Near Southeast Area Plan

1. Growth strategy
   1. Elements of a complete neighborhood - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, incorporate elements of complete neighborhoods in areas where additional height is recommended.
      1. Promote the construction of affordable housing through incentives like Denver’s Expanding Housing Affordability Program
      2. In areas where Expanding Housing Affordability incentive heights do not apply or recommended future heights exceed what can be achieved through that program, leverage additional height allowances to achieve additional elements of complete neighborhoods including publicly accessible open space, community-serving uses, improved mobility options, enhanced landscaping, improved sustainability and high-quality design.
   2. Allowed building heights - The development opportunities described below will look at scenarios for increasing development potential and height in Near Southeast.  The opportunities would involve variations of the general existing and proposed baseline heights described below.  The lower end of the range represents the base zoning height, and the upper end represents the height that could be achieved if additional affordable housing is provided through the Expanding Housing Affordability incentive program.
      1. Evans
         1. Currently 3-4 maximum
         2. Proposed 5-7 maximum
      2. Colorado station
         1. Currently 20-30 maximum
         2. Proposed 20-30 maximum
      3. Colorado
         1. Currently 5-7 maximum
         2. Proposed 8-12 maximum
      4. Leetsdale
         1. Currently 3-4 maximum
         2. Proposed 5-7 maximum
      5. Yale station
         1. Currently 5-7 maximum
         2. Proposed 5-7 maximum
      6. Florida & Holly
         1. Currently 2 maximum
         2. Proposed 3-4 maximum
2. Approaches
   1. Development - The following development opportunities will help us explore options for directing land uses and heights in Near Southeast.  These recommendations will be combined with improvements in building design and mobility and tied to elements of complete neighborhoods that will come with additional growth, such as more affordable housing, support for better transit service, and support for more small businesses community amenities.  See later questions in this survey that address these topics.  This feedback will be used to combine elements of these opportunities into a preferred scenario that will guide recommendations in the draft plan. The opportunities are not mutually exclusive, but please tell us which opportunity you are most interested in.  Each opportunity description is accompanied by graphics illustrating phases of potential development under that opportunity.
      1. Definitions:
         1. Regional center - Provides a high mix of uses to create a dynamic environment of living, dining, entertainment and shopping, while incorporating a diverse set of employment options.
         2. Community center - Typically provides some medium mix of office, commercial and residential uses.
         3. Local center - Primarily provides options for dining, entertainment and shopping. May also include some residential and office uses.
         4. Corridor - Typically provides some mix of office, commercial and residential. Buildings have a distinctly linear orientation.
      2. Opportunity 1 - Continue concentrating growth at Colorado Station – this would direct most growth to the area around Colorado Station, where buildings are allowed up to 20 stories (30 with incentives).  Other parts of Near Southeast would maintain their current entitlements and see less growth and investment.
         1. Pros: Growth around Colorado Station capitalizes on the existing transportation infrastructure of transit and major roads.  It provides an opportunity to turn the area into a complete development, providing housing, jobs, shopping, and entertainment.
         2. Cons: Growth is limited to a small geographic area that is not well connected to much of the surrounding neighborhood. Investment in other parts of Near Southeast is less likely to occur, reducing opportunities for desired benefits such as improved streetscapes, more transit and mobility options, additional shopping, dining, and entertainment options, and more affordable housing units.
      3. Opportunity 2 - Spread along corridors and at key intersections – this would direct growth along the major corridors of Colorado Boulevard, Evans Avenue, and Leetsdale Drive with focused increased intensity at key intersections.  Allowed heights would increase modestly along all the corridors, without seeing significant concentrations of new entitlements in specific areas.
         1. Pros: Growth and investment would be spread throughout Near Southeast, improving access for the entire area.  Additional growth on the corridors could support more mobility and transit options and amenities and housing would not be concentrated in a few locations.
         2. Cons: Less concentrated growth reduces opportunities for providing significant improvements in those areas, with fewer amenities like affordable housing, open space, and shopping, dining, and entertainment.
      4. Opportunity 3 - Focused at regional, community and local centers – this would direct growth to centers such as Colorado Station, Yale Station, Evans and Monaco, and Leetsdale and Quebec, which would see increases in allowed height over existing entitlements.  In addition, this would encourage redevelopment of the local center at Holly and Florida to accommodate more height. The corridors in between these centers would mostly maintain their current entitlements and see less growth and investment.
         1. Pros: Growth and investment would be spread to a few locations around Near Southeast, meaning they would see more community amenities and improvements.  This would support mobility improvements, increasing access to housing, jobs, shopping, and entertainment.
         2. Cons: Each development area would be smaller, meaning individually they can each support fewer amenities.  In addition, the corridors between the centers would see less investment and fewer improvements and amenities.
3. Mixed-use design 
   1. Urban design – Transform the centers and corridors of Near Southeast into safe, welcoming, pedestrian-oriented places where community members can meet daily shopping needs and find dining and entertainment options. 
      1. Improve the design of the centers and corridors. Place new buildings closer to the street to create a sense of enclosure and human scale in mixed-use areas while still allowing for wide sidewalks, landscaping, and amenity space between the street and buildings. 
         1. Update zoning standards in the Suburban context to prohibit parking between buildings and the street, bring buildings closer to the street.  Consider required minimum primary setbacks of around 10 feet, and build-to requirements between 10 and 20 feet. 
         2. Consider improving ground-floor transparency and activation requirements to improve pedestrian friendliness.
         3. Prohibit auto-oriented building forms such as drive-thrus and gas stations.
         4. Improve screening of parking that is still adjacent to sidewalks with landscaping or other materials.
      2. Improve landscaping and tree coverage in centers and corridors.
         1. Consistent with landscape recommendations in the Quality of Life Infrastructure section, update landscape standards to improve resiliency and sustainability by using appropriate plant types.  Coordinate with citywide efforts such as forestry master planning and rules and regulations updates.
         2. Connect property owners to programs to help them improve existing landscaping.
      3. Include additional public amenities in centers and corridors, such as plazas, seating, trash and recycling bins, and improved lighting.  Explore methods for funding and maintaining these improvements such as special districts.
   2. New mixed-use design – Require high-quality design for new construction in centers and corridors.   
      1. Apply appropriate zone districts to centers and corridors, such as S-MX and S-MX-A districts.  S-CC districts are not appropriate in Near Southeast.
      2. Improve the standard of design and encourage more interesting designs through updates to the S-MX zone districts. Incorporate materials and design characteristics that reflect the surrounding neighborhoods. Require variation in massing and setbacks to create visual interest in new buildings.  Consider the creation of Design Standards and Guidelines to achieve design goals, if necessary.
      3. Require or incentivize increased measures such as mass reduction, upper story setbacks, and height step downs along corridors to promote compatibility with existing development and surrounding areas.
         1. Consider upper story mass reduction for buildings taller than 5 stories in the higher intensity locations in the Near Southeast to ensure pedestrian-friendly and compatible design.
         2. Require articulation patterns and materials to continue along all sides of buildings to avoid large expanses of uninterrupted facades, especially on the back side of the tall building, which will be visual from adjacent lower scale areas.
      4. Improve transitions between centers and corridors and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Update upper story setback requirements to ensure buildings are appropriate scale adjacent to residential areas.  Update side setback requirements to limit impacts at corners.
      5. Update sign requirements, either as part of a citywide project or area Design Standards and Guidelines, to improve the quality of signage in Near Southeast.  Signs should primarily be wall or projecting signs, with high-quality materials and lighting.  Limit billboards and other large signs by removing the UO-2 overlay when properties rezone.
      6. Consistent with adopted citywide policies, encourage sustainable building practices and reduced resource use.  Prioritize increased landscaping, trees, and shade, reduced water use.  See Quality of Life Infrastructure recommendations. 
   3. Mixed-use preservation and reuse – Facilitate the adaptive reuse of existing structures in Near Southeast through flexibility in development requirements and incentives for reuse.  Large format “big box” stores present a particular opportunity for unique reuse options. 
   4. Parking - Consider opportunities for shared parking, including in structures or underground, to facilitate redevelopment.  Implement Transportation Demand Management strategies to reduce parking demand and monitor parking needs to ensure supply is appropriate.  Screen parking from sidewalks with landscaping or other materials.
4. Local and community corridors
   1. Corridor development – Facilitate phased redevelopment of corridors to achieve urban design goals, improve mobility, and increase opportunities for desired uses such as affordable housing, dining, entertainment, and local retail.
      1. Coordinate additional development with improvements to mobility infrastructure, consistent with recommendations in the Mobility section.
         1. As properties redevelop, create additional street connections from arterials into surrounding neighborhoods to create a cohesive street grid.
         2. Add new and improve existing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to make walking and biking to, along, and through corridors easier, safer, and more convenient.
         3. Consistent with adopted cityside policies in Denver Moves Transit, coordinate with RTD on transit improvements, including the addition of enhanced transit on major corridors.
         4. Complete a next steps study for the Evans Avenue corridor to identify specific mobility improvements needed to support future growth in the area and improve safety.  Zoning changes to allow additional growth on the corridor may need to be contingent on implementing mobility improvements.
      2. Retrofit existing developments to meet new urban design goals for a walkable and attractive environment.
         1. Identify underutilized properties to serve as catalysts for evolving the corridors.  Encourage new developments on these properties, such as in large parking lots, to be closer to the street.
         2. Work with property owners and other partners to encourage updates and improvements to existing developments in the near term as the corridors evolve.
         3. As a complete street network is connected, orient buildings to new streets to improve walkability.
      3. Based on the preferred alternative, allow additional growth in appropriate places with elements of complete neighborhoods such as publicly accessible open space, community-serving uses, improved mobility options, enhanced landscaping, improved sustainability and high-quality design.
      4. Consistent with Housing and Economy recommendations, pursue strategies to retain and attract desired businesses, such as restaurants, entertainment venues, and locally-owned businesses.
      5. Develop a plan for placing overhead utilities along corridors underground.  Work with utility companies and other partners to identify funding opportunities and other needs.
5. Local centers
   1. New local centers – Improve access to centers and corridors by adding new local centers in existing residential areas.  This can be accomplished through the conversion of vacant institutional uses or the conversion of a collection of residential properties. 
      1. When institutional uses, such as religious centers, schools, or other community buildings, leave, allow missing middle residential and limited commercial uses on the properties.  Limit impacts of commercial uses by restricting hours, lighting, and noise.  Encourage the adaptive reuse of structures over demolition.
      2. At designated sites within residential areas, allow residential properties to be redeveloped into mixed-use centers.  Ensure compatibility with surrounding residential through design transitions and use limitations.  Potential locations for these new local centers are along Cherry Creek at the crossings of Holly Street, Monaco Parkway, and Quebec Street.
   2. Existing local center development – Facilitate the evolution of the Florida and Holly local center into a more pedestrian-friendly community gathering place with a wider variety of uses.
      1. Encourage new development in the parking lot at the northwest corner of Florida and Holly to create a better pedestrian environment along the streets.
      2. Consistent with Economy and Housing recommendations, encourage additional uses in the local center, such as specialty retail, restaurants, and affordable housing.
      3. Work with property owners to create a public plaza space for community gathering and events.
6. Community and regional centers
   1. Center development – Facilitate the evolution of community and regional centers into mixed-use community destinations.
      1. Colorado Station – Implement a street grid on the south side of the station.  Encourage additional uses, including affordable housing, a wide variety of retail and dining, and plazas to serve as community gathering places.
      2. Yale Station – Incorporate properties on the east side of I-25 into the center with better connections under the highway.  Encourage more community-serving uses such as retail and dining.
      3. Other community centers – Evolve other community centers in Near Southeast into walkable mixed-use areas by connecting new street grids where necessary and encouraging a variety of uses, including residential, office, retail, dining, and entertainment.
   2. TOD access and mobility – Improve access to the Colorado and Yale transit stations and mobility around and through the stations with new street connections and improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
      1. Colorado Station – Align streets north and south of Evans Avenue to make more efficient connections.  Improve safety of pedestrian crossings on Evans Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.  Add bike lanes to improve bicycle circulation through the area.  Explore additional vehicle or pedestrian and bicycle connections across the rail tracks to better connect the north and south sides of the station.  Explore additional vehicle or pedestrian connections across I-25, such as at Bellaire Street, to better incorporate the area north of I-25.
      2. Yale Station – Improve sidewalks and bicycle facilities along Yale Avenue.  Explore adding connections from the station into the neighborhood to the north.  Improve safety of pedestrian crossings on Yale Avenue.
7. Residential places
   1. Missing middle in residential low - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, expand missing middle housing options within Low Residential places.  Missing middle housing includes buildings with between two and 19 residential units, such as duplexes, triplexes, 4-plexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings.
      1. Ensure missing middle housing additions are consistent with the design character of neighborhoods
         1. Missing middle options in Residential Low places should be consistent with the design goals for residential low places.
         2. Create an S-TU zone district to allow duplexes in more areas within the Suburban context.  The S-TU zone district should be consistent with the design goals of residential low places, but allow two primary units in structures compatible with existing single-unit areas.
         3. Missing middle options in Residential Low-Medium places should be consistent with the design goals for residential high, high-medium, and low-medium places.
      2. Promote affordability of missing middle options
         1. Explore partnerships with community land trusts and other community partners to develop missing middle housing types that include on-site affordable (income-restricted) units
         2. Connect residents to programs to mitigate involuntary displacement in neighborhoods and providing options for people who are displaced to find new housing in the same area
   2. ADUs – Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, support the addition of affordable and compatible accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Near Southeast 
      1. Through citywide efforts, update ADU regulations to improve compatibility of detached ADU forms in Suburban contexts
      2. Improve affordability of ADUs, including through citywide efforts to reduce costs and barriers
      3. Until a uniform citywide approach to ADU development is complete, consider neighborhood-wide and individual rezonings to allow ADUs where prohibited
         1. Prioritize neighborhoods that have shown the strongest interest in allowing ADUs sooner, such as Virginia Village
      4. Ensure ADUs are consistent with neighborhood design goals for residential low places.
      5. Ensure mobility options support ADU residents, as described in Mobility recommendations.
   3. Opportunities
      1. The following missing middle housing opportunities will help us explore options for adding missing middle housing in Near Southeast neighborhoods.  These recommendations will be combined with improvements in design, mobility, and affordability, as described in other recommendations.  See other questions in this survey that address these topics.  This feedback will be used to combine elements of these opportunities into a preferred scenario that will guide recommendations in the draft plan. The opportunities are not mutually exclusive, but please tell us which opportunity you are most interested in.
         1. Missing middle housing includes buildings with between two and 19 residential units, such as duplexes, triplexes, 4-plexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings.
      2. Opportunity 4 - Allow duplexes everywhere – Maintain Residential Low place designation but specify that duplex uses are appropriate, allowing individual property owners or neighborhoods to rezone to Two Unit zone districts.
         1. Pros: Provides opportunities across the neighborhood with minimal change in appearance.
         2. Cons: Limits opportunities for adding larger types of units to accommodate more housing.
      3. Opportunity 5 - Allow townhouses and small apartments around edges – Change place designations for Residential Low areas adjacent to centers and corridors to Residential Low/Medium, allowing rezonings to develop townhouses and small apartment buildings.
         1. Pros: Creates opportunities for missing middle housing that has access to centers and corridors and serves as a buffer to the larger neighborhood.
         2. Cons: Concentrates opportunities in specific areas, limiting options elsewhere.
      4. Opportunity 6 - Allow triplexes and townhouses along larger streets – Indicate properties adjacent to arterial and collector streets may rezone to allow duplex, triplex, and townhouses uses.
         1. Pros: Provides missing middle options at locations across neighborhoods.
         2. Cons: Concentrates opportunities in specific areas, limiting options elsewhere.
   4. Residential design in residential low - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, work with neighborhoods to ensure that zoning tools help new construction fit into the neighborhood through future regulatory efforts.
      1. Update zoning regulations to create more contextual standards for massing, scale, and building placement for additions and new builds. The following should be considered and studied in greater detail:
         1. Adjustments to the building lot coverage standard to ensure compatibility with existing neighborhood patterns and side setback standards to promote more gradual transitions in height, size and scale. 
         2. Adjustments to the height and bulk plane standards to promote more compatible scale and massing. 
         3. Additional form standards to reduce the appearance of building scale and incentives to promote architectural features (e.g., roof pitch) that are unique to a neighborhood and/or desired by residents
      2. Ensure new construction is sustainable through reduced energy and water use and other appropriate measures
         1. Through citywide efforts such as updates to the building code, improve the energy and water efficiency of new construction
         2. Connect residents to opportunities for renewable energy, both onsite and offsite, as described in Quality of Life Infrastructure recommendations.
         3. Connect residents to city programs to improve sustainability, such as programs to help replace heating and cooling units with more efficient options
         4. Support green stormwater management techniques, like green roofs, rain barrels, and increased permeable surface materials
      3. Allow larger lots in residential areas to split into two lots to increase housing supply. 
         1. In areas with minimum zone lot sizes of 6,000 square feet, allow zone lots larger than 9,000 square feet to split.  Create a new single-unit zone district in the suburban context with a minimum lot size of 4,500 square feet to facilitate this.
         2. In areas with minimum zone lot sizes of 9,000 square feet, allow zone lots larger than 12,000 square feet to split.  The minimum zone lot size for these properties should be 6,000 square feet.
   5. Options in residential high/high-medium/low-medium
      1. Add new affordable units – Through the Expanding Housing Affordability program and other tools, develop new affordable housing in Near Southeast.  Encourage new affordable housing to locate near transit and other amenities.  Incorporate affordable units at a variety of income levels into market-rate residential areas to create mixed-income communities.  Encourage larger units to accommodate families and for-sale options.
      2. Encourage diverse housing options – Encourage the construction of housing of varying sizes and types, including larger options for families, options for seniors, and for-sale options at many price points.  Explore programs to incentive the creation of desired housing types in Near Southeast.
   6. Preservation in residential low - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, encourage retaining, rather than demolishing, existing older homes to be more consistent with the scale of existing homes and promote natural affordability within Low Residential places
      1. Support neighborhoods or areas interested in preservation in pursuing appropriate tools, such as landmark districts, individual landmarking, and conservation overlays
         1. Tools should be used to achieve design goals for residential low places, such as adjusting building massing and scale
         2. Parts of Virginia Village identified in Discover Denver and others identified by residents are candidates for preservation efforts
         3. Use the Near Southeast Neighborhood Pattern Analysis to identify areas with consistent character
         4. Connect residents to resources to encourage preservation, such as technical assistance, financial incentives, grants, and other assistance
      2. Complete Discover Denver surveys for Goldsmith, Indian Creek, University Hills North, and Washington Virginia Vale
      3. Promote the upkeep and rehabilitation of existing buildings by connecting residents to resources to improve or update their homes
      4. Promote the salvaging and reuse of building materials during construction
      5. Encourage preservation of existing housing by reducing incentives for demolition through improved design and providing more new housing options in desired locations in Near Southeast.
   7. New residential design in residential high/high-medium/low-medium -  Improve the design and compatibility of development in higher-density residential areas. 
      1. Designate areas adjacent to corridors to introduce triplexes, quadplexes and other missing middle housing types, creating transition areas that scale down intensity from corridors into surrounding residential neighborhoods. 
      2. Support designs that incorporate similar material, architectural style, and aesthetics of surrounding residential contexts. 
   8. Reuse and preservation in residential high/high-medium/low-medium - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, encourage adaptive reuse of residential buildings in residential high, high-medium, and low-medium places.  Remove barriers to reuse, support renovations and maintenance, support improving energy and water efficiency, and support preservation and rehabilitation.
8. Industrial and special districts
   1. Opportunities
      1. The following industrial opportunities will help us explore options for potential redevelopment of the industrial area east of Quebec Street, south of Cherry Creek.  These recommendations will be combined with improvements in design and mobility as described in other recommendations.  See other questions in this survey that address these topics.  This feedback will be used to combine elements of these opportunities into a preferred scenario that will guide recommendations in the draft plan.  The opportunities are not mutually exclusive, but please tell us which opportunity you are most interested in.
         1. Definitions:
            1. Value manufacturing districts serve the primary purpose of light manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation, and warehousing.  Residential and retail uses are not compatible.
            2. Innovation/flex districts serve the purpose of craft/maker space, high-tech design, and manufacturing with a mix of employment and residential.
            3. Local center - Primarily provides options for dining, entertainment and shopping. May also include some residential and office uses.
         2. Opportunity 7 - Innovation/flex, 5 stories – Change the place designation from Value Manufacturing to Innovation/Flex, allowing a broader range of uses including retail and residential.  Limit allowed heights to 5-7 stories (I-MX-5) zoning.
            1. Pros: Allow a broader range of uses, including additional opportunities for housing and community-serving retail.
            2. Cons: Potential loss of existing employment uses in the area.
         3. Opportunity 8 - Transition 3-5 stories – Limit heights but allow a broader range of uses on the south side of the area adjacent to existing residential, changing the place designation to Innovation/Flex with a 3 story maximum.  Allow greater heights and more intense industrial uses in the northern portion near the waste transfer station by leaving it Value Manufacturing.
            1. Pros: Allow some additional uses while maintaining opportunities for industrial employment. Transitions compatible to surrounding uses.
            2. Cons: Less scope for either housing or employment, limiting opportunities.
         4. Opportunity 9 - Introduce local center – Leave the Value Manufacturing designation as it is, except for allowing the creation of a local center with potential for shops, restaurants, and housing at the southeast corner adjacent to Cherry Creek.
            1. Pros: Provide opportunities for community-serving retail while maintaining space for employment uses.
            2. Cons: Limited opportunities for new housing to support desired uses in the local center.
      2. Industrial design – Limit impacts of industrial uses on surrounding areas through improved design.
         1. Improve transitions and buffering of industrial uses adjacent residential areas.
         2. As industrial properties redevelop, mitigate conflicts between new uses and remaining industrial uses with appropriate setbacks and site layout.
         3. Improve landscape requirements in industrial areas to include more trees and more sustainable and resilient plant types. 
      3. Other districts - Ensure compatible development on institutional and other large sites within neighborhoods, supporting existing uses as appropriate.  When a change in use is proposed, processes such as Large Development Review should be used to determine what change is appropriate and achieve community goals such as improved public space, pedestrian connections, design, and sustainability.
9. Community 
   1. Community identity - Recognize and strengthen the identity of Near Southeast through the design of city improvements, public art, parks, and private development.  The identity should take its cues from the extensive parks and existing architecture and design in the area, notably the mid-century style found in the neighborhoods, with new construction paying homage to the past.
   2. Community cohesiveness - Support community-building initiatives in Near Southeast neighborhoods by creating more opportunities for community members to interact at events and destinations, and support existing and new community groups to build capacity and strengthen relationships between organizations and neighborhoods.
   3. Community events – Support more events in Near Southeast, such as festivals at parks, public concerts and performances, and farmers markets.
10. Regulatory 
    1. FC 59 - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, continue updating and improving zoning regulations by rezoning properties out of Former Chapter 59 and into the Denver Zoning Code, including city-led rezonings in appropriate cases, and limiting the locations where billboards are allowed when properties rezone.  Large residential developments in Former Chapter 59 should be evaluated to provide guidance on appropriate Denver Zoning Code zone districts.
    2. Green buildings - Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and in coordination with citywide efforts, support more sustainable and resilient buildings through requirements and incentives and working with other agencies and organizations.  Efforts should prioritize providing more shade and resilient landscaping, reduced water use, and sustainable local materials. 

1. Housing, Affordability, and Options
   1. New Affordable Units: Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Blueprint Denver and the recently adopted Expanding Housing and Affordability, Increase the development of affordable housing and mixed-income housing, particularly in areas near transit, services and amenities.
      1. Support acquisition of land by the City and/or its partners, such as Denver Housing Authority, community land trust entities, and affordable housing developers for future development of affordable housing, particularly in Corridors, Centers, as well as High, High-Medium and Low-Medium Residential Areas.
      2. Use financial tools, including but not limited to Low Income Housing Tax Credits, the Affordable Housing Fund, and Tax Increment Financing, to help fund affordable housing development.
      3. Ensure affordable housing meets community needs, including: 
         1. Housing that is affordable to households earning very low, low, and moderate incomes, consistent with adopted city policy.
         2. Permanent Supportive Housing to provide stability for our lowest income and most vulnerable residents.
         3. Housing options designed to accommodate a range of households, including families, multi-generational living, aging in place, residents with disabilities, and residents needing supportive services.
         4. Affordable housing that will remain affordable for the long-term (99 years), consistent with city policy.
         5. Affordable housing options that are of equal quality to and indistinguishable from unrestricted market-rate housing in the area.
      4. Work with affordable housing developers and managers on transportation demand strategies that help ensure residents have access to multimodal transportation options.
      5. Enhance park and recreation access in proximity to affordable housing to help improve health outcomes for low-income households.
      6. Continue to support the city in incentivizing the development of affordable housing and improving the process for constructing affordable housing. Tools to consider include:
         1. Parking, zoning, and monetary incentives such as those included in the Expanding Housing Affordability policy
         2. Design alternatives
   2. Preserving Existing Affordable Units: Preserve the affordability of existing income-restricted properties, particularly those in areas more vulnerable to involuntary displacement, and near transit and amenities. Prioritize extending affordability covenants, enhancing support for tenants, and developing strategies to ensure no net loss of existing income-restricted housing through demolition, conversion, or renovation.
   3. Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing: Consistent with Blueprint guidance, incentivize the preservation and reuse of existing smaller and affordable homes particularly those in areas more vulnerable to involuntary displacement and close to transit. Prioritize maintaining affordability for both renters and homeowners through incentive programs for landlords to maintain long-term affordability and programs to upgrade the accessibility, energy efficiency, and rehabilitation in older homes. 
   4. Housing Diversity
      1. Create a local team of mission-driven nonprofit and private developers to work with city staff on a proactive acquisition and rehabilitation strategy for low residential, drawing on potential state funding and new financing to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). Focus on areas where redevelopment and loss of NOAH is most likely to be redevelopment, including moderate density multifamily developments between Quebec and Monaco, east of Colorado Boulevard on residential side streets, and south of Evans.
      2. Pursue strategic public acquisition of vacant and underutilized commercial and industrial properties and parking lots for conversion/redevelopment into affordable housing. (HOST along with nonprofit and private mission-driven development partners). Target areas: Leetsdale corridor, Evans corridor, commercial buildings between Quebec and Monaco north of Mississippi Avenue. 
      3. Identify and create opportunities for congregate or scattered site land trust properties to help low and moderate income households attain ownership.
      4. As part of a citywide strategy, develop and implement a program that incentivizes property owners with expiring covenants to maintain long-term affordability such as extending notice requirements and working with potential purchasers to extend affordability commitments.
   5. Preventing Housing Displacement: Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement.
      1. Support community relief programs to help residents stay in their homes, including temporary rental and utility assistance, property tax rebates, homeowner preservation initiatives, ownership programs, eviction legal defense, tenant rights counseling, financial empowerment training, energy and accessibility assistance, home rehabilitation assistance, foreclosure prevention, food access, and emergency relief funds.
      2. Engage property owners in the area, both small/family-owned companies and larger, investor-owned companies, about developing a landlord incentive program that offers incentives for providing stable housing to vulnerable renters living in or relocating back to the Near Southeast area. Design the program based on feedback from property owners about preferred incentives, including loss mitigation beyond what security deposits cover, rehabilitation to housing unit or properties, and a “signing bonus” for renting to tenants perceived as higher risk. Market the units participating in the program to service providers in the area who serve low income and vulnerable residents. 
      3. Implement the Prioritization Policy, provided it is approved by City Council, which allows residents displaced from or at risk of being displaced from Near Southeast planning area priority application for newly developed affordable rental units.
      4. Integrate resources and strategies to address equity considerations and mitigate involuntary displacement of residents with the implementation of major city investments and projects, including regulatory changes, legislative rezonings, and transportation infrastructure improvements. Strategies including incentives or requirements for affordable housing and targeted engagement to connect vulnerable residents with resources. 
      5. Work with partners to increase access to programs that help residents stay in their homes, increase utilization of public housing programs (including City, State, and nonprofit programs), increase homeownership and explore housing land trust programs.
      6. Conduct outreach to understand the needs of older adults and explore additional assistance options to mitigate their involuntary displacement.
2. Quality Housing
   1. Housing Rehabilitation: Consistent with HOST 5-year strategic plan, support expansion, improvement, and targeted outreach of housing stability programs (home repair, rehab, and accessibility modifications; home sharing) to help homeowners stay in their homes.
   2. Renter Support: Actively promote city rental assistance programs, information on renter’s rights, and to cultural navigators working for nonprofits in the planning area. This includes temporary rental and utility assistance, property tax rebates, eviction legal defense, tenant rights counseling, foreclosure assistance and counseling, energy and accessibility assistance, food access, and emergency relief funds to help residents remain in stable and affordable housing. 
3. Services
   1. Temporary Support: Better meet the diverse needs of residents experiencing homelessness by expanding support for a range of safe, temporary options and supportive services.
      1. Identify existing homelessness prevention and rapid-rehousing resources in the community and bring in additional partners for more local collaboration.
      2. Identify existing drug and alcohol rehabilitation resources and promote collaboration. 
      3. Explore models that promote co-location of services.
      4. Work with area churches and synagogues to provide services and resources to residents utilizing their parking lots as safe sleeping spaces.
      5. Identify sites, including spaces owned by churches and synagogues, for possible redevelopment into tiny home communities, permanent supportive housing, and/or non-congregate shelters.
      6. Conduct gap analysis with homeless service partners, school and early childhood partners, and human services partners.
      7. Create models to address gaps in services such as navigation centers, hygiene centers, rest, and resource centers, etc.
      8. Increase funding for substance treatment services (including training and implementation of cross-sector teams to address needs of people experiencing homelessness, school children, immigrants, refugees or other vulnerable populations).
      9. Invest in new partnerships for service provision, including mini-grants to fund innovative work from local community partners.
   2. Permanent Support: Support long-term housing stability for residents experiencing homelessness.
      1. Develop more permanent supportive housing, combining low-barrier affordable housing, health care, and other supportive services to help create stability for vulnerable residents.
      2. Partner with Denver Housing Authority and Colorado Division of Housing to leverage federal and state resources to expand tenant-based long-term vouchers with the ability to layer on supportive services when needed.
      3. Expand support for permanent supportive housing pipeline through continued partnership with Denver Housing Authority and Colorado Division of Housing, local services funding, and creation of locally funded voucher program. 
      4. Explore innovative opportunities and financing models to bring on additional housing, including hotel acquisition and rehabilitation and social impact bond financing based on health savings created by supportive housing. 
   3. Outreach and Interactions: Promote safe interactions and build access to, awareness of, and support for social services for residents in Near Southeast.
      1. Implement HOST's Five Year Strategic Plan and administer the Early Intervention Team outreach program to support residents in encampments with help regaining housing, connection to safe, temporary places to stay, and connection to behavioral health and crises stabilization resources when needed to reduce harms.
      2. Prioritize non-police and law enforcement contact and continue to support growth in city programs that deploy emergency response teams to pair a mental health clinician with emergency medical technician to respond to individuals experiencing crises related to mental health issues, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. 
      3. Expand early intervention team responding to 311 calls to better serve individuals. 
4. Economic Development and Revitalization
   1. Development and Investment
      1. Provide support for existing and new Business Improvement Districts, Community Land Trusts, or real estate cooperatives who purchase buildings to provide below market rents for community serving businesses and non-profits 
      2. Encourage the development of large family friendly units in multifamily buildings 
      3. Support the accusation of land around corridors and centers by land trusts and partner organizations like Denver Housing Authority and other affordable housing providers
   2. Maintenance and Remodel
      1. Evaluate existing residential zoning districts to identify barriers that prevent remodels from occurring
      2. Reduce setback requirements between the main house and garage, making it easier to add a rear addition 
      3. Require the reuse or salvage of building materials if a residential building is being demolished
   3. Reuse of Commercial Buildings
      1. Identify underutilized, chronically vacant or derelict commercial spaces that could be converted to housing or retail uses (e.g. an indoor public market)
      2. Create a handbook of adaptive reuse projects and best practices from around Denver to help developers see the potential in commercial reuse 
      3. Research how city owned properties could be adaptively reused after their life as a civic building ends
   4. Cultural and Natural Amenities and Art: 
      1. Promote, preserve, and expand the cultural and natural amenities in Near Southeast. These amenities should support community cohesion in the area and prioritize spaces for community events such as festivals, farmers markets, and concerts.
   5. Green Businesses
      1. Provided resource navigation to businesses who are interested in adding solar arrays to their roofs or parking lot shelters. 
      2. Newly constructed commercial spaces should incorporate sustainable design solutions that utilize passive solar design, energy and water conservation, waste management, reduction in urban heat island effect through permeability, color, light, greenery, and natural materials
      3. Provided resource navigation and best practices to businesses who are interested in adding a green roof
5. Business and Retail
   1. Business Associations: Encourage the creation of new business associations, upgrade existing businesses to more formal merchant associations, and connect businesses to resources to support a business organization.
   2. Existing Business Support: Work in tandem with relevant, local organizations to provide technical assistance to existing small independent businesses to help them succeed and prevent involuntary displacement.
      1. Work with Near Southeast Area Organizations to develop a marketing package to help attract customers to individual businesses, and to help locally-owned businesses locate and remain in the districts and provide living wages and benefits to staff such as transit passes.
      2. Ensure small business technical assistance is available to English-as-a-second language business owners.
      3. Work with relevant organizations to provide technical and legal assistance with succession or transition planning, lease negotiations, maintenance fees, predatory lending, property taxes and other challenges faced by small business owners.
      4. Offer these services at a convenient location within the area, such as at a services hub or public facility (e.g. public school, library, or recreation center).
      5. Connect businesses with City funds and resources which can be used to build capacity and support the City’s most vulnerable small businesses, especially those that are neighborhood-serving, to better withstand economic shocks such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and other business disruptions which exacerbate operating challenges.   
      6. Connect employees to local childcare options near employment areas in Near Southeast.
   3. Attracting New Businesses: Attract new businesses to Near Southeast to better serve residents’ needs.
      1. Work with property owners and business organizations to develop small business incubators and/or accelerators, particularly in existing vacant and underutilized structures, to test market new neighborhood serving retail and services. Successful incubator tenants should then be encouraged to move to permanent storefront locations within Near Southeast with assistance from local organizations.
      2. Incentivize new projects that offer smaller retail spaces and/or provide below-market commercial space with incentives such as height bonuses, low-interest financing, and direct subsidies.
      3. Utilize small business loan programs, such as the Small Business Investment Fund and tax credit programs (e.g. business personal property and state Enterprise Zones). 
      4. Create a local business support office tasked with assisting and promoting small businesses.
      5. Identify opportunities to provide flexibility in change-of-use requirements for small businesses to encourage the reuse of existing building and analyze the cost of public realm improvements to be more proportional to private investment.
   4. Preventing Business Displacement: Broaden the range of financial incentives and assistance for small independent businesses and landlords to strengthen the area's tenant mix and help prevent displacement. Or Stabilize businesses at risk to prevent displacement.
      1. Assist small businesses in buying their building or condo space, by utilizing programs such as the Small Business Administration's 504 Loan Program, mobilizing community development organizations, such as Community Development Corporations (CDCs), to acquire commercial property through community land trusts, and exploring programs such as right of first refusal.
      2. Offer financial incentives, such as funds for commercial rehabilitation, to landlords that are willing to sign long-term leases with small businesses or limit rent increases.
      3. Incentivize new projects that offer smaller retail spaces, provide below-market commercial space, and/or provide space for an existing business to remain on-site with incentives such as density bonuses, low-interest financing, and direct subsidies.
      4. Offer matchmaking services to connect small independent businesses with landlords. Provide relocation assistance to displaced small businesses to help them remain as close to their prior location as possible.
   5. Entertainment: Support expanding entertainment opportunities in the area, including attracting a music venue and/or promoting space on public land for concerts, festivals, and famer's markets. Consider partnering with local organizations for temporary activities.
6. Education and Jobs 
   1. DPS Partnerships: Work with DPS in identifying opportunities to support students and families from cradle to career. Consider joint use agreements and making school facilities open for community events and support and expand DPS' community hub model to Near Southeast.
   2. Childcare: Support more childcare offerings in Near Southeast. Consider providing affordable childcare, provide business support to existing childcare providers, and connect local workforce and residents with childcare.
   3. Workforce Training: Partner with Denver Public Schools, business organizations, and other major area employers/projects in connecting Near Southeast residents to job opportunities. Support workforce training and education programs that connect workers to employers. Consistent with HOST 5-Year Strategic Plan, help residents experiencing homelessness increase their income and housing stability by partnering with Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) and Denver Human Services (DHS) to expand access to benefits, job training, and apprenticeships, and other resources.
   4. Employer Support: Partner with Denver Public Schools and major area employers/projects in connecting East residents to job opportunities. Encourage local hiring of Near Southeast residents and businesses, particularly for city-supportive projects that offer employment opportunities.
   5. Higher/Adult Education: Increase educational opportunities for adults in Near Southeast. Provide educational opportunities at community centers, libraries, and other public facilities. Connect residents to scholarships and other programs to improve access to learning. 

Pedestrian 

Sidewalk quality/maintenance  

• Install new sidewalks where they are missing in the Near Southeast Area, prioritizing the major corridors of Evans Ave, Leetsdale Dr, and Colorado Blvd (Denver Moves Pedestrians) 
• Enhance pedestrian infrastructure that connect to the major corridors such as along Holly St and Dahlia St. Enhancing these connections is vital for pedestrians reaching businesses along major corridors  
• Bring sidewalks up to standard in all Near Southeast Area neighborhoods. 
  • 1. Short-term: Construct ADA facilities. 
  • 2. Long-term: Construct permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities. 
• Coordinate with Denver’s Neighborhood Sidewalk Repair Program to determine implementation and funding for sidewalk installation and widening. 

Pedestrian Safety  

• Pedestrian Safety Area Improvements 
• Enhance pedestrian safety where there have been expressed concerns of narrow, inadequate pedestrian facilities in Near Southeast. S Holly Street, S Dahlia Street, E Yale Avenue, S Quebec Street and S Monaco Parkway are all corridors of concern with inadequate pedestrian facilities and there is an existing lack of connectivity between these facilities. 
• Enhance pedestrian connectivity along streets such as Holly and Dahlia, improving sidewalks and the pedestrian environment along these streets will help to better connect residential and commercial portions of the study area  
• Enhance pedestrian connectivity along streets such as Holly, improving sidewalks and the pedestrian environment, Holly street play a vital role in connecting resident to Ash Grove, City of Potenza, and Garland Parks 
• Improve safety for pedestrians at inadequate street crossings where there are existing safety concerns, particularly at S Holly Street & E Yale Avenue, Cherry Creek N Drive & S Monaco Parkway, and Cherry Creek S Drive & S Holly Street.  
• Refine pedestrian trails throughout the parks in Near Southeast to be more set back from the roadway and install landscape barriers between the roadway and park edges, particularly on S Holly Street, right next to Ash Grove Park. 
• Enhance street lighting to improve pedestrian visibility, consistent with the Street Lighting Design Guidelines. 
• Prioritize maintenance during the wintertime, as shadows cast by apartments leave ice covering the sidewalks for months at a time, especially along E Iowa Avenue and S Holly Street. 

• Streets that provide a safe, accessible, comfortable, and interesting walking and rolling experience through additional pedestrian crossings and reduced crossing distances, wider sidewalks, and safer crossings. 
• Improve the pedestrian realm by improving the quality, safety, width and comfort of pedestrian facilities following Denver’s citywide prioritization guidelines for sidewalks.
  • Improve the width, safety and comfort of existing sidewalks following the citywide prioritization for sidewalks with additional priority (focus) for the following corridors identified as pedestrian priority corridors through this Near Southeast Area Plan:
    • Monaco Street (from East Virginia to East Mississippi)
    • Florida Avenue (from Holly Street to Monaco Parkway)
    • Holly Street (from Florida to Evans)
    • Monaco Street (from Jewel to Iliff)
    • Evans Avenue (From Monaco to Oneida)
    • Exposition (Monaco to Kearney)
    • Virginia (Monaco to Kearney) 

Bicycle

Bicycle Safety 

• Bicycle Safety Area Improvements
  • Encourage the installation of separated bicycle facilities and enhanced crossings on corridors in Near Southeast with inadequate bicycle facilities and a lack of connectivity between these facilities, including S Holly Street, S Dahlia Street, E Yale Avenue, S Quebec Street, and S Monaco Parkway.
  • Improve safety for bicyclists at inadequate street crossings where there are existing safety concerns, particularly at S Holly Street & E Yale Avenue, Cherry Creek N Drive & S Monaco Parkway, and Cherry Creek S Drive & S Holly Street. 
  • Enhance street lighting to improve bicyclist visibility, consistent with the Street Lighting Design Guidelines.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the wintertime, as shadows cast by apartments leave ice covering the sidewalks and streets for months at a time, especially along E Iowa Avenue and S Holly Street. 

Bike Routes and Facilities 

• Continue building the enhanced bikeway network and the amenities that support it, such as bicycle detection and parking, and phased implementation to ensure connectivity between bicycle routes and facilities in Near Southeast and the existing and planned bicycle network throughout the City/County of Denver. 
• Improve access to natural trails along Cherry Creek and Goldsmith Gulch in Near Southeast.
• Improve trail maintenance between general upkeep, trash, and shared mobility devices, especially on the Cherry Creek Trail, the hard surface trail adjacent to S Kearney St that connects to Lollipop Lake, the High Line Canal Trail, and the Goldsmith Gulch Trail. Shared mobility devices, such as scooters and bicycles, are often dumped on the shoulder of the trail and therefore obstruct the pathway for all multimodal trail users. 
• Cherry Creek Trail Recommendations
  • Prioritize trail maintenance with general upkeep and shared mobility devices and during the winter months to encourage multimodal transportation usage.
  • Hard Surface Trail (Adjacent to South Kearney Street) Recommendations
  • Prioritize trail maintenance with general upkeep and shared mobility devices and during the winter months to encourage multimodal transportation usage.
• High Line Canal Trail
  • Prioritize trail maintenance with general upkeep and shared mobility devices and during the winter months to encourage multimodal transportation usage.
• Goldsmith Gulch Trail Recommendations 
  • Prioritize trail maintenance with general upkeep and shared mobility devices and during the winter months to encourage multimodal transportation usage. 

Wayfinding 

• Improve signage to make multimodal travel around Near Southeast and to key destinations more accessible and easier to navigate. 
• Accommodate handicapped populations by providing sensory queues and solutions at intersections and crossing points. 
• Colorado Center and Station Recommendations 
  • Develop a wayfinding system that is consistent for both Colorado Center and Colorado Station   
  • Wayfinding at the stations is needed both for vehicles using the park and ride facilities as well as for pedestrians and cyclists 
  • System signage should be consistent, highly visible, and part of an overall mobility strategy for the community 
  • Signage should identify walk-time and bike time (instead of travel distance) and be directional 
  • Signage should be user-friendly for a range of users; pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, residents, students, and visitors (University and Colorado Multi-station Plan and Mobility Study)   
  • Wayfinding for Colorado Station should be added to Cherry Creek Trail directing cyclists from the trail to the station. This should include signage for the bridge crossing over I-25
  • Wayfinding for vehicles directing them to Colorado Center and the station should be placed at Colorado Boulevard and Colorado Center Drive, Colorado boulevard and Frontage Road, and Evans Avenue and Birch Street
• Yale Station Recommendations
  • Develop a wayfinding system for Yale station that helps transit users navigate the station and the surrounding area
  • Wayfinding at the stations is needed both for vehicles using the park and ride facilities as well as for pedestrians and cyclists 
  • System signage should be consistent, highly visible, and part of an overall mobility strategy for the community 
  • Signage should identify walk-time and bike time (instead of travel distance) and be directional 
  • Signage should be user-friendly for a range of users; pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, residents, students, and visitors (University and Colorado Multi-station Plan and Mobility Study)   
  • Wayfinding for vehicles to find the station should be added at Yale Avenue and Yale Circle, and Yale Avenue and the I-25 off-ramp
  • Wayfinding signage should be added to the Highline Canal trail directing cyclists to the station 
  • Wayfinding should be added in connection with bicycle infrastructure improvements around the station, that facilitate safe access
• Formalize a pedestrian and bicycle connection from the Yale Station to East Vassar Avenue (requiring modification to the sound wall). This would be a new LRT station access point (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
• Improve pedestrian-scale lighting at Yale Station throughout the station area (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019) 

Changes to Bike Priority Streets 

• Streets designed to provide a safe, convenient, and comfortable experience for people riding bicycles or micro mobility devices with intersections that reduce conflicts with vehicles. 
• Install new bikeways not previously identified in Denver Moves: Bikes
• Study the feasibility of installing a neighborhood bike lane on Holly Street from Leetsdale to E. Yale Avenue  
• Existing Facilities per Denver Moves: Bikes 
• Proposed (Study) Facilities
  • Holly Street 

Transit stops/amenities 

• To ensure transit is a viable option for the Near Southeast community improvements to bus stops and amenities need to be implemented consistently across the entirety of the study area 
• All bus stops should be equipped with a minimum of one 7-foot bench, a trash can, a shelter and a schedule or system map as recommended in the (Denver Moves Transit)  
• Major stops such as those at Evans Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and Florida Avenue and Holly Street should be candidates for high-volume stops that include more seating larger shelters and real-time service updates (Denver Moves Transit)
• Bike racks should be added to high-volume stops (a change in RTD bus stop design standards would be needed to require the addition of bike racks at these locations) 
• Explore adding micromobility (scooters and bike share) to high volume bus stops. Determine a ridership threshold where micromobility becomes recommended for the station  

Transit service/access  

• Implement Denver standard wayfinding signage highlighting routes to and from stations, bus stops, and key origins and destinations (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 
• Include transit station vicinity maps at stations and bus stops, showing major destinations and multimodal routes within a two-mile radius of the station or stop (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 
• Create a more streamlined process for the creation of EcoPass districts, making it easier for neighborhoods or groups of smaller employers to provide EcoPass to their employees and residents. EcoPass districts would be self-supporting and not reliant on RTD subsidies, beyond what the EcoPass already provides (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 
• Explore micro-mobility solutions for the study area, including on-demand transit service (shuttle) or subsidized rideshare to help connect residents to transit stops and ensure all residents have mobility freedom regardless of if they drive (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 
• All transit stations should feature multi-modal wayfinding signs showing not only bus routes and schedules but bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure connecting to key destinations throughout the study area (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 

• Wayfinding pointing bicycle riders and pedestrians towards transit stops and key NESE destinations should be developed and added to active transit corridors and trails such as Cherry Creek  

Light Rail Stations 

• There are two Light Rail Stations in the Study Area, the Colorado Station, located at Colorado Station, and the Yale Station located at Yale Ave and I-25. 
• To encourage further light rail, use the City and RTD should explore design solutions to increase the sense of safety users feel at stations (RTD Bus Infrastructure Design Guide and Criteria)  
• Create first and last mile connections for bicycles and pedestrians through infrastructure improvements (RTD First and Last Mile Plan) 

• Locating retail at the Yale Station should be encouraged. 
  • Retail uses are recommended as part of the City of Denver Transit-Oriented Development Strategy. These retail uses help create an area-wide destination at the station not just serving commuters. Additionally, they provide consistent activation at the site increasing the sense of safety (Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan)
• Explore adding a small plaza or gathering space near the station to provide transit-accessible community space (Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan)  

Colorado Station  

• Retail uses are recommended as part of the City of Denver Transit-Oriented Development Strategy. These retail uses help create an area-wide destination at the station not just serving commuters. Additionally, they provide consistent activation at the site increasing the sense of safety (Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan) 
• Continue engaging with RTD around joint development of RTD parking lots that maintain the RTD park and ride parking and provide development opportunities to increase the TOD nature of the Colorado Station (Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan) 
• Create a mobility hub pilot program allowing Colorado Station to serve as reginal mobility catalyst 
  • Mobility hubs should support transit and rail, bike share, rideshare, electric vehicle charging, car share and strong pedestrian connections (University Station and Colorado Station Multi-Station Plan and Mobility Study)
• Explore wrapping parking structures with residential units to increase density around the station  

Changes to Transit Priority Streets 

• Transit priority streets are those where transit is prioritized over other modes when making decisions about how to design or operate the right-of-way. Transit priority streets allow transit to be rapid and reliable with special attention to accessible, safe and enhanced transit stops. By prioritizing the design or operation of a street to benefit transit, it will help transit reach its potential to move more people rapidly and reliably. The following highlights some example features of transit priority streets: 
  • Operational - Operational improvements, such as transit signal priority to prioritize transit at traffic signals, reduces travel time and improves reliability
  • High Capacity Vehicles - Vehicles such as rail or rapid bus have the ability to increase the person throughput of a corridor.
  • Dedicated Bus Lanes - Transit runs in exclusive lanes or in dedicated guide-ways (such as rail). This helps transit to move the most amount of people reliably and efficiently
  • Enhanced Bus Stops / Bus Stations - Stops with shelters that protect riders from the elements, real-time transit information and off-board ticket stations are some of the amenities that will be expected on transit priority streets.
• The Near Southeast Area Plan does not propose to change the identified transit priority streets in Denver Moves: Transit. 

Vehicular 

Vision Zero  

• Consistent language and safety-focused design elements in safety planning and initiatives that are centered around the Near Southeast planning area.
• Continuation to support community safety efforts and initiatives as identified in the City of Denver’s Vision Zero Action Plan, and those that are applied as shorter-term initiatives. Additional focus should be placed on corridors in Near Southeast that are on Denver’s High Injury Network (HIN), which includes E Evans Avenue, Yale Avenue, S Monaco Parkway, S Quebec Street, E Florida Avenue, Alameda Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, and S Parker Road.
• Continue to track and monitor Fatal and Serious Injury crashes on the City of Denver’s Crash Data Dashboard and strategize on which specific safety countermeasures could mitigate the most frequent and severe crash types in Near Southeast.  

Safety/Speeding on Local Streets  

• Reduce vehicle speeds and encourage speed mitigation countermeasures where there are existing conflicts between multimodal users and vehicular traffic, especially at street crossings.
• Add informative signage in Near Southeast to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement along the City/County of Denver’s High Injury Network (HIN), including E Evans Avenue, Yale Avenue, S Monaco Parkway, S Quebec Street, E Florida Avenue, and Alameda Avenue. 
  • Consider prioritizing speed signage and mitigation in school zones in alignment with the City of Denver’s Transportation & Mobility policy and procedure.
  • Consider the addition of street trees and lighting where appropriate to narrow drivers’ field of vision, naturally slowing speeds
  • Consider reducing lane widths to 10 feet (local streets) and 10.5-11 feet (arterials) to slow driver speeds
  • Consider the use of a mobile radar or radar speed signs in key locations to alert drivers to speeding.
• Work with the State of Colorado and the Police Department to revise Colorado state laws and policies related to traffic safety including automated speed enforcement and distracted driving. 

Electric Vehicles  

• Partner with carshare companies to have an electric car share vehicle located in the neighborhood, either at one of the light rail stations or at another key destination. This would provide residents with the opportunity to experience driving an electric vehicle and help with first and last-mile solutions from transit stops (Denver Electric Vehicle (EV) Action Plan)  
• Explore the addition of City-owned charging stations at city-owned properties or services in the study area (Denver Electric Vehicle (EV) Action Plan) 
• Partner with RTD to provide electric vehicle charging at Colorado and Yale stations (Denver Electric Vehicle (EV) Action Plan) 

• Help residents with resource navigation to understand the options they have for electrification  

Freight  

• Explore establishing a freight efficiency corridor through the study area that could consolidate freight traffic and reduce conflicts and delays for other road users (Blueprint Denver)  
• Engage with DOTI in the development of a citywide freight plan   
• Pursue funding for Freight Network Strategic Plane. This plan would address the movement of goods and materials through the Near Southeast  

TDM and Parking 

• Study the feasibility of requiring new businesses with greater than a certain number of employees to offer TDM programs to employees encouraging the use of alternative transportation (East Area Plan)  
• Encourage Registered Neighborhood Organizations and homeowner associations to participate in RTD’s Neighborhood EcoPass program. 
• Encourage shared parking in mixed-use developments in centers and corridors. 
• Manage on-street parking to reduce conflicts with deliveries and other curbside uses. 

New/Alternative Modes  

• Encourage the use of emerging advanced mobility options, such as electric scooters and electric bicycles to incentivize these modes over a single-occupancy vehicle trip. 
• Provide education and outreach to residents on Lyft’s Community Pass program providing discounted fares for e-bikes and scooters for qualifying residents  
• Provide resources on available rebates and programs for purchasing an electric bike  
• Pursue a partnership with Colorado Carshare to provide low-income residents with discount membership  
• Partner with Denver Public Schools to identify safe routes for biking trains (group bike rides to school supported and supervised by community champions) and walking school buses (supervised and organized walks to school that pick-up students along a designated walking route) helping students reach school without driving.  

Changes to the Street Type Map  

• Denver uses a system for classifying different types of streets, called the “functional classification system.” Blueprint Denver modified this system for planning purposes to include how surrounding character and context might affect the street’s design or operation.  

• The Near Southeast Area Plan does not propose to change any future street types as mapped in Blueprint Denver but includes bold strategies to prioritize multimodal transportation along key corridors to make it easier and safer for people to walk, roll, bike, or take transit. 

Refinements to Street Type Definitions  

• Denver uses a system for classifying different types of streets, called the “functional classification system.” Blueprint Denver modified this system for planning purposes to include how surrounding character and context might affect the street’s design or operation.  
• The Near Southeast Area Plan does not propose to change any future street types as identified in Blueprint Denver but includes bold strategies to prioritize multimodal transportation along key corridors to make it easier and safer for people to walk, roll, bike, or take transit.
  • Local 
    • Streets designed for highest amount of property access and lowest amount of through movement. 
  • Collector 
    • Streets that are in between local and arterial streets whose main function is to collect movement from local streets and convey it to arterial streets. 
  • Arterial
    • Streets designed for the highest amount of through movement and lowest amount of property access.
  • Commercial
    • LAND USE: Contain commercial uses like shopping centers, auto services, and offices. Buildings usually have on-site parking.
    • FUNCTION: Frequent driveways to provide auto access to properties, but still provide adequate sidewalk space.
    • BUFFER: Consistent buffer between people walking or rolling and transit. 
  • Mixed use
    • LAND USE: Varied mix of uses including retail, office, residential, and restaurants.
    • FUNCTION: Driveways are more frequent than main streets, but still limited to provide a friendly environment for people walking, rolling, or riding bicycles.
    • BUFFER: Fairly consistent buffer between people walking or rolling and traffic. 
  • Main street
    • LAND USE: Characterized by a mix of uses, such as retail, services and restaurants, and residential.
    • FUNCTION: Wide sidewalks with fewer driveways to prioritize people walking and rolling.
    • BUFFER: Consistent trees and/or amenity zones provide a buffer between people walking or rolling and traffic.
  • Residential
    • LAND USE: Characterized by primarily residential uses, but may also include parks, schools, civic uses, or small retail nodes
    • FUNCTION: Traffic calming encourages slower speeds and promotes safety for all users. Signalized cross walks with high visibility markings provide ample crossing opportunities.
    • BUFFER: Street trees or a lawn provide a buffer between people walking or rolling and traffic 

Evans Avenue 

• Sidewalk Quality and Maintenance
  • Encourage detached sidewalks and landscape screening providing protecting for pedestrians from the vehicle traffic and providing a more comfortable pedestrian environment (Denver Moves Pedestrians) 
  • Evaluate and upgrade sidewalks and ramps for ADA compliance
  • Widen sidewalks where appropriate 

• Vision Zero
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

• Safety/Speeding on Streets
  • Encourage safe, context-sensitive speed limits and speed mitigation countermeasures to slow speeds, especially where bicyclists, pedestrians, and other multimodal users are crossing the road. 
  • Add informative signage to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement. 
  • Add speed feedback signage as needed. 

• Mode Choice
  • Create high-quality pedestrian spaces that provide wide sidewalks and ADA-compliant crossings and reduce the number of driveways where possible. Screening and shade should be added where feasible to shelter pedestrians from traffic and the sun. Crossing distances should be shortened where allowed to ensure all people can cross safely 
  • Provide updated bus stop amenities, at a minimum including a trash can, seating, and system map 
  • Explore providing commuting incentives to employees along Evans Avenue to encourage alternative transportation use
  • Perform a corridor study to determine the feasibility of adding bike infrastructure and sidewalk improvements to Evans Avenue 
  • Provide resources to help and encourage businesses to add electric charging stations  

Colorado Boulevard 

• Sidewalk Quality and Maintenance
  • Encourage separated sidewalks and landscape screening providing protecting for pedestrians from the vehicle traffic and providing a more comfortable pedestrian environment (Denver Moves Pedestrians)
  • Ensure major corridor sidewalks are ADA compliant 
  • Widen sidewalks where appropriate 

• Vision Zero
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types.
• Mode Choice
  • Create high-quality pedestrian spaces that provide wide sidewalks and ADA-compliant crossings and reduce the number of driveways where possible. Screening and shade should be added where feasible to shelter pedestrians from traffic and the sun. Crossing distances should be shortened where allowed to ensure all people can cross safely 
  • Provide updated bus stop amenities, at a minimum including a trash can, seating, and system map 
  • Explore providing commuting incentives to employees along Colorado Boulevard to encourage alternative transportation use
  • Perform a corridor study to determine the feasibility of adding bike infrastructure and sidewalk improvements to Colorado Boulevard 
  • Provide resources to help and encourage businesses to add electric charging stations 
  • Explore funding opportunities to add Bus Rapid Transit to Colorado Boulevard  

Leetsdale Drive 

• Sidewalk Quality and Maintenance
  • Encourage detached sidewalks and landscape buffers providing protection for pedestrians from the vehicle traffic and providing a more comfortable pedestrian environment (Denver Moves Pedestrians)
  • Evaluate and upgrade sidewalks and ramps for ADA compliance
  • Widen sidewalks where appropriate
• Mode Choice
  • Create high-quality pedestrian spaces that provide wide sidewalks and ADA-compliant crossings and reduce the number of driveways where possible. Screening and shade should be added where feasible to shelter pedestrians from traffic and the sun. Crossing distances should be shortened where allowed to ensure all people can cross safely 
  • Improve on-street connections to the Cherry Creek Trail (Go Speer Leetsdale Corridor Study 2017)
  • Provide updated bus stop amenities, at a minimum including a trash can, seating, and system map 
  • Explore providing commuting incentives to employees along Leetsdale Drive to encourage alternative transportation use
  • Perform a corridor study to determine the feasibility of adding bike infrastructure to Leetsdale Drive 
  • Provide resources to help and encourage businesses to add electric charging stations  

Quebec Street 

• Pedestrian Safety 
  • Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic. 
  • Explore separating the sidewalk from the roadway with a buffer the length of the study area. Quebec Street is a busy four-lane roadway where pedestrians would benefit from additional separation 
  • Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor. 

• Vision Zero
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

• Safety/Speeding on Streets
  • Encourage safe, context-sensitive speed limits and speed mitigation countermeasures to slow speeds, especially where bicyclists, pedestrians, and other multimodal users are crossing the road. 
  • Add informative signage to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement. 
  • Add speed feedback signage as needed. 

Monaco Street 

• Pedestrian Safety
  • Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic. 
  • Explore separating the sidewalk from the roadway with a buffer the length of the study area. Monaco Parkway is a busy four-lane roadway where pedestrians would benefit from additional separation 
  • Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor. 

• Bicycle Safety Improvements 
  • Consistent with Denver Moves: Bikes install permanent bicycle facilities where appropriate that can be regularly maintained and that are large enough for bicyclists to travel comfortably next to other multimodal transportation users and vehicular traffic.
  • Enhance bicycle crossings and increase the visibility of bicyclists to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate bicyclists traveling along the corridor.
  • Perform a study of the Monaco Parkway to determine the best solution to facilitate bicycle movement. Monaco Street can serve as a vital connector from the High Line Canal Trail to the Cherry Creek Trail 

• Vision Zero
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

• Safety/Speeding on Streets
  • Encourage safe, context-sensitive speed limits and speed mitigation countermeasures to slow speeds, especially where bicyclists, pedestrians, and other multimodal users are crossing the road. 
  • Add informative signage to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement. 
  • Add speed feedback signage as needed. 

Yale Avenue  

• Sidewalk Quality and Maintenance
  • Encourage separated sidewalks and landscape screening providing protecting for pedestrians from the vehicle traffic and providing a more comfortable pedestrian environment (Denver Moves Pedestrians) 
  • Ensure major corridor sidewalks are ADA compliant 
  • Widen sidewalks where appropriate 

• Pedestrian Safety
  • Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic. 
  • Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor.
  • Design and install a shared-use path on East Yale Avenue from Colorado Boulevard east to the High Line Canal (widths vary depending on ROW constraints) (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Install a leading pedestrian indicator (LPI) and bike detection at Amherst Avenue and Colorado Boulevard (to be installed in conjunction with a future bikeway on Amherst). LPIs are intended to be installed at all approaches to the Colorado & Yale intersection. (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Address free right turns that impede safe crossings with signal improvements and/or a -no-right turn cycle in the northern intersection. There is a potential for a raised crossing to further slow turning movements and tighten the turning radius (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Provide a grade-separated crossing at the Highline Canal Trail and Yale Avenue to provide a high-quality trail user experience rather than having to cross Yale Avenue (Denver Moves Pedestrians Trails 2019)
  • Provide a grade-separated crossing The highline Canal Trail and Yale Avenue on the west side of James A. Bible Park to provide a high-quality trail user experience rather than having to cross Yale Avenue 

• Bicycle Safety Improvements 
  • Consistent with Denver Moves: Bikes install permanent bicycle facilities where appropriate that can be regularly maintained and that are large enough for bicyclists to travel comfortably next to other multimodal transportation users and vehicular traffic.
  • Enhance bicycle crossings and increase the visibility of bicyclists to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate bicyclists traveling along the corridor.
  • Bicycle/pedestrian crossing safety improvements at I-25 on/off ramps including additional signage, improved crossings, pedestrian refuge(s), lighting, and formalizing the footpath from Service Road south to the Yale & I-25 northbound I-25 on-ramp (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019) 
  • Design and install intersection improvements at Yale & Hudson Street (south)/Service Road (north), potentially including crosswalks, curb extensions, and lane striping changes to improve intersection function and safety (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Enhance the connection to the High Line Canal at Grape Street, including signage visibility to enhance safety, provide direct access to the High Line Canal, and travel under I-25 by foot or bike without passing through the Yale/I-25 interchange (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Install LPI and pedestrian signage at the southbound I-25 on-ramp (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019)
  • Traffic calming measures for vehicles approaching I-25 from both the eastbound and westbound approaches (East Yale Avenue Corridor Study 2019) 

• Vision Zero
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

• Safety/Speeding on Streets
  • Encourage safe, context-sensitive speed limits and speed mitigation countermeasures to slow speeds, especially where bicyclists, pedestrians, and other multimodal users are crossing the road. 
  • Add informative signage to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement. 
  • Add speed feedback signage as needed. 

• Mode Choice
  • Create high-quality pedestrian spaces that provide wide sidewalks and ADA-compliant crossings and reduce the number of driveways where possible. Screening and shade should be added where feasible to shelter pedestrians from traffic and the sun. Crossing distances should be shortened where allowed to ensure all people can cross safely 
  • Provide updated bus stop amenities, at a minimum including a trash can, seating, and system map 
  • Explore providing commuting incentives to employees along Yale Avenue to encourage alternative transportation use
  • Provide resources to help and encourage businesses to add electric charging stations  

South Holly Street 

• Pedestrian Safety 
  • Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic. 
  • Connect the west side sidewalk from Custer Place to Leetsdale Drive
  • Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor.
  • Provide a grade-separated crossing of Holly Street and the Highline Canal Trail to provide a high-quality trail user experience rather than having to cross Holly Street (Denver Moves Pedestrians Trails 2019) 

• Bike Safety Corridor Improvements 
  • Consider studying an update Denver Moves: Bikes to install permanent bicycle facilities where appropriate that can be regularly maintained and that are large enough for bicyclists to travel comfortably next to other multimodal transportation users and vehicular traffic.
  • Enhance bicycle crossings and increase the visibility of bicyclists to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate bicyclists traveling along the corridor.
  • Prioritize low-stress facilities connecting to Marry G Carson Elementary School 
  • Prioritize low-stress facilities connecting Ash Grove Park, City of Potenza Park, and Garland Park  

South Dahlia Street 

• Pedestrian Safety 
  • Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic. 
  • Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor.
  • Provide wayfinding along Kentucky Avenue to help pedestrians connect from Dahlia Street to the Cherry Creek Trail  

• Bicycle Safety Corridor Improvements 
  • Consistent with Denver Moves: Bikes install permanent bicycle facilities where appropriate that can be regularly maintained and that are large enough for bicyclists to travel comfortably next to other multimodal transportation users and vehicular traffic.
  • Enhance bicycle crossings and increase the visibility of bicyclists to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate bicyclists traveling along the corridor.
  • Prioritize low-stress facility’s connecting to Ellis Elementary School   
  • Denver Moves recommends that Dahlia Street receive a bike lane from Jewell Avenue to Mississippi Avenue. Extending this Bike lane to Kentucky Ave to the north would allow Dahlia Street to serve as a connector for bicyclists from Cherry Creek Trail to the pedestrian bridge that connects to Colorado Station   

East Iowa Avenue 

• Pedestrian Safety Widen and install permanent sidewalks and ADA facilities where appropriate and bring all sidewalks up to current standards to create a large enough sidewalk space for pedestrians to travel comfortably next to vehicular traffic.  
• Enhance pedestrian crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where pedestrians are crossing the road. 
• Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate pedestrians traveling along the corridor. 

East Jewel Avenue  

• Bicycle Safety Improvements 
  • Consistent with Denver Moves: Bikes install permanent bicycle facilities where appropriate that can be regularly maintained and that are large enough for bicyclists to travel comfortably next to other multimodal transportation users and vehicular traffic.
  • Enhance bicycle crossings and increase the visibility of bicyclists to vehicular traffic through both lighting improvements and crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are crossing the road.
  • Prioritize maintenance during the winter months to minimize the amount of ice and snow covering the sidewalks to alleviate bicyclists traveling along the corridor.
  • Added wayfinding directing Cyclist to major destinations along Evans Avenue  

Florida Avenue 

• Vision Zero 
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

• Safety/Speeding on Streets
  • Encourage safe, context-sensitive speed limits and speed mitigation countermeasures to slow speeds, especially where bicyclists, pedestrians, and other multimodal users are crossing the road. 
  • Add informative signage to message safe speeds, mitigate speeding, increase compliance with traffic laws, and inform drivers of automated enforcement. 
  • Add speed feedback signage as needed. 

Alameda Avenue 

• Vision Zero 
  • The corridor is on the City of Denver’s identified HIN, and additional focus and priority should be placed on the corridor to improve safety and mitigate severe crash types. 

South Holly Street and East Yale Avenue Recommendations 

• Pedestrian Safety Intersection Improvements
  • Install or upgrade pedestrian crossing treatments consistent with the Denver Moves: Trails and Pedestrians Plan.
  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians a head starts at the traffic lights by approximately five seconds, with the precise time depending on the intersection. LPIs are intended to improve safety by separating the pedestrian crossing from turning vehicles, and by increasing the visibility of pedestrians to drivers.
  • Install Pedestrian Refuge Islands to provide protected spaces for pedestrians in the middle of the street to facilitate crossings at the intersection. The Refuge Islands can be used to slow traffic and simplify crossings by allowing people to walk across just one direction of travel at a time. 

• Bicycle Intersection Improvements
  • Install or upgrade bicycle crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are traveling through the intersection.
  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians (or bicyclists) a head starts at the traffic lights by approximately five seconds, with the precise time depending on the intersection. LPIs are intended to improve safety by separating the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing from turning vehicles, and by increasing the visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists to drivers.
  • Install Median Refuge Islands, where crossing distances necessitate, to provide protected spaces for bicyclists in the middle of the street to facilitate crossings at the intersection. The Refuge Islands can be used to slow traffic and simplify crossings by allowing people to bike across just one direction of travel at a time. 

Cherry Creek North Drive and South Monaco Parkway Recommendations 

• Pedestrian Safety Intersection Improvements
  • Install or upgrade pedestrian crossing treatments consistent with the Denver Moves: Trails and Pedestrians Plan.
  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians a head starts at the traffic lights by approximately five seconds, with the precise time depending on the intersection. LPIs are intended to improve safety by separating the pedestrian crossing from turning vehicles, and by increasing the visibility of pedestrians to drivers.
  • Install Pedestrian Refuge Islands to provide protected spaces for pedestrians in the middle of the street to facilitate crossings at the intersection. The Refuge Islands can be used to slow traffic and simplify crossings by allowing people to walk across just one direction of travel at a time. 

• Bicycle Intersection Improvements  
  • Study the possibility of providing a multi-use path along the Monaco Parkway Bridge that connects the two sides of Cherry Creek Drive. This would allow for better connectivity from Cherry Creek trail to Garland Park and the bus facilities along Monaco Parkway.  

Cherry Creek Drive South and South Holly Street Recommendations 

• Pedestrian Safety Intersection Improvements  
  • Install or upgrade pedestrian crossing treatments consistent with the Denver Moves: Trails and Pedestrians Plan.
  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians a head starts at the traffic lights by approximately five seconds, with the precise time depending on the intersection. LPIs are intended to improve safety by separating the pedestrian crossing from turning vehicles, and by increasing the visibility of pedestrians to drivers.
  • Install Pedestrian Refuge Islands to provide protected spaces for pedestrians in the middle of the street to facilitate crossings at the intersection. The Refuge Islands can be used to slow traffic and simplify crossings by allowing people to walk across just one direction of travel at a time. 

• Bicycle Intersection Improvements
  • Install or upgrade bicycle crossing treatments to highlight where bicyclists are traveling through the intersection.
  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians (or bicyclists) a head starts at the traffic lights by approximately five seconds, with the precise time depending on the intersection. LPIs are intended to improve safety by separating the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing from turning vehicles, and by increasing the visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists to drivers.
  • Study Adding a second crosswalk from the Cherry Creek Trail to the South/East corner of the intersection 
  • Crossing improvements should be a priority with City of Patenza Park, Garland Park, and McMeen Elementary School accessible from the intersection. All treatments should be low-stress and facilitate safe commuting for children.  

Parks

1. New parks
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City and the Strategic Acquisitions Plan, create new parks in areas that are more than a 10-minute walk from existing parks.  Key areas include:
      1. The West side of the study area, west of Dahlia St. between Mississippi and Evans
      2. The south-west portion of the study area, University Hills North, south of Evans and west of I-25 – a new future park is already under consideration for this area
      3. Consider the area east of I-25 around Evans, even with a new park in the vicinity I-25 represents a significant barrier for those on the east side of the highway 
   2. Look for opportunities to integrate new parks into the trail systems by adding facilities along or near the Cherry Creek and High Line Canal trails.
   3. Look for opportunities to add new parks and plazas near transit stations such as Colorado Station.
   4. Look for partnership opportunities for funding of new parks, complementing city funds with partners such as developers and non-profits and state and federal funds.  Identify underutilized properties for potential opportunities to create green space.
2. Park access
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve access to existing parks and open spaces through mobility improvements and partnerships.
      1. As described in the Mobility recommendations, improve safety and ease of use along pedestrian and bicycle routes to parks.  Prioritize crossings of large streets adjacent to parks and contemporary parkways connecting to parks.
         1. Specific park access points to consider include:
            1. Access to Cook Park from Iowa Ave, crossing Monaco
            2. Access to Garland Park, crossing Monaco
            3. Access to Garland Park from the Cherry Creek Trail
      2. Partner with Denver Public Schools to formalize use of school playgrounds and facilities as parks for the surrounding neighborhoods and raise awareness of opportunities for shared use.  Ellis Elementary provides a good example of a school that could provide park space to an area that is lacking.
3. Park amenities
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, provide additional amenities desired by the community in Near Southeast parks.
      1. Amenities to prioritize include natural landscaping, open flexible green spaces, running and walking trails, picnic tables and shelters, and playgrounds.
      2. Build on the recommendations of the Outdoor Adventure Master Plan to provide more opportunities for action and adventure amenities, such as skate parks.
      3. Funding for new amenities should be prioritized based on community interest and support, presence of similar amenities in nearby parks, and equitable access to amenities.
      4. Consistent with the Dog Park Master Plan, explore adding a dog park in Near Southeast by gauging community support for a pilot project.  This would require a community interest group to work with the city to identify a potential location and establish continuing support for management and upkeep.
      5. Explore adding a concert venue, such as a band shell or amphitheater, to a park in Near Southeast.  Important considerations include funding, management and booking, impact on the park, impact on surrounding properties, and community support.  If there is support, a community interest group should be formed to lead the exploration.
4. Park maintenance and safety
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve maintenance and safety in Near Southeast parks.  Maintenance should address paths in poor condition, playgrounds in need of repair, flooding, restrooms available all year poor tree care, general park cleanliness, and overflowing trash cans.  Safety should be improved through better maintenance and improved management of conflicts between users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
5. Cook Park Recreation Center
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve the Cook Park Recreation Center to better serve the community.  Explore opportunities to expand hours and services and improve the quality of the facility through updates and remodels.  Explore possibilities for expansion to the building and the pool, including the potential for an indoor pool.
6. Services, events, classes, and leagues
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, expand offerings of services, events, classes, and leagues at Near Southeast parks in response to community demand.  Include more options for seniors and children, including sports leagues, and more community events. 

Trails

1. Trail access
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Denver Moves Pedestrians and Trails, improve existing trails in Near Southeast.
      1. Complete improvements recommended in Denver Moves Pedestrians and Trails, including High Line Canal crossing improvements at Yale Avenue and at Quebec Street and a connection at Oneida Street north of Leetsdale Drive.
      2. Improve the crossing of the High Line Canal trail at Monaco Parkway just north of Yale Avenue.  Study whether a grade-separated or at-grade crossing is most appropriate.
      3. Complete planned improvements to the length of the High Line Canal trail in Near Southeast with the proposed paved and gravel trail.
      4. As described in the mobility recommendations, improve access to trails by making safety improvements to street crossings near trail access points.
      5. Explore partnership opportunities with Fairmount Cemetery to connect from Quebec Street to the High Line Canal Trail.
      6. Widen and add additional access points to the Cherry Creek and High Line Canal trails as needed to improve connectivity between neighborhoods and community destinations.
2. Trail maintenance and safety
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Denver Moves Pedestrians and Trails, improve maintenance and safety of trails in Near Southeast.  Improve lighting, maintenance, and cleaning along trails and work to reduce conflicts between users.  Work with partners such as the High Line Conservancy, Greenway Foundation, and Mile High Flood District to make improvements.
3. Goldsmith Gulch extension
   1. Study and develop strategies for connecting the Goldsmith Gulch trail from where it currently ends at Iliff Avenue to the Cherry Creek trail at Cook Park.
      1. South of Evans Avenue, look for opportunities to secure a trail corridor as property redevelop and work with property owners to construct trail segments.
      2. North of Evans Avenue, conduct a study to determine the best route, whether following gulch through the neighborhood or staying along Monaco Parkway.
      3. Conduct a study to determine the best method for crossing Evans Avenue and whether a grade-separated crossing is necessary.
      4. Explore partnerships and funding options, including city capital or bond funding, as well as state and federal funding, local and national non-profits, and private funding.
4. Trail along old RR ROW
   1. Evaluate the possibility of constructing a new multi-use trail along the former railroad right-of-way just north of Evans Avenue between Interstate 25 and Monaco Parkway.
      1. The trail should connect from Evans at I-25 and the pedestrian bridge over I-25 to Monaco Parkway, where it should connect to the extended Goldsmith Gulch trail.  It should serve pedestrians and bicycles.
      2. Work with public and private property owners to determine feasibility of acquiring land or easements for the trail.
      3. Explore partnerships and funding options, including city capital or bond funding, as well as state and federal funding, local and national non-profits, and private funding.
      4. Look to examples of previous rails to trails and utility corridor trails. 

Landscaping 

1. Public landscaping
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve public landscaping to be more sustainable and resilient and enhance the look and feel of Near Southeast.
      1. Look for opportunities in parks and open spaces to reduce the amount of irrigated turf and replace it with more drought-tolerant native plants.
      2. Consider restoration of functional ecosystems emphasizing healthy waterways and lakes in areas such as Goldsmith Gulch and Lollipop Lake.
      3. Consider the open space and ecological value of vacant and underutilized land.
      4. Preserve wildlife and pollinator habitat and promote planting of pollinator-friendly plants and expansion of wildlife corridors.
      5. Coordinate with citywide efforts such as forestry master planning and rules and regulations updates.
2. Private landscaping
   1. Improve the quality and maintenance of private landscaping by requiring improved landscaping for new development and connecting existing property owners with resources to improve the quality and upkeep of existing landscaping.  Promote climate-appropriate and resilient landscape types and larger landscaped areas.
3. Trees
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve the quality and coverage of trees in Near Southeast.
      1. Preserve and maintain existing trees through improved maintenance on public property and discouraging removal on private property.
      2. Plant more trees along streets where tree coverage is limited, particularly major corridors like Colorado Boulevard, Evans Avenue, and Leetsdale Drive and designated parkways like Monaco Parkway (see Parkway recommendations).
      3. Improve landscape standards for new development to require more trees.
      4. Connect property owners to existing programs to help them plant and maintain trees on their properties.
4. Landscape design/plant types
   1. Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, encourage more native, sustainable, and resilient plant types in Near Southeast, and more a more natural style of landscape design.
      1. Update landscape design standards to require native or climate-appropriate plants to improve sustainability and resiliency.
      2. In larger open spaces, such as parks, plazas, and creek corridors, promote less formal and more natural landscape design styles.
      3. In smaller spaces, such as tree lawns and medians, incorporate natural landscaping into the limited space to the extent possible.
5. Parkways – Consistent with adopted citywide policies in Game Plan for a Healthy City, improve existing parkways and develop new Contemporary Parkways that connect the community to open space, parks, and recreational assets, as well as serve multiple community functions
   1. Improve landscaping and mobility along the existing designated parkways of Alameda Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, Cherry Creek Drive, and Monaco Parkway
   2. Designate new Contemporary Parkways on streets that connect parks and other designations, such as Dahlia Street, Exposition Avenue, Florida Avenue, Holly Street, Iliff Avenue, and Mexico Avenue
   3. On new Contemporary Parkways, where feasible given recommended mobility improvements, reassign portions of the public right-of-way to the function of bike, pedestrian or transit mobility, diverse green infrastructure including tree canopy, native or adapted drought-tolerant vegetation, stormwater management and improved lighting
   4. Develop design standards that provide flexibility for Contemporary Parkways to range in size and role within the transportation and open space networks and enable bicycle and pedestrian amenities, stormwater management and infiltration, and showcase appropriate vegetation. Projects can range from a multi-faceted redesign of existing arterial right-of-way to the reallocation of right-of-way for tree-lined, shared local streets 

Stormwater and green infrastructure

1. Stormwater facilities - Consistent with citywide policies in the Stormwater Master Plan, improve stormwater management and water quality by implementing recommended stormwater improvements, increasing pervious surface, and integrating stormwater facilities into new and existing development and streets.  Reduce pollutant flows through improved maintenance, cleaning, design, and education and awareness.
2. Flooding – Consistent with citywide policies, improve stormwater management to reduce flooding in Near Southeast by completing projects identified in the Storm Drainage Master Plan.  Priority should be given to reducing flooding issues around Holly and Florida, Monaco and Jewell, Holly and Exposition, Colorado and Iliff, and Oneida and Exposition
3. Green infrastructure facilities - Foster and support green infrastructure that incorporates both the natural environment and engineered systems in public and private developments to provide clean water, conserve ecosystem functionality, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.  Update green street designations to identify additional opportunities to promote infiltration, reduce runoff, improve water quality, and reduce local heating.  Integrate green infrastructure with mobility facilities, particularly along Contemporary Parkways (see Parkway recommendations) to improve connections between major destinations and partner with Near Southeast neighborhoods to find additional green infrastructure opportunities. 

Resources

1. Water use – In partnership with Denver Water and consistent with adopted policies in the One Water plan, ensure a sustainable water supply by reducing water use in new and existing buildings, encouraging water-friendly landscaping, and working regionally to conserve water supplies.  Connect residents to resources to help them conserve and reuse water, such as rain barrels.
2. Air quality – Improve air quality in Near Southeast by working with regional partners and reduce emissions and improving landscaping in the area.  Reduce emissions from transportation and utilities and introduce more landscaping through green infrastructure and additional trees to improve local air quality.
3. Energy use/solar – Promote renewable energy through programs such as resource navigation for those interested in adding solar panels to their homes, toolkits and resources on rebates for energy efficient fixtures, improved insulation, and solar hot water installation, and community solar garden and programs that allows residents to buy energy from renewable sources.  Look for opportunities to lead in sustainability through programs like community battery use, natural gas infrastructure removal, and voluntary higher standards for new construction. 

Community safety

1. Streetlights - Improve lighting on streets, trails, and other public areas to improve safety and useability.  Priorities for lighting improvements include along Cherry Creek, Leetsdale Drive, the High Line Canal, in Ash Grove Park and in University Hills North.  Ensure lighting is placed and calibrated appropriately to reduce light pollution.
2. Safety infrastructure and design – Incorporate design elements to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment in Near Southeast.  Use design tools like public art and activation to improve safety of public places and make them places where people want to spend time.  Improve maintenance and upkeep of public spaces and provide appropriate facilities such as trash and recycling cans and restrooms.
3. Community-based safety - Improve overall safety and security through implementing a series of coordinated strategies to support mental health and addiction treatment, support positive relationships between the community and police, and work as a community with police to address property crime, code violations, and littering. 

Food 

1. Food access - Improve access to fresh and healthy food and nutrition through improved physical connections and multimodal networks, supporting local healthy food providers, encouraging food retailers to accept SNAP and WIC payment, encouraging more local restaurants serving healthy food, and supporting existing and future community programs such as coops and Tasty Food, which provides food to youth in the area.
2. Food quality – Improve food quality in Near Southeast by supporting innovative grocery models by providing business planning assistance, translation help and streamlined permitting process for new food sellers providing assistance and resource navigation to leverage CHFA’s Healthy Housing Loan Program to incorporate food access and affordable housing, and exploring healthy food box delivery service to affordable housing sites.
3. Community gardens – Support community gardens by identifying underutilized public lands that could be well suited for community gardens, partnering with schools and community centers who could provide land for community gardens, and encouraging residents to use public right of way amenity space, in front of single-family homes for community gardens. 

Cultural resources

1. Library – Improve access to and benefits of the Virginia Village Library by promoting awareness of the library and its offerings and exploring expanded hours, additional services such as more programs and classes for children and adults, services for immigrant and refugee communities in appropriate languages, and an Idea Lab, and improvements and expansions of indoor and outdoor community spaces.
2. Art and culture – Support opportunities to experience art and culture in Near Southeast by exploring opportunities for additional entertainment options, including a concert venue, supporting more events and cultural activities, and supporting the creation of more public art
3. Internet – Explore ways to improve access to high-speed internet through partnerships with internet providers and supporting access at public locations like the Virginia Village Library 

• Suburban - 54%
• Former Chapter 59 - 24%
• Open Space - 10%
• Industrial - 6%
• Other (Urban Edge, Campus, General Urban, Urban Center, Open Zone District) - 9%

To help inform the neighborhood planning process, the city developed data-based indicators of planning need at the neighborhood scale. 

Each Near Southeast Area neighborhood was scored from low planning need to high planning need in five categories.

Read more about the indicators and scoring. 

• Cherry Creek Greenway Master Plan(PDF, 17MB) 2000 
• Virginia Village Neighborhood Plan(PDF, 1MB) 1973 

• North: Alameda Avenue
• East: Quebec Street and city limits
• South: Yale Avenue
• West: Colorado Boulevard and Interstate 25 

• Hosted meetings, conducted surveys, and attended community events (virtual and in person) to share information and collect input
• Regular meetings with the community steering committee  
• Used multiple channels to get word out about the draft recommendations
  • Project website and email list
  • Social media
  • Traditional media outreach
  • Registered neighborhood organizations and other neighborhood groups
  • Schools
  • Yard signs
  • Mailers
• Went into the community to get the word out about the plan
  • Community workshop at Cook Park Recreation Center
  • Hudson Apartments event
  • Cook Park Rec Center pop-up/office hours
  • Jewish Community Center pop-up/office hours
  • Schlessman YMCA pop-up/office hours
  • University Hills North Community meeting
  • Cook Park RNO meeting
  • Lynwood Neighborhood Association meeting
  • Refugee family meeting
• Flyers were distributed at:
  • Ross-University Hills Library (DPL)
  • U Hills YMCA
  • Villa Monaco
  • Park Plaza Shopping area
  • Welshire Plaza
  • Shops between Iliff Av. & Warren Ave. on E. side of Colo. Blvd.
  • Shopping Center at 1550 S. Colorado Blvd
  • Century 21 Plaza
  • Square One Center
  • Eisenhower Rec Center
  • Cook Park Rec Center
  • Virginia Village Library (DPL)
  • Virginia Village shopping center (NW corner of Florida & Holly) incl. Unravel Coffee
  • Virginia Shops (SW corner of FL & Holly) incl. Sojourners Coffee
  • Holly Shops/Esters Neighborhood Pub
  • Leetsdale Marketplace Shopping Center
  • Shops at Leetsdale and Monaco
  • Monaco Square
  • South Lowry Marketplace at SE corner of Leetsdale & Quebec
  • Shops at Leetsdale & Oneida
  • Shops at Leetsdale & Holly (N/S of Leetsdale on E side) 

• How should we improve the land use and design recommendations?
• How should we improve the residential preservation and affordability recommendations?
• How should we improve the small business recommendations?
• How should we improve the mobility corridor recommendations?
• How should we improve the walking, biking, and transit recommendations?
• How should we improve the park, trails, and landscaping recommendations?
• Do you have any general feedback on the draft plan? 

Based on input from the community, changes were made to the draft plan to achieve the following: 

• Clarify missing middle policies and strengthen affordability recommendations
• Allow additional growth along the Evans corridor with clearer recommendations for improving mobility infrastructure
• Adjust place and height recommendations to achieve better transitions and compatibility with neighborhoods
• Update economy related sustainability recommendations to include “Waste No More”
• Expand arts/cultural economy and continuing education policies with additional recommendations from community input
• Update and add additional housing statistics and goals
• Add more detail to trail improvement recommendations
• Improve streetscape and landscape recommendations for key corridors and parkways
• Identify additional intersections for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements
• Identify additional streets for traffic calming opportunities
• Add recommendations for additional bike lane opportunities and identify those existing bike lanes needing an upgrade
• Include additional intersection safety improvements based on neighborhood level feedback 

See more about what we heard in the Comments Spreadsheet(XLSX, 63KB).

• 212 joined the project’s email list in Phase 4 (total is 1,059) 
• 127 attended the community workshops 
• 98 took the online surveys 
• 101 community members met planners at 7 community events
• Steering committee held 3 meetings 
• Intentional outreach and participation included:
  • 6 renters at an apartment event
  • 17 in a refugee family focus group 

• What is your level of support for the plan?
  • 46% - I fully support the draft plan
  • 26% - I mostly support the draft plan
  • 19% - I support some elements of the plan but not others
  • 9% - I do not support the draft plan
• Comments received and actions taken(XLSX, 63KB)  
• List of all substantive changes to the plan(XLSX, 23KB)  
• Intentional Engagement Summary(PDF, 2MB)
• Available in project archive:
  • Meeting presentations, meeting summaries/notes and handouts for public meetings and steering committee meetings
  • Complete listing of neighborhood meetings and community events attended by staff
  • Past project newsletters

• Hosted meetings, conducted surveys, and attended community events (virtual and in person) to share information and collect input 
• Regular meetings with the community steering committee
• Used multiple channels to get word out about the draft recommendations 
  • Project website and email list
  • Social media
  • Traditional media outreach
  • Registered neighborhood organizations and other neighborhood groups
  • Schools
  • Yard signs
  • Mailers
• Went into the community to get the word out about the plan 
  • Community workshop at Four Mile House Historic Park
  • Jacobs Park food truck event
  • Ramac Apartments food truck event
  • National Night Out at Cook Park
  • South by Southeast at Bible Park
  • Cook Park Rec Center pop-up/office hours
  • Jewish Community Center pop-up/office hours
  • Schlessman YMCA pop-up/office hours
  • Virginia Village Library pop-up/office hours
  • McMeen Elementary back to school night
  • George Washington High student activity
  • Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning student activity
  • District 4 Town Hall at Thomas Jefferson High School
• Flyers were distributed at:
  • Cook Park Rec Center
  • Virginia Village Library Ross-University Hills Library
  • Schlessmann YMCA
  • Villa Monaco
  • Virginia Village shopping center (NW corner of Florida & Holly) incl. Unravel Coffee
  • Virginia Shops (SW corner of FL & Holly) incl. Sojourners Coffee
  • Holly Shops/Esters Neighborhood Pub
  • Park Plaza Shopping area
  • Welshire Plaza
  • Shops between Iliff Av. & Warren Ave. on E. side of Colo. Blvd.
  • Shopping Center at 1550 S. Colorado Blvd
  • Century 21 Plaza
  • Square One Center
  • Eisenhower Rec Center
  • Leetsdale Marketplace Shopping Center
  • Shops at Leetsdale and Monaco
  • Monaco Square
  • South Lowry Marketplace at SE corner of Leetsdale & Quebec
  • Shops at Leetsdale & Oneida
  • Shops at Leetsdale & Holly (N/S of Leetsdale on E side) 

• Where should growth be directed in the area? 
• How should we incorporate more housing options?
• How should the industrial areas evolve?
• Do the draft land use recommendations reflect the community’s goals for sustainable growth and improved design? 
• Do the draft housing and economy recommendations reflect the community’s goals for affordability and more local businesses? 
• Do the draft mobility recommendations reflect the community’s goals for improved safety and convenience? 
• Do the draft quality of life infrastructure recommendations reflect the community’s goals for more resilient landscaping and parks?

• Direct most growth to key intersections along the corridors and ensure infrastructure needs are met
• Prioritize affordability and character when integrating new housing options into neighborhoods
• Ensure corridors and centers transitions well into neighborhoods and minimize impacts from additional height and development
• Target affordable housing in areas served by amenities and transit 
• Support new and existing local businesses with a variety of tools
• Provide additional mobility connections while limiting speeding on neighborhood streets
• Prioritize sidewalk improvements along routes to key destinations
• Improve connections to trails at parks and reduce conflicts between users
• Enhance landscaping in centers and corridors with appropriate trees and plant that limit water use 

• 161 joined the project’s email list in Phase 3 (total is 1,008) 
• 50 attended the community workshops 
• 903 took the online surveys 
• 338 community members met planners at 9 community events  
• Steering committee held 5 meetings  
• 5 focus group meetings engaging 41 community members 
• Intentional outreach and participation included:
  • 65 renters at food truck events
  • 11 minority-owned businesses
  • 206 youth at George Washington High school 

• Community Input Summary (coming soon)
• Intentional Engagement Summary(PDF, 4MB)
• Available in project archive:
  • Meeting presentations, meeting summaries/notes and handouts for public meetings and steering committee meetings
  • Complete listing of neighborhood meetings and community events attended by staff
  • Past project newsletters
  • Links to media articles 
  • Past survey information (full data downloads)
  • Comment logs (collection of all the comments we have received)  
  • Focus Group Meeting Notes and Recordings 

• Hosted meetings, conducted surveys, and attended community events (virtual and in person) to share information and collect input
• Issues and opportunities analysis
• Regular meetings with the community steering committee
• Used multiple channels to get word out about plan launch
  • Project website and email list
  • Social media
  • Traditional media outreach
  • Registered neighborhood organizations and other neighborhood groups
  • Schools
• Went into the community to get the word out about the plan
  • Virginia Vale/Ellis RNO meeting
  • Indian Creek Neighborhood Association meeting
  • Winston Downs Community Association meeting (w/ Hilltop RNO attending)
  • McMeen Elementary Dia del Niño event
  • McMeen Elementary Multicultural Night
  • Schlessman YMCA pop-up
  • University Hills Spring Market
  • Cook Park Soccer Fields pop-up
  • Shakespeare in the Spring at Cook Park
  • Bible Park Playground pop-up
• Flyers were distributed at:
  • University Hills Plaza
  • Park Plaza Shopping area
  • Wellshire Plaza
  • Colorado Center (JE Dunn; Stantec; PCL Construction HQs)
  • Shops between Iliff Avenue & Warren Avenue. on E. side of Colorado Blvd.
  • Shopping Center at 1550 S. Colorado Blvd.
  • Century 21 Plaza
  • Square One Center
  • Leetsdale Marketplace Shopping Center
  • Shops at Leetsdale and Monaco (N. side of Leetsdale Drive)
  • Monaco Square
  • Villa Monaco
  • Virginia Village shopping center (NW corner of Florida & Holly) including Unravel Coffee
  • Virginia Shops (SW corner of Florida & Holly) including Sojourners Coffee
  • Holly Shops/Esters Neighborhood Pub
  • South Lowry Marketplace at SE corner of Leetsdale & Quebec
  • Shops at Leetsdale & Oneida
  • Shops at Leetsdale& Holly (N/S of Leetsdale on east side) 

• Do the draft vision statements reflect the community’s goals for the area?
• How should Near Southeast grow and what elements of complete neighborhoods should be prioritized to ensure equity in that growth?
• What affordable housing options should be prioritized?
• What amenities and services are most desired in the area?
• Where should mobility safety improvements be prioritized?
• How can parks, trails, and landscaping better serve the community?
• How should sustainability and resiliency be incorporated into recommendations?

• Growth should go to appropriate areas and be accompanied by better design, improved mobility, and more community amenities
• Housing options should be added in neighborhoods when they are appropriately scaled, served by infrastructure, and improve affordability
• Affordable housing options should be improved for families and those looking to buy, and services for those experiencing homelessness should prioritize providing housing and treatment
• Desired businesses, like restaurants, local shops, and entertainment options, should be supported through local business associations and other programs
• Mobility safety should be enhanced with improvements at key intersections and along major corridors
• Walking and biking networks should have improved connectivity and amenities
• Landscaping should be improved in parks, streets, and private property to be more sustainable and resilient and provide better habitat for wildlife and pollinators 
• Reduced water and energy use, reduced heating, and improved air quality should be achieved through a range of actions by individuals, businesses, developers, and the city

See more about what we heard in the Community Input Summary. 

• 260 joined the project’s email list in Phase II (total is 847)
• 199 attended the community workshops
• 719 took the online surveys
• 218 community members met planners at 9 community events
• Steering committee held 7 meetings
• 32 participants joined focus group meetings
• Intentional outreach and participation has been conducted or started with the following partners:
  • African Community Center
  • First Universalist Church
  • Oaks Community Church
  • Renters
  • Schools
  • Latino Community Foundation of Colorado
  • Mexican Cultural Center
  • Denver Islamic Society
  • Celebration Community Church
  • Jewish Family Services
  • Advocacy Denver
  • Ability Specialists, Inc.
  • Denver Disability Law
  • Colorado Cross Disability Coalition

• Understanding the Area report(PDF, 12MB)
• Community Input Summary(PDF, 2MB)
• Intentional Engagement Summary(PDF, 74KB)
• Available in project archive:
  • Meeting presentations, meeting summaries/notes and handouts for public meetings, focus group meetings and steering committee meetings
  • Complete listing of neighborhood meetings and community events attended by staff
  • Past project newsletters
  • Links to media articles
  • Past survey information (full data downloads)
  • Comment logs

• Hosted meetings, conducted surveys, and attended community events (virtual and in person) to share information and collect input
• Existing conditions research 
• Convening community steering committee 
• Used multiple channels to get word out about plan launch 
  • Project website and email list
  • Social media
  • Traditional media outreach
  • Registered neighborhood organizations and other neighborhood groups
  • Schools
• Went into the community to get the word out about the plan
  • Cook Park Recreation Center
  • Denver Public Library: Virginial Village Branch Library
  • Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center
  • Four Mile Historic Park
  • The Sojourners Coffee & Tea
  • Istanbul Café and Bakery
  • Barakah Halal Market
  • Sinclair Gas Station
  • Spyglass Creek
  • Mosaic Apartments
  • Yale Station Senior Apartments
  • Granville Townhomes
  • Denver Kinder Care
  • Little Spark Learning Center
  • Sunflower Hill Child Care
  • Colorado Station RTD Park and Ride
  • Yale Station
  • Ace Hardware

• What do you like or dislike about your neighborhood?
• Where are the opportunities?
• What are the areas of concern?
• What do you want to see for the future of your neighborhood?
• How do you want to get involved in the planning process? 

• Desire for improvements to commercial corridors, particularly Evans Avenue, with better design, walkability, and shopping, dining, and entertainment options
• Better and safer mobility options for all modes
• More diverse and affordable housing options
• Preserve and improve parks, trails, green spaces, and landscaping

See more about what we heard in the Community Input Summary (PDF, 1MB). 

• 587 joined the project’s email list 
• 128 attended the Virtual Community Kickoff meeting
• 523 took the online kickoff map-based survey
• 228 took the youth-focused survey
• 331 community members met planners at 9 community events 
• Steering committee held 4 meetings 
• 20 community partners participated in stakeholder interviews
• Intentional outreach and participation has begun with the following partners:
  • Over 288 youth participated across two semesters and 13 classes at George Washington High School 
  • African Community Center
  • Mexican Cultural Center
  • Denver Islamic Center 

• Area Plan Existing Conditions Briefing Book (PDF, 41MB)  
• Community engagement strategy (PDF, 277KB)
• Neighborhood patterns analysis (PDF, 77MB)
• Historic contexts
  • Goldsmith (PDF, 5MB)
  • Indian Creek (PDF, 5MB)
  • University Hills North (PDF, 5MB)
  • Virginia Village (PDF, 10MB)
  • Washington Virginia Vale (PDF, 8MB)
• Mobility study (PDF, 5MB)
• Market and housing study (PDF, 5MB)
• Community input summary (PDF, 1MB)
• Available in project archive:
  • Meeting presentations, meeting summaries/notes and handouts for public meetings and steering committee meetings
  • Complete listing of neighborhood meetings and community events attended by staff
  • Past project newsletters
  • Past survey information (full data downloads) 
  • Comment logs (collection of all the comments we have received) 
  • Interview and focus group meeting notes 

Scott Robinson
Senior City Planner
scott.robinson@denvergov.org 

Jason Morrison
Senior City Planner
jason.morrison@denvergov.org

Will Prince
Associate City Planner
william.prince@denvergov.org

Council District 4
Councilwoman Kendra Black
kendra.black@denvergov.org

Council District 5
Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer
amanda.sawyer@denvergov.org 

Council District 6
Councilman Paul Kashman
paul.kashman@denvergov.org

Members of the steering committee for the Near Southeast Area Plan were selected from the more than 100 community members who submitted the interest form. The group is intended to be a cross-section of the neighborhoods that make up the planning area, including residents, local business owners and property owners. In bringing the group together, the planning team consulted with City Council Offices for Districts 4, 5 and 6, considered the area’s demographics, and sought out a diversity of interests, experiences and areas of expertise as well as voices from traditionally under-represented communities.

Steering committee members will help guide the planning process, support public engagement efforts and help create consensus at key points in the process. The committee meets on the second Wednesday on the month. Meetings are open to the public, and meeting materials will be available online after the fact.

Steering Committee meeting information

• Kimley-Horn – Eric Bosman, Project Manager 
• Otak – Cliff Lind, Project Lead/Manager 
• Peter J. Park, LLC – Peter Park, Principal 
• Root Policy Research – Heidi Aggeler, Managing Director 
• Metta Urban Design – Samantha Suter, Principal 
• GBSM – Miles Graham, Principal
• NHN Consulting – Nora Neureiter, Principal 

 The events listed below were organized by the planning team to share information with the community and gather input.

Public Meetings

Community Kickoff (1) 
6-7:15 p.m., Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Virtual meeting via Zoom

• Presentation(PDF, 4MB)
• Meeting recording

Virtual Community Workshop (2) - Land Use and Housing
6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Virtual meeting via Zoom

• Presentation(PDF, 655KB)
• Meeting recording
  • Indian Creek break-out session (YouTube)
  • University Hills North and Goldsmith break-out session (YouTube)
  • Virginia Village break-out session (YouTube)
  • Washington Virginia Vale break-out session (YouTube)

Virtual Community Workshop (3) - Parks and Mobility
6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 10, 2022
Virtual meeting via Zoom

• Presentation(PDF, 686KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)
  • Indian Creek break-out session (YouTube)
  • University Hills North and Goldsmith break-out session (YouTube)
  • Virginia Village break-out session (YouTube)
  • Washington Virginia Vale break-out session (YouTube)

Virtual Community Workshop (4)
6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 13, 2022
Virtual meeting via Zoom

• Presentation(PDF, 8MB)
• Meeting recording

In-person Community Workshop (5)
6-6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 21, 2022
Four Mile Historic Park, 4846 E. Exposition Ave.

Boards:

• Land Use and Built Form Recommendations(PDF, 16MB)
• Quality of Life Recommendations(PDF, 6MB)
• Mobility Recommendations(PDF, 9MB)
• Housing and Economy Recommendations(PDF, 216KB)
• Bike and Pedestrian Recommendations(PDF, 4MB)

Targeted Engagement Event
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Frances Weisbart Jacobs Park, 1101 S Quebec St.

• Event summary(PDF, 1MB)

Targeted Engagement Event
Thursday, August 18, 2022
The Ramac Apartments, 1640 S Albion St.

Youth Engagement Event
Monday, October 3, 2022
George Washington High School

Youth Engagement Event
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

In-person Community Workshop (6)
5:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Cook Park Rec Center, 7100 Cherry Creek S Dr., Denver

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)

Boards:

• Introduction(PDF, 828KB)
• Land Use and Built Form(PDF, 4MB)
• Housing and Economy(PDF, 5MB)
• Mobility(PDF, 3MB)
• Neighborhoods(PDF, 2MB)
• Quality of Life Infrastructure(PDF, 895KB)

Virtual Community Workshop (7)
6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 14, 2022

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Meeting replay (YouTube)

Community Office Hours

• Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Cook Park Recreation Center
• Wednesday, August 3, 2022, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia Street
• Wednesday, August 10, 2022, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., University Hills YMCA, 3901 Yale Avenue
• Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 10 a.m. to noon, Virginia Village Branch Library, 1500 S. Dahlia St.

Pop-up events 

• Friday, August 13, 2022, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Four Mile Historic Park
• Friday, August 13, 2022, 2:30-5 p.m. at Cook Park Pool 
• Saturday, August 14, 2022, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., University Hills Farmers Market, University Hills Plaza
• Tuesday, August 24, 2022, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Colorado Station
• Wednesday, August 25, 2022, 3-5 p.m., Jewish Community Center
• Saturday, August 28, 2022, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., University Hills Farmers Market, University Hills Plaza 
• Tuesday, September 7, 2022, 4-6 p.m., Avenir Apartments, 1211 S. Quebec Way
• Saturday, April 16, 2022, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at University Hills Spring Market, 2500 S. Colorado Blvd.
• Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 4-6 p.m. at Schlessman YMCA, 3901 E. Yale Ave.
• Wednesday, January 11, 2023, noon- 2 p.m. at Cook Park Rec Center, 7100 Cherry Creek South Dr.
• Thursday, January 12, 2023, 4-6 p.m. at Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver

Focus Groups and Stakeholder Interviews

• Phase 1 meeting notes(PDF, 95KB)
• Phase 3 meeting notes(PDF, 145KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 1
6-8 p.m., Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 3MB)
• Summary(PDF, 117KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 2
6-8 p.m., Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 7MB)
• Summary(PDF, 127KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 3
6-8 p.m., September 8, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 15MB)
• Summary(PDF, 119KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 4
6-8 p.m., October 13, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 18MB)
• Summary(PDF, 150KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 5
6-8 p.m., November 10, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Summary(PDF, 177KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 6
6-8 p.m., December 8, 2021
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 11MB)
• Summary(PDF, 168KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 7
6-8 p.m., January 12, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Summary(PDF, 476KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 8
6-8 p.m., February 9, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Summary(PDF, 710KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 9
6-8 p.m., April 13, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Summary(PDF, 992KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 10
6-8 p.m., May 11, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 10MB)
• Summary(PDF, 155KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 11
6-8 p.m., June 8, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Summary(PDF, 172KB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)

Steering Committee Meeting 12
6-8 p.m., August 10, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)
• Summary(PDF, 146KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 13
6-8 p.m., September 14, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Presentation(PDF, 4MB)
• Meeting recording (YouTube)
• Summary(PDF, 158KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 14
6-8 p.m., October 12, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Meeting recording (YouTube)
• Summary(PDF, 152KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 15
6-8 p.m., November 9, 2022
Virtual meeting

• Meeting recording (YouTube)
• Summary(PDF, 198KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 16
6-8 p.m., January 11, 2023
Virtual meeting

• Meeting recording (YouTube)
• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)
• Summary(PDF, 164KB)

Steering Committee Meeting 17
6-8 p.m., Wednesday, February 8
In person: Junction Food Hall

• Meeting summary(PDF, 156KB)
• Presentation(PDF, 2MB)

2019

• 12/7: Council District 1 Town Hall, Cook Park Recreation Center

2020

• 12/15: University Hills North Community RNO, virtual meeting via Zoom

2021

• 2/16: Cook Park RNO meeting, virtual meeting via Zoom
• 6/9: Lynwood Neighborhood Association meeting, virtual meeting via Zoom
• 7/31: Virginia Village Library Denver Days event
• 8/3: National Night Out, Cook Park
• 8/21: South by Southeast, Bible Park
• 9/14: Virginia Village Ellis Community Association meeting, virtual meeting via Zoom 

• 10/27: District 4 Town Hall, Hebrew Educational Alliance 

2022

• 4/12: Virginia Vale Community Association Annual Meeting
• 4/21: Indian Creek Neighborhood Association Meeting
• 4/30: Dia del Nino at McMeen Elementary
• 5/7: Shakespeare in the Park at Cook Park
• 5/12: McMeen Elementary Multicultural Night
• 5/25: Winston Downs Community Association Meeting
• 8/2: National Night Out at Cook Park
• 8/18: McMeen Elementary Back-to-School Night 
• 8/20: South by Southeast
• 10/25: District 4 Town Hall

2021

• 1/14: Ready to roll up your sleeves?
• 6/24: Save the date: Join us July 20 for community kickoff!
• 7/15: Share your voice at community kickoff this Tuesday
• 7/19: REMINDER: Share your voice at community kickoff tomorrow
• 8/8: Take the survey and find us in your neighborhood
• 8/26: DON'T FORGET: Take the kickoff survey
• 11/15: You had a lot to say about your neighborhood! Here's what we've heard

2022

• 2/22: Save the date for March workshops
• 2/27: Reminder: Housing and land use workshop on Tuesday
• 3/3: Take our surveys!
• 3/17: Don't forget to take the surveys!
• 4/14: REMINDER: Online surveys still available!
• 4/26: Have you taken the online surveys?
• 6/15: Save the dates!
• 7/7: REMINDER: Community workshop coming next week!
• 7/14: Take the surveys!
• 7/20: TOMORROW: Join us in person!
• 8/6: We have some questions for you!
• 8/18: Don't Forget: We have some questions for you!
• 8/31: Have you taken our surveys?
• 11/17: Save the dates! Community workshops coming in December
• 11/21: Thank you, Near Southeast community!
• 12/1: Don't forget! In-person workshop happening next week
• 12/11: Join the virtual workshop Wednesday

2023

• 1/10: Got comments?
• 1/17: Let's talk about safer streets

Surveys

Use the links below to download data from previous surveys. 

• Phase 1: Community Kickoff Event Live Survey Data(PDF, 3MB)
• Phase 1: Online Kickoff Survey Data(XLSX, 178KB)
• Phase 2: Land Use and Housing Community Workshop Live Survey Data(XLSX, 24KB)
• Phase 2: Parks and Mobility Community Workshop Live Survey Data(XLSX, 24KB)
• Phase 2: Land Use and Built Form Survey Results(XLSX, 362KB)
• Phase 2: Housing and Economy Survey Results(XLSX, 122KB)
• Phase 2: Mobility Survey Results(XLSX, 156KB)
• Phase 2: Quality of Life Infrastructure Survey Results(XLSX, 193KB)
• Phase 3: In-person Workshop Poll Results(XLSX, 51KB)
• Phase 3: Virtual Workshop Poll Results(XLSX, 36KB)
• Phase 3: Land Use Survey Results(XLSX, 344KB)
• Phase 3: Housing Survey Results(XLSX, 135KB)
• Phase 3: Mobility Survey Results(XLSX, 148KB)

Comments

• Phase 1 - Kickoff Survey Map comments(XLSX, 228KB)
• Phase 1 - General comments(XLSX, 305KB)
• Phase 2 - Topic Survey Map comments(XLSX, 19KB)
• Phase 2 - General comments(XLSX, 130KB)
• Phase 3 - General comments(XLSX, 6MB)