Read on Twitter
Hello. Big night at Denver City Council. Your lawmakers will decide whether to change the city’s group living laws. Proposed changes include:
-increasing the number of unrelated adults who can live in a single-family home
-expanding where halfway houses can open
-increasing the number of unrelated adults who can live in a single-family home
-expanding where halfway houses can open
This process officially started in March 2018, when the city’s group living advisory committee first met. This committee would meet 35 more times between then and May 2020. Their goal was to help craft the proposed changes to the city’s group living rules.
The city presented this topic at 50+ other public meetings, including at RNOs, community groups, during this time span. Got hundreds of emails, comments, letters.
Last May, the proposals got some major tweaks, which the advisory committee agreed to. The changes were recommended by city staff. https://bit.ly/3tAcwcJ
In August, the city planning board recommended the proposals after an 8-hour meeting. The recommendation meant it was forwarded to the city council’s land use committee. http://bit.ly/3l660WD
This decision put it on track to be heard by City Council in October. But lawmakers kept talking about the proposal at committee while the city kept getting public feedback.
So the committee meeting to decide whether to forward the bill kept being pushed back.
So the committee meeting to decide whether to forward the bill kept being pushed back.
The land use committee heard and talked about these proposals during EIGHT of its meetings last year.
Most bills usually get heard just once at these committees before they’re forwarded to the full council.
Most bills usually get heard just once at these committees before they’re forwarded to the full council.
The land use committee heard the final proposal on Dec. 22. The roughly 90-minute meeting ended with the council approving the proposed changes, meaning the proposal was forwarded to the full city council for final consideration.
This brings us to tonight.
There will still be an opportunity for the public to speak on the proposed changes. And you can expect robust discussion among council members about the proposals before they cast their vote.
There will still be an opportunity for the public to speak on the proposed changes. And you can expect robust discussion among council members about the proposals before they cast their vote.
Tonight will be long. The public hearing for this proposal is legally required, which means there is no time limit for the public hearing itself. It will last as long as needed for everyone who signs up to speak.
And, in a cruel yet predictable example of Monday tomfoolery, my internet briefly went out, and one of my laptops is bugging out. Brb.
"We are anticipating a great deal of speakers," says Councilmember Gilmore before announcing a longer-than-usual break (20 minutes).
Public hearing on the group living proposal coming up after this.
Public hearing on the group living proposal coming up after this.
This just passed, BTW: A former police building in Five Points will be turned into a Denver Public Library branch with affordable studio space for artists. https://bit.ly/3cOpqhc
Public hearing has started. Everyone gets 3 minutes. First speakers will be city staffers here to answer questions and offer details about the group living proposals.
City council spokesperson tells me 150 people are signed up to speak at the public hearing, but notes there may be some duplicates.
Council got 524 letters in opposition and 619 letters in support of the group living proposals
1,143 total letters
1,143 total letters
City resident Kristin Macarthur is the first member of the public to speak. She opposes the proposals, saying they will be detrimental for neighborhoods and the children there.
Second speaker, Mary Codd, supports the proposal, adds she once lived in a group living situation with other professionals.
(I won't tweet every single one, don't worry. Not trying to go to Twitter jail)
We have our first "uncertain" comment, because a man spoke but didn't say whether or not he supported the changes.
21 people have spoken during the first 90 minutes of the public hearing.
129 people left.
129 people left.
People from all over Denver are speaking tonight. We've heard people from Athmar Park, Baker, Cherry Creek, Cole, Congress Park and Montbello, just to name a few neighborhoods.
So anyway I'm about learn how my body responds to espresso after 9 p.m.
53 people have spoken so far by my count. It's nearly 50/50 in support and opposition at this point.
Counted 3 people whose opinion was unclear to me.
So just under 100 people left to speak, though we've had some no shows.
Counted 3 people whose opinion was unclear to me.
So just under 100 people left to speak, though we've had some no shows.
The public hearings is approaching the four-hour mark. 68+1 people have spoken.
Man who just spoke had a guitar with him and I was waiting for him to break out in song the whole damn time.
