Volume 37, Edition 12

12/9/2019

Message From the President

Dear Neighbors and Friends -

Urban Dweller, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods' (CHUN) monthly e-newsletter, is now available online. Here is the latest from YOUR registered neighborhood organization and community advocate.

On Tuesday, December 3rd, CHUN hosted its annual holiday party and member appreciation event. More than 170 members, board members, and others supported the festive evening. Special thanks to Stoney's Uptown Joint for hosting our group and serving up spirited beverages and great food. (Who doesn't love quest!?) Our deepest thanks also goes out to the Edward Jones Office of Barbara DeJong for providing underwriting support for the event. If you are looking for a great financial advisor in the new year, consider calling Barbara at 303.832.0921. She will be delighted to work with you.
Giving back is essential to CHUN's Mission. In addition to celebrating the holiday season and a successful 2019, we collected more than 100 pounds of socks, outerwear, underwear, and hygiene products for Senior Support Services and SafeHouseDenver. If you couldn't make it to the holiday party, consider checking out their online wish list and a make an in-kind donation before the New Year. See Senior Support Services' wish-list and the SafeHouse Denver's wish-list.
Let us give your work a boost. Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods' mission is to engage people and facilitate dialogue. If you are a nonprofit, CHUN member, small business, or another community group with an event or message you would like to promote on Facebook and Twitter to our 3500+ followers, please submit it to chun@chundenver.org. For more details visit HERE.
Tuesday, December 10th is Colorado Gives Day. Colorado Gives Day is a once-a-year, statewide opportunity for people to quickly and easily make donations to their favorite nonprofits, including Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. The Community First Foundation and 1st Bank have also established an incentive fund that will be split among local organizations, allowing them to incrementally extend their support: the more people donate to CHUN on ColoradoGives Day, the more we will realize from that incentive fund. Schedule your gift to CHUN and your other favorite nonprofits today. Visit www.coloradogives.org/capitolhillneighborhoods.
CHUN's annual membership meeting is scheduled for January 9, 2020 at 6:30 pm. Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center has graciously opened its doors for this meeting. We encourage all current and prospective members to attend this important conversation. We will also present our current financial position, elect new at-large board members, and present our inaugural SEED Awards and Good Neighbor Awards. An agenda will be released at the beginning of the new year.
Tears-McFarlane House Revitalization and Restoration Enters Next Phase. As you all know, the CHUN Board and Tears-McFarlane House Steering Committee has hosted a series of open houses and community meetings with Cheesman Park residents, neighbors, and friends to discuss the forthcoming rezoning of the Tears-McFarlane House. For renderings a FAQS about the rezoning process, check out the following page: www.chundenver.org/tearsmcfarlanehouse.html. A story about the project can also be found in the December 2019 edition of Life on Capitol Hill.
SEED Award Application Deadline is Fast Approaching: SEED Awards will provide up to $500 to individuals and organizations for projects enhancing neighborhoods. Funding priorities include: Smart, solutions-oriented development, Enrichment and Educational Programming, Environmental Sustainability, and Diversity. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS QUICKLY APPROACHING. Apply no later than Friday, December 13, 2019. Learn more about the SEED Awards.
Congratulations to our community partners at the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District (BID). The BID recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary. In addition to hosting events, supporting local businesses, and delivering necessary community programming along Denver's most historic avenue (which also runs through CHUN's own boundaries), the BID just installed a seven-foot, sculpture of their logo on Colfax. You can find it outside the Fillmore Auditorium at Colfax and Clarkson. Their latest set of banners we just installed too. They are illustrated by Karl Christian Krumpholz, featuring some past and present iconic Colfax institutions.
Membership revenue now exceeds $18,000 ... FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!! You read that correctly. Three years ago, CHUN's membership revenues barely reached a few thousand dollars. We couldn't do our important work without our individual, household, and organizational members. THANK YOU!

T.S. Eliot writes, "For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." Cheers to you this holiday season, and wishing you a bright beginning in 2020.

For Denver and Our Community,

Travis Leiker, MPA
President | Board of Delegates
Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods

2020 At-Large Delegates Up For Election

It's nearly time to elect our At-Large delegates for CHUN! At-Large Delegates attend monthly C.H.U.N. Board meetings, attend and participate in their annual Neighborhood Assemblies, and help recruit new members to be active in their community.

Each Delegate MUST BE A MEMBER of CHUN and is elected at the Annual Meeting by the membership. The 2020 Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, January 9th, at 6:30 pm at the Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center.

Would you like to have a voice in your neighborhood? Consider becoming an At-Large Delegate for 2020.

We are looking for delegates with experience in public policy, fundraising, community outreach, nonprofit management, and much more! As C.H.U.N. implements its diversity plan, we are actively recruiting those who demonstrate a commitment to diverse populations or issues supporting historically marginalized communities.

Find out more and apply to be a CHUN delegate, today!

APPLY TO Become a Delegate

Final Call!! Deadline for SEED Awards Coming Friday, December 13!

Have you heard!? Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods recently announced a new initiative, The SEED Awards--dedicated to supporting active involvement and foster locally grown solutions for the public good.

SEED Awards will provide up to $500 to individuals and organizations for projects enhancing neighborhoods. Funding priorities include: Smart, solutions-oriented development, Enrichment and Educational Programming, Environmental Sustainability, and Diversity. More details on funding guidelines and an online application are available on our SEED page.

The deadline for submitting an application is quickly approaching. Please apply no later than Friday, December 13, 2019. Email your questions and/or application to chun@chundenver.org and include 'CHUN SEED Awards' in the subject line. Youth-led projects as well as partnerships are encouraged, particularly when partners bring resources and expertise needed to successfully complete the project.

All applicants will be notified of results no later than December 20th and the inaugural SEED Awards will be presented at CHUN's annual meeting held in January, 2020. We look forward to investing in your community!

Member of the Month

Althea Center for Engaged Spirituality is a leading, innovative, and cherished sanctuary for dynamic spiritual education and compassionate, inclusive community building. The center offers services on Sunday 10:30 am, classes, workshops and special events ranging from yoga and meditation to spirituality training and movie nights. We greatly appreciate their support, friendship, and efforts to create a vibrant community. For more information, call 303-322-7738 or email admin@altheacenter.org.

Upcoming Events

Denver Sheriff Search - Community Input Meetings

The Denver Sheriff Department (DSD) is responsible for the care and custody of those incarcerated in its jails and other critical functions that contribute to the well-being of the community. Mayor Michael B. Hancock is looking to appoint the Sheriff Department's next leader and he wants your input! The city will host four community meetings to obtain feedback on what the community desires in its next Sheriff. Mayor Hancock places great value in the diverse perspectives of community members and hopes you will attend and share your thoughts.

The Sheriff Search Community Input Meetings will be held:

Tuesday, December 10, 2019, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
St. Francis Center, 2323 Curtis St., Denver, CO 80205
Wednesday, December 11, 2019, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Calvary Baptist Church, 6500 E. Girard Ave., Denver, CO 80204
Thursday, December 12, 2019, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Denver Indian Center, 4407 Morrison Rd. Denver, CO 80219

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Montbello Recreation Center, 15555 E. 53rd, Denver CO 80239

For sign language interpreter or CART services, email: SignLanguageServices@denvergov.org
For Spanish translation services, email: PublicSafety@denvergov.org
For other disability accommodations, email: DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org

Community members who are unable to attend the meetings in-person, and those who prefer to share information electronically, can send their feedback to: DenverSheriffSearch@denvergov.org.

We Will Remember: 30th Annual Homeless Persons' Memorial Vigil

For the 30th year, community members are invited to gather on the steps of the Denver City and County Building to honor our neighbors who lost their lives in 2019 while experiencing homelessness.

Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM MST
Front Steps of the Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street

Hosted by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, the candlelight vigil and ceremony pays tribute to those who lived on the streets of the Denver metropolitan area and died during 2019. This will be the only memorial service that will be conducted for most of these individuals.

Everyone is welcome to attend this event. No RSVP is required. Learn more about this event on Facebook.

History Colorado: 2030 Statewide Preservation Plan Meeting

Do you care about Colorado's historic places?
History Colorado is working on a statewide preservation plan to guide the next 10 years of preservation in Colorado. We would like to hear from you on what's happening in your community. What's working? What's not? And how can History Colorado help you save the places you love?

Join us and have your voice heard at this public meeting!
December 16, 2019
5:30-7:30pm
Blair Caldwell African-American Research Library
2401 Welton St, Denver, CO 80205

Visit www.historycolorado.org/state-preservation-plan,
or call 303-866-3392 for more information.

Middle Housing: Completing Neighborhoods

In partnership with the City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development Department, Habitat for Humanity Denver, and Elevation Community Land Trust, the Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program at CU Denver's team of dedicated graduate students has spent the past semester working on recommendations to address the major challenges in Denver's housing market and identify ways we might achieve greater availability, diversity, and affordability of housing across Denver, through "Missing Middle Housing" opportunities.

Thursday, December 12, 2019
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning Building
1250 14th Street, 2nd floor
Denver, CO 80202

Refreshments will be provided.

CHUN Meetings, Forums & Committees

As CHUN continues to enhance its programming, the Board of Delegates has recently refined the names, scope, and vision for its primary committees.

Urban Planning Committee: The Urban Planning Committee focuses on the critical zoning, transportation, land use, and licensing issues facing Capitol Hill and Denver. In addition, the committee regularly engages in those substantive policy discussions that directly impact the quality of life in our neighborhoods-- parks and open space preservation, traffic issues, and safety to name a few.
History Matters Committee: This committee's work will continue to emphasize the preservation of historic homes, buildings, and districts. However, CHUN has expanded its charge to include matters of cultural, historical significance and to be the voice that informs, educates and partners with our community, businesses and the City of Denver.
Parents & Families Committee: Coordinates and manages special events and awareness for parents and families, building programs relevant to a diverse, inclusive community with an emphasis on parent and family outreach.
Climate Crisis Committee: Building awareness and facilitating community engagement; hosting special events and meetings; executing programs concerning climate change and environmental stewardship.

For a complete list of CHUN's committees, please visit the Committee Page and check the CHUN website for upcoming meetings and events.

Committee Updates

Zoning Committee:

Barricuda's (1076 Ogden Street) - Transfer of ownership: Read the full notice from Denver Excise & Licenses

CHUN and Denver Compost Collective Launch Collaborative Effort in Leaf to Compost Pilot Project

Over the course of two collection days, Denver Compost Collective collected ~226 bags from 38 residents in the South City Park Neighborhood that were delivered to Frontline Farming's farm site. A total of 7.5 labor hours and roughly 16 gallons of gas contributed to the effort. CHUN has committed donating $0.50 per bag for all bags of leaves composted ---- up to $250! One more collection day will be made on December 9th. To learn more about this program, as well as other environmental programs and initiatives in CHUN, please contact Jim Slotta at jslotta@earthlink.net.

Showing Kindness and Helping Neighbors in the Season of Snow

Be a great neighbor! Everyone enjoys safe, clear sidewalks – and it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep the sidewalks adjacent to their home or business clear and accessible. Shovel all sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, and bus stops around your home as soon as it's practical and safe. Businesses have 4 hours after the snow stops to shovel, and residents have 24 hours. (RTD only shovels bus stops that have a shelter. If it’s just a sign with no shelter, the resident/business is responsible for this sidewalk.)

Show kindness and offer to help your neighbors if they aren't able to shovel! Neighbors helping neighbors is one of the things that makes Denver great.

You can volunteer to be an official “snow angel" at denvergov.org/snowangels or just do a #NeighborCheck.

There are all sorts of reasons why people may need assistance, or they may just not know what the city’s rules are for keeping sidewalks clear. A simple conversation with a neighbor or just lending that helping hand will almost always resolve a snowy sidewalk faster than the city can, and it will preserve city resources for the rest of Denver’s 3,000 miles of sidewalks.

Tips:

Use the shovel to push the snow; don't lift it.
Shovel early! When snow isn't shoveled, it gets packed down and becomes ice. Shoveling all the way to the pavement will also prevent ice from forming.
Shovel into your yard, so the snow plow doesn't push it back onto your sidewalk.
Shovel away from roadways and bike lanes, so plows don't push the snow back onto your sidewalks.
Salt can be damaging when it runs off into your lawn or the storm sewer with the snow melt. Look for eco-friendly and pet-safe deicers.
Be proactive and come up with a plan for addressing sidewalks now, before it’s snowing.

Learn more at www.denvergov.org/Snow.

Recycle Your Holiday Lights with Denver Recycles

Do you have broken, burned-out or impossibly tangled sets of holiday lights stored away with last year’s holiday decorations? Don’t throw them out – recycle them for free instead!

Old, broken or burned-out holiday lights are collected for recycling at a drop-off location from mid-November to mid-January. Incandescent, LED, and “icicle” light strings, along with wires and attached bulbs are accepted for recycling during this collection period.

Dates: November 29, 2019 - January 18, 2020
Location:
Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off
7352 Cherry Creek S Dr, Denver, CO 80231
(located at S. Quebec St. and E. Cherry Creek South Drive)
Hours:
Tuesdays - Fridays: 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturdays: 9 AM to 3 PM
Closed on Sundays, Mondays and on all City Holidays

Types Accepted:
Incandescent, LED, and “icicle” light strings, along with wires and attached bulbs will all be accepted for recycling. No bubble (liquid-filled) or neon lights. All packaging material must be removed from the light strands prior to recycling.

For more information contact Denver Recycles at 720-913-1311 or just dial 3-1-1.
Find more holiday waste reduction tips online.

Denver Will Go Out to Bid for Bike Share and Scooter Operator(s)

Competitive Process to Help Ensure Best Partner to Meet Citywide Mobility Goals
Denver Public Works has announced it will go out to bid for one or more companies to operate shared bike and scooter services in Denver. A contract will replace the current system by which scooter, e-bike and dockless bike companies operate in Denver, which is by permit. The announcement of the competitive bidding process approach comes on the heels of Denver Bike Sharing’s announcement that it will cease the operation of Denver B-cycle on January 30, 2020.

Issuing a Request for Proposals for the operation of shared bikes and scooters will help Denver better manage and coordinate the delivery of these commercial operations and help ensure the city partners with the most qualified operator(s) to further its mobility goals.

Scooter and e-bike companies currently permitted to operate in Denver will continue to operate through Denver’s Dockless Mobility Pilot Permit Program until the city’s contracted vendor(s) begin operating, which is anticipated in summer 2020. The RFP is being finalized and is expected to be released at the end of January 2020.

Denver Public Works thanks Denver Bike Sharing for the operation of the Denver B-cycle system over the past nine years and celebrates the hundreds of thousands of rides that introduced people to Denver’s first form of “micro-mobility.” Residents who received a free bike pass through the 5280 Free Rides program will be able to continue to use the pass through January 30, 2020.

The former Capitol Hill Whole Foods and possibly the future Capitol Hill Whole Foods is under construction

Whole Foods won’t confirm whether it will be, in fact, a Whole Foods.
A mysterious fence has appeared around the old Whole Foods building in Capitol Hill sending the area’s organic produce and fancy deli fans into a frenzy. Well, maybe it’s not so mysterious because Whole Foods is almost definitely returning though its corporate office won’t confirm.

The parking lot at 11th Avenue and Ogden Street is full of demolition trucks, the doors have been flung open and there is a guy with a staple gun doing something to a pile of wood out front. So is Whole Foods coming back after ditching Cap Hill in 2017? Probably. They are, at the very least, filing permits with the city to make it appear they are coming back and paying construction workers to hang out in the parking lot.
Read the full article on denverite.com

The Capitol Hill Whole Foods has a fence around it. Nov. 6, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Also In The News

Denver8TV Keeps You In The Know
Your City Now has all the week's news for you in under 5 minutes!

Denver Minimum Wage proposal passes!
Census 2020: Stand up and be counted
New Department of Housing Stability
The season for giving, including the Mayor's Giving Tree
Plus, the next #IAmDenver events.

Tune in every week to keep up!

The Urban Dweller