Southwest Area Plan

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First draft of Southwest Area Plan ready for public review

Southwest Area Plan Draft cover

Residents, local business owners, neighborhood groups and other community members shared what they wanted to see in their neighborhoods over the next twenty years. Now, the first draft of the long-term community vision for the neighborhoods of Athmar Park, Mar Lee, Overland, Ruby Hill and Westwood is ready for the public to review. 

What should the Southwest Area be in 2045?

The draft Southwest Area Plan organizes the community vision into six guiding themes that lay out the future for the area:  

  • Diverse cultural hub: In 2045, the Southwest Area will continue to be a diverse cultural hub that honors the past by recognizing, celebrating and supporting the area’s unique character, diverse communities and cultural business legacy.
  • Communal spaces: In 2045, the Southwest Area will have a variety of safe, comfortable and authentic public spaces that encourage community gathering and enhance access to services, recreation, civic institutions and the arts.
  • Integrated industry: In 2045, the Southwest Area will continue to be a key industrial and manufacturing area within the City and County of Denver and will better connect with the surrounding communities.
  • Improved infrastructure: In 2045, the Southwest Area will have infrastructure such as roads, trails, sidewalks and landscaping that promotes mobility choice, comfort, connectivity and safety.
  • Housing stability and options: In 2045, the Southwest Area will continue to have housing options that are affordable and adequate for families from diverse backgrounds and will support additional housing that enhances community character and prevents displacement.
  • Natural resources: In 2045, the Southwest Area will honor its natural resources, such as water and open spaces, through adequate environmental protections and community access.

 

Take a look at the draft plan and tell us what you think

Use the information and links below to read the draft plan, take our survey to share your opinion on plan recommendations and priorities, and/or submit questions or comments. We also encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to share your voice directly with the planning team and join your neighbors at upcoming events throughout the Southwest Area.  

Those who attend the open house or take the online survey will be entered into a raffle for two $100 gift cards!

En Español

Bằng tiếng Việt

Thank you, Southwest community!

Community members from throughout the Southwest Area stopped by the open house to weigh in on the first public review draft of the Southwest Area Plan. If you were not able to attend, please use the links on this page to find other ways to get involved. 

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

Southwest Open House for Public Review Draft

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How to Get Involved

Current opportunities to participate and talk with city planners are listed below. Visit the community engagement section to see how the public has participated in the planning process thus far. 

 

City Staff in the Community

Opportunities to meet and talk with planners about the Southwest Area Plan will be posted here.

Mar Lee, Brentwood, and Sharon Park RNO
11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Saturday, May 17
Hadley Branch Library, 1890 S. Grove St., Denver

Ruby Hill Neighbors Meeting
6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 20
Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver

Westwood Community Action Team
6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 20
Westwood Community Center, 1000 S. Lowell Boulevard.

Overland Park Neighborhood Organization & Neighbors of Overland North
6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, May 22
Ratio Beerworks, 2030 S Cherokee St.

 

Area Information and Resources

The Southwest Planning Area is made up of five neighborhoods: Athmar Park, Mar Lee, Overland, Ruby Hill and Westwood.  

Previous Plans and Projects

Boundaries

  • North: Alameda Avenue
  • East: The South Platte River from Alameda to Mississippi Avenue, Broadway from Mississippi to Yale Avenue
  • South: Yale Avenue from Broadway to the South Platte River, Jewell Avenue from the river to Sheridan Boulevard
  • West: Sheridan Boulevard  

Review the Issues and Opportunities Report 

Below are highlights from research that city planners did on the Southwest Area's neighborhoods to prepare for the planning process. These issues and opportunities have informed the questions we are asking community members. Download the report to see the full analysis of the area.

General Background and Context

Southwest Area map

  • The Southwest Area is shaped by natural features including the South Platte River, gulches, and a hilly topography. This landscape has been intersected by rail lines, highways, trails, and other major road corridors connecting to other areas of the city, but also creating difficult barriers. 
  • This area evolved from focal point of Native American culture to agricultural land and later industrial and suburban housing developments. As the area was annexed and became more populous, it became a working-class area. Redlining also took place in and around the river corridor. The Flood of 1965 damaged much of the area.  At this time, a former land fill was transformed into Ruby Hill Park.  Since then, the area has continued to grow, seeing more recent investments in light rail transit. 
  • Today, the Southwest Area is home to 51,847 residents of which about two-thirds (67 percent) identify as Hispanic and nearly half (45 percent) are under the age of 30. This area has higher rates of foreign-born population and those that speak English less proficient.  Household sizes vary, but households of four or more make up 30 percent of all households (compared with 16 percent citywide) and are most common in Westwood and Mar Lee. 

Land Use and Built Form

Map of Southwest Area Blueprint Denver designations

General
  • The majority of the area is dedicated to residential uses, mostly low residential (61 percent) one-unit properties, which leaves few spaces for other housing types or other community amenities. However, there is an opportunity to explore how and where to better integrate more housing diversity to the area.
  • All of the neighborhoods include major centers and corridors with a mix of zone districts.  Many of them have strong ties to small and cultural businesses, especially along Federal Boulevard and Morrison Road. Updated guidance can help define the characteristics and future design elements that are attributed to each center and corridor as well as address mobility and business concerns.   
  • The Industrial Areas Land Study classifies areas in the Southwest Area as “High Value, Low Threat” and designates some as manufacturing preservation areas (MPAs). Many MPA sites are identified as Innovation/Flex in Blueprint Denver.  Further analysis should consider mobility, environmental justice, the number of jobs, tax revenue generated by industrial uses, and sustainability elements within and surrounding industrial areas.
  • This area is home to unique large regional parks and trails. There is an opportunity to assess their impact and benefits, and how accessible they are to the surrounding communities. There is also an opportunity to make better connections between them, including Ruby Hill Park, Overland Golf Course, South Platte River Trail, Sanderson Gulch, and other neighborhood parks.  There are many institutional uses, such as schools, that are community assets. There is an opportunity to better define, preserve and highlight some of these public and quasi-public community assets.
  • There are additional opportunities to rezone Former Chapter 59 zone districts, expand accessory dwelling units, improve the mismatch between desired uses and existing zoning.
Economics
  • Much of this area’s economy features retail and industrial sector jobs, with residents earning a lower household income and earnings compared to the citywide average.  There is a strong presence of small and cultural businesses representing the diverse population within and surrounding area, creating a cultural hub unlike anywhere else in the city.  This brings opportunities to support and strengthen these businesses through collaborative programs and to celebrate the neighborhood’s culture.  
Housing
  • Much of the area is considered more affordable compared with the rest of the city, but there are ongoing displacement pressures, such as increasing property values and rents. Some residents have relied on multi-generational households or “doubling-up” to keep their housing affordable.  Although much of the area is built out, there are opportunities to improve affordability and incorporate new housing options while retaining the neighborhood character.  
Preservation and Design Quality
  • There is only one local landmark and there are no design review areas within the plan area.  Much of the area is suburban, but it features some early Mid-Century Modern subdivisions and earlier commercial and residential sections to be evaluated further for preservation-related tools and recommendations.  

Mobility

Southwest Area mobility network map

  • The Southwest Area lacks connectivity, especially on the east side of the area.  This includes physical barriers such as the South Platte River, highways (I-25, South Platte River Drive, Sante Fe Drive), and railroad tracks.  Currently, there are only three connection points that cross all of these barriers (Alameda, Mississippi, and Evans) and some partial connections.  All of these and other key corridors and intersections are a part of the city’s High Injury Network, with a high number of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian crashes.
  • The bicycle network has many gaps and few high-comfort facilities beyond trails within the area. North-south connections are limited, and further analysis is needed to reduce gaps, improve access, and create safer crossings and segments. There is an opportunity to create a loop among key destinations within the neighborhoods. 
  • Sidewalks throughout the area are too narrow, do not meet the 5-foot standard or are missing all together, especially around parks, gulches, and industrials areas.  There is an opportunity to highlight priority areas for sidewalk improvements as the sidewalk improvement fund is developed, especially along major corridors such as Federal Boulevard.

Quality-of-life infrastructure

Southwest Area park facilities map

  • The Southwest area has many popular parks and trails, but there is an opportunity to connect them as well as improve amenities and general usage.  Additional research is needed to better understand food access beyond groceries and restaurants. There are no major hospitals, but clinics and care facilities are scattered and will need to determine the demand for additional services. 
  • There is a growing network of community services and non-profit organizations providing much needed resources and filling gaps among community spaces and cultural preservation. However, there is a lack of sustainable funding opportunities to access resources, which may hinder this network.  

Read full Issues and Opportunities Report(PDF, 16MB)

 

 

Process and Timeline

The Neighborhood Planning Initiative provides a model for area planning that is intentional, equitable and measurable. The planning process is guided by a multi-pronged outreach and communications strategy with an expected timeline of 18 months from kickoff to adoption. For a detailed overview, visit our Neighborhood Planning page. For details on how the planning process is being applied in the Southwest Area, see below.   

Planning Process Phases 

  1. Awareness Building: Shared information about the planning process and how to get involved; talked with community members about their desires for the area, conduct research on the area and identify initial opportunities.
  2. Initial Draft Opportunities: Share the initial draft opportunities with community members and get feedback to identify potential improvements and additional ideas to better achieve the community’s goals for their neighborhoods.
  3. First Public Review of Draft Plan: Share the first draft of the plan and collect community feedback on improvements and refinements, and answer additional questions about community needs and priorities.
  4. Second Public Review of Draft Plan: Use collected feedback to update the draft plan, and share the updated draft to ensure changes reflect the community’s intent; identify additional improvements to the plan
  5. Legislative Review: Planning Board and City Council review and hold public hearings on the plan before voting on adoption.  

Current Phase: First Public Review of Draft Plan 

What the planning team is working on 
  • Working with advisory committee
  • Planning community outreach to review draft plan, including open house, surveys, and attending community events to share information and collect input
  • Continuing to work with community navigators and local community organizations to reach under represented populations
  • Continuing to spread the word about the planning process
What we are asking the community
  • What do you think about the recommendations in the draft plan?

  • Does the draft plan reflect neighborhood priorities and needs? 
How the public can participate

Completed Phases

  • Awareness Building: Spring and summer 2024
  • Initial Draft Opportunities: Fall and winter 2024

 

Southwest Area Team

Planning is a collaborative, community-driven process facilitated by city staff with the support of City Council offices, partner agencies and guided by an advisory committee of residents, local businesses, neighborhood groups, community-serving organizations and other constituencies from every neighborhood in the planning area.

City Planners

Fernando Abbud - Project manager
Senior City Planner - Habla español
fernando.abbud@denvergov.org

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

City Council Offices

Council District 2
Councilman Kevin Flynn
kevin.flynn@denvergov.org

Council District 3
Councilwoman Jamie Torres
jamie.torres@denvergov.org 

Council District 7
Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez
jamie.torres@denvergov.org

Advisory Committee

Name Neighborhood Background and areas of interest
Maryann Adams Mar Lee Maryann is a resident of Mar Lee and she is involved with the South Mar Lee, Brentwood, Sharon Park RNO.
Victor Ayala Overland  Victor owns several businesses on the South Broadway corridor, including Adelitas Cocina y Cantina, and La Doña Mezcaleria.
Paul Bindel Athmar Park  Paul works for the Center for Community Wealth Building, which serves a range of businesses in Westwood and other parts of southwest Denver.
Nora Bland  Athmar Park  Nora is the planning chair on the Athmar Park Neighborhood Association Board. 
Jazmin Bojorquez Athmar Park Jazmin is a community organizer dedicated to building healthy communities. She was born and raised in Southwest Denver and still resides in Athmar Park. Currently, she is building bridges between urban planning and food access as the Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Manager for Nourish Colorado, a food systems non-profit.
Javonni Butler  Overland  Javonni is a resident of the Overland Neighborhood; he is involved with the Overland Park Neighborhood Association and various community activities. Professionally, he is an affordable housing developer.
Lia Campbell Ruby Hill Lia is a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood. She works in urban planning and is interested in mobility, food access and affordable housing. Lia is also involved with Ruby Hill Neighbors.
Maria Corral  Westwood  Maria is a long-time resident of Westwood. She is involved with many organizations in Denver and the Southwest community, includingRe:Vision and Mi Casa. 
Mary Erler  Mar Lee  Mary lives in Mar Lee and is a second grade teacher at Goldrick Elementary in Athmar Park.
Daniel Frank Overland  Daniel is affiliated with the Denver Lumber property located on Sante Fe Boulevard, between Iowa and Florida avenues. In addition, he is a member of the Overland Park Neighborhood Association.
Rebecca Greek Overland  Rebecca is a resident of the Overland neighborhood and an active neighbor in the Overland Park Neighborhood Association. In addition, she volunteers often with organizations like Urban Peak and Sweet Dream in a Bag. She is an architect whose work is currently focused on affordable housing solutions across the state.
Toan Le
 Westwood  Toan is the owner of Now Pho, a business on Federal Boulevard. He is interested in safety, food access and affordable housing.
Solicia Ester Lopez Mar Lee  Solicia is a Mar Lee resident and is involved with a variety of organizations, including the Denver Latino Commision, River Sister Circle, and Roots Family Center. She runs RedSol Consulting, focusing on youth and education, motherhood, and community work.
Dafne Lucio Westwood  Dafne is a resident of Westwood. She is interested in food access, transit and advancing equity. 
Diego Olivan-Muñoz  Westwood Diego is a resident of Westwood. He is currently interning for Southwest Denver Coalition and starting his urban planning education in the fall 2024.
Mayra Olivas  Westwood  Mayra works at Re:Vision and she is interested in food access, sustainability and anti-displacement.
Renee Martinez-Stone Overall Southwest Area  Renee is the Director of the Planning & Data department at the Denver Housing Authority.
Hamilton Reed Ruby Hill  Hamilton is a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood and is involved with Denver Bike Lobby, Denver Streets Partnership, and Ruby Hill Neighbors.
Daniel Reiling Overland Daniel is a resident of the overland neighborhood and vice-president of the Neighbors of Overland North RNO.
Esther Rivera Athmar Park  Esther works for West Denver Renaissance Collaborative and BuCu West. She is involved with business support in the Southwest Area.
Stephanie Salazar-Rodriguez Mar Lee Stephanie is a second generation native Denverite from a mixed Latino and Native American familial background and a long-time resident of Southwest Denver. She possesses over 30 years’ experience working in high needs and under-resourced communities. She is active in the community, promoting authentic community engagement, patient participatory research and food insecurity.
Dexter Schiller Ruby Hill Dexter has had a series of shops in Southwest Denver, including the Ruby Hill and Athmar Park neighborhoods. He is interested in the opportunities these neighborhoods offer as a place friendly to residents and industrial considerations, with many Ruby Hill residents working in manufacturing.
German Zaldivar Ruby Hill  German is a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood, he is interested in design, food access and transit.
Estela Zuniga Westwood  Estela is a resident of Westwood, business owner and V.P. of Westwood Community Action Team.

 

Community Engagement Summary

The community engagement process for the Southwest Neighborhood Plan was designed to foster inclusive participation and collect meaningful input from a diverse and representative cross-section of the community. Engagement focuses on maximizing stakeholders’ participation and hearing their perspectives on the planning area, including key concerns or opportunities.

What the planning team has worked on

  • Maximizing stakeholder participation and promoting awareness of the project via multiple communication channels
  • Conducting a variety of in-person and virtual engagement activities 

  • Collaborating with community members and organizations to gather input on concerns and opportunities in their neighborhoods

Engagement strategies and activities

Established communication channels to bring awareness to the project and increase participation:

  • Plan website
  • Project newsletter
  • Social media
  • Collaboration with 7 registered neighborhood organizations along with other community group networks
  • Sharing fliers at local establishments and apartment buildings
  • 70 yard signs
  • 23,000 postcards

Met with the Southwest Advisory Committee and Equitable Engagement Subcommittee to represent a diverse set of interests across the plan area, spread awareness, gather community input, and seek consensus on plan content:

  • Advisory Committee Meeting #1, 7/24/24
  • Advisory Committee Meeting #2, 7/31/24
  • Advisory Committee Meeting #3, 8/7/24
  • Equity Sub Committee #1 (joint with Far Southwest Area Plan), 10/23/24
  • Advisory Committee Meeting #4, 12/11/24 

Hosted focus groups to gather insight into specific mobility, quality of life, and land use concerns 

  • Broadway Corridor, 12/6/24 
  • Morrison Road Focus Group #1, 12/10/24 (virtual)
  • Industrial Businesses and South Platte River Focus Group, 1/9/2025
  • Federal Boulevard Corridor Focus Group, 1/16/2025
  • Broadway Corridor Focus Group Follow Up, 01/16/2025
  • Southwest Neighborhood Shopping Centers Focus Groups, 01/23/2025 

Collected community feedback via surveys and connected with stakeholders during pop-ups at existing community events and at CPD events 

  • Saigon Azteca, 8/10/24
  • Athmar Rec Center, 10/16/24
  • Table Public House, 10/18/24
  • Huston Lake Park, 10/21/24
  • Walk in the Park at Vanderbilt Park with Denver Parks and Recreation, 10/23/24
  • Anniversary Celebration of Westwood Community Center, 10/24/24
  • Mile High Trunk or Treat, 10/25/24
  • Athmar Park Rec Center Open House, 10/26/24
  • Federico Peña Clinic Trunk-or-Treat, 10/29/24
  • Trunk-or-Treat at Abraham Lincoln High School, 10/30/24
  • 2024 Muertos en Westwood, 11/2/24
  • Westwood Community Center, 11/5/24 
  • Evans Stations, 11/13/24 

Collaborated with Community Navigators in focused population engagement to leverage their expertise and trust with the local community, removing barriers and ensuring equitable access to engagement opportunities. We worked the community organizations of Commun, Una Mano, Una Esperanza, and BuCu West. The community organizations help collect input from a total of 490 surveys from pop-up events and targeted outreach at the following events: 

  • Trunk-or-treat and trick-or-treat events 
  • Día de los muertos 
  • Día de catrinas
  • Westwood Community Anniversary
  • Mile High/Abraham Lincoln/Morrison
  • Community members visiting the Westwood Community Center office waiting room
  • Evans RTD Stations
  • Montevista Manufactured Community meeting at La Casita
  • Business Canvassing and Targeted Outreach
  • Hadley Library
  • Social Media 

Coordinated public meetings and community workshops to provide platforms for all community members to inform the plan at major milestones and to coordinate with other community groups or events in the neighborhoods. 

  • JFK Student Workshop #1, 10/23/24
  • OPNA Workshop, 10/24/24
  • JFK Student Workshop #2, 10/24/24
  • CD7 Zuni St Public Meeting, 10/24/24
  • Student Workshop at Abraham Lincoln High School, 11/4/24
  • Montevista Community Meeting, 11/14/24

Additional presentations, flier locations and pop-us:

  • Athmar Park RNO, fliers, 4/3/2024
  • Ruby Hill Social Club Presentation/QA, 4/16/2024
  • DHA Westwood Local Resident Council Meeting Presentation/QA, 4/18/2024
  • Westwood Cinco de Mayo Celebration, fliers, 5/4/2024
  • DHA Walsh Manor Local Resident Council Meeting Presentation/QA, 5/6/2024
  • DHA Mountain View Local Resident Council Meeting Presentation/QA, 5/8/2024
  • DHA Walsh Annex Local Resident Council Meeting Presentation/QA, 5/15/2024
  • Westwood Community Action Team RNO May Meeting Presentation/QA, 5/21/2024
  • Neighbors of Overland North (NOON) RNO Meeting Presentation/QA, 6/6/2024
  • Safe Summer Kick-Off, fliers, 6/8/2024
  • Pop-Up Safety Community Conversation (Part 2) Council District 3, 7/23/24
  • DHA Walsh Manor LRC Meeting Presentation/QA, 8/5/2024

What we asked the community

Engagement efforts focused on developing understanding of the community on the following topics in addition to gathering demographic data: 

  • How can quality of life in your community be improved? 
    • What activities would you like to engage in at parks, trails, or recreational centers? What changes could improve inclusivity and accessibility in the current parks and recreation facilities in your area?
    • Which amenities would you like prioritized for improvements to trails in your neighborhood? What do you consider most important for improving quality of life in your neighborhood?
  • Land Use and Built Form
    • As the growth areas evolve, what items would you most want to see incorporated or celebrated?
    • What are the top challenges you face related to housing affordability?
    • What elements of family-friendly housing do you prioritize?
    • What elements best define culture and community in your neighborhood from your perspective?
    • What is one idea that you have that will help improve your neighborhood in the next 10-20 years?
    • What are you concerned about in your neighborhood now and in the future?
  • Mobility
    • What streets and intersections do you feel uncomfortable on and why?
    • Where would you like a more direct or convenient route to a common destination in your neighborhood?
    • How can transportation, mobility, and safety be improved in your neighborhood? 

What we heard: Key takeaways

Quality of Life 

Overall, respondents enjoy using parks, trails, and recreational centers in their communities for walking/jogging, nature observation, picnicking, and playing sports, among other activities. Residents enjoy the nature and outdoor access that the area provides along with its unique atmosphere and diverse culture. To improve quality of life in their neighborhoods, they emphasize enhancing existing parks, with support for installing more picnic tables, expanding recreational facilities, and increasing community events. Looking ahead, respondents expressed a desire for increased safety and security, improved maintenance and cleanliness, improved accessibility, enhanced infrastructure, more green spaces and recreational facilities, and increasing sense of community. Amenities that were prioritized for improvements include restrooms, shade structures, dog waste bag stations, and trash bins.  

Land Use 

Regarding their growth priorities, Southwest survey respondents highlighted incorporating green space and parks, high-quality streetscapes, and affordable housing as important factors for the future. The greatest challenge for housing affordability is the cost of rent with housing availability and cost of utilities also burdening respondents. To support more family-friendly housing, respondents largely emphasized having safe streets, though having nearby parks, trails, and rec centers and access to housing with three or more bedrooms were also frequently mentioned. Elements that best define Southwest culture and community include the cultural events, celebrations, and traditions as well as the community itself, the people.  

Mobility 

Respondents frequently mention vehicle speeding as being an issue in Southwest, with key hotspots being Federal Boulevard, Kentucky, and Morrison. Finding a break in traffic makes these intersections uncomfortable to cross, and respondents feel like it’s difficult for drivers to see them when they cross. Overall, they expressed a desire for traffic calming, pedestrian safety, and improved public transit with more direct routes to certain locations such as Evans Station and Santa Fe.  

How the community participated

  • 220 attended kick off workshops, providing 730 comments
  • 850+ comments provided via focused engagement 
    • 6 workshops with Registered Neighborhood Organizations (RNOs)
    • 13 focused engagement opportunities and pop-ups
    • 2 touchpoints with manufactured housing communities
    • 3 touchpoints with high school students
  • 801 took the paper survey
  • 287 took the online survey
  • Statistically Valid Survey responses
  • 4 Southwest Advisory Committee meetings supported by the Equitable Engagement Subcommittee
  • Intentional outreach and participation have been conducted or started with the following partners:
    • Commún
    • Una Mano, Una Esperanza
    • BuCu West
    • Colorado Asian Pacific United (CAPU) 

 

Past Newsletters

2024

2025

Results and Resources

     

 

Community Engagement Locations

 

Southwest Area Plan

Southwest Area Plan logo

Contact Us

Fernando Abbud - Project Manager
Senior City Planner - Habla español
fernando.abbud@denvergov.org

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