Shontel Lewis provided detailed responses to the Save Open Space Denver position statement.

Brad Revare

No response

The post Save Open Space Denver Responses – Council District 8 appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

Shannon fully supports all of the elements in your position statements. She is a champion for protecting our parks and open space, and the protection of conservation easements.

Let me know if you need any additional information, and we appreciate your work to make sure candidates are promoting solid principles for future discussions around the use of our green space.

Chris Hinds

As promised, now that 2O has been defeated, we are already moving forward the legislation to return all 155 acres of the Park Hill Golf Course back to its original zoning of Open Space.  That passed through our Land Use and Transportation Infrastructure committee today and will pass completely through Council before the end of this Council’s term.  I believe the estimated date of the final vote in Council is the end of June.  I look forward to working with the new Mayor – whoever that may be – to ensure Park Hill Golf Course meets the needs of the people of Denver.  I also commit to voting against any new request for rezoning (after the rezoning back to Open Space, mentioned above), as the people of Denver have made their opinions clearly heard with 301, 302, and 2O.  There’s no need to require a fourth vote of the people for any reason.

The post Save Open Space Denver Responses – Council District 10 appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

I am in agreement with all the demands and will do my best to continue protecting the PHGC and open space in our district! 

Darrell Watson

Darrell Watson has provided his responses to the Save Open Space Denver position paper in a posting at his web site.

The post Save Open Space Denver Responses – Council District 9 appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

1. That future City leaders will respect and honor the conservation easement and its conservation purposes of providing open space and recreation to the people of Denver
2. That open space and recreation are the ONLY legal and appropriate uses for this land
3. If Westside Investment Partners chooses not to re-open golf operations, that City leaders will facilitate the City’s purchase of the property for a designated city park at its fair market value (as encumbered by the easement) by using funds from the Referred Measure 2A 0.25% sales tax revenues
4. That the newly elected Mayor engage a wide range of unpaid Denver community volunteers in a measured and thoughtful planning process to define a broad outline of features and amenities that will activate the land consistent with the conservation easement’s open space and recreational purposes
5. That the outgoing administration will respect the next administration’s ability to fully take on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our parks system by refraining from any type of intervention in this process before July 17
6. That full appraisals of the property will be conducted to determine its fair market value both with the conservation easement in place and without the conservation easement in place
7. That the incoming administration will comply with state law in its future dealings with the protected land
8. That the newly elected Mayor and City Council will repeal the small area plan approved on December 5, 2022, in accordance with the voters’ rejection of Measure 2 O

The post Position Statement from Save Open Space Denver regarding the Open Space and Recreational Future of the Park Hill Golf Course Land appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

Representatives from YES for Parks and Open Space have demanded – both verbally and in writing – that the City correct the crucial misstatements in the Blue Book, to no avail and to no answer.  

• The Blue Book descriptions on 301 and 302 show clear bias by the City.
• The first fiscal description for 302 said that it “does not reference the need for a special election” — this is not true.
• The first fiscal description for 302 said “any election would not be held until the next regularly scheduled election” — this is not true.
• The City continued the deception by amending the fiscal description for 302 by saying “this initiative requires no financial obligations since the initiative does not impact a City held easement and would not require a future election” – this is not true.
• In contrast to its handling of 302, the City’s fiscal impact statement for 301 continues to be a one-third page description of supposed potential fiscal impact of over $1 million.

In truth, the fiscal impacts of 301 and 302 are identical. 

• Both measures require an election for proposed development on designated park land.  The City’s fiscal description on 302 intentionally misleads voters on this fact.
• Both measures require an election for proposed development on land held under a conservation easement for which a tax credit is granted.   The City’s fiscal description on 302 intentionally misleads voters on this fact.

This is just the latest example of a City administration that has proved their desire to develop the land from the very beginning of the process:

• The developer purchased the land in August of 2019 while it was still subject to a perpetual open space and recreational conservation easement that prohibits any development on the land.
• Immediately upon the purchase, the City began meeting with and working with the developer on plans to develop the land.
• On November 2019, The City entered into an agreement with the developer to hold off enforcement of the conservation easement for 3 years so that the City and the developer could develop a public narrative supporting breaking the easement for development
• The true nature of the relationship between the City and the developer is established in an email in which Executive Director of the City Planning and Development Department, Laura Aldrete, refers to the developer as the City’s “client.”
• Despite the fact that the land cannot be legally developed, City has been conducting an expensive planning and development process, spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on third-party consultants and using well over a thousand hours of City employee time.

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The post DEVELOPERS CONTINUE TO RUN THE CITY OF DENVER appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

Contact:
Colette Carey
EJ Reilly & Associates
(720) 815-6800
[email protected]

DENVER, CO (September 28, 2021) Deep-pocket real estate developers, Westside Investment Partners – who are attempting to eliminate an existing conservation easement and develop the protected Park Hill Golf Course open space- have some explaining to do.

On June 9, 2021, Westside created a non-profit, Empower Northeast Denver (END), a group being held up as a ‘grassroots’ organization to ‘protect the voice and the future of our community.’   The creation of this group is nothing more than a cynical attempt by Westside to oppose Ballot Initiative 301 (one would preserve the Park Hill Golf Course land as designated green, open space).  In addition, according to the END’s August Campaign Report, Westside has contributed all $280,305.00 in cash and in-kind financial contributions to this ‘grassroots’ organization. 

“This blatant and brazen attempt by deep-pocket developers to steal protected open space from the City of Denver is over the top,” said Tony Pigford, a spokesperson for YES for Parks and Open Space. “We don’t do it this way in Denver. Denver citizens are too smart to fall for these political tricks. If they had true grassroots support, they wouldn’t need to create a phony organization to try and pull the wool over Denver voters’ eyes.”

Empower Northeast Denver is actually just a Westside alter ego formed and fully financed by Westside:

(1) Westside Investment Partners formed Empower Northeast Denver as a Colorado non-profit corporation on June 9, 2021, soon after it began the process for Election Division approval for Initiated Ordinance 302;

(2) Empower Northeast Denver’s principal office and registered agent are located at Westside’s corporate offices in Glendale; and

(3) as of the filing of its August campaign finance report for Initiated Ordinance 302, all $280,305 of the cash and in-kind financial contributions reported for Initiated Ordinance 302 were provided by Westside Investment Partners and its subsidiary ACM Park Hill JV VII LLC.

YES for Parks and Open Space continues to be an all-volunteer organization with no single member of the group taking any payment for their work on this campaign.

About YES for Parks and Open Space

YES for Parks and Open Space is an initiative launched by a group of concerned citizens who want to ensure that the voters in the City and County of Denver have a voice in how the land in our designated parks and open spaces, protected by conservation easements, can be used – starting with the 155 acres former Park Hill Golf Course.

www.yesopenspace.org

The post WESTSIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS HEAVILY FUNDS “GRASSROOTS” GROUP BEHIND BALLOT INITIATIVE #302 appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

Colette Carey
EJ Reilly & Associates
(720) 815-6800
[email protected]

DENVER (September 21, 2021)

WHAT:  Former Denver Mayor, Wellington Webb is set to kick off the campaign to pass ballot initiative #301 and defeat ballot initiative #302 with a press conference at his home – placing the first of thousands of yard signs that will be distributed around the City and County of Denver.  Volunteers from around the city will be placing these signs in prominent locations to push for the passing of initiative #301, coupled with the equally important defeat of ballot initiative #302.

WHEN:  Wednesday, September 22 at 10:30 am 

WHERE:  2329 N. Gaylord Street – Denver, CO – 80205

About YES for Parks and Open Space

YES for Parks and Open Space is an initiative launched by a group of concerned citizens who want to ensure that the voters in the City and County of Denver have a voice in how the land in our designated parks and open spaces, protected by conservation easements, can be used – starting with the 155 acres former Park Hill Golf Course.

The post THE HONORABLE WELLINGTON WEBB TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE, KICKING OFF THE YARD SIGN CAMPAIGN FOR BALLOT INITIATIVE #301 appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Colette Carey
EJ Reilly & Associates
(720) 815-6800
[email protected]

DENVER, CO (June 22, 2021) The YES for Parks and Open Space ballot committee received notice of sufficiency today from the Clerk and Recorders office, confirming that their initiative has secured a spot on the November 2^nd ballot.

“This is great news for us and great news for Denver,” said Penfield Tate, leader of the YES for Parks and Open Space initiative. “Ensuring protection for park land and open space in this city is something that every citizen should have a voice in – and our “Green” initiative gives them that voice.  There is a very clear choice for Denver voters, green space versus concrete and asphalt.  Now, onto a victory in November!” 

The YES initiative language is simple:

“Shall the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt a measure prohibiting the following without the approval of voters in a regularly scheduled municipal or special election:

• any commercial or residential development on land designated as a city park and land protected by a City-owned conservation easement except where consistent with park purposes, conservation easement purposes, or for cultural facilities, and

• any partial or complete cancellation of a City-owned conservation easement unless for the purpose of creating a new park?”

YES for Parks and Open Space submitted well over 14,000 petition signatures, well beyond the 8,265 needed to make the November ballot.

About YES for Parks and Open Space

YES for Parks and Open Space is an initiative launched by a group of concerned citizens who want to ensure that the voters in the City and County of Denver have a voice in how the land in our designated parks and open spaces – protected by city-owned conservation easements – can be used. 

The post YES FOR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE RECEIVES CONFIRMATION ON BALLOT INITIATIVE appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

The post Letter to Paul Lopez appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.

DENVER, CO (June 7, 2021) The YES for Parks and Open Space ballot committee today submitted a letter to Denver’s Clerk and Recorder, Paul Lopez, officially challenging the proposed initiated ordinance presented by Westside Investment Partners, at a June 4 “Review and Comment” hearing with City officials.

On Wednesday, June 2, YES for Parks and Open space submitted more than 13,000 signatures to the Denver Election Division for its proposed initiated ordinance designed to preserve Denver’s parks and open space. The YES for Parks and Open Space ballot language is simple and easy to understand:

“Shall the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt a measure prohibiting the following without the approval of voters in a regularly scheduled municipal or special election:

• any commercial or residential development on land designated as a city park and land protected by a City-owned conservation easement except where consistent with park purposes, conservation easement purposes, or for cultural facilities, and

• any partial or complete cancellation of a City-owned conservation easement unless for the purpose of creating a new park?”

The petitions submitted by YES for Parks and Open Space contain enough signatures to ensure that the proposed initiated ordinance will make the November 2 ballot.

In what appears to be a desperate move, Westside Investment Partners is submitting its own initiated ordinance proposal (referenced above). While nearly identical in language to the YES for Parks and Open Space proposed ordinance, the difference between the two proposed ordinances is that the one initiated by Westside Investment Partners redefines a “conservation easement” to conveniently exclude a conservation easement – such as the easement on the Park Hill Golf Course land – that the City purchased with taxpayer monies, clearly to further their own interests.

If their initiative gets on the ballot and passes, it has the potential to set a dangerous precedent for taxpayer-funded conservation easements to be eliminated at the will of developers.

Representatives for the grassroots community organization, YES for Parks and Open Space said that Westside’s use of identical language to the YES for Parks and Open Space proposed initiated ordinance, save one element, reflects the intent of the developer to do one thing and one thing only – confuse voters.

YES for Parks and Open Space representative Penfield Tate explains that “we are writing out of profound concern that there will be a strong likelihood of voter confusion regarding the two proposals.” 

Tate goes on to say, “The potential confusion caused by Westside’s proposed ordinance is that, on one hand, it would appear to voters that the ordinance protects from development without voter approval, identical to that provided by the YES for Parks and Open Space proposed ordinance. However, Westside’s proposed amendment to the definition of “conservation easement” would significantly limit the voter approval protections provided by our YES for Parks and Open Space proposed ordinance.”

A link to the full letter can be found, here:

https://bit.ly/34YO4GC

About YES for Parks and Open SpaceYES for Parks and Open Space is an initiative launched by a group of concerned citizens who want to ensure that the voters in the City and County of Denver have a voice in how the land in our designated parks and open spaces – protected by conservation easements – can be used.

The post YES FOR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE SUBMITS OFFICIAL OPPOSITION TO POSSIBLE INITIATED ORDINANCE SPONSORED BY DEVELOPER WESTSIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS appeared first on Yes for Parks and Open Space.