Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 1:30 p.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, Room 391
The Community Planning and Housing Committee took up an action item on the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development implementation plan for the Federal Boulevard BRT corridor, a roughly $1.6 million FTA grant (with RTD as pass-through) using consultant HNTB, aimed at implementing adopted corridor plans, producing a regulatory package, and addressing displacement, small business, and cultural preservation concerns. Council members pressed staff on tools to prevent displacement, coordination with existing council work (such as a small business/BRT relief fund ordinance), and engagement with residents and riders. The committee also received a briefing from the Denver Permitting Office covering the Proposition 123 fast-track process (now officially adopted), new Start Smart discovery tools, a 180-day review performance update, quick permits for residential interior remodels and demolitions, grease interceptor policy changes, and the Outdoor Places program; members asked about intake times, application volumes, preapproved building plans, Spanish-language materials, and long delays in tier 3 encroachment and easement vacation processes.
0:06 Welcome back to this weekly
0:06 meeting of the community
0:07 Planning and Housing Committee
0:10 with Denver City Council.
0:14 If your community Planning and
0:16 Housing Committee starts now.
0:28 Hello and good afternoon.
0:30 Welcome to community planning
0:35 and housing today is Tuesday,
0:38 JULY 14 and now we have an
0:39 action item and breaking for
0:40 Let's go ahead and get started
0:41 with introductions. I'm Diana
0:45 Romero, Campbell. Trump, East
0:48 Denver in District 4 and I
0:49 write the District Jamie
0:51 Torres customer district. 3.
0:55 Might be lucky district. 7
0:57 wonderful. We'll go ahead and
0:59 start with our first action
1:01 and I'll turn it over to you
1:02 introduce what we're going to
1:03 be discussing today. Thank
1:04 you. COUNCILMAN David Gas
1:06 Spurs special Project
1:07 Supervisor in community
1:10 planning and development and I
1:11 have for you today, the e to
1:15 the implementation plan for
1:16 federal brt contracts. Us will
1:16 be a contract from taking
1:23 through council. I'll give you
1:24 some over background run
1:25 through a high-level review of
1:26 the scope and try to answer
1:28 any questions for you. We have
1:29 tried to brief a council
1:32 member just before this
1:34 meeting. So hopefully many of
1:36 you are aware Lisa Mullins
1:41 what go. So the project
1:45 overview we are focused on
1:46 Federal boulevard and to the
1:47 extent of the city both south
1:52 and north. So the entire a bit
1:53 federal within Denver and a
1:54 half mile buffer on either
1:56 side of the boulevard. This is
2:00 an fta. A grant awarded
2:01 2 million dollars. We actually
2:04 applied for this grant back in
2:05 2024. Very slow moving through
2:08 the federal process. But we do
2:12 receive the award last year
2:14 and it is a part of pilot
2:16 program for transit oriented
2:17 development actually the same
2:20 program that received funding
2:26 to do the essential and
2:27 pipelines on Colfax argue
2:30 that, know, 5, 6 years he like
2:30 it was way longer than what it
2:34 probably I'm so very excited
2:37 go back to that funding
2:38 source. And obviously they saw
2:43 that as 6, 6, 6, s the fta.
2:44 The we're includes a
2:47 three-year limit time
2:47 employee. Be Josh Kaul Mary,
2:49 who someone we were able bring
2:50 back through our layoffs
2:51 actually through this for 3
2:55 years, 10 senior city planner.
2:57 We are not a direct recipient
2:57 ft. A fund so rtd is serving
3:00 as the pass through. So we
3:03 have a 98 in place with
3:05 Project schedule. Hopefully we
3:06 would be working with a
3:07 consultant started this
3:09 SEPTEMBER for approximately 18
3:12 months. And then Josh would
3:13 actually continue on beyond
3:14 those 18 months to actually
3:15 deliver regulatory package.
3:19 This is not an adopted plan,
3:22 but it likely result either
3:23 out of text amendment or map
3:23 amendment that helped
3:24 implement some of the findings
3:28 of the plant. We've selected
3:29 hntb through a very
3:33 competitive. A procurement
3:33 process that we had 6 or 7
3:38 really create some medals.
3:39 Agent to great job of
3:41 combining both their national
3:44 expertise cruelty was a local
3:47 teams. A lot of knowledge for
3:48 the corridor. So Diane Graham,
3:51 Lee Barnes will be their
3:52 project manager, but have lot
3:53 of local knowledge from with
3:56 like vocal saying who has
3:57 worked on many of the mpi
3:58 plans and will be working on
4:02 far North West as we do this
4:05 plan as well as our can walk.
4:08 E who great notion from
4:10 standpoint so we think the
4:11 really great team. I also I
4:14 like that for the regulatory
4:16 work. They actually hired you
4:17 Gross, a former cpd employee
4:18 who now want to find Dru moves
4:21 seem callous or so really in
4:22 depth, knowledge or zoning
4:23 code an important part of why
4:24 we chose his team's. We felt
4:26 they really would know how to
4:31 help us advance. I can And you
4:34 might be saying what is that
4:35 cool to I've been fortunate to
4:35 work into it here in Denver
4:36 for about 15 years, at least
4:40 now and I've been able to talk
4:41 a lot of other communities
4:43 that I do transferring to
4:45 development. A couple cities
4:46 in particular have been
4:48 leading with equitable to beat
4:49 often. We've got to work with
4:50 closely and they learn a lot
4:51 from us. And we're learning a
4:54 lot from them. We did a little
4:57 bit differently, right? We had
4:57 dog playing first. We certain
4:58 integrate equity into the
5:00 blueprint. Denver concepts.
5:01 And now we've actually been
5:03 applying equitable development
5:05 since a blueprint. Denver.
5:09 Across all the city. This idea
5:12 here is that has a little bit
5:13 extra need bright because
5:13 we're actually investing
5:17 heavily into a corridor if we
5:17 take federal, for example,
5:19 could be 300 million dollars
5:21 federal and and local funds
5:23 cdot. How do we actually make
5:24 sure that the improvement to
5:28 the transit corridor actually
5:29 serves the people that are
5:29 already there right then
5:30 actually been riding the bus
5:34 today on federal. And so we
5:35 want to make sure they're not
5:36 just tied traditional qb, but
5:37 really put those actual
5:41 outcomes in front and make
5:42 sure that we are removing
5:43 barriers that we MAY have in
5:47 place to achieve those goals.
5:50 Very small schedule there of
5:51 that. Most important thing out
5:52 of this is a involvement
5:54 asked. We want to achieve it
5:55 in relatively quick manner. 18
5:57 months with the consultant
5:58 team and then Josh would be
5:59 able to take over from there
6:02 and deliver that regulatory
6:04 afterwards. So not only do we
6:05 do the work that we actually
6:09 have staff time, But things on
6:13 the books, if you will, scope
6:14 items. Here we have is the tv
6:18 Paul seeing strategy component
6:19 operating site planning where
6:20 we actually looking very
6:20 specific sites along the
6:24 corridor, both small and large
6:26 and run through site master
6:29 plan process. Then
6:29 infrastructure plan really
6:30 looking at the small area
6:32 plans that we have, right.
6:34 There's already 5 of the 6
6:35 impact plans. A complete are
6:40 working on the 6, 1, We're not
6:41 here. We're trying to take the
6:41 pretty new adopted policies
6:43 adopting policies that we've
6:44 already went through those
6:45 planning efforts and actually
6:46 implement them. So that's the
6:50 intent of this effort. We have
6:51 the regulatory framework
6:52 assessment that again, I think
6:56 Josh and your work closely on
6:58 to release evaluating or
6:59 zoning code regulatory tools
7:04 and try to it. The ansa
7:05 implementation package. Dottie
7:07 is assisting with the first
7:08 mile study. So it'll be
7:09 heavily involved in that
7:10 component. I think that's an
7:13 important opportunity to know
7:17 that closely with cdot in our
7:18 key on this and they sure
7:18 could use a pass to see got
7:19 obviously is one doing the
7:23 work on the bus. Rapid
7:24 transit. This is the
7:25 supplement that it's we're not
7:26 doing anything for cdot, nice
7:28 person, but we are
7:29 coordinating very closely to
7:29 make sure that as they move
7:34 forward with their process. We
7:35 looking efforts Robin, each
7:39 other. And then finally, we
7:40 haven't you bet implementation
7:41 plan is the idea that we
7:42 actually need medication
7:44 playing that follows up all
7:45 those mpi documents and
7:49 actually delivers next steps.
7:49 4 of those key recommendations
7:52 in the corridor. Community
7:55 engagement will be a little
7:57 bit different. Here much more
7:59 of a targeted So maybe not
8:03 quite broad as you'd expect
8:03 mp. I neighborhood plan
8:04 already passed the community
8:05 what their vision is and and
8:08 what they like and don't like.
8:11 But we want to actually dive
8:13 deeper with secular groups.
8:14 And to make sure that we
8:21 really understand how need a
8:22 recommendations to move
8:22 forward implementation here,
8:24 impact of the community and
8:28 get their input. So are
8:30 desired outcomes are deliver
8:31 on those adopted plans to
8:34 implement transit, supportive
8:35 recommendations to are
8:39 adopting plans. And Nancy to
8:40 ut supporters owning changes,
8:42 move areas tto I think that's
8:43 big takeaway. And also to
8:44 preserve the cultural
8:47 significance of the core. Very
8:48 been seeing some of this push
8:49 with the Asian Center, for
8:52 example, of how to actually
8:54 have that. We definitely work
8:55 in progress, but we hope that
8:55 we could actually has some
8:58 rules come out of this process
9:02 to help address those concerns
9:03 that that pop up when
9:04 something like that happens.
9:08 So with that, answer any
9:09 questions thank you. Thank you
9:10 for the presentation. We have
9:12 a few council members and the
9:13 q and I'd like to welcome
9:15 Council PRESIDENT Sandoval to
9:17 the meeting. Let's go ahead
9:18 and get started with
9:18 councilmember. Everything just
9:22 so much committee chair. Thank
9:23 you so much. Spend the great
9:25 talking about has been a huge
9:28 concern about what the brt
9:29 will do federal and the small
9:31 businesses and the cultural
9:33 importance. A federal and I
9:35 appreciate that. You
9:36 understand that that your
9:37 being proactive that were
9:38 coming with this. Now before
9:41 we start on the brt. It sounds
9:44 like there isn't any actual
9:46 tangible suggestions that that
9:46 will be something that will be
9:47 developed through this team.
9:49 Can you talk about how why, as
9:51 a council member can best make
9:53 sure that community knows
9:54 where to go to with concerns
9:56 and who to talk to about those
9:58 concerns. Yeah, sure. It was
10:00 have a project website and
10:01 will have navigator that will
10:04 be out in the community. Focus
10:05 groups so are causing with all
10:06 the council members in the
10:08 corridor to actually make sure
10:10 that whoever is invited to any
10:14 of these more in-depth
10:15 engagement opportunities we
10:16 align with We want to make
10:17 sure that needs to be in the
10:18 room. We know that, you know
10:20 the quarter better than anyone
10:22 else. And then broadly
10:23 speaking speaking at, you
10:26 anybody who wants to reach out
10:27 and be able to get involved in
10:30 the process will true in that.
10:31 Wonderful, awesome. I look
10:33 forward to working together. I
10:34 think you thank Thank
10:38 Councilmember Torres, thank
10:40 you. So what I'm what I'm
10:40 gonna get caught up in a
10:42 little bit. Here I am. Is what
10:46 we do once identified.
10:50 Involuntary displacement or
10:51 equity concerns on corridor
10:52 and it can't be enough just to
10:54 say these are the
10:57 vulnerabilities and we've put
10:58 them into a report we've folks
11:08 aware of this still marching
11:09 despite having those tools in
11:14 place I think becomes worried
11:18 about, think just getting left
11:18 behind us not adequately
11:21 preparing for those impacts
11:21 because I think they just said
11:25 there was anticipation of brt
11:26 land purchase training that
11:29 they another lane on be the
11:31 site of Federal Boulevard. And
11:34 what is that property owners
11:38 plan to do deal with that
11:40 there are things that I think
11:44 that can teach about. How are
11:46 Are we providing pathways for
11:48 business owners? Don't know
11:49 they're not going to be coming
11:50 to public meetings in most
11:54 cases, you know, I can in and
11:56 I don't think the year t thus
12:00 far has done a very good job
12:03 reaching residents about your
12:04 team. They've probably
12:05 appropriate and the required
12:08 public meetings in But I it's
12:11 not really reaching And the
12:12 transit advocates who already
12:16 like want to so this is going
12:20 to feel like a really swift
12:22 kind of action plan once it's
12:23 getting installed where folks
12:24 are going to be like, wait a
12:26 minute. I don't know how this
12:31 affects me. You're my family.
12:35 Half mile its halfway into
12:35 most of my neighborhood's all
12:37 of the Sun Valley
12:38 neighborhood, rain. So that's
12:39 I think the thing that I'm
12:42 going get caught in as this
12:43 moves forward is yes, we can
12:46 identify appreciate that. It
12:48 starts with equity analysis.
12:49 But then what are we prepared
12:51 to with that information
12:52 becomes a question and it's
12:55 not just a cbd question. This
12:55 is actually I think largely
13:00 economic development. Housing
13:02 stability. Those are the 2
13:04 agencies that I think should
13:06 be most invested in. What are
13:09 we doing in parallel with as
13:13 opposed to afterwards after
13:15 communities raised concerns
13:16 after business owners of said
13:20 nobody told us about this plan
13:21 releases are month to month
13:25 or, you know, what are those
13:26 vulnerabilities? Yeah. That
13:28 the law agree with everything
13:29 you're saying, no, it's
13:30 exactly why we we applied for
13:32 this grant and want to try to
13:34 achieve frightened. I can't
13:35 promise you anything. That's
13:35 not my my point today's point,
13:38 I think our intent is to to
13:40 try to dive right into that.
13:42 So a target engagement. We're
13:42 talking about going right
13:43 after those businesses. Right?
13:44 And rule need your help with
13:46 like we don't need a big
13:47 public meeting where everyone
13:49 just come in. We actually need
13:51 to have in-depth conversations
13:53 with the people that could be
13:53 potentially their small
13:54 business gets displaces.
13:55 Construction happens, right or
13:58 whatever doesn't. So and we
13:59 need action rules that come
14:00 out of it. That's that's not
14:01 enough to identify. I mean,
14:02 it's pretty easy say that
14:03 there is. There's a risk for
14:04 displacement already ready.
14:07 It's like how do we actually
14:07 have tools? That view was
14:11 council members can actually
14:13 help us and help them stay in
14:14 place. Right? And we want to
14:15 explore all those ideas. And
14:16 there are some examples of
14:17 others of cities are doing
14:20 Denver. That's what we need to
14:20 some things when they work for
14:21 find out. We have appears the
14:23 review. It's a part of that
14:24 initial study where we want to
14:26 look at other communities.
14:27 Washington dc's one example
14:32 where they have small business
14:34 displacement funds where they
14:34 actually have a first right to
14:38 return and actually are.
14:39 Having funding assistance to