Important updates
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An Open Letter from the SANA Board to City Council on the Group Living Amendment
February 4, 2021
Denver City Council Members and Mr. Webb:
This communication is being sent by the Board of the Seventh Avenue Neighborhood Association (SANA) on behalf of the Members of the organization. This letter is in response and opposition to the proposed Group Living Amendment (GLA) and Denver City Council’s scheduled final public hearing and vote on the GLA at its meeting next week on Monday, February 8th.
At our January SANA General Membership Meeting the Membership overwhelming supported a list of concerns with the proposed GLA and the SANA Board officially adopted the list of concerns. In addition, SANA Membership unanimously approved SANA opposing adoption of GLA, and the SANA board was authorized to formally oppose the GLA and to participate in any measures necessary to ensure adoption of it in its current form is not approved by Council.
Although we have previously provided a more detailed list of concerns to Councilman Hinds and we are informed that you have been further contacted in opposition by our neighboring RNO’s and an immense number of other constituents, we wish to highlight some of the more serious, high-level issues that SANA sees with the GLA. Among other concerns, our membership identified these issues as being of the greatest concern:
Instead of racing to the finish line on this fatally flawed and permanent zoning change, let’s take the time we need to fully discuss and align the community on a new plan that takes into account the lessons we’ve learned over the last year. The Mayor’s office claims that, “This is about making housing options available for everyone, including adding more flexibility for those who are struggling, and ensuring that our policies reflect our values as a city,” but from the immense opposition to the GLA it should be evident to them (and you) that the GLA is not representative of the City’s values or priorities.
City Council does not have the moral authority or a mandate to make this change. The GLA will have a huge impact on our city, and the public hearing process does not drive the type of engagement that City Council would need to have engaged in to pass the GLA in good faith. The GLA was not proposed before the last election therefore voters did not give City Council the mandate needed to enact such a major change to our city. I hope you will not abuse the public trust by leveraging the power of your vote to support such a radical initiative without allowing voters the power to weigh in properly.
Despite the City not having followed a more inclusive and appropriate procedure for engaging with constituents regarding the GLA, we believe voters in Denver have found ways to educate themselves and engage, and the result is overwhelming and shouldn’t be ignored. Voters in Denver, through their RNO’s, contact with their Council people, letters and calls to CPD, and otherwise have shown undeniable opposition to the GLA, and Council needs to listen and respond accordingly.
A plan to address housing issues that is responsive to and prioritizes the input of RNOs and residents over that of developers and other special interests is sure to gain the support of both residents and business – let’s make that our goal, not what is being presented through the GLA now.
Thank you for your consideration,
Board of Directors, Seventh Avenue Neighborhood Association
SANA Denver
[email protected]
February 4, 2021
Denver City Council Members and Mr. Webb:
This communication is being sent by the Board of the Seventh Avenue Neighborhood Association (SANA) on behalf of the Members of the organization. This letter is in response and opposition to the proposed Group Living Amendment (GLA) and Denver City Council’s scheduled final public hearing and vote on the GLA at its meeting next week on Monday, February 8th.
At our January SANA General Membership Meeting the Membership overwhelming supported a list of concerns with the proposed GLA and the SANA Board officially adopted the list of concerns. In addition, SANA Membership unanimously approved SANA opposing adoption of GLA, and the SANA board was authorized to formally oppose the GLA and to participate in any measures necessary to ensure adoption of it in its current form is not approved by Council.
Although we have previously provided a more detailed list of concerns to Councilman Hinds and we are informed that you have been further contacted in opposition by our neighboring RNO’s and an immense number of other constituents, we wish to highlight some of the more serious, high-level issues that SANA sees with the GLA. Among other concerns, our membership identified these issues as being of the greatest concern:
- Issue 1: The planning and drafting processes have lacked thorough public notification, transparency, and engagement.
- Issue 2: allowing density in all single-family homes to increase by a minimum of 150% -- from 2 to 5 unrelated adults plus unlimited minor children -- in any size home, during a time of COVID-19 leads to crowding concerns that will inevitably result in increased school densities, trash, noise, parking, and infrastructure problems.
- Issue 3: allowing new 1-10 person, 24/7 homeless shelters, possibly operated by entities other that churches or other non-profits, with expansion to 100 guests for 130 days, and correctional-facility “halfway houses” in our neighborhoods, with no buffer from schools, is of grave concern.
- Issue 4: GLA prohibits the ability of neighbors to object to homeless shelters being placed in their neighborhood, or even next door to them; notification only.
- Issue 5: GLA appears to be a veiled effort by the city to commercialize single-family neighborhoods as service providers and investors will inevitably buy up what limited, existing single-family housing stock exists, having the reverse effect on affordability and accessibility of these neighborhoods to individuals and families who are not seeking to live with roommates or in City or State ordered correctional housing.
- Issue 6: Current Denver residents are being asked to sacrifice the quality of life created by their existing neighborhoods to allow for increased density in exchange for the hope that affordable housing will happen at some point in the future.
Instead of racing to the finish line on this fatally flawed and permanent zoning change, let’s take the time we need to fully discuss and align the community on a new plan that takes into account the lessons we’ve learned over the last year. The Mayor’s office claims that, “This is about making housing options available for everyone, including adding more flexibility for those who are struggling, and ensuring that our policies reflect our values as a city,” but from the immense opposition to the GLA it should be evident to them (and you) that the GLA is not representative of the City’s values or priorities.
City Council does not have the moral authority or a mandate to make this change. The GLA will have a huge impact on our city, and the public hearing process does not drive the type of engagement that City Council would need to have engaged in to pass the GLA in good faith. The GLA was not proposed before the last election therefore voters did not give City Council the mandate needed to enact such a major change to our city. I hope you will not abuse the public trust by leveraging the power of your vote to support such a radical initiative without allowing voters the power to weigh in properly.
Despite the City not having followed a more inclusive and appropriate procedure for engaging with constituents regarding the GLA, we believe voters in Denver have found ways to educate themselves and engage, and the result is overwhelming and shouldn’t be ignored. Voters in Denver, through their RNO’s, contact with their Council people, letters and calls to CPD, and otherwise have shown undeniable opposition to the GLA, and Council needs to listen and respond accordingly.
A plan to address housing issues that is responsive to and prioritizes the input of RNOs and residents over that of developers and other special interests is sure to gain the support of both residents and business – let’s make that our goal, not what is being presented through the GLA now.
Thank you for your consideration,
Board of Directors, Seventh Avenue Neighborhood Association
SANA Denver
[email protected]
Notice of City Council public hearing on February 8 for Proposed Text Amendment 8: Group Living Text Amendment
OFFICIAL TEXT AMENDMENT CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING NOTIFICATION
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
These proposed text amendments would overhaul the Zoning Code’s regulations for residential uses. Key changes include updates to the way the code regulates households, consolidation of all Residential Care uses into a single system regulated by size, rather than by population served, and addition of a new Congregate Living category that allows for the evolution of residential uses that are not in conventional dwelling units.
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING INFORMATION
DATE: Monday, February 8, 2021
TIME: 5:30 pm
Anyone who wishes to address the City Council must register prior to the opening of the public hearing and be prepared to make their presentation during the public hearing portion of the meeting.
PLACE
Virtual Meeting via Zoom www.denvergov.org/citycouncil, City and County of Denver Building, 1437 Bannock St.
ROOM
City Council Chambers, Room 451
A draft of the above-referenced proposed Denver Zoning Code Text Amendment and a summary of the process can be viewed at www.denvergov.org/groupliving.
WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL BE DISPERSED AS FOLLOWS:
Written comments received by CPD staff by 12 p.m. (noon) on the Thursday prior to the City Council public hearing will be included in the CPD staff report packet that is distributed to City Council. Written comments may be emailed to [email protected]. After 12 p.m. (noon) on the Thursday prior to the City Council public hearing and up until 3:00 p.m. on the day of the City Council public hearing, written comments should be emailed to [email protected]. To submit written comments after 3 p.m. on the day of the City Council public hearing, bring copies of written comments to the public hearing and ask the Council Secretary to distribute the comments to the Council. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to provide Council members adequate time to review written comments, members of the public are strongly encouraged to submit their comments prior to the day of the public hearing.
ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS OR SUPPORT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
These proposed text amendments would overhaul the Zoning Code’s regulations for residential uses. Key changes include updates to the way the code regulates households, consolidation of all Residential Care uses into a single system regulated by size, rather than by population served, and addition of a new Congregate Living category that allows for the evolution of residential uses that are not in conventional dwelling units.
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING INFORMATION
DATE: Monday, February 8, 2021
TIME: 5:30 pm
Anyone who wishes to address the City Council must register prior to the opening of the public hearing and be prepared to make their presentation during the public hearing portion of the meeting.
PLACE
Virtual Meeting via Zoom www.denvergov.org/citycouncil, City and County of Denver Building, 1437 Bannock St.
ROOM
City Council Chambers, Room 451
A draft of the above-referenced proposed Denver Zoning Code Text Amendment and a summary of the process can be viewed at www.denvergov.org/groupliving.
WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL BE DISPERSED AS FOLLOWS:
Written comments received by CPD staff by 12 p.m. (noon) on the Thursday prior to the City Council public hearing will be included in the CPD staff report packet that is distributed to City Council. Written comments may be emailed to [email protected]. After 12 p.m. (noon) on the Thursday prior to the City Council public hearing and up until 3:00 p.m. on the day of the City Council public hearing, written comments should be emailed to [email protected]. To submit written comments after 3 p.m. on the day of the City Council public hearing, bring copies of written comments to the public hearing and ask the Council Secretary to distribute the comments to the Council. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to provide Council members adequate time to review written comments, members of the public are strongly encouraged to submit their comments prior to the day of the public hearing.
ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS OR SUPPORT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
Group Living Code Amendment - Weigh in before City Council votes on February 8
To read the proposed changes to the Group Living Code Amendment and to learn more about the text amendment, we encourage you to visit the Group Living Text Amendment website.
In addition, the SANA Board would like to offer our analysis and input on proposed changes to the Group Living Code Amendment, as follows:
Congregate Living (up to 5 unrelated adults per home)
Note: SANA Board members have done our best to read and understand the proposed changes, but we are a volunteer group operating with limited information. Therefore, we look forward to discussing the text amendment at our General Membership meeting on January 13 at 7pm. Thank you for your understanding as we work through these important issues together.
In addition, the SANA Board would like to offer our analysis and input on proposed changes to the Group Living Code Amendment, as follows:
Congregate Living (up to 5 unrelated adults per home)
- Up to 5 unrelated adults, plus unlimited related adults
- Independent of dwelling size--this could be a tremendous number of people and is not reduced for smaller dwellings
- Parking: Only one parking space per 1000 SF that allows up to 5 unrelated adults is insufficient; Section 7.4.4 requires only 0.5 parking spaces per 1000 SF
- No permit review
- "20 Minute Neighborhood" goal: Planning pretends it already exists. How long until Denver has "20 Minute Neighborhoods", and what happens until then and if it this concept never materializes? Denver does not have autonomy over public transit. Residents keep being asked to accept bit changes today (e.g., ECAP, EAP) for the hope that some future benefits appear (e.g., greater affordability, public transit) with no real guarantees
- Potential impacts to historic neighborhoods, such as 7th Avenue should be explored
- The number of adults should be a combination of related and unrelated adults AND should also look at the total number of people
- The cap should be tied to the number of bedrooms and size of the dwelling to ensure safe living conditions
- There should be better safeguards to ensure everyone (including existing residents) has the right to the quiet enjoyment of their residence/property.
- These proposals risk introducing a lot of negative impact on neighborhoods without any level of protection. Where are the safeguards for existing residents if negative impacts arise?
- The number would be "capped" to avoid overburdening neighborhoods, but what is that cap? What are the restrictions on where they would be located? We'd like more clarity here.
- The City cited research that such facilities do not negatively impact property values--but the study cited looked at properties near busy streets and shopping centers, and those properties had already been negatively impacted. We think additional analysis is required to truly answer the question of impacts to property values.
- Is this transparent? Or is this a way to get "Community Corrections" facilities established with less resistance? We have serious concerns about the lack of transparency this amendment would cause and potential negative impacts to existing residents.
- Proposal should be that they are prohibited in neighborhoods that are currently single- and two-unt zoning, so that future Council cannot open up existing neighborhoods to Community Corrections by simply "upzoning" existing single and two-unit districts through, for example, arguments for affordability.
- These criteria should be spelled out in precise detail so that people can better understand the potential impacts.
Note: SANA Board members have done our best to read and understand the proposed changes, but we are a volunteer group operating with limited information. Therefore, we look forward to discussing the text amendment at our General Membership meeting on January 13 at 7pm. Thank you for your understanding as we work through these important issues together.
Links for Key Community & City Resources
From setting up a community-wide yard sale to knowing how to contact your local Denver Police branch, we have all the information you need. Are you considering the purchase of a new house in the SANA neighborhood? Follow the statistics links below to learn more about the history of your property to help give you the confidence to buy. Want to find out more about crime in the neighborhood? Need to know how to report or remove graffiti around your home? Find that information and more through the links below.
And if you still don't see what you are looking for, don't hesitate to Contact Us.
And if you still don't see what you are looking for, don't hesitate to Contact Us.
NextDoor
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Nextdoor is a free, private social network for you, your neighbors and your community. It's the easiest way for you and your neighbors to talk online and make all of your lives better in the real world. Many SANA residents are already using Nextdoor to build a happier, safer community.
We encourage you to sign up! To learn more, click on the button, below: |
Nextdoor can be used to to:
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Crime & Statistics
Denver Police |
Crime |
Graffiti |
