EMNA Picnic 2010 - click to view full size

Congratulations to Rob Wilson, winner of the first annual EMNA tomato contest!

Update - Get your request in now - MHYC needs it by August 17 for planning purposes.

Once again, Alexandra Lee, Outreach Coordinator for MHYC, confirmed they will be able to assist EMNA members in need of help with their fall yard maintenance.

Mile High Youth Corps engages youth in jobs that help the planet and provide pathways to a promising future. Mile High Youth Corps members are planting trees and building parks, constructing green buildings, installing energy-efficiency measures and high-efficiency toilets in low-income homes and community organizations, and so much more. The Corps engages youth in entry-level green jobs and training.

If you want help with fall clean up in your yard please contact Bonna Gahart. Appointments will be set up in early September. EMNA makes donations to MHYC for this service and is proud to help clean up the neighborhood.

Download, Print and get this form to Bonna to get assistance this fall.

emna-request-form

Just click on the image or the link and you are on your way in helping the neighborhood.

Flower Power 

http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=3398

If you have anything to donate, please bring it to Ashley Elementary after 7:00am on Saturday.

We are also renting tables for $20 if you would like to have your own sale. Put a little cash in your pocket!

Councilperson Marcia Johnson will be on-hand at 11am to talk about any matters you would like to discuss with her, and she will also have icecream!
Start Time: 9:00
Date: 2010-06-12
End Time: 14:00

5^th Annual Feast on The FAX

Remember to mark your calendars for June 14^th from 5-9 p.m.  

Tickets for your organizations to sell will be available in the coming weeks

Please call Rob Wilson 303-320-0707 for ticket delivery

 http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=1425

The event only runs for about a month to insure your plants arrive on time for planting. Please order something today!

Funds are used for EMNA events, newsletters and donations to other worthwhile organizations.

Flower Power Campaign

New Park Planning Meeting

Changes are happening in East Montclair !  Currently we have 3 three major projects going on. This area has been so stagnant, and now we have change. Congrats and thanks to all involved and concerned.

First a quick summary of EMNA’s February 2010 general meeting. It was voted by the membership that due to costs involved for printing and distribution, EMNA will change it’s newsletters from monthly to a bi-monthly publication. I realize this is a tough decision and we may see some fallout from the change. We do hope that you bear with us for a while and if membership and business participation increases, we may have another vote to change it back to monthly. Also, we are attempting to update our website more frequently http://emnanews.org

Council members Marcia Johnson and Doug Linkhart updated us on Lowry Vista, Marijuana dispensaries and resources for good neighboring http://nrc-neighbor.org/index.php  .

Our community officers, Tony Burkhardt, District 3 (south of Colfax) and Amy Esten, our District 2 (north of Colfax) community officers provided updates about new management @ 11^th and Syracuse, which should bring positive changes to the shopping center.  We were also briefed on door to doors sales people (who must have licenses) as well as a new scam going on with Toyota owners. The best policy is to not pay any money for what seems should be a free service.

Upcoming March / April 2010 Events – This year has already been busy for our neighborhood and March will be no exception.

Saturday, March 13^th @ 1:30pm   - Community design meeting for the park @ 13^th and Xenia

Xenia Village Club Room

1415 Xenia Street, Denver

Westerly Creek Greenway Master Plan public meeting

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 @ 6:30

Westerly Creek School.

8800 E. 28th Ave, Denver, CO 80238

EMNA General Meeting

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 6:30

Montclair Community Center

6740 E. Colfax, Denver,

Finally, there was a community meeting about the East Side Mobility Study which was well attended. The main takeaways concerning our area is changing Quebec to a 1-way street going south and making Syracuse a 1-way heading north. With the new interchange @ I-70 and Central Park, concerns were also voiced about widening Yosemite from Montview to 11^th. We certainly don’t want to create another Quebec situation on Yosemite.  Discussions were also held about missing sidewalks and narrow sidewalks in our area. Visit -http://denvergov.org/eastside/PlanMaterials/MeetingMaterials/tabid/435294/Default.aspx

Sincerely,

Rob Wilson

2009 and past years have been very successful for the East Montclair Neighborhood Association and I truly hope we can build on that progress to stay involved and keep improving the quality of life in our neighborhood.  If it wasn’t for the dedication of past board members and dedicated volunteers, this organization may have gone by the wayside, like so many RNOs have. Just today, the statement (again) was made that EMNA is one of the most active organizations in the city.

This year I feel so fortunate to have a vibrant, caring, intelligent and motivated board who truly wants to see improvements to what many people have deemed, “A neglected area of the city”. Who can argue that fact when we have seen so much improvement and money going into the Stapleton and Lowry redevelopment efforts?

Our area of the city is a challenging one and there does appear to be glimpses of improvements in the past and in the works right now.  Let us not forget that alleys were paved, water mains replaced and some streets re-paved.  Sidewalk intersections have been upgraded and currently Verbena Park is going through some renovations replacing current asphalt walkways with concrete and renovating irrigation to reuse water.  While these are nice maintenance projects, there is more on the horizon.

The Westerly Creek Greenway Master Plan is currently evolving to improve Westerly Creek in East Montclair. It hopes to bring bike and walking trails, park areas and renovation to the creek (as well as much needed flood plain improvements). Stay tuned for community meetings and updates as EMNA will keep you informed. - http://www.westerlycreek.org/

There is also the  East Side Mobility Plan which is having a public meeting Wednesday, February 24^th @ 5:30, Denver Center of the Arts, 7111 Montview Blvd. This plan involves -

“I-70 to Leetsdale Drive, between Monaco Parkway and Yosemite Street. The nine-month planning effort will evaluate and make recommendations for improving vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and transit movement in this area.”  - http://denvergov.org/eastside

I want to engage our members, so I’m calling out to each and every one of you to help make a difference in this area. Our next community meeting is Wednesday, February 17^th @ 6:30 pm , East Montclair Community Center located @ 6740 E. Colfax (& Newport). Some issues you will be voting on include Medicinal Marijuana Dispensaries in our neighborhood and the removal of trash dumpsters from some alleys.  Please take an hour and attend, what we hope to be, a very informative meeting.

Sincerely,

Rob C. Wilson

EMNA President

303-320-0707

february-2010-newsletter

enma_westerly_creek_walk1

10/1/09                                                       Project start

12/8/09                1-3 pm                          Kickoff Steering Committee Meeting

1/12/10                1-3 pm                          Steering Committee Meeting

1/26/10                6:30 – 7:30 pm            1^st Public Meeting

2//9/10                 1-3 pm                          Steering Committee Meeting

3/9/10                  1-3 pm                          Steering Committee Meeting

3/2010                                                        2^nd Public Meeting

4/13/10                1-3 pm                          Steering Committee Meeting

4/2010                                                        3^rd Public Meeting

5/11/10                1-3 pm                          Steering Committee Meeting

5/2010                                                        4^th Public Meeting (if necessary)

6/8/10                  1-3 pm                           Steering Committee Meeting (if necessary)

7/2010                                                        Celebrate Project Completion

New Denver Zoning Code Adoption Schedule

Jan. 18, 2010              Posting of fourth and final draft of the new code on the Internet at

                                    http://www.newcodedenver.org.

Feb. 17, 2010              Planning Board public hearing, after which the Board will forward a recommendation to City Council

Mar. 10, 2010              Blueprint Denver Committee of Denver City Council considers new code and whether to approve filing a bill for adoption by the full City Council

Mar. 16, 2010              Mayor and Council review and discuss Blueprint Denver recommendation

Mar. 18, 2010              Community Planning & Development files a bill for an ordinance adopting

                                    the new code to be considered by City Council

Mar. 22, 2010              City Council – first reading of new code ordinance proposal

Apr. 19, 2010               City Council – public hearing and final consideration of proposed ordinance adopting the new code

Come look for Rob Wilson and other EMNA neighbors to get involved in this interesting proposal.  

The City & County of Denver is working to assess the technical and economic feasibility of developing a streetcar line along the Colfax corridor. The primary purpose of this study is to identify how a streetcar in the corridor would affect:

* Types of transit riders

* Reliance on private automobile trips

* Traffic operations

* Adjacent property values

* New economic investment

The study area is bounded by I-25 on the west, Syracuse on the east, and 12th & 19th Avenues to the south and north of Colfax.

For more information, please contact

Anna Jones

(303)628-5558.

* From Marcia Johnson’s newsletter  http://www.denvergov.org/District5Newsletters/tabid/383195/Default.aspx

We will hold elections for board members to keep this org going.  Many people want more involement, more fun and to make an impact on our hood. We hope you join in and make this area your home.

Once again, EMNA has grown this year. We keep getting new members and we want to keep you involved. Please join in, have some fun and help us make things happen.

Best Wishes for the New Year!

See you Wednesday, December 9, 2009  @ 6:30pm. Colfax & Newport - Southwest corner.

In the May issue of our e-newsletter, I notified you about a public meeting for Westerly Creek.  It was originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 9^th, but so as not to overlap with that evening’s Feast on The FAX, the meeting has been rescheduled. 

The new date and location is: 

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 - 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King Library
9898 East Colfax Ave
Aurora, Colorado 80010 

At this meeting, the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) will share their draft floodway master plan for the Westerly Creek with the community.  Please join me, other Denver and Aurora city staff and elected officials, and the Westerly Creek Connection citizen group, to hear about plans for flood reduction and the development of a greenway following the Westerly Creek. 

 For more information on the study, please visit http://www.kiowaengineering.net/WesterlyProject.html.

 I look forward to hearing your feedback next Tuesday evening!

Councilwoman Marcia Johnson
City Council District 5
(303) 355-4615 

The city of Denver is in the final stages of re-zoning Denver. Areas will be zoned based on the existing “nature” of the neighborhood, slated as the “context approach” of designing the new code. Neighborhoods will be designated as 7 different categories; Suburban, Urban Edge, Urban, General Urban, Urban Center, Downtown and Special Context. 
 
The exact details and mapping of neighborhoods will be available to the public at the end of May. There will be public meetings throughout May and for EMNA  neighbors it will be most convenient to attend -

Tuesday - May 19, 2009

Denver School of the Arts Concert Hall - 6:30 PM   N.E. Denver – 7111 Montview Blvd. 

 
It is expected that East Montclair / Colfax will be designated as Urban, Urban Edge or both. *”Urban Edge Neighborhood Context consists of both curving and grid street patterns with a mix of front driveway and alley access. It is predominantly single family with commercial uses accommodated in shopettes and main streets.” *”The Urban Neighborhood Context consists of a regular grid and alley block pattern. It is predominantly single family with duplex and other multi-family uses occasionally mixed in. Commercial uses are embedded in the form of small scale main streets and occasional corner stores”. As you can see, EMNA has the qualities of both neighborhood types. 
 
Commentary:
The details have not been released however one important point to understand of the new code is Detached Accessory Dwelling Units. *”The New Zoning Code includes several new residential zone districts that allow detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs); however, ADUs will not be permitted in all of the new residential zone districts.  Zone districts that allow ADUs will only be mapped in areas where appropriate for their context.”  
 
My understanding of ADUs are that “cottage homes” will be allowed to be constructed on existing lots in certain areas (possibly based on existing context - whether there are already existing ADU’s or not). The Pro side of this is that if you want to build, or convert a garage, as another rental, you will be able to do this legally in designated areas. The Con side of this is that if you live in an ADU designated area, it could add to the number of people, families, cars and activity in your area. East Montclair / Colfax has a high number of rental units already and this would allow landlords to ultimately add units to existing lots for additional incomes.
 
It was discussed that ADU designations would be “within” the neighborhood context so some blocks might be allowed to have ADU’s while other blocks within the neighborhood will not.
 
EMNA does not have enough details on which blocks may or not be designated to allow ADUs and is watching the new zoning closely.  I would encourage you to attend the city meeting(s) and come to EMNA’s general meeting June 17 @ 6:30pm at the EMNA community center Newport & Colfax, SW corner, for additional details.
 
The plan is expected to complete by the end of the year and EMNA will keep you informed as more details are revealed.
 
Visit  http://www.newcodedenver.org  for more information.
 
Attend City meetings:

Tuesday - May 19, 2009

Denver School of the Arts Concert Hall - 6:30 PM   N.E. Denver – 7111 Montview Blvd.

Thursday - May 21, 2009

Abe Lincoln High Auditorium - 6:30 PM    S. W. Denver - 2285 S. Federal Blvd.

We’re always trying to come up with new and innovative things to do, and this is where we could use your help. What’s on your mind?

• Items you’d like discussed at the general meeting
• Activities that neighbors could participate in
• Things you’d like to see happen
• Things you’d like to see not happen
• Ways to give back to our community.

At our last board meeting, one of our board members brought up the idea of getting a double-decker bus this Holiday Season, touring the neighborhoods and seeing the outdoor decorations. What a great idea, and wouldn’t it be a lot of fun?

Another board member suggested that we expand “National Night Out” and have a “Neighborhood Night Out” possibly once a quarter. That would be another way for you to meet and socialize with some of your fellow neighbors, let “the bad guys” know that we are about our homes and neighbors, we’re watching them, and we won’t tolerate their negative actions within our community.

We are also looking for folks to help out by volunteering. Although it’s great to come up with the ideas, we need people to come together to make them happen. We want to build a “Team EMNA” and make it a formidable force to make East Montclair the best neighborhood in Denver. So, please – help us to help you! Contact any board member with your ideas (in left column).

John Russell, Board Member At-Large

I just finished reading the August newsletter, and I wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much I enjoy the EMNA newsletters. They are very informative with things we all should know in our neighborhood: police contacts, meeting info, local ads, and all that good stuff!!!!!

I very much look forward to getting my newsletter every month!!!!! You and your staff do a great job of putting the information together and sending it to us. I have lived in my house for 26 years and plan on another 26 years of getting your newsletter.

My heart felt thanks to you and your staff for all your hard work and efforts.
You do a great job !!!!! Keep up the great work!!!!

Bill C.