Much has been written following the marathon Denver City Council session addressing down zoning in two of north Denver’s stable neighborhoods: West Highlands and Sloan’s Lake. The neighborhoods are similar in character, primarily single family homes with a smattering of duplexes. And, like many attractive, stable areas in Denver’s close-in neighborhoods, both are under assault by a proliferation of out-of-scale, poorly designed, lot-eating duplexes.
There’s opinion, misinformation and hyperbole on all sides of this issue. Truth is, Denver is a city of neighborhoods, and key to its livability and attractiveness is the preservation of those stable areas on the one hand and steering growth to areas of change (as defined in Blueprint Denver) on the other.
To suggest that increasing density in every part of the city is a good idea is foolish. Absent diverse transportation options — bus, rail, and the expansion of major arterials — density makes little sense.
With the implementation of FasTracks, Denver has an unprecedented opportunity to create compact, mixed-use communities on or adjacent to transit lines. The public interest would be much better served if the energy expended fighting marginal battles (like the one that just occurred in northwest Denver) was instead focused on pressuring RTD and public officials. Where are the champions committed to ensuring those transit lines include great design, strong connections and seamless transitions to adjacent neighborhoods?
Notwithstanding nostalgia for the status quo, change is inevitable. Zoning addresses use, not form. Design guidelines are only as good as the public appetite for regulation and the viewpoint of the enforcer. Ugly isn’t against the law. Drive around Hilltop or University Park to see what can happen in strictly single family neighborhoods, beset by an insatiable hunger for BIG!
There is a also great deal of misinformation regarding changes to Denver’s policies about alcohol in the parks. Currently under discussion is a proposal to expand both the types of organizations permitted to sell or serve alcohol and a modest expansion of the select parks where permits can be issued. Slated for consideration later (perhaps in mid-summer) are proposals to change alcohol permitting policies for admission-based events.
Current changes would add spirituous liquor to the allowed beverages, increase the number of parks serving alcohol to include Chief Hosa, Maryfair’s Molkery and City Park Pavilion, and move the permitting of alcohol-serving events from Parks and Recreation to the Department of Excise and License.
Now, only not-for-profit organizations may be permitted to serve alcohol. Under the new policy, for-profit organizations could apply to serve it at public, festival events. The permitting process would be taken over by Excise and License, where Denver’s liquor licensing and codes are issued and enforced.
Policy addressing changes in admissions-based permitting is currently being considered by a special task force including citizens, members of the Parks and Rec Advisory Board and City Council. Recommendations won’t be finalized until the end of July. There will be ample time for citizens, neighborhood organizations and civic groups to weigh in on revised policy.
These changes are in response to numerous community requests. Anxiety that Denver’s beloved parks are going to become magnets for wild bacchanals is preposterous.
A correction to my previous column: Design architect for the fabulous transformation of the former Tattered Cover at First and Fillmore was Gensler Denver. Semple Brown designed the interior space for Pura Vida.
Susan Barnes-Gelt (sbg13@comcast.net) served eight years on the Denver City Council and was an aide to former Denver Mayor Federico Peña. She is a consultant to Tryba Architects. She writes twice a month.
