Urban Dweller

Volume 40, Edition 12

12/2/2022

Message from CHUN Leadership

Is it just me, or does time accelerate the closer we get to the end of the year? We hope you had a restful holiday break with friends and loved ones and are enjoying the festive season.

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods was deeply saddened to hear of the shocking attack at Club Q. Our hearts and thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved. We stand with the LGBTQIA community in Colorado Springs. If you would like to donate to the Colorado Healing Fund to support the victims’ families and survivors, here is the web link.

With the festive season upon us, we are pleased to provide a summary of wonderful local CHUN member businesses that may be helpful when choosing a holiday present for that special someone. The quantity and concentration of local businesses in our community is what makes Capitol Hill such a vibrant and walkable area. We are excited to welcome our member of the month, Sienna Wine Bar, back to the neighborhood after a move and brief period of decoration.

At CHUN’s November board meeting, we heard from Lorez Meinhold, executive director of the Caring for Denver Foundation. The Foundation funds trusted community-based mental health and substance misuse supports that prioritize access, cultural relevance, connections, and collaborations. We thank Lorez and the Caring for Denver team for supporting some of the most vulnerable in the community.

Last, but most definitely not least, Tuesday, December 6th, is Colorado Gives Day. Please consider donating to CHUN through the Colorado Gives Day website. On the first Tuesday of December since 2010, Coloradans have come together to support the nonprofits that make a difference in our lives. Colorado Gives Day has grown to be Colorado's largest 24-hour giving event, raising more than $362 million for nonprofits across the state since it began. A donation to CHUN is a direct investment in the greater Capitol Hill neighborhoods and will support our on-going representation and advocacy work.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Urban Dweller. Happy Holidays from the CHUN team and board of directors!

Cheers,
John

Member of the Month

Sienna Wine Bar and Small Plates

Cozy and friendly Sienna Wine Bar and Small Plates is a CHUN and Congress Park neighborhood favorite and now they are open in their new, expanded location at the corner of 12th and Madison (same block; couple of doors to the east).

Sienna serves an array of wines from all over the world with choices in every price range. They offer 20 to 25 wines by the glass that change both seasonally and whimsically, and they have nearly 70 wines by the bottle.

The small plate list consists of charcuterie and cheese plates, baked brie, chicken au gratin and bruschetta rustica. Dessert includes individual Toblerone fondue, espresso creme brulee and a variety of floats.

Stop in and enjoy a glass and a bite! www.siennawinebar.com/

CHUN News and Events

SAVE THE DATE! Celebrate Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 6th with Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods

Join Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN) on Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 6th and support our continued impactful work for our community.

On Colorado Gives Day, we'll be celebrating our accomplishments and making more good happen for the greater Capitol Hill area.

Key CHUN work includes:

Funding civic entrepreneurship and community enhancements through SEED awards
Working to preserve the community's small businesses.
Hosting neighborhood clean-up events an supporting our precious parks and open spaces.
Calling on the City and County of Denver to implement urgent and innovative solutions for the unhoused.

Click here to support CHUN on Colorado Gives Day. Every dollar donated from now through December 6th will be matched by CHUN up to $1,000.

SHOP LOCAL: Visit CHUN Business Members for your holiday shopping

Ambrosia Archiving: photo digitization services
Angelo's Tavern: pizza gift certificates
Argonaut Wine & Liquor: wine or liquor
Bang Up to the Elephant restaurant: gift certificates
Baylor Liquors: bottle of liquor
Campfire Restaurant: CO-sourced meat dishes
Carboy Winery: bottle of Colorado's own
Charlie's Denver: gift certificate
Colfax Pot Shop: pot
Denver Botanic Gardens: membership or tickets
Denver Sweet: night out or gift certificate
Ember Hostel: gift certificate
Fainting Goat: gift certificate or night out
Flora House Denver: night out in a special room
Good Chemistry: cannabis products
Ideal Market: food and gifts
Jerry's Nut House: nut, candy, chocolate and dried fruit
Joy Wine & Spirits: bottle of wine or liquor or beer

Marijuana Mansion: cannabis products
Native Roots: cannabis products
Nob Hill Inn: night on the town
Novo Coffee: coffee
Pete's Kitchen: breakfast or dinner
Ritual Social House: happy hour or brunch
Rooted Heart Yoga & Wellness: yoga class
Route 40 cafe: lunch or dinner
Sarkisian Oriental Rugs & Fine Art: something unique
Shells and Sauce: dinner
Sienna Wine Bar: wine and cheese plate
Steuben's & Ace Eat Serve: lunch or dinner
Subculture: subs and salads
Sullivan Scrap Kitchen: slow food
The Corner Beet: gift certificates
The Park Tavern: a night on the rooftop patio
The Parlour Capitol Hill: salon services
XBar: night out
Your Mom's House: evening of music and entertainment

Caring for Denver Foundation presents at CHUN November Board Meeting

Lorez Meinhold, Executive Director, and Kindle Morrell, Director of Communications, from Caring for Denver Foundation, joined CHUN's November board meeting to share their mission, their programs and their results to date. Caring for Denver was created from a simple, yet powerful idea - for every $100 spent in Denver, 25 cents goes towards addressing mental health and substance misuse issues in our city.

They work closely with Denver’s communities to identify priority areas where they can have the most impact. Their goals are to reduce substance misuse, improve or maintain mental health, increase equity in mental health and substance misuse outcomes and reduce entry or recidivism into the criminal justice system.

Key programs include Co-Response and STAR where officers and clinicians respond together, outreach and wellness programs at the Colorado Village Collaborative and Culinary Hospitality and Outreach Wellness.

To learn more about these and other programs, click here.

caring_for_denver_chun_presentation_11.22.pdf
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CHUN Committee Reports

History Matters Committee

The committee is currently discussing a recent demolition eligibility notice for a unique property at 401 N. Madison that was the former home of Richard Crowther, a prominent Denver architect. City Council hearing is scheduled for December 12 at 5:30 p.m.

John Deffenbaugh to follow up with Denver Community Planning and Development and the Denver Landmark Preservation Office to ensure that CHUN gets notices.

401 N. Madison

Urban Planning Committee

This month, the committee heard from Storybuilt developers regarding their planning to rezone a parcel at 1700 N. Marion. The parcel currently has split zoning which is prohibited by today's Zoning Code. At CHUN's November board meeting, it was agreed to support the change of the G-RO-5 zoning to G-MS-5, which does not increase density or change in use, with encouragement to the developer that the storefront activation of the development along 17th avenue include amenities open to the public consistent with the vibrant 17th avenue corridor running through Uptown.

The committee also hosted a co-meeting with the History Matters committee to review plans for the proposed development of 700 Lincoln Street.

The committee is also looking at the ramifications of the restructuring of the charter amendment of the Board of Adjustments.

1700 N. Marion

700 Lincoln proposal

Denver and Colorado News and Events

Denver Launches a Business Façade Improvement Program

Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) has launched its Business Façade Improvement Program (BFIP), an initiative that provides grants to small business owners to help them improve, enhance, or repair the appearance of their storefronts/exteriors to increase visual appeal and attract customers. The program will provide grants up to $75,000 with a minimum of $25,000 for a single project.

The BFIP is geared towards small business owners with preference given to businesses located in priority neighborhoods as identified by DEDO's division of Neighborhood Equity & Stabilization (NEST.)

The program is intended to assist projects that promote retail activities, create an attractive environment, encourage neighborhood character and architectural design, and use quality materials, all while boosting economic activity at a grassroots level.

Applications are open and will close by December 21, 2022 if not sooner, depending on program demand. Visit the program webpage for more information and to submit your application.

Winter Tree Prep and Care

As we all prepare our homes and gardens for winter, Denver’s Office of the City Forester urges residents to think about the trees and how to keep our urban canopy healthy during its dormant season.

And if the leaves are still falling as you’re reading this, don’t forget to grab a rake, gather them up and compost them in paper bags to keep them out of landfills.

Yes, trees are resilient. But we can help them along by taking a few key steps to winterize them, so they stay healthier year-round. Here are some simple tips, along with a link below to additional information, to make winter a wonderland for our urban canopy.

Learn more about watering, fertilization and protecting your trees with these frequently asked questions of winter tree care and give your trees a chance to thrive this season.

1. Remember to get your trees watered and mulched prior to shutting off the system.
2. Dormant doesn’t mean dead, so feeding and watering trees during this season can help them spring back into action in the next. It’s also wise to mow/mulch some of your tree leaves back into the turf to ensure the nutrients are making their way back to nature.
3. Winter is a good time to prune. American elm and fruit trees in the rose family should only be pruned while dormant to reduce the spread of disease.

Keeping Denver's Sidewalks Free of Snow and Ice

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.

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 www.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.

Learn more at www.denvergov.org/Snow.

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 and not into roadways and bike lanes.
Salt can be damaging when it runs off into your lawn or the storm sewer with the snowmelt. Look for ecofriendly and pet-safe deicers.
Be proactive and come up with a plan for addressing sidewalks now, before it’s snowing.

Volume-Based Pricing to begin in 2023

Beginning in 2023, Denver will expand residential recycling and compost collection services to reduce the amount of trash Denver sends to the landfill and the production of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Waste in the landfill decomposes and generates methane — a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and climate change.

DOTI will begin directly billing customers for residential waste services based on trash cart size. The smaller the trash cart, the lower the fee. Weekly recycling and weekly composting services are included at no extra charge. This applies to Denver Solid Waste Management customers (single family homes and apartments up to 7 units).

Financial Assistance - Denver will also offer an instant rebate program for low-income residents who may be disproportionately burdened by a fee; the rebate could cover up to 100% of the new fee. The expanded collections ordinance also ends the practice of having the general fund subsidize trash collection services for only some Denver residents, directly charging residents who receive the services.

Fees

$9 per month for small trash cart + recycling + compost
$13 per month for medium trash cart + recycling + compost
$21 per month for large trash cart + recycling + compost