Issues
What’s at Stake
Ballot initiative 302 is a direct response to 301, a measure filed by SOS Denver to take away the voice of an entire neighborhood that has been systematically disenfranchised for more than 50 years. The initiative they have placed on the ballot would silence the voice of those most directly impacted by this property. It would disregard the Northeast Park Hill community’s vision for the future of the Park Hill Golf Course property and allow the entire city to determine the future of the property.
301 is confusing and purposely misleading. This initiative claims to be in support of open space, but as there are no similar land use restrictions in the entire city, it’s a direct attempt to stop the community visioning process at the Park Hill Golf Course. We don’t let citizens in Cherry Creek decide what’s best for Five Points and vice versa. No other community has been asked to give up their voice and their choice in this way.
At the same time, The Northeast Park Hill Community is facing real challenges that the Park Hill Golf Course property could help address. This includes a lack of access to fresh, healthy foods, an affordable housing crisis, economic disinvestment, and a need for park space. The property owner has already committed to at least a 60-acre park the size of Cheesman to help address this need.
We should be empowering local communities to lead the planning and development process because they know best what they need. Protect local choices and local voices and vote yes on 302.
Ballot initiative 302 is a direct response to a measure filed by SOS Denver, 301, to take away the voice of an entire neighborhood that has been systematically disenfranchised for more than 50 years.
301 is confusing and purposely misleading. In fact, City Council rejected referring this initiative to the ballot 10-3 finding that is was misleading, created equity issues, and could have unintended consequences.
301 claims to be in support of open space, but it’s acutally a direct attempt to stop the community visioning process at the Park Hill Golf Course and the only land the initiative would apply to is the Park Hill Golf Course. Initiative 301 would disregard the needs of the community and allow the entire city to decide what’s best for one neighborhood.
This is something no other community has been asked to do. The City of Denver survey has already shown that the Northeast Park Hill Community is very different demographically than the population of Denver as a whole and has very different needs and priorities than the larger city.
Due to racist redlining policies and a lack of investment, the Northeast Park Hill community has been disenfranchised for decades. The Park Hill Golf Course, however, represents a unique and once in a lifetime opportunity for the Northeast Park Hill community to address long term needs like a lack of access to affordable housing, healthy foods, job opportunities, and open space.
The good news is there doesn’t have to be winners and losers because we can address all of these needs on this property. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the city showed that 4 out of 5 residents want a mix of uses on the property including affordable housing, a grocery store, and recreation space.
The Northeast Park Hill Community, just like any other community like Wash Park or Cherry Creek, wants to go through a visioning process to determine how best to use the Park Hill Golf Course property to benefit their neighborhood.
After years of disinvestment, this neighborhood is facing displacement and gentrification and a lack of access to affordable housing, economic investment, and even a grocery store.
Locals believe this property could help them address some of those needs. In fact, a recent survey done by the city showed that 4 out of 5 residents in this area would like to see mixed uses on this property to address these issues and still provide ample open space. The survey also showed that the local community and the larger city had very different priorities.
The community put initiative 302 on the ballot to protect their voice and their right to decide what’s best for their neighborhood.
We do! The community would like to have a large park and be able to address some of their needs like providing a grocery store. The property owner has already publicly committed to at least a 60-acre park, which is about the size of Cheesman Park and would add to the City’s parks inventory.
The Park Hill Golf course is 155-acres, about 80 soccer fields, of privately owned land and is not part of the city’s park system. Currently, the land can only be accessed as a golf course if you pay a fee.
If both initiatives pass or if 302 passes and the SOS measure 301 fails, then nothing changes. The easement remains on the Park Hill Golf Course property and the community will work with the city to decide what the future should look like.
If both initiatives fail, then nothing changes.
If 301 passes and 302 fails, then the voice of the Northeast Park Hill Community will be silenced and they will have no say over the future of the property.