magic bullet to it, I answer it. I you know, part of the reason the comp plan and the Denver plan were slowed up is because of the supreme lack of engagement that had occurred. Something like 12% of the people who had participated were Latino. Despite we make up 38% or so of the city, African-Americans was even drastically lower. I think it was 2%. Even then, they make up 11%. I know that the equity training that the blueprint people in CPD went through CBD. I'm having a meeting with them on Wednesday about Latino engagement. I think they're trying. I don't think we figured it out, though. Okay. And I guess in some ways it's a chicken egg thing except the other way around in that perhaps the Latino community feels not heard. And so then they'd say, why bother? Participate. So then they start participating and then they're not heard. So, Mickey Guyton, may I ask you the same question as so? And again, I understand this is speculation, but but my thought is how really the nature of the questions that I'm asking here is how can we get engagement? I don't I don't I don't want to. Do you want me to do the job of the CDP? No, because I can give you an invoice if I do the job for the CDP. How many Latinos are on your team? And why didn't the Latinos tell you that. You don't flier, that you go to their communities, that you go to their school, that you go to their place of worship and you sit with them. And you feed them and you have a conversation and you ask the questions and engage. And you have people that look like them engaging with them. So do you want me to do the job of the CDP? No. I mean, I don't I don't I don't really have any thought either way. And if you invoiced me, I couldn't pay you. So sorry. But I've heard. Yeah. But thank you. Thank you for your for your commitment to the Latino community and for your thoughts. I just want to make sure that if it's 63 or 68% of the community surrounding this plan are Latino, that the Latino community is engaged. And it sounds like there's an attempt and perhaps. An appropriate attempt. Yeah. And so perhaps I would just say. If they asked. People of color on how to engage, they would have known. Okay. Fair enough. Thank you very much. And thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. All right. So you know other questions. The public hearing for accountable 818 is closed. Comments by members of council. Councilman Flynn. Thank you, Mr. President. First, I want to thank everybody for staying here and participating. By my count, we had 32 speakers in favor, four opposed, and eight who took neither position. The developer owner hates when I say this and he knows exactly what I'm going to say and he's grimacing right now. But he would do a lot of the community outreach meetings by asking people, If I could hand you a magic wand and you could wave it over the campus, what would you make it be? And for the life of me, my only answer, my gut answer was if I could wave a magic wand, I would have found a way for the Sisters of Loreto to have. Financially secured the future of that as a college, as a university that would rival at the south end of Federal Boulevard the success of Regis University at the North End. And it would still be a functioning educational institution that we treasured for 125 years or 130 years. That magic wand didn't exist. Tokyo offered to give that the real estate to give it free. To Metro State a couple about a year or so before they put it on the market to give it to them. Metro hired Jones Lang LaSalle, the national firm, to do an assessment, and they turned it down because of the immense cost of restoring these buildings. $60 million just to get them up to be useful as an educational institution for for higher education. I think that would have been tremendous. But we have achieved preservation. We've achieved it thanks to take you by there. Selling it with a covenant that requires preservation of the of the academy and the chapel and through West Side, reaching the deal with Hartman Ely to preserve pine crucial hall with the certain certain preservation. Although we don't yet know the perpetual care mechanism, but the certain preservation of the cemetery, not a single soul. I use that term advisedly, has suggested that we relocate the cemetery. All I have heard from every party is we want this to be beautiful. We want there to be a buffer around it. We want it not to have development encroach on it. And we have a plan that says it will not happen. We we have a plan that addresses affordable housing values across the spectrum, 30% to 80% AMI workforce housing, three bedroom units. How many times have we sat here and approved affordable housing projects that are studio and one bedroom? How does that work for a family? Southwest Denver is about families, so I'm very happy to see multi, multi bedroom units. Some of the homes will be sold at prices less than what the houses in the surrounding area already sell for. The goal is to have a mixed income multigenerational community. The goal also no one talked about this. We hinted about it. But I want to hammer this like I did a planning board. The goal is that when you come here 50 or 100 years from now, you will always know that this was a campus, that this was a special place. Therefore, this is not just another quarter or quarter section of of Brownfield. This is a sacred site. It's not the highest point in Denver, by the way, Mr. President, because if you think about it, there's Ruby Hill, apparently. No, no, it's not Rubio Heights. I look down on Rubio from my vantage point because the agricultural ditch flows into it from the West. So it's it's not the highest point, but it does sit on a promontory that is very important to us. So when you come here 50 or 100 years from now. Not me, but anybody, you always want to you always will know that this is a campus. And the only way we achieve that is through the plans direction that this is a place you come to and not drive through. Very important that our transportation planners at the city pay very close attention to the direction in this plan, that there's no cut through traffic here. A couple of speakers mention the importance of not having that traffic funneled past save an elementary or even college view DST which is on the campus. Come see Dartmouth Avenue when it passes through the campus. It's only about this wide. It's about 30 feet wide. And it goes between the DST school, the DPS school and the Catholic Charities, Section eight apartments right next to it. There is no way to widen that into a thoroughfare and this needs to be recognized. So therefore, the Street Network here is meant to be designed for 20 mile an hour speeds that we prioritize the movement of people. First, the pedestrian and the bike networks are very robust and we are trying to design streets that that encourage 20 mile. An hour traffic. And if you try to cut through Loreto Heights campus, you're going to get lost or you're going to be sorry you did that, but hopefully you'll stay and attend a show, the theater. So I will I will finish with just to make note, chairman say who mentioned this. So I'll say that maybe for me, the most embarrassing moment of the entire two and a half years was when the chairman and Jesse Paris showed up at the Christmas service and heard me sing Silent Night in German, and my wife sang it in Spanish and Father Dang in a Vietnamese choir singing in Vietnamese. And then we sang it all together on the 200th anniversary of the composition and first performance of that song in Austria. And it was such a moving moment, but. But very embarrassing that you saw me singing in German. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Flynn, if you stick around till we're all the way done tonight, which might not be till 1:00 in the morning, Councilman Flynn has promised to put on another show. Councilman Sandoval. Yes, thank you, Mr. President. So this evening, as we sit up here, we heard from 44 public speakers this evening, and I would just like to say thank you all. I do not think it's easy to sit on that side of the of the dais. I do not think that those chairs, the pews you're sitting in are made to be very comfortable. I do not think that this process is very easy on anybody. If you're a single mom, you're not able to be here. If you're a parent whose kids are young and you want to read them books, you're not able to be here if you're hungry, you're not able to be here because you have to leave. If you don't feel like going through security, you're not able to be here. If you have to pay your pay for your parking meter, you're not able to be here. So I just want you to know that I see that and I hear that. And also, my mother graduated from Loretto Heights in 1961. She has been a co member of the Sisters of Loreto since 1994. Currently she is a grandma and she works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays at for the sisters of Loreto. Like literally right now my mom is in Saint Louis with the Sisters of Laredo's and goes to the mother house. So my entire life I have heard about the Sisters of Loreto and the impact that they have on this community and in Denver in general. And I also heard that gentrification is real. I also understand your anger and your frustration at some of the processes that the city undertakes. It can feel be can feel like you're disenfranchized displacement has already happened in the Northside. So I feel your pain. I really understand what you're going through. And yet I also know how important a neighborhood planning process is. I also know how important it sets the future. It's not going to set my future. I'm in my forties. It's going to set my kids future and the future generations after that. And so these processes are not easy. Democracy is not easy. Democracy is messy and it's angry. And all of you would not be sitting here tonight if this wasn't your home, if it wasn't something. That you've really believed in, whether we agreed or we don't, it's your process. And so I just want you to understand that I hear you. And I also hope that you all understand tonight that this is not the end of the process. Use this energy that you have to come back to our council and talk to us about the preservation. I hope that in the next four years before there's another general election, that these applications about the preservation of this historic site come forward. You will have open ears. People will understand. We will remember being here until 936 at night. Hearing from you all tonight. Come back and talk to us about the rezonings, about the Dartmouth traffic issues. Don't let this process end. A lot of times the city leads these processes and then we forget about the people and you forget about the energy. And you go back to your daily life and you go back to work and you go back to your kids. Continue this process. You have a new council here in front of you and we are listening and I understand your pain. Northwest Denver. When I was growing up, it was 60% Latinos. When my father started Lacazette's in 1972, we were a Latino neighborhood and we are no longer. And so I understand what you are saying. And yet at the same time, I understand this planning process is real and it's important and it's important that we do it right . So thank you to all the task members who gave up hours, hours after hours after hours to make sure that this plan ended up in front of us. Thank you to the critical thinkers who pushed beyond and thought beyond what was normally presented in front of them. We need you. Thank you. To the land use people who think critically and push these issues. It's your your voices are invaluable. You. It's priceless. So I just want to start by saying that. And thank you, Councilman Flynn, for showing us what a what a neighborhood process with having 450 people looks like. That does not happen in northwest Denver. It just does not. So thank you for your leadership on this. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Torres. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of things. I know that we were sent a number of recommended languages for amendments. And even my own appreciation for the number of processes that are coming up has made clear that there are a lot of those decisions that are going to be made in the LDR, the zoning plan, the development agreement, the site plan. So I look forward to capturing each of those pieces through each of those processes, including the number of affordable and deeply affordable and multifamily multi individual units. One of the things that I just wanted to say was the way that we think about community access for everyone, everyone has a say. That's equality. That's not equity. Equity means we're deliberately going out of our way, making it a part of our effort to capture historically underrepresented voices. And that's equity. And that needs to be 60% of a community process if it's 60% of the community. So I really do want to and I look forward and it was one of the reasons I'm I wanted to be in the seat right now from my prior job. That's that's where I want us to get to as a city. And I worked hand in hand with CPD a number of times who, in my experience do want to do better and do make efforts to capture intentional information from the community members themselves. I've done those projects with them. Everyone, every single project is not always the same. And so we've got to create an entirely different mechanism for community engagement. And I absolutely agree with Ms.. Guyton that it is through relationships, it's not through emails and fliers. And so all that to say, we have a lot more work to do and I'll be in it with you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman. Thank you, Mr. President. Councilwoman Torres actually said what I wanted to say, but better. So thank you. The only other thing that I wanted to say other than equity and and that we're in the middle of the process, we're not at the end. And so I would strongly urge exactly what Councilwoman Torres had said about if it's 60% of the neighborhood, it should be 60% of the process. The only other thing I'd say is I live in Denver's perfect ten, which is obviously I'm partial. But when I campaigned, I talked a lot about the 20 minute neighborhood, as in let's get beyond cars and let's get everything that a neighborhood needs to survive and thrive within a 20 minute walk right or role as in no cars. And I see this as an opportunity for a 20 minute neighborhood in in southwest Denver. And the reason why I like the 20 minute neighborhood is, first of all, climate change is real and we need to get out of our single occupant vehicles. The second is this It's good for physical health for us to walk around and see grass and see the the buildings around us instead of see the the dashboard in front of us and the steering wheel. And then the third is it helps community. It helps us grow as a as a neighborhood. It gives us a place to go and meet our friends and meet our neighbors and hold hands with our partners and walk her dogs. And and it sounds to me that Southwest Denver doesn't have that. Denver's perfect ten, has it? I'd like for it to be even better, but frankly, I would like that for everywhere, including District two, to have a place where there could be a the concept of a not the concept, but the reality of a 20 minute neighborhood. And so I, I like the the plan. I like the idea. I want to make sure that the community is is included and engaged. And so, again, what Councilwoman Torres said, I would echo. So thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilman Hawkins. All right. Seeing no other nobody else in the Q. I'll just end by saying thank you to all of you for coming for sticking with us, and thank you also to the people who are here for the next one that we're doing after this. I really want to say thank you to my colleague, Councilman Flynn, who really, I think, went above and beyond for our community on this process. And just just. I. Just thank you for everything. As I say, thank you to Clara Harris, who is one of my arsenal presidents. And as was stated, literally the name of the neighborhood is College View. And that's how important this site is to my community. And so for a year, just being in there at every meeting and involved and reporting back to the community and representing, you know, our community, thank you for that. I also want to say thank you to staff for all the hard work on this. This was not an easy process. And thank you to Mark for pushing pause and not developing. Just saying, hey, used by right, I'm going to go start building and building something that would not have been what the community wanted or would not have been good for. Denver So thank you all around. As I've mentioned before, this is a very special place for me. This is the spot that brought my mother to Denver. It's the place my dad, Chairman Sekou, mentioned earlier. My dad literally went to the right of way heights and found his wife and picked her up. For their first. Date there. And so this is a very special place for me personally and to, you know, to go through this process and to see and to see, you know, my mother's eyes just completely light up. When she found out that Pan Krisha, where she lives, was home for. Her. Her first home outside of the Midwest, where she came from, that it was going to be turned back into housing and affordable housing at that. So it's just been really great to see and I'm so excited to take this next step. I think it's a great plan. It's creating a community driven plan. And thank you to everybody who who got us to where we are. I'm excited to vote yes tonight. So, Madam Secretary, roll call. Black eye. CdeBaca. No. Flynn I. Gillmor I Herndon Hines. I. Cashman. I. Kenny Ortega I. Sandoval, I swear I. Torres, I. Mr. President. Hi, I'm Secretary. Please close the voting in US Results 11. I is one name. 11 I was one accountable. 818 has passed if you. For our. You are welcome and invited to stay with us because we're still going. If you're not going to, I would ask that you please exit as quietly as possible in respect for the people who are still here for the next one.