Good morning neighbors, Well, we had a beautiful sunny Saturday and now we have a beautiful snowy Sunday. I always like snow on Sundays—such a good excuse to cozy up and take it easy. This week, we’re hosting a U-Hills community meeting on Monday. Denver Public Schools will be presenting ideas for the unused open space at Bradley International Elementary (at the corner of Dahlia and Cornell). Please join us so we can hopefully guide things in a way that best suits our community and the school children. Also this week, there’s a meeting on Wednesday concerning the proposed group living zone changes that will impact our U-Hills neighborhood. Please attend so our elected and appointed officials can know how you feel about the proposed changes. Get meeting details and other news in today’s U-Hills neighborhood newsletter. I wish you a relaxing and cozy snow day, Emily Emily Holben Walker President of the Board University Hills Neighborhood Association
University Hills Community Meeting Tomorrow evening, we’ll hear from Denver Public Schools. DPS has some ideas as to how they’d like to use the open space at Bradley International. Also on the agenda: safety at area RTD Light Rail stations; East Yale Avenue study and 2020 resurfacing project; proposed group living zone changes that will impact our neighborhood; Eisenhower pickle ball court hours of use; and 2020 University Hills neighborhood events. All UHNA meetings are open to the public. Everyone is welcome. U-Hills Community Meeting Monday, February 24 | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM |Bradley International Library (3051 S Elm St) 2020 U-Hills Community Meeting Schedule
Proposed Group Living Rule Change There are group living updates proposed by Denver that will impact our neighborhood and the whole city. Household Living Currently, the household living limit is 2 unrelated adults over 18, plus any individuals related by blood or marriage (this includes family such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc). The proposed change will increase the limit of unrelated people, in a 1600 square foot home, from 2 to 8 adults plus family members. As the square footage of the residence increases, so will the number of allowable unrelated adults. An additional 1 unrelated adult would be permitted for every 200 additional square feet of finished floor area. Group Living Currently, Residential Care facilities are defined by their purpose (Homeless Shelter, Special Care, Assisted Living, Halfway Housing, etc.). The proposal is to categorize the facilities by size instead of the services they provide. The proposal will also allow residential care facilities based on size and location of the facility and the density of the existing facilities in the neighborhood. Your Voice Matters Please attend one of the following public meetings to express your opinion about the proposed changes.
Wednesday, February 26 | 6 – 8 PM | Hebrew Educational Alliance (3600 S Ivanhoe) (This meeting is close-by, near Thomas Jefferson High School.)
Wednesday, March 4 | 6 – 8 PM | Schietler Recreation Center (5031 W. 46th Avenue, Multi-Purpose Room)
If you cannot attend a public meeting, please learn more at www.denvergov.org/groupliving. For questions/concerns, contact andrew.webb@denvergov.org and copy our District 4 Councilperson, Councilwoman Kendra Black (kendra.black@denvergov.org).
Want to get more civically engaged? There is a completely FREE civic engagement program available to you! Applications are open for the Denver Regional Council of Government's (DRCOG's) Citizens' Academy. The Citizens’ Academy is a FREE, seven-week course that delves into important issues like transportation, economic vitality, housing, civic engagement, and more. Each course includes FREE dinner, subject matter expert lectures, small-group discussion and ideation, and networking. Applications due March 6!
Denver Parks & Recreation’s Spring Activity Guide is here! In our U-Hills neighborhood, we're so fortunate to have a community asset like Eisenhower Park and Rec Center only footsteps from our homes! There are great Springtime opportunities for you at Eisenhower and other Denver locations. Check out the new Spring Activity Guide. Learn about Denver’s recreation centers and how to register for classes at www.denvergov.org/recreation. Registration begins Tuesday, February 25th at noon.
Citizen Meeting with Denver Police Every month, Denver Police District 3 hosts a Citizen’s Advisory Board (CAB) meeting. The purpose of the meetings is to give citizens the opportunity to learn about area crime statistics, ask questions, and voice concerns. It’s a great opportunity to meet your local Denver Police officers and stay informed. Everyone is welcome!
March Citizen Meeting with Denver Police Tuesday, March 10 | 6:00 PM | DPD District 3 (1625 S University Blvd)
Should DPS sell off public school assets? Despite indicators that Denver’s population will continue to grow—city planners estimate a 21% population increase by 2040—Denver Public Schools (DPS) has opened a conversation about selling public school assets. DPS points to declining birth rates and increased cost of living to suggest that school enrollment may go down in the next five years. All the while, at many Denver schools—including our own Bradley International which was at risk of closing a number of years ago—enrollment is high, student/teacher ratios are high, and families wait on school waitlists to get in. Keeping public school assets is considered an important way to improve these circumstances. And indeed, selling off public school assets could make these challenges worse. If sold, public education assets will no longer belong to the people. Local communities are trying to stand up—pointing out that, in a growing land-locked city, selling off public assets is short-sighted and does not serve the public interest. Effected communities say they're having a hard time gaining traction and being heard by the district. Citizens felt especially frustrated at a recent Place Bridge Academy community meeting where DPS Deputy Superintendent of Operations Mark Ferrandino stated that the development of certain school property "is inevitable." Two of the public school assets in question are in Southeast Denver—Rosedale Elementary and a large portion of Place Bridge Academy’s property. This is even despite the district’s own data indicating Southeast Denver is a part of town where school enrollment is expected to increase. DPS is engaging the community to discuss all potential options. The Rosedale Elementary community meeting will be hosted by DPS this week. Selling public school assets in neighboring communities directly impacts enrollment, waitlists, and student/teacher ratios in our U-Hills neighborhood schools. Please attend the public meeting to learn more and make your voice heard. Rosedale Elementary Public Meeting Thursday, February 27 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | South High School (1700 E Louisiana Ave) Petition to keep Rosedale Elementary a public school People of the Rosedale community have created an online petition to keep the school a public asset.
High Line Canal Bridge at South Holly Street Our U-Hills community has been waiting a long time for the High Line Canal bridge at South Holly to be reopened. It was damaged and closed after 2019’s bomb cyclone weather event. UHNA contacted Councilwoman Kendra Black’s office to get an update on the situation. Unfortunately, there is no indication the bridge will be repaired/open anytime soon. The estimate is still “sometime in 2020.” Councilwoman Black is also frustrated the repairs are taking so long: “… the High Line bridge won’t be repaired until mid-2020. [Denver] Public Works is handling the project and they have not prioritized it as they should have! I am going to reach out… to see if I can get them to hurry.” We understand and agree that this timeline seems unnecessarily long. We are also concerned about the amount of foot and bike traffic this creates along East Eastman—certainly creating a safety concern. We will update you as we get more information. In the meantime, please feel welcome to voice your concerns by contacting Councilwoman Kendra Black, calling 311, and/or filing an online report at pocketgov.org.
Report Issues and Concerns UHNA is your University Hills neighborhood community organization. But, UHNA cannot enforce any Denver City and County rules or ordinances. Report issues like potholes, missed trash pickup, snow shoveling, graffiti, etc. by calling 311 or filing an online report at pocketgov.org.