Development Project Or Regional Park? Denver Voters Will Decide The Future Of The Park Hill Golf Course Property

By Cara DeGette

GPHN Editor

Eight months ago Denver voters overwhelmingly embraced adding protections to the city-owned conservation easement on the Park Hill Golf Course land. Despite that vote, city officials have continued working, alongside the developer, to promote development on the 155-acre property.

Last month, Westside Investment Partners, formally submitted its plan for development — even though the city-owned conservation easement stands in the way.

Westside’s design map shows plans for residential apartment buildings, commercial space and a “main street.” The developer also announced that 75 acres of the property (plus an existing 25-acre retention pond) would be parks and open space.

In its press release and accompanying materials, Westside made no mention of the conservation easement.

The group Save Open Space Denver (SOS Denver), which supports transforming the former golf course into a regional park, released its own vision of possibilities for the property.

Fifth grade art project crack falls flat

On July 19, the news took an unexpected twist. Kyle Clark, the host of Next on 9News, reported that Westside Investment Partners responded by mocking the open space plan. Specifically, an unnamed spokesperson likened it to “5th graders showing up to present their art project to the classroom when the competition is over.”

When asked for additional context, Clark told Greater Park Hill News the station had contacted the developer through “traditional channels” for an update. Before making the 5th grader comment, Westside’s spokesperson had asked not to be identified by name. “It’s highly unusual for us to quote someone anonymously on Next, but it was such a striking thing for someone in a position of power to say about members of the public that we decided to report the quote,” Clark said.

Westside’s crack unleashed a multitude of criticism on social media, aimed at the developer.

“Imagine being bold enough to say something that [jerkish], but cowardly enough to not put your name on it,” wrote one viewer.

“Westside is awfully damned entitled to profit at taxpayers’ expense,” wrote another. “They have nothing unless [Denver voters] vote for their plan — and why would we when we paid to preserve the space as open space? Funny too — their narrative about ‘winning’ [the ‘competition’] is belied by their losses at the voting booth.”

Another: “That’s a funny way to try to win Park Hill voters, Westside bros.”

And another: “[This is] incredibly insulting to the residents of this neighborhood who actually want to preserve the character of the area. We need a mayor and city council who will listen to residents and not developers.”

Imagining a great park

SOS Denver organizers said they were disappointed, but not particularly surprised, by the developer’s rudeness. They also clarified that the SOS map was created by a respected landscape architect, Edward Shalkey.  The group’s new campaign urges Denverites to “Imagine A Great Park.”

SOS Denver also highlighted last November’s election results. “Denver residents voted 2-1 to keep the conservation easement (Initiative 301) on the Park Hill Golf Course land and 2-1 to reject mixed use development (Initiative 302).”

“It is important to note that this rendering is meant to present only an idea of what the land could be, not to dictate what it should be,” says SOS Denver spokeswoman Colette Carey. “That is for the citizens of Denver to decide.”

A Timeline Of Events

Denver Officials And Westside Developers Are Keen To Build On The Protected Park Hill Golf Course Land.  Voters, Who Have Shown Support For Open Space, Will Have The Final Say

The following is a partial timeline highlighting what’s transpired at the now-closed Park Hill Golf Course, in the northwest section of Park Hill. The Greater Park Hill News has covered this issue extensively. Past stories can be read at greaterparkhill.org/ news-and-opinion/going-for-green/.

July, 2019: Glendale-based Westside Investment Partners purchases the 155-acre Park Hill Golf Course property for $24 million. The land is subject to a city-owned conservation easement that prohibits development. The developer and the city attorney claim the easement could be removed by a majority vote of the city council.

November, 2019: A Greater Park Hill Community-commissioned survey finds a vast majority of the neighborhood — 77 percent — prefers the property “remain entirely some kind of green space/park or golf course.” The scientifically valid survey was commissioned by the registered neighborhood organization after board members said they wanted to gauge the sentiments of the residents to ensure like-minded representation. (The Community Survey is online at tinyurl.com/ParkHillSurvey.)

May, 2020: Denver’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) votes unanimously to recommend the city purchase the Park Hill Golf Course property from Westside for a park/open space. The advisory group, appointed by the mayor and city council, recommends Denver should purchase the protected property using voter-approved bond proceeds for new parks and open space. The recommendation is not taken up by the city council or the mayor.

January, 2021: Denver’s departments of Community Planning and Development and Parks and Recreation announce a 27-member steering committee to “help guide a neighborhood-centered conversation on the future of the Park Hill Golf Course.”

February, 2021: The group Save Open Space Denver (SOS Denver) announces a petition drive for a ballot measure (301) that would add protections to the conservation easement — which would require voter-approval to remove the easement.

March 8, 2021: The city announces results from a new survey showing 70 percent of respondents support development. The survey is panned by critics as misleading, as the poll did not provide an option that  the land should remain all open space. Rather the city poll only included the choice of whether the property should remain “100% golf course,” or instead be developed with parks, “affordable homes,” and “locally and minority-owned businesses.”

July, 2021: Westside Investment Partners launches a competing initiative (302), designed to neutralize SOS Denver’s efforts.

November, 2021: Denver voters approve the SOS-sponsored Initiative 301 by a 63 percent margin, (including overwhelming approval from Park Hill voters). Voters reject the Westside-sponsored Initiative 302 by a similar 2-1 margin.

December, 2021: City officials announce its committee will proceed with its work on an area plan in an “inclusive” process. Despite the election results, the city and the developer continue to maintain that residents strongly support developing the property.

Jan. 13, 2022: Denver officials reject the appointment of a SOS Denver member Lisa Calderón from the steering committee. Calderón unsuccessfully challenged Mayor Michael B. Hancock in the 2019 election. SOS decries the action as “further evidence that the City of Denver is run by developers.”

June 30, 2022: Numerous development designs are unveiled at a city-sponsored open house at the golf course clubhouse. Officials from parks and recreation, housing, transportation, economic development and planning departments discuss various possibilities for development. Not highlighted: the city’s protective conservation easement that prohibits development on the property.

July 14, 2022: Westside Investment Partners submits a large development plan to the city, for residential, commercial and park/open space. In its press release, the developer highlights the city’s survey, claiming the plan “was informed by more than 18 months of public process and input from community members … 70 percent of whom prefer redevelopment over keeping the site as a golf course.” More information from the developer’s perspective is at parkhillgolfcoursereimagined.info.

July 19, 2022: The city-sponsored steering committee meets to discuss various aspects of development. Most of the commenters are opposed to development (watch at youtube.com/ watch?v=GUtlJyEwzZM).

July 19: Save Open Space Denver releases its map showing what the property could look like as a regional park, which would be roughly the size of Washington Park. Possible amenities include playgrounds, trails, an off-leash dog area, community gardens, sports fields, skate park, water park, and more. (The map and additional details are at yesopenspace.org.)

What’s Ahead

Tuesday, Aug. 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.: The city-sponsored steering committee will hold a virtual listening/work session via Zoom. It is open to the public. A link to the meeting, as well as the city’s documents related to its planning process, is at tinyurl.com/PHGCDenverPlan.

August, 2022: The city of Denver’s timeline indicates the draft plan of the steering committee’s “prevailing vision” is scheduled to be completed.

Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m.: Westside Investment Partners is holding a required community information meeting at the Park Hill Golf Course clubhouse, at 35th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. The developer originally scheduled the meeting for Aug. 4, but changed it after many people complained, noting that it coincided with the Greater Park Hill Community’s regular monthly meeting. The city’s zoning policy specifies developer-hosted meetings cannot conflict with other already-scheduled community events.

Sept. 13, 2022: The city-sponsored steering committee will meet from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Park Hill Golf Course clubhouse. The meeting is open to the public.

October, 2022: Denver Planning and Development officials will deliver their “prevailing vision” and recommendations for the property to the city’s planning board.

Nov. 8, 2022: Midterm general election. Some city officials have said Denver voters will be asked to to remove the conservation easement, to pave way for development. Other city officials say the question will be put to voters in April, 2023.

December, 2022: The city’s timeline currently shows that the Denver City Council will consider the development plans.

April 4, 2023: Municipal election. Denver voters will elect a new mayor and city council. Michael B. Hancock will be term limited from office, as will several current members of council. The question over whether voters will remove the conservation easement may also be on the ballot.

Note:
The Save Open Space Denver rendering for a regional park can be viewed here. 
The developer’s design rendering can be viewed here.