Urban Dweller

Volume 37, Edition 6

6/1/2019

Message From the President

Greetings Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods Members and Friends,

Welcome to the June 2019 edition of the Urban Dweller--Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods' monthly e-newsletter. May was a month of momentum for our organization, including some great additions to our membership roster and exciting developments among our committees. Here is the latest from your neighborhood organization:

Denver's municipal runoff election is Tuesday, June 4th. It is important for your voice to be heard. To learn more about how to vote and the Denver ballot, visit the Denver Elections Division or call 720-913-VOTE.
Our website has a new look. If there is content you want to see or share, contact chun@chundenver.org.
This month we hired Nichole Racelis as program and outreach specialist. Nichole will be coordinating myriad outreach and programmatic duties for the organization, including neighborhood surveys, special projects, and other communications efforts. CHUN is in the final stages of hiring an office manager, and I will be announcing that new hire in the coming weeks.
After a century of multiple usages, as well as years of deferred maintenance and repairs, CHUN's Tears-McFarlane property requires some much needed attention. As Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods weighs what is next for the property, we have been gathering the opinions of local residents, Cheesman Park visitors and advocates, and others to help determine next steps for the historic house and community building. With hundreds of people enjoying the park each day, it is important to gather a diverse array of opinions. You will see us at the north end of Cheesman Park gathering surveys from park goers. We look forward to sharing the results of our focus groups, surveys, and other public outreach efforts in the coming weeks.
Last month, we announced the formation of a Climate Crisis Committee. CHUN is committed to creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable community. From planting trees to promoting cleaner transit options, the Mile High City can--and should--be a model for urban, earth-friendly policymaking. We intend to be at the forefront of this change. Board members Jim Slotta and Stephen Polk will co-chair this committee.
The board continues to modify its operations and governance structure. In addition, we made some adjustments to two CHUN committees. At the May 2019 board meeting, CHUN appointed new chairs for both its Historic Preservation Committee and Zoning, Transportation, Land Use and Licensing Committee. The co-chairs for Historic Preservation are Tony Smith and Charles Nusbaum; Sarah Wells, Dmitrii Zavorotny, and Frank Locantore will co-lead the Zoning, Transportation, Land Use and Licensing Committee. The CHUN board is dedicated to being more collaborative and solutions oriented--through stronger relationships with community stakeholders and robust community outreach and inclusivity.
Last month, we welcomed Ryan Keeney and Lindsay Burleson to the board of delegates. Ryan, a GIS Specialist for the City of Aurora and Aurora Water, lives in the West Cheesman Park neighborhood and has a deep appreciation for the beauty, authenticity, and vibrancy of the Capitol Hill Community. He is eager to advance CHUN's goals in the areas of land use, transportation, and affordable housing. Lindsay Burleson is a real estate attorney and resides in the Congress Park Neighborhood. Being a part of the community has become an important matter to Lindsay, and she is excited to leverage her legal expertise, collaborative skills set, and innovative ideas as a board member. We are thrilled to have Ryan and Lindsay in the CHUN organizational family.
In partnership with the Dora Moore School PTSA, CHUN hosted an ice cream social for neighborhood parents seeking to Get the Scoop about neighborhood schools. Many thanks to our Parents Committee Chair Rachel Griffin for her leadership and ongoing engagement efforts.
Membership revenue now exceeds $15,000 for the first time ever. Thank you to the Corner Beet, Denver Community Church, Capitol Hill United Ministries, Stamm Dental, Denver Botanic Gardens, Sarkisian's, Nob Hill Inn, Subculture, and the Irish Snug for joining as business members and/or nonprofit partners. Two years ago, CHUN's membership rolls were in decline and annual revenues barely reached $2500. This sign of renewed support in the community underscores our successful financial and operational turnaround. We couldn't do our important work without our individual, household, and organizational members; special recognition goes to Georgia Burleson, VP of Membership, for her leadership. THANK YOU!

June is Pride Month. As Denver commemorates the 50th year since the Stonewall riots, let us remember the words of Harvey Milk..."We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets." Let us never loose sight of the need to create a fairer, more just, and equitable society.

For Denver and Equality...

Travis Leiker
President, Board of Delegates
Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods

Business Member of the Month

This month we are recognizing Edward Jones - Barbara H. de Jong, CFP, Financial Advisor. From her offices situated within CHUN's boundaries, Barbara works closely with her clients and helps them meet their long term financial goals. Barbara has been a long-time supporter of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods and was active in the Alamo Placita neighborhood for a number of years. She is a leader in the community and is spearheading an effort to bring more women into the financial services sector. We are grateful to have her support. To join others like Barbara, visit: www.chundenver.org/membership

CHUN Gathers Neighborhood Feedback for Tears-McFarlane Property

Scores of people attend a community meeting or neighborhood gathering at the historic Tears-McFarlane property each year. It was built in 1899 and is recognized as a historic and architectural jewel in Capitol Hill. Since 2005, it has been home to Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods—Denver’s oldest and largest registered neighborhood organization. The historic mansion serves as the office and meeting space for several small businesses and nonprofits, like PFLAG, Experiential Learning International, and other physical and mental health care practitioners. Adjacent to the mansion is Hedlund Hall which expanded CHUN’s ability to welcome larger groups and events including neighborhood forums, private social events, fundraisers, and community conversations. CHUN has provided free and/or reduced rate space for nonprofit organizations and city departments.

Public perspectives are essential and we are gathering some great community feedback. CHUN has collected a number of public opinion surveys and will be conducting other outreach to help us determine the future of this beloved property. We are excited to share what is next in the coming weeks.

CHUN Appoints New Committee Leaders

At the May 2019 Board Meeting, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods' Board of Delegates appointed new leaders for both the Historic Preservation Committee and Zoning, Transportation, Land Use and Licensing Committee. The co-chairs for Historic Preservation are Tony Smith and Charles Nusbaum; Sarah Wells, Dmitrii Zavorotny, and Frank Locantore will co-lead the Zoning, Transportation, Land Use and Licensing Committee.

Historic Preservation

Charles Nusbaum, a commercial real estate broker and resident of Congress Park since 2001, has served on the Boards of Colfax on the Hill and Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. He loves all things neighborhood related and wants to maintain and improve our historic neighborhoods, not only for his kids but for generations to come. Whether attending City Park Park Jazz concerts, supporting local businesses, or working to save historic structures, Charles is dedicated to making central Denver the best place it can be.
Tony Smith has been a Denver resident for 18 years and have lived in the Congress Park Neighborhood for 15 of those years. In that time, Denver has experienced tremendous growth and preserving the diverse and unique neighborhoods that make our city unique is of the utmost importance; we only get one history to pass on to future generations. Tony is past director for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.

Zoning, Transportation, Land Use and Licensing

Sarah Wells is an enthusiastic connector and advocate for stronger community. A Capitol Hill resident since 2006, Sarah spent her early career working with sustainability-focused businesses, and then in nonprofits working as Deputy Director for the Mile High Business Alliance, an organization focused on supporting locally-owned businesses. Sarah is also the founder of the Queen City Cooperative, a limited equity cooperative in Capitol Hill, and works on affordable and community housing development throughout the city.

Frank Locantore has worked the last four years as Executive Director of the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District (Colfax Ave BID). Prior to that he spent 25 years in the environmental non profit sector utilizing economic, legislative, and grassroots strategies. Most crucial was to build support through collaboration and coalitions -- a strategy he is deeply committed to in his role as the Colfax Ave BID executive director. Frank believes in smart urban planning and placemaking to address equity, access, and environmental issues to build a great community.
Dmitrii Zavorotny is a local community advocate for affordable housing, sustainable growth, and multi-modal transportation. Dmitrii lives in North Capitol Hill and has called six Denver neighborhoods his home since 2006. He hopes to leverage his experience as a software developer by profession, with a background in non-profit, community, and student organization, to lead CHUN in its efforts to inform and educate the local community. Additionally, he is looking forward to working with the city, local businesses, and other local organizations to address challenges facing our neighborhoods.

As Denver moves further into the 21st Century, our organization is committed to being more collaborative and solutions oriented--through stronger relationships with community stakeholders and always serving as a go-to resource for residents. We feel that this realignment and new leadership structure prepares us for the work that awaits us.

Upcoming Events

7th Annual Cheesman Park Art Fest
This colorful outdoor festival was ranked #4 in the nation for sales of Classic & Contemporary Craft by Sunshine Artist Magazine in 2016, and Top of the Town by 5280 (Denver's Magazine), in 2015. Charming & walkable, with work that is top-notch yet attainable, the Cheesman Park Art Fest has you culturally covered from live music beneath the trees to Denver's best food trucks!

Saturday, July 27 | 9am-6pm
Sunday, July 28 | 9am-5pm

Learn more

'Film On The Rocks' and Other Outdoor Movie Events
Summer is nearly here and that means it's outdoor movie watching season again, too. Red Rocks' 'Film on the Rocks' is in it's 20th season this year and features 7 film events throughout the summer. Each movie is preceded by a love concert and local comedian, courtesy of Comedy Works. This year's lineup includes the award-winning tribute movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody', documentary hit 'Free Solo', cult favorites 'Ghostbusters' & 'Mean Girls', and family-friendly favorite 'The Mighty Ducks'. To see the lineup and learn more about 'Film on the Rocks', visit https://www.redrocksonline.com/fotr/.

But, Red Rocks isn't the only place to see outdoor films. You can find plenty of outdoor movie events across the city and all summer long. Just check out the comprehensive outdoor movies list from the Visit Denver website.

50th Anniversary Event Update

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods is celebrating its 50th Anniversary of planning, preserving, and improving Denver’s Capitol Hill community. Our 50th Anniversary Celebration and Wine Tasting will be held the evening of Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

The event will feature a wine tasting, small bites from neighborhood eateries and restaurants, and a fabulous silent auction showcasing goods and services from locally owned businesses throughout Capitol Hill. For more information, contact Molly Williams or Sarah Wells at fundraising@chundenver.org. Early Sponsors Include:

Denver Botanic Gardens
Angelos Taverna
Carboy Winery
CRL Associates
Visit Denver
Travis Leiker & David Proper
And more to come ... !

PURCHASE TICKETS

Meetings, Forums & Committees

Public Meeting: Tiny Home Villages Code Updates hosted by Councilwoman Robin Kneich
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
2015 Glenarm Pl,
Denver, CO 80205
Event information available on Facebook

City of Denver asks for public input on new ‘high comfort’ bike lanes
As part of the Public Works Bicycle Program and the voter-approved Elevate Denver Bond Program, design and construction funds have been allocated for 17 miles of bond-funded high comfort bike facilities, to improve connections between Denver’s neighborhoods and destinations and meet the goals in the Mayor's Mobility Action Plan and Denver's Vision Zero Action Plan. Each identified protected bike lane will average around one to three miles, and will take approximately 18-24 months to plan and implement.

Opportunity to submit input and information on forums are available on the Denvergov.org website.

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods Forms Climate Crisis Committee
From more frequent wildfires to longer heatwaves and droughts, communities across Colorado already experience the impacts of human-induced climate change. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, these disasters will grow more devastating unless action is taken now.1 To heed this notice, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (C.H.U.N.) has formed the C.H.U.N. Climate Crisis Committee.

Throughout its 50 year history, C.H.U.N. has worked to improve the quality of life in Greater Capitol Hill. The formation of the committee is a continuation of this goal and recognizes the need for local neighborhoods to think globally and act locally. “Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods is committed to creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable community. From planting trees to promoting cleaner transit options, the Mile High City can--and should--be a model for urban, earth-friendly policymaking” says the organization’s board president Travis Leiker.

The committee’s formation represents the next phase of the foundation established by C.H.U.N.’s longstanding Tree Committee as well as other previous environmental sustainability work. The committee will be co-chaired by C.H.U.N. board of delegate members Jim Slotta, a founding member and president of Accelerate Neighborhood Climate Action, and Stephen Polk, assistant professor in environmental studies at Naropa University in Boulder.

“The Climate Crisis Committee will convene a community-based dialogue around the urgent, worsening climate crisis and will promote a planet-helpful lifestyle among residents in C.H.U.N.’s neighborhoods,” says Slotta. “Denver has tremendous opportunities to experiment with creative solutions in combating climate change that involve wide swaths of neighborhood stakeholders,” adds Polk.

Topics that the committee will address include water conservation, recycling, composting, renewable energy, and more. The committee's first meeting will be Thursday, July 25 at 6:30 PM at 1290 Williams Street, Denver. Meetings will be held regularly and are open to the public; follow C.H.U.N. on Facebook for future event/meeting dates.

1. See: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_summary-for-policymakers.pdf