Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10:30 a.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, room 391
The Finance and Business Committee, chaired by Council Member Chris Hinds, held a block vote on 19 items covering the 2027 plans and budgets for Denver's general improvement districts (GIDs), business improvement districts (BIDs), and the tourism improvement district, which moved forward to full council with final votes scheduled for November 16th. The committee also approved a Denver Downtown Development Authority (DDA) development project funding agreement for the Park Hotel at 1514-17 17th Street, a project converting a historic 1882 building into 50 affordable senior housing units with a DDA loan of up to $6 million. The meeting concluded with a briefing from the Department of Economic Development and Opportunity and DOTI on the Business Opportunity Fund, which provides stabilization grants and technical assistance to businesses affected by construction; council members discussed funding challenges now that federal sources are exhausted and previewed proposals to codify and sustainably fund the program.
0:00 programs in the summer. Here
0:02 are some of my favorites. So
0:03 much fun watching them. Learn
0:05 watching them, solve these
0:06 problems, having those moments
0:07 of discovery, it's so
0:09 rewarding to be a part of that
0:12 experience. The other 20% is
0:13 law enforcement emergency
0:14 response alongside the other
0:15 Rangers that we have here. I
0:16 was actually just getting
0:18 ready to go on patrol. Would
0:20 you like to come with me? Yes,
0:21 of course. That's and so fun.
0:23 Thanks a lot
0:36 Kind of beautiful trail. Tell
0:37 us some of the wildlife that
0:38 we might see out here. Bear
0:41 Creek Lake Park. Yeah. So this
0:43 spot in particular and in the
0:44 evenings, we usually hear
0:45 coyotes out here. There is a
0:47 dead nearby. We also usually
0:51 see deer out here as well. Man
0:51 hanging out along the creek.
0:52 There is a huge diversity of
0:54 birds species that we have
0:55 here. Great blue herons. You
0:57 never know what you're going
0:57 to see out here. There's so
1:00 much to discover. Think the
1:01 biggest lesson that I try to
1:03 teach is instilling respect
1:06 for the outdoors, whether it
1:07 be respect for the risks, the
1:10 space that you're in or
1:11 respect for the wildlife. It's
1:13 really important to understand
1:16 that we are all part of this
1:17 ecosystem alongside the
1:18 animals and things can only
1:19 continue to thrive we respect
1:23 each other. So being a park
1:24 ranger seems like an absolute
1:25 dream job. I mean, imagine
1:27 this being your office view,
1:29 but I also imagine that a lot
1:30 of heartbreak goes into
1:31 becoming a park Ranger. Can
1:33 you tell us a little bit about
1:35 the training? Yeah. So here at
1:36 the city of Lakewood, all of
1:38 the park Rangers are required
1:39 hold at minimum a bachelor's
1:42 degree in a related field. So
1:43 I studied wildlife biology
1:45 alongside that. There's a ton
1:47 of training that we receive
1:48 on-the-job. All of the park
1:49 Rangers hold our red card,
1:50 meaning that there will wear
1:51 wildland firefighters us. We
1:54 can work alongside West Metro
1:54 and queso wildfire here on
1:56 Green Mountain or in any of
1:58 our parks. We also are all
1:59 emergency medical responders,
2:01 meaning that we can provide a
2:03 pretty high level of first aid
2:05 and stabilizing care in our
2:06 parks until an ambulance is
2:08 able to show up. Very cool of
2:09 all. Thank you so much, grace
2:11 for having me. I've learned so
2:12 much today. And I mean, it
2:13 goes without saying that you
2:14 are one of our unsung heroes.
2:17 All of our park rangers are
2:18 unsung heroes. You're out
2:19 here, protecting our
2:20 environment and protecting our
2:21 community. So thank you so
2:22 much for everything that you
2:22 do that. Thanks for joining me
2:24 today.
2:33 There's so much to discover at
2:35 Bear Creek Lake Park. I'm
2:36 going to give an extra special
2:37 shout-out to Grayson all the
2:38 amazing Park Rangers to help
2:39 maintain our open spaces. If
2:41 you want to learn more about
2:42 programming and education
2:43 opportunities at Bear Creek
2:44 Lake Park, you can call the
2:45 visitor center or visit Lake
2:46 with Dot Org. Slash Bear Creek
2:49 Lake Park. Next time. Thanks
2:51 again to smooth out pack
2:52 experience in Jefferson County
2:53 for having us out. These guys.
2:57 They are awesome. We hope that
2:57 you get to enjoy an animal
3:00 experience near you. We'll see
3:02 you next time on connected,
3:05 Colorado
3:23 I'm the director of shelter
3:23 services help oversee our
3:26 young adults, shelter, minor
3:27 shelter our neighborhood, that
3:29 spaces as well. I worked at
3:30 the old shelter building and
3:31 the difference between our new
3:32 building that is intentionally
3:34 designed for a population.
3:35 First, the old building I can
3:37 see the impact that it's had
3:39 day-to-day with just how are
3:40 you, sir, able to manage their
3:41 lives and our staff are able
3:43 to support them in this new
3:44 space? Really trying to help
3:46 with in terms of supporting
3:47 youth at this stage is so they
3:48 don't end up chronically
3:50 homeless as adults. And so we
3:51 really feel like building help
3:54 support us with our prevention
3:56 model assisting us in becoming
3:58 independent self-sufficient a
3:59 building like the mothership
4:00 shows the power of community
4:01 investment because without
4:03 that peak the amazing services
4:05 that we've been able to
4:08 provide just overall sense
4:09 value and worth and they come
4:11 in here is game-changing
4:13 without the rise. Denver go
4:14 bond initiatives. Beautiful
4:15 building would not have been
4:17 possible. And we're just so
4:17 thankful to the community to
4:21 be able invest in our use.
4:35 I love hitting the slopes in
4:36 Colorado. We're all about the
4:38 outdoor life. But sometimes
4:40 injuries happened. Whether
4:40 it's painting your shoulder
4:42 elbow, hip or at Denver
4:45 Health. We love comeback. Turn
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4:50 lifestyle because they love
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4:52 with our sports medicine team
4:54 at the Denver Health
4:56 Orthopedic Center of
5:00 Excellence Call 720-973-3678,
5:00 today will go to Denver,
5:03 Health Dot org slash sports.
5:38 It's time for this biweekly
5:39 meeting of the finance and
5:40 Business Committee of Denver
5:47 City Council. Join us for the
5:50 finance and business
5:53 Committee. Starting now
6:10 Warning that good morning it
6:14 is OCTOBER 27th 2026 when he
6:14 was Chris Heinz, the Servant
6:15 of City Council representing
6:16 District 10, their first
6:17 perfect 10. We have to action
6:22 items are briefing 5, consent
6:25 items before we get into the
6:26 action items. Let's start with
6:28 that introduction. Ys,
6:28 starting with distinguished
6:33 gentleman to my right. Had
6:36 distinguish not certify it.
6:37 Good morning, everyone, Senate
6:40 and is also tennis at large.
6:41 Good morning. Paul Kashmann
6:42 South and District 6. Does
6:43 make you district 7. Good
6:44 morning, Carol. Watson, Fine
6:49 District 9. We don't have
6:52 anyone zoom yet. But someone
6:54 shows up, then I'll introduce
6:57 them. The conversation action
7:00 items actually a block vote of
7:03 19 items about kids, kids,
7:06 kids Paul. So Department of
7:09 Finance, will not use the
7:10 acronyms that I just it's a
7:11 business where MISTER Sharon
7:11 from a district centrism
7:13 confirma districts. If I you
7:15 introduce yourself and take it
7:22 away. Of course. Good Morning
7:23 Council. My name is dense with
7:23 Jack, analyst on the Capital
7:24 management financing team. The
7:27 part finance like just
7:28 mentioned, I'm here to give
7:30 the annual presentation on the
7:31 2027 plans and budgets for the
7:33 various general improvement
7:35 districts, business
7:35 improvement districts and
7:36 tourism improvement district
7:39 across city and county of
7:42 Denver like like he mentioned
7:43 already, there are 19 item
7:44 somewhat trying to through
7:46 this presentation as quickly
7:47 as I can, let material to
7:47 cover. But I'm going to try
7:48 and save some time at the end
7:51 for q and a so if there's
7:53 something that I don't
7:54 specifically address initial
7:55 run through, feel free to flag
7:57 that we can circle back to
7:58 more discussion of
8:02 Additionally, happy to for If
8:03 you'd like to go into more
8:04 detail. But anytime between
8:05 now and the council actions
8:09 later in NOVEMBER. So for the
8:11 let's start off with a very
8:13 high discussion of the request
8:15 of council actions and what we
8:16 are ultimately here review and
8:19 approve some to to move
8:21 forward today that I will
8:22 start discussing just
8:23 districts at general level
8:24 just to refresh your memory on
8:27 how they work and then pivot
8:29 over to my interview process.
8:29 Just to discuss what I look
8:33 at, what I collect. And then
8:33 they'll spend the significant
8:34 portion of the time going over
8:35 the budgets themselves and
8:36 eventually before opening up
8:39 for the q and a thank you. My
8:40 time are going just keep an
8:46 eye on my time. We are here to
8:47 approve that. Review and
8:48 approve the 12 plans and 19
8:50 times in total 12 plans and
8:53 budgets for the Toby id's.
8:54 Work plans and budgets. The 60
8:55 id's in the annual plan for
8:59 the 2 I d I do have here
9:02 summary slide of the specific
9:03 items. You want that for your
9:04 reference by Mike has been a
9:06 lot. I'm gonna of right now.
9:10 And so shifting over to just
9:10 the again. This is refresher
9:11 on how these districts work.
9:13 So the business improvement
9:14 districts in the general
9:14 improvement districts they
9:15 fall under title. 31 of state
9:20 statute. So a lot of state law
9:22 governs dictates a how these
9:23 districts operate many ways.
9:27 And so just want establish
9:27 that before we go into and
9:28 then that he ad falls within
9:29 Denver, chartered Denver,
9:32 revise municipal code. So a
9:33 slightly different set of
9:34 rules for how that operates
9:35 relative to the total 31
9:39 districts so sure I have a
9:42 summary table of some of the
9:43 District Cross City. We're not
9:43 discussing Metro district say
9:44 someone skip over that one g
9:49 id's. They cover primarily
9:50 public infrastructure
9:51 maintenance for both
9:52 commercial and residential
9:53 property. The City Council
9:54 serves as the board of
9:56 directors for the Jennie-o. As
9:58 you MAY recall in this week,
9:59 coming up in a few weeks when
10:01 when time comes to hold public
10:02 hearings, City council gave a
10:03 lot of city council gavel in
10:04 as the board of directors for
10:07 the g 80's. They do have a
10:08 district advisory board. That
10:10 man just let the day-to-day
10:11 operations and decisions. But
10:12 when it comes to the formal
10:13 approval process, City Council
10:15 serves as the board directors,
10:17 the id's, those focused
10:19 primarily on economic
10:20 development and marketing.
10:24 They can do some maintenance
10:24 type type But the main focus
10:25 is typically economic
10:27 development, marketing and
10:29 those cover commercial
10:30 properties exclusively. And
10:32 then lastly, we have that he
10:36 ad temp district that focuses
10:37 primarily promoting tourism
10:41 incentives for for attract
10:41 economic development
10:44 tourism and related services
10:45 in that that revenue in a
10:48 speech. This little more later
10:48 is generated by the one
10:49 percent lodging feet lodgers
10:53 tax on hotels for with more
10:55 than 50 beds across county
10:56 since the primary revenue
10:56 source there and they have
10:59 their own what directors?
11:00 Here's the here's a map of the
11:04 Judy's in the city. Over the
11:06 last 2 years or so, we've had
11:07 to nuances Ballpark. Denver
11:10 was approved in late 2024. Was
11:11 his first year operations in
11:13 2025 and then Broadway. Denver
11:15 jt was approved in late 2025
11:15 he's having and is having
11:17 their first year operations
11:19 this year. So then there's
11:20 just a map just to familiarize
11:22 yourself with the relative
11:23 locations across the And then
11:25 here's a map of the be 80's
11:26 across the city. No, no
11:27 changes here in the few in the
11:29 last several years. But just
11:29 want to try them the slide
11:30 deck in case you want to
11:31 familiarize yourself with
11:37 their locations. So my annual
11:38 review process, I request of
11:39 the of the threat information
11:41 from the district's requested
11:44 budget worker operating plans.
11:45 Other estimate year-end
11:46 financial results, the status
11:49 of an existing debts more
11:52 plans for future the results
11:52 of any audits, if a clickable
11:53 and then other general
11:56 informational items that MAY
11:57 maybe a presentation provides
11:59 some additional it narrative
12:00 for. Well, why there MAY have
12:01 been material changes from one
12:04 year to the next cetera. The
12:06 all this information is due
12:07 and SEPTEMBER 30th. So I have
12:11 just a few weeks to put all
12:14 this together analyze it. So I
12:15 I do. Was the budgets for 26
12:16 and the projected budget for
12:19 2027. I look at 2025 actuals
12:21 and their audience if
12:23 applicable and then also
12:23 review whether they have dead
12:24 already or plan coming in the
12:28 future. And Leslie City
12:28 Council, your role here is
12:31 just to vote on the punch, the
12:32 budgets and plans as required
12:34 by state statute for the or as
12:35 required by the creation
12:36 ordinances for the Judds and
12:40 that he it. So my analysis
12:42 focuses primarily whether we
12:43 are amending the 2026 budget
12:46 and then the project in 2027
12:48 budgets. So with that in mind,
12:49 I'm going to jump into my g id
12:53 review. So familiarize
12:55 yourself with these tables.
12:56 There is a lot of information
12:57 on here ultimately the way of
12:58 set this up is the first
13:00 column shows the original
13:02 revenues from the 2026 budgets
13:02 that were submitted at this
13:05 time last year. And the
13:06 percent change from the
13:07 previous year's 2025. Amended
13:09 budgets. And then the next
13:11 come over. Should the 2026
13:12 amended revenues which shows
13:13 the change from what they
13:14 submitted last year to what
13:18 they're ending 4 for 2026. And
13:19 then that shows the percent
13:22 change from the initial many
13:23 states. But next to come
13:24 Russia, the same data just in
13:26 the context of expenditures.
13:30 So is this is meant to sort of
13:30 way to sort of see how things
13:32 have changed over time. And
13:33 then the very and I have
13:35 whether they conducted an
13:37 audit. So mentioned that now
13:40 audits are not required for
13:41 districts whose budgets are.
13:43 These are state these designs
13:44 or submit to the state is 12
13:45 to but on its own, not
13:46 required for districts that
13:50 have budgets below 200,000. If
13:51 they have budgets between
13:52 200,000 and a million, they
13:54 can seek an exemption from
13:55 Dolan. The state and budgets
13:57 are over a million. They have
13:57 to have an audit. So you'll
13:59 see the designation there that
14:01 I put. Not applicable or
14:03 exempt based defendant's
14:08 status. So without further
14:09 ado, I'm going start going
14:09 repping for this information.
14:11 If I just keep over anything,
14:12 it's mostly because they're in
14:15 material, relatively small
14:16 variances, but nothing really
14:18 worth highlighting. So again,