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DENVER SUED OVER GOLF COURSE REDESIGN by J. Patrick O’Leary Park Hill resident, golfer and former Colorado Attorney General J. D. MacFarlane filed a lawsuit on June 13 against the City and County of Denver over its plans to redesign the City Park Golf Course to capture and hold runoff water from severe storms. However, no redesign currently exists—nor is one expected until next year—and the city’s attorneys on July 8 asked the court to dismiss MacFarlane’s case on that basis. Meanwhile, the evening MacFarlane filed his lawsuit, Denver City Council held an hour-long courtesy meeting for public comment and approved a $383 million sewer and storm drainage fee increase, part of which will fund the project. One week later on June 22, a city-organized design workgroup met to gather community input for the actual redesign. The constituency storm over city stormwater projects has been brewing for some time. In April, the city announced that City Park Golf Course—and not the Cole neighborhood—will be the site of a basin or “detention area” to capture and hold runoff water from severe storms. To accomplish this, the city plans to redesign the golf course to connect the basin to an existing stormwater pipe that runs beneath the course and along High Street. The City Park Golf Course detention area is just one of four projects within the Platte to Park Hill: Stormwater Systems improvements (P2P). The others are the Globeville Landing Outfall Drainage design and park
08 16 TWO VISIONS OF HOUSING: AFFORDABLE VS. MICRO UNITS
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TWO TEAMS COMPETE, WHILE THE OTHER TWO REST AND WAIT THEIR TURN AT THE NET ON A CLEAR DAY AT CHEESMAN
Park. Read on in this issue for info. on Denver sports leagues! Photo by Jeff Hersch re-design, an open channel and recreational trail along 39th Avenue and another temporary stormwater detention area at Park Hill Golf Club. According to the city, the proposed City Park Golf Course detention basin will be integrated into an updated design of the course and will help protect some of the city’s most at-risk neighborhoods from flooding. Planning began late last year, and construction is expected to begin in some areas in 2016 and continue through 2019. In presentations, the city has said the P2P projects are being designed independently, but at the same time as other nearby improvements, including the reconstruction of I-70 East, a project to remove the Brighton viaduct, sink I-70 below grade, and cap the highway
by Caroline Schomp Ash Street Apartments, a 112-unit affordable housing project, broke ground June 30, 2016, at the redevelopment site of the former University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC). The project at 11th Avenue and Ash Street will include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in a five-story building. It is expected to open in May 2017. “I’m excited to have this kind of project in my neighborhood,” said Councilwoman Mary Beth Susman, who cited the need for more affordable housing for families. “I’m happy to have people who work in the city live in the city.” Denver has added many more luxury apartments in the last few years than developments for working-class families. Meanwhile, average wage increases have lagged considerably behind
with landscape to reconnect neighborhoods on either side. Opponents—including MacFarlane—claim a connection, and are calling for a halt. Although a sewer and stormwater fee increase was the subject of city council’s June 13 vote, the preceding public comment session became a forum to debate P2P, I-70 East and project misinformation. Thirty-six people signed up to speak: 20 opposed, eight in favor and eight neutral. Due to council’s onehour limit, only 20 spoke. After, the council spent more than an hour questioning city staff over concerns raised and claims made during the public hearing. continued on page 25
both home prices and rents. The Ash Street Apartments meet the legal definition of “affordable housing,” which is for a household earning up to 60 percent of the area median income (up to $43,260 for a family of three). “We all know the extent to which affordable housing is lacking. The demand in Denver far outstrips the supply,” said Chris White of the Colorado Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). White pointed out that affordable housing can make money for developers, something that interested the Ash Street Apartments developer, Koelbel & Company. continued on page 13
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