Aug 17, 2021 Minutes

UHNC RNO Open Board meeting

August 17, 2021

Attending: Jenny, Liz, Paul, Falene, Will, Julie, Kent, Pam, Steve, Brett, Sara, Emily, Jack

  1. Approval of Meeting Minutes - The Board referred to the minutes from the June 15, 2021 meeting. On a motion duly made and seconded, the minutes were unanimously- Approved.


  1. Neighborhood Planning and Development

Julie and Pam from Denver Water gave a presentation about Denver’s lead reduction program, a program to replace lead service lines that provide water from the main line to the house on generally older homes. It was noted that the lead reduction program was a city-wide program, a large program with a broad approach. The goal is to replace 4477 lead services lines per year. Julie and Pam shared a PowerPoint presentation about the lead reduction program.

After the presentation, they additionally noted the following areas where water main replacements (unrelated to the lead reduction program) would be happening soon.

E. Vassar, Yale, South Cherry

E. Harvard, Bellaire and Birch

E. Harvard, Cherry, Clermont, Carey Way

This is an area generally south of Clermont Park. Work in this area is to occur in September and October 2021.

Paul asked questions about leaking service lines in Observatory Heights, and why units there were not individually metered. More information about the Denver Water Lead Reduction Program can be found at: https://www.denverwater.org/your-water/water-quality/lead


  1. Report from Councilor Kendra Black – District 4. Jenny provided an update from Councilor Black’s office about matters affecting the Community. The South by Southeast Community Festival is scheduled for August 21, 2021, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at James A. Bible Park. Jenny then provided an update from Councilor Black’s office on development projects to occur within the Community:

  • Wesley Professional Building, 4101 E Wesley Ave (Behind Kokoro) – The building is to be vacated by the end of August 2021 and the building should be razed in October 2021. The original project plan called for a 55+ living facility but the plan has been changed and 3 story townhouses will be built. These townhouses are expected to be similar to the Observatory Row (Iliff & Albion) development immediately to the north. An 8ft. fence on the east side of the project is expected to be asked for as through zoning variance to provide privacy to existing dwellings to the east.

  • Jenny showed a concept project plan at South Ash and Warren. Jack (the developer rep) identified the addresses as 2166-2196 S Ash and 2175-2195 S Bellaire. This is an area bounded by S. Ash, Warren, and S. Bellaire, the south part of that block. The concept was residential, townhouses. Jack indicated that it was a project in motion and that nothing substantial was likely to occur before about 18 months in the future.

  • Jenny showed a concept project plan at 2133 S. Bellaire. These are the offices a bit further north of the preceding project and are currently offices that were clearly at one point a motel. The concept is also residential, townhouses.

  • A discussion ensued about the disposition of 2197 S. Birch (Birch & Warren). No one in attendance was sure what specifically was going on at that address but that the existing structure is surrounded by high exclusion fencing and an excavator was in the back yard, all indicating that the structure was likely to be demolished.

  • It was noted but not necessarily confirmed that the house for sale at the northwest corner of Dexter and Iliff was likely to be demolished, along with potentially other dwellings in the vicinity of Dexter and Iliff.


  1. Sidewalk Improvement – Jenny indicated that there is a campaign, by Denver Streets Partnership called Denver Deserves Sidewalks, to change the way Denver fixes and builds sidewalks because the current sidewalk improvement efforts by Denver arenot working, and alternatives were being sought. She further indicated that a “SidewalkPalooza” would be coming to the Community to share with city leaders the struggles encountered because of the current sidewalk conditions. Discussion ensued and pursuant to the discussion there was general consensus that the sidewalks within large parts of the Community are insufficient. A call was made for members to reach out with contacts of neighbors that could share unique struggles with mobility because of the sidewalks in our neighborhood. One such suggestion was to contact the retirement community of Clermont Park.

  1. Annual Meeting – The Board continued discussion from prior meetings on how to hold an Annual Meeting of the Community. A discussion of the timing and what was realistic in light of the resurgent Delta variant of the COVID -19 pandemic. It was again determined that a meeting in October was likely the most realistic option. It was noted that a meeting on a Saturday morning in October would be good and that there were 5 Saturdays in October. It was noted that a meeting where Councilor Kendra Black could attend would be optimal. It was also determined that an indoor meeting would be preferable but that a meeting needed to be set. It was determined that if COVID-19 prevented an indoor meeting, an outdoor/hybrid Zoom meeting, as occurred in 2020 would be scheduled.


  1. Cameron Apartments Update – A Community member noted that framing on the 5th (top) story of the western part of the development was well underway, indicating that loud framing sounds (e.g. nail guns etc.) could likely be going down. It was further noted that more activity was noted on the eastern and northern parts of the development. It was noted that it did not appear that construction workers were parking in the parking structure, as anticipated. Jenny noted that she would try and get an update from the project manager and see if they had any more recent updates to share with the members who have requested those. (If you would like to be included on that email list, please request so through email at uhnc.president@gmail.com.)


  1. Miscellaneous Items

  • Jenny informed the Community that Jodi continued to look into grants for the Community for murals at Warran and Dexter and other traffic calming or Community enhancement projects.

  • In response to a question from a Community member, Jenny indicated that planning for the “Groundcovers Park” (4307 E Iliff) would begin in 2022.

  • In response to a question about development in the Community generally, Jenny and Liz mentioned the Small Area Plan for the area between Colo Blvd and I-25, and Evans to Iliff. This plan has not been adopted by the city but was created, with help from Councilor Black, to help guide developers in that area.


  1. Next Meeting - It was determined that the next meeting of the Board would be September 21, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.


  1. Adjournment – There being no additional items for the meeting and the allotted time having expired, the meeting was adjourned.



Respectfully submitted,


______________

Paul Leone

Secretary