Councilman Wayne New | District 10
1437 Bannock Street, Office Room 493, Denver, Colorado 80202
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Cheesman Family Concert
On Sunday, September 29, Councilman Wayne New hosted a Cheesman Family Concert in the North Meadow of Cheesman Park. This was fun and free community event for all District 10 residents and their children. The Denver Municipal Band’s jazz ensemble was fantastic and played enjoyable music for appreciative attendees and park users alike. With funding provided through Imagine 2020, Denver Arts and Venue’s platform for injecting arts, culture and creativity into the City, the Councilman provided a unique interactive children’s art activity which encouraged kids to decorate provided capes and masks in ways that expressed their inner superheroes. Children also had the opportunity to interact with a Denver Fire Department fire truck and the Denver Police Mounted Patrol. Everyone was entertained and enjoyed a beautiful day in picturesque Cheesman Park.
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Construction Project Improvements
Our economy is booming, and the new construction to bring additional housing, office space, and retail businesses is clearly evident in this boom. However, the negative impacts of these projects have become serious issues that City Council and Denver Public Works Department are now addressing to minimize undesirable effects on residents, retailers, workers, shoppers, and tourists.
Over the past two months Eulois Cleckley, the new Executive Director of Denver Public Works, and his staff have been reviewing citywide improvement recommendations that I and many neighborhood/business leaders have proposed. On October 8, Public Works described the following improvements to help mitigate specific issues and implement the recommendations of City Council members and community leaders either now or in January 2019.
- Parking Management and Enforcement – License plate readers have now been added for greater enforcement efficiency in identifying parking violations. To address the high percentage of Enforcement staff vacancies, pay levels have been recently increased, and non-benefited positions will be upgraded to include benefits in January.
- Construction Worker Parking Plans – Effective January 2019, all new proposed construction projects will have to provide defined parking plans for all construction workers before a building right-of-way usage permit will be granted. Incentives will also be considered to increase compliance by contractors and workers.
- Pedestrian Sidewalk Canopies – The present regulations on sidewalk canopies for pedestrian safety have not been implemented and enforced. The regulations will be enhanced and enforced, beginning in January.
- Construction Communications – Public Works has not held construction communication meetings to make the public aware of upcoming activities that may affect neighborhoods and businesses. Routine monthly construction progress review meetings will be held and chaired by Public Works to ensure attendance and participation by all contractors to improve communication. Construction plans, such as street closures and canopies, that may disrupt retail business and neighborhood traffic flow and affect pedestrian safety will be regular issues for discussion. The first meeting will be held in October.
- Traffic Management Plans for Street and Sidewalk Closures – The present policies and procedures on street and sidewalk closures have not been effective in preventing excessive closures. The policies will be evaluated as to (a) the length of time a closure is allowed; (b) the dimensions of closures that increase the construction site; and (c) the effects on pedestrian and traffic flow. An evaluation will occur in October with implementation in January.
- Intersection and Alley Parking Signage – Cars and trucks parked too close to alley and intersection entrances do not provide sufficient visibility for safe car exits. Residents can now request an evaluation of the need for intersection and alley signage to provide greater visibility of and for street traffic approaching an exit or intersection. The present regulations are for 5 feet of clearance from an alley entrance and 20 feet from an intersection. Residents should contact 311 to request additional signage and report infractions.
- Damage to Infrastructure and Streetscape – Each current construction project must post a construction bond to repair damaged adjacent infrastructure and streetscape. Since damage repair using these bond funds has not been enforced, taxpayer funds in the City budget have had to be used for repairs. Greater regulations will be developed to address existing conditions prior to construction, bond amount determinations, the evaluation of post construction damage, and the use of bond funds and not taxpayer funds for repairs. These regulations will now be implemented with all existing and future construction projects.
- Construction Signage in Right of Way – Street and sidewalk closure and other types of construction signs have not been promptly removed when no longer needed for a construction project. Some signs have remained for days and weeks. Public Works will now be responsible for notifying sign companies to remove this unneeded signage. Residents should contact 311 for signage removal at a specific address.
Neighborhoods and businesses are appreciative of these improvements made by Denver Public Works, but a few issues will need to be addressed in the near future.
- Construction Hours – The present City construction hours are 7 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 5 PM on weekends. Many construction projects have ignored these hours, especially in early starting hours and on weekends. Weekday hour changes and greater enforcement are being recommended to minimize noise and disruption.
- Inconvenience Fees – Many cities have instituted inconvenience fees on projects that have extended street and sidewalk closures beyond allowed closure time periods. These fees have successfully encouraged greater compliance by contractors, and street and sidewalk closure extensions have been minimized due to these fees.
- Parking District – Many cities have also decentralized their parking enforcement responsibilities to organized business organizations. Parking and traffic management has proven to be more effective with greater local control. A consultant study on the requirements to form a parking district is being considered.
The assistance and leadership of the Public Works Department and all neighborhood and business leaders is greatly appreciated. These implemented improvements should make the management of construction less intrusive to neighborhood quality of life and to customers for our businesses. If you have any comments, please send them to Wayne.New@denvergov.org.
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City Council Budget Request
At the end of the City’s annual budget process, City Council can submit additional budget requests which meet specific City and District needs to the Mayor. Councilman New submitted a budget request for the addition of seven (7) full-time Right of Way Enforcement agents and funding to provide benefits for the nine (9) non-benefitted Right of Way Enforcement agent positions. This request was intended to aid in the attraction and retention of quality employees to better manage parking throughout Denver but especially in District 10. There is currently about a 20% vacancy in Right of Way Enforcement positions, which has not only a detrimental effect on parking management but is also a direct loss of revenue to the City. The parking ticket revenue from each agent can be more than double the cost of their salary.
Even though the Mayor did not approve additional positions, he did agree to upgrade the nine (9) positions currently without any benefits to positions with full benefits. This change should hopefully improve recruitment efforts and reduce vacancies in these important positions.
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Stop for Pedestrians at Crosswalks
Pedestrians should be able to cross roadways without unreasonable delay. Marked crosswalks and crossings with rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs) are ways to facilitate these pedestrian crossings. Unfortunately, there remains confusion as to how vehicles and bicyclists should react to people entering a marked crosswalk. In the absence of a traffic control device such a stop light, oncoming traffic shall yield the right-of-way to allow pedestrians to cross the roadway within the crosswalk, slowing down or stopping if needed. When a RRFB is available the pedestrian can push the button to activate flashing lights to help increase visibility and awareness as they cross the street. It is important to note, however, that pedestrians are not required to activate the beacon to cross the roadway in a marked crosswalk. Next time you are driving a vehicle remember to respect the crosswalk and yield to pedestrians. Doing so is vital to safety and walkability of our neighborhoods.
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November 2018 General Election
The November 2018 General Election is fast approaching. The ballot is lengthy, with six pages of elections and ballot measures that could have great impact on the lives of residents. The Denver Elections Division offers the following information to help voters:
- The main resource for information is the General Election Information Page
- Voters can track their ballot through the process by signing up for BallotTRACE
- Ballots will be mailed to voters the week of October 15
- Voters should vote and return their ballot immediately to a drop-box (there is also an option to return via USPS until 10/29, postage is 71 cents)
- Ballots must be RECEIVED before 7pm on November 6 to a drop-box or Vote Center (ballots should not be mailed after 10/29)
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Meter Bags
Parking meter bags that restrict parking have caused great confusion with the public. There are two colors of bags – yellow and red. The “Yellow” bag has the dates and times of restricted parking written on the bag, so, if the written times are 9 am to 5 pm for 10/1 – 10/5, then the public can park in the space before 9 am and after 5 pm for the five-day restricted period. The “Red” bag means no parking at all.
With the construction activity the primary problem has been that Denver Public Works is not managing the bags on a timely basis. Bags should be placed on meters the evening before or the day of restriction and then removed immediately when the restriction expires. Public Works has not had the manpower to consistently manage the parking meter bags, which is harmful to retail customers and for residents. Allocating this responsibility to the business district is being discussed which would bring better management to the parking meter bags.
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| One of Denver’s and District 10’s most valuable service providers for single parents with dependent children in need is the Warren Village, which is located on the 1300 block of Gilpin Street. Living at Warren Village is a hand up, not a hand out. Parents are required to maintain a full-time schedule of employment and/or education, attend life skills classes, and volunteer in the community. They pay 30% of their total income. 100% of Warren Village families have a household income of less than $20,000, qualifying them as living at or below the poverty line. Councilman New and his wife, Leslie, attended the Warren Village gala to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments. |
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Neighborhood Sidewalk Repair
Program Update
The Neighborhood Sidewalk Repair Program has officially started, and inspections are currently underway in Region 1, which is bounded by Broadway to Downing and Alameda to Speer Blvd. Presently, the City Grinding Crew is working on addressing areas within the right of way at City owned facilities. In response to constituents interested in preserving the integrity of their neighborhood, slab jacking of flagstone has now been approved in some circumstances. For updates related to the areas where inspections and the City’s contractor will be working go to www.denvergov.org/sidewalkrepair. Additional program updates will be provided as they become available.
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Dog Park Master Plan Update
It’s estimated that more than 150,000 dogs are living in Denver. Currently, there are 12 designated off-leash dog parks within city limits. Much like Denver’s human population growth, it’s expected that the number of dogs will continue to increase. To help alleviate the various issues that arise from an increasing dog population in a growing city, many municipalities are looking towards dog parks.
Dog parks have been shown to produce multiple community benefits for dogs, dog owners, and non-dog owners alike. In Denver, the continued creation of dog parks is being explored to help keep all residents and pets they might have safe and comfortable.
Denver Parks and Recreation is in the process of implementing a “technical update” to its current Dog Park Master Plan which was completed in 2010. This will be a re-examination of the existing, now outdated, plan. The Dog Park Master Plan Technical Update will revise the 2010 Dog Park Master Plan to reflect Denver’s current context related to dogs, dog-owners, non-dog owners, and parks and is intended to accomplish four (4) primary goals:
- Assess and evaluate the state of Denver’s existing dog parks
- Identify needs and priorities for current and future dog parks in Denver, considering the needs and priorities of dogs, dog owners, and non-dog owners
- Update and improve dog park design guidelines and site suitability criteria for future dog parks
- Establish a community-driven process for the creation of new dog parks
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Keep your leaves out of the landfill this fall by bringing them to a LeafDrop site near you! By participating in the LeafDrop program, Denver residents decrease their environmental impact, help to keep our streets clean, and save space in the landfill. Leaves taken to designated LeafDrop locations will be commercially composted, and the final compost product will be sold to Denver residents at Denver Recycles’ annual Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale in early May.
Weekday Drop Sites: Monday – Friday
Oct. 1-Dec. 7 | 8 AM to 2 PM
Weekend Drop Sites: Saturdays & Sundays
Nov. 3-18| 11 AM to 3 PM
- Bruce Randolph High School | E. 40th Ave. & Steele St.
- Cherry Creek Transfer Station | 7301 E. Jewell Ave. (Quebec St. & E. Jewell Ave.)
- Havana Nursery | 10450 Smith Rd. (Enter on Havana St.)
- Sabine Elementary School | S. Vrain St. and W. Dartmouth Ave.
- Sloan’s Lake Park | 17th Ave. & Sheridan Blvd.
- Veterans Park | S. Vine St. & E. Iowa Ave.
Bring your Leaves in Paper Bags! Denver Recycles, Be A Smart Ash, and Ace Hardware stores are teaming up to give away FREE 5-packs of 30-gallon paper leaf bags to help Denver residents keep leaves and plastic out of the landfill. Unlike plastic bags, brown paper bags can be composted along with the leaves, saving time and reducing plastic waste.
Remember:
- LeafDrop is for Denver residents only.
- Pumpkins are accepted too.
- Only bring leaves to designated LeafDrop sites during the specified dates and times. Dropping leaves off at other times is considered illegal dumping.
- Never rake or blow leaves into the street, as this will clog storm drains and street sweepers.
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New “City Shuttle” Service Pilot Project
On Friday, October 26 the City will be initiating a “City Shuttle”, which will be the first microtransit city service in Colorado. The City Shuttle service will be offered on a six-month free trial basis with a formal evaluation to be conducted on the effectiveness of this microtransit service. The primary purposes of the service will be to provide convenient transportation for retail, hospitality, and service workers; to reduce transportation costs for lower income workers; and to encourage workers to use transit rather than their cars to get to work. That said, this on-demand mobility option is for anyone and everyone to utilize.
The City Shuttle will provide 12-14 passenger vans, traveling from Cherry Creek to the Civic Center Station through the Capitol Hill area. The pilot project service will be offered Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7 AM to 10 PM. Passengers can arrange seating and pickup by using an app, which will allow you to track van travel progress and pickup times. The service will stop at 17 defined locations with 12-minutes headways. Additional service and app orientation information will be distributed next week.
Denver’s Public Works’ Transportation and Mobility Division, RTD, and Transportation Solutions are to be congratulated on their collaboration to initiate this first microtransit pilot project in Denver and Colorado.
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Read and React to Denveright
Denver residents have until October 31 to review and share feedback on a set of five plans to guide Denver’s growth, and its impact on development, parks, mobility options and more over the next 20 years.
The draft plans – released August 6 – are available for public review and feedback through Oct. 31 at denvergov.org/denveright. They are: - Comprehensive Plan 2040 – An overall 20-year vision and goals*
- Blueprint Denver – An integrated land use and transportation plan*
- Game Plan for a Healthy City – A parks and recreation plan*
- Denver Moves: Transit – A first-ever local transit plan
- Denver Moves: Pedestrians and Trails – A sidewalks, street crossings and trails plan
These community-driven plans are the result of two years of listening and engaging through the Denveright process, and encapsulate the community’s vision and expectations for a more inclusive, connected and healthy city. More than 20,000 people engaged in Denveright planning, via online and in-person surveys, open houses, workshops, educational events and more. City leaders will use the plans to guide decisions on policy, programs and public investments that will shape Denver over the next 20 years.
The plans are available for public review and comment through October 31 at denvergov.org/denveright. A hard copy of each plan is available for in-library use at all Denver Public Library branches. Copies of the Game Plan for a Healthy City are also available at all city recreation centers. Registered neighborhood organizations [RNOs] or other community groups may request a one-month extension by contacting blueprint@denvergov.org before October 31.
Since releasing the plans, more than 1,600 people have provided feedback. This winter, the draft plans will be revised based on input received. In early 2019, Comprehensive Plan 2040, Blueprint Denver and Game Plan for a Healthy City will go to Denver City Council for review and adoption. (The other plans are not adopted by council.)
Learn more at denvergov.org/denveright.
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Elevate Denver Bond Program
The Elevate Denver Bond Program today launched an expanded website to give residents more timely program updates and access to additional current and historical documents and information.
The website, which can be found at www.denvergov.org/elevatedenver, now features a program overview, including program summaries by City Council district; project updates, including a blog that will share the stories of individual bond projects and the community members who benefit from them; an expanded frequently asked questions section; a media section; an interactive timeline with the history of Denver bond programs; a section for contracting opportunities; and a Spanish language page. Each of these sections is expected to become more robust as the bond program advances.
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National Take Back Day
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. That’s dangerous and often tragic. That’s why it is great to see thousands of people from across the country clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in – safely and anonymously – a record amount of prescription drugs.
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Denver Arts Week
Denver Arts Week celebrates the Mile High City’s vibrant arts and culture scene….Visual arts, theater, music, film, museums, dance, opera comedy, history and heritage! This 12th annual event is an eight-day celebration of all things art in Denver, running from November 2-10, 2018. It includes more than 300 events at more than 100 museums, galleries and arts districts all over The Mile High City. To search the events and programs please visit www.denver.org/denver-arts-week/events.
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Office of Special Events Survey
The Office of Special Events is interested in your feedback regarding special events held on public property in Denver and Council District 10. They would like your general feedback regarding public events and to help them identify how your neighborhoods are informed about special events. (A special event is defined as any event that is open to the public that takes place on public parks and/or streets.)
They hope you can take the time to fill out the short survey. The survey contains 12 questions and takes less than 5 minutes to fill out. All responses are anonymous. We are respectfully asking everyone to participate in the survey by November 2.
Feel free to share this link with others that may be interested in participating in the survey.
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Community Office Hours
In order to facilitate greater face time with my constituents, I am coming to you. I am arranging meetings throughout District 10. A different district location is scheduled each week for community conversations.
I will meet with people by appointment only for the first hour and then I will be available for drop-in discussions for the second hour.
The September and October schedules are as follows:
- November 02, 10a-12p: Downpours Coffee; 1200 Clayton St (Congress Park)
- November 09, 10a-12p: Starbucks; 250 Columbine St (Cherry Creek North)
- November 30, 10a-12p: Metropolis Coffee; 300 West 11th Ave (Golden Triangle)
- December 07, 10a-12p: Dazbog Coffee; 1201 East 9th Ave (Cheesman Park)
- December 14, 10a-12p: Downpours Coffee; 1200 Clayton St (Congress Park)
- December 21, 10a-12p: Starbucks; 250 Columbine St (Cherry Creek North)
To make an appointment or for more information please call my office at 720-337-7710 or email Melissa Horn at melissa.horn@denvergov.
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Police District Contact Information and Advisory Meetings
The Denver Police Department has three police districts within portions of the boundaries of our District as follows:
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Station
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Commander
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Phone #
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Meetings
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Boundaries (Approx.)
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Commander Kathy Bancroft |
720-913-1000 |
First Thursday, Bi-Monthly |
E of York, N of 6th |
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Commander Rick Kyle |
720-913-1300 |
First Monday, Monthly |
S of 6th |
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Commander Aaron Sanchez |
720-913-2800 |
Third Thursday, Monthly |
W of York, N of 6th |
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Rembrandt: Painter as Printmaker
Denver Art Museum
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Light in All Darkness: Images and Icons from William Hart McNichols
Current – Jan. 6
City & County Building McNichols
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A Daughter’s Eve / A Daughter’s Voice
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“My Name is Asher Lev”
Current – Nov. 11
Cherry Creek Theatre
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Current – Nov. 17
Sandra Phillips Gallery
Golden Triangle
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Kirkland’s Birthday Bash
On Bannock
Nov. 3
Kirkland Museum
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Outfoxing the Predators: Preventing Fraud & Exploitation
Nov. 5
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City Council Open Mic
Residents Can Speak to Council
Nov 5 & 19 and Dec 3 & 17 at 5pm
City & County Building
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COLORADO AND DENVER GENERAL ELECTIONS DAY
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Small Business Saturday –
Celebrate Our Small Businesses
Nov. 24
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