I-70 will be privatized in a $1.1 billion dollar deal

via email:

WHAT: BOULDER GREEN DRINKS 2014 KICKOFF EVENT!
Hot topic: Help Fight Colorado Highway Privatization

Tues Jan 21, 2012, 5:30pm at Shine in Boulder, Colorado

To attend RSVP at:
http://www.meetup.com/Network/events/161110742/

The American Legislative Exchange Council has launched a major attack on solar in Colorado that could cripple the industry and clean energy production. ALEC is funded by coal, oil and toll road development companies.

ALEC has already privatized US #36 from Denver to Boulder with a 50 year contract awarded 6 months ago. Over the next two months I-70 will be privatized in a $1.1 billion dollar deal and made into a toll road in downtown Denver and going up to the mountains.

The Boulder Sustainable Energy executive team is very concerned about the impacts that converting public highways into private toll roads will have on our member's liberty and freedom to enjoy mountain recreation. We don't want ALEC to take away your right to install solar if you so desire. We invite you to help fight the ALEC attack on the people of Colorado.

At this event come talk to me and we will form a Council of War to halt the ALEC attack on Colorado. Meet great people, enjoy green drinks and find out how you can help!

Ken J. Beitel - "A Friend of Colorado"
Email: ken.beitel@drivesunshine.org
cell: 720 436-2465
website: Friends of Colorado

To attend event please RSVP at:
http://www.meetup.com/Network/events/161110742/ 

COUNCILMAN BROWN LAYS DOWN THE LAW

Re: “Don’t get worked up about 4/20,” Jan. 15 editorial. (Denver Post)

Brown with tomato plants
(once considered poisonous)

Your editorial sounds like The Denver Post is the media sponsor for 4/20. You raise some important questions about the role of the Denver City Council, maintaining we shouldn’t worry about 4/20 and its illegal behavior. Worrying about our city is part of our job.

In November 2012, Colorado voters passed Amendment 64. The council responded to the will of Denver voters, working long and hard to create a legal framework for marijuana sales, consumption and penalties. Our new laws reflect what was in Amendment 64, which specifically prohibits “consumption that is conducted openly and publicly or in a manner that endangers others.”

The annual 4/20 event, which takes place on seven acres in the heart of our city in historic Civic Center, is not an image that will appear in any chamber of commerce or tourism brochure. During last year’s event, shots were fired, people were injured and hundreds were sent fleeing, scared for their lives.

When the council passes laws, we expect them to be enforced. There is no asterisk in the law that makes an exception for Civic Center on April 20. Like any other group, 4/20 organizers and participants must abide by our established laws and regulations.

Charlie Brown, Denver

The writer is a Denver city councilman and head of the Amendment 64 committee.

This letter was published in the Jan. 18 edition.

CRIME ALERT - 700 BLOCK OF W. 11TH AVE

HICKENLOOPER AND HORSES

This picture

reminded me of footage we shot some time ago (March 20, 2010) at the Capitol (Hick at 0:59):



and who can forget this?



But what is really weird is the plastic one in his front office at the Capitol.

Colorado Highways are Being SOLD OFF

***Breaking News - Colorado Highways are Being SOLD OFF and Made into Full or Partial TOLL ROADS to Enrich Corporate Profits

***US 36 - ALREADY PRIVATIZED. Lost to a 50 year contract to Plenary Group. HOV2+ Lanes on #36 and I-25 will soon require 3+ people in your car or you MUST pay to use HOV.

***I-70- The Colorado Transportation Commission is now SELLING I-70 for $1 BILLION.

I-70 will BECOME A TOLL ROAD in downtown Denver and UP TO THE MOUNTAINS. This is happening FAST. We must STOP THEM by FEBRUARY 3 or it may be too late!

***ALL OF C-470 that is not a toll road will SOON BE PRIVATIZED and made into a partial or FULL TOLLl road.

Please FIGHT NOW before I-70 and C-470 are SOLD!

Once the 50 year contract is in place there is NOTHING that can be done.

THIS IS A FIGHT for FREEDOM that we the people of COLORADO must WIN!

WHO is behind this theft?

A) About a DIRTY DOZEN large toll road companies including Cintra, Transurband and Macquarie- ALL members of GLEN VAAD's ALEC Commerce task force.

These ALEC companies helped Vaad write legislation that is making this THEFT of Colorado roads possible.

B) The REASON FOUNDATION funded by the Koch brothers - see "What is ALEC?" link below for more.

LEARN what is going on and HELP US FIGHT HARD!
---------------------------------------------------------
Today we the Friends of Colorado started to FIGHT BACK by issuing a national media release raising the ALARM.

READ the press release at: https://friendsofthecoloradopuc.wordpress.com/

Stop by "Friends of the Colorado PUC" website - JOIN the FIGHT!!

STOP the THEFT of Colorado public highways to FOREIGN TOLL ROAD FIRMS that have manipulated our political leaders!

DEFEND your RIGHT to travel!!

DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO control what happens on our public roads!

EMAIL your friends to sign this petition and write an ANGRY letter to the editor. Today.

From the Friends of Colorado
https://friendsofthecoloradopuc.wordpress.com/

Yours in service,

Ken J Beitel
Advisory Board Chair, Drive SunShine Institute (DSI)
Boulder, Colorado

Email: Ken.Beitel@DriveSunShine.org Cell: 720 436-2465

"A Friend of Colorado"

PS This petition has been expanded to stop ALEC's Glenn Vaad from being appointed to the Utility and Crushing Roof Top Solar in Colorado, and to stop the sale of Public Highways.

THE DAY WE FIGHT BACK AGAINST MASS SURVEILLANCE

Denver Mayor has approved the development plan (GDP) for the old St. Anthony’s site at Sloan’s Lake

via FB

Niccolo Casewit‎Sloans Lake Town Center

10 minutes ago · Edited · 

Dear neighborhood supporter, Thank you so much for your support for the petition (comment below for link) and thanks for striving for good development in Northwest Denver. We are sorry to report that the Mayor last night announced that his managers have approved the development plan (GDP) for the old St. Anthony’s site at Sloan’s Lake.

Councilwoman Susan Shepherd, at the same neighborhood meeting, thanked those neighbors for supporting the GDP and for supporting the developer, EFG. While we are disappointed that elected officials don’t primarily care about voters’ views, and about following democratically adopted plans and zoning, our work to effect a positive outcome for this development continues.

As a next step, let’s get involved with the individual developers who will buy portions of this land. Some of them are presenting their concepts next Wednesday, January 22. This is a great opportunity to share concerns that are meaningful to them and will help make this a better development for everyone.

The open house is at: Confluence Ministries, 1400 Quitman, Wednesday, January 22, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Our petition to lower heights to a maximum of 8 stories and to increase open space gathered 690 signatures in under a week. That’s almost six times the number of people who wrote in to comment on the GDP, before the hearing in December. And out of those, the vast majority expressed concern about the excessive scale and lack of open space in the plan.

Please be assured that the Mayor and Councilwoman Shepherd are aware of this petition. They are.

It is a shame that we, collectively, have elected City officials who don’t care about voters’ views. Also, by not making a decision on zoning that fits the intended development of this property now, our politicians kick the can of zoning fights down the road, leaving both developers and residents in uncertainty.

Either way, the good fight for a good outcome on this site continues. Thank you so much for your passion and for your polite and appropriate advocacy to date. Please stay engaged with this process and let’s work together for as good of a result as possible.

Thank you.

Sloan’s Lake Town Center

Construction starts on DPS school being built in the floodplain/park

The Owl team will be attending this event. (See Below)  PLEASE SUPPORT FRIENDS OF DENVER PARKS AND JOIN US. Your presence will be important. Be forewarned this is a sham event.  The audience will be loaded with DPS and Parks & Wreck employees invited specifically to be involved in this dog and pony show!  The last time they had this event they invited a member of the Greenway Foundation who knew nothing about this project until four hours before the event.  He gave his green wash seal of approval and extolled the virtues of the plan to an astounding degree.  I've never felt the same about the Greenway Foundation after seeing how this person allowed himself to be a tool in that manner. This Meeting is clearly a  "BIG ME, LITTLE YOU" attempt to bypass the communitie's right to a legal process at all levels.  In spite of these undeniable "Power Over" tactics, Friends of Denver Parks will have their day in court on May 19.  We have incredibly good news as to how that is shaping up. We are also in the process of developing a strong public response to the theft of our parks.  At last count we have 42 parks that are wide open and unprotected.  Or should I say, protected against the vote of the people. We are already getting dictates from Parks & Wreck as to how many acres they plan to set aside for projects in some of these parks.  This is an unacceptable bypass of Denver City Charter 2.4.5 that requires a vote of the people before repurposing any park land.  If you believe the work that we are doing is important please donate to support John Case and our court case.  John is working pro bono but we will need substantial funds to get this court case done right.  http://www.friendsofdenverparks.org IMPORTANT!! We are looking for witnesses who recreationally used the Cherry Creek pathway/trail to the Hentzell Park Natural Area/Hampden Height North Park near Kenwood Dam before 1955.  We understand that picnicking, horseback riding, hiking,fishing, and birdwatching are a few of the recreational uses of the trail.  If you have older relatives or friends please ask them about their memories of this time.  Contact Judy Case  email address: friendsofdenverparks@gmail.com Thanks so much for your support and hope to see you at the meeting, Renee - President Friends of Denver Parks

City Loop project at City Park

via FaceBook 
Northeast Neighbors, please come to the Whittier Neighborhood Association meeting tonight (Jan. 15) at 6:30 p.m. at 2900 Downing to help us pass this resolution supporting a request for further study of plans for a playground expansion at City Park. You don't have to have a position on the current proposal, just a desire to see more neighborhood input into what happens at City Park.

Sign the Petition to Reject 20 and 12-story buildings at Sloan's Lake

GO HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION
(Signed by 656 supporters so far)

Reject 20 and 12-story buildings at Sloan's Lake

Denver citizens welcome revitalization, but do not support 20 and 12-story buildings by Sloan's Lake. Tell the Mayor and City officials not to approve the current development plan (GDP), unless it's modified to include only up to 3-8 story buildings and additional open space. It is NOT TOO LATE if we act today!

The vast majority of input from citizens at the public hearing showed serious concern about the excessive scale of this plan. But the City is choosing not to listen. Tell the Mayor it is not OK to ignore voters. The Mayor has the power to affect positive change before this GDP is approved. Tell him we hold him accountable for good governance and for good development at South Sloan’s Lake. Also, by fixing the GDP now, the Mayor avoids multiple divisive zoning fights over this site for years to come.

Time is running out. Please ask the Mayor for a sensible plan today.

To:
Mayor Michael B. Hancock
Rocky Piro, Executive director, Community Planning and Development
Lauri Dannemiller, Manager, Denver Parks and Recreation
Jose E. Cornejo, Manager Public Works
Susan Shepherd, Councilwoman 

I am writing to respectfully ask that you do not approve the South Sloan’s Lake General Development Plan without mandating some key changes.

While I support revitalization, I strongly oppose the current GDP, which includes 20 and 12-story buildings at Sloan's Lake.

The vast majority of speakers at the Planning Board hearing on 12.18.13 expressed serious concern about the excessive scale of this plan, and its lack of open space. Ignoring taxpayers’ and citizens’ concerns is incompatible with good governance and is not what I as a voter wish to see in Denver.

I respectfully ask that you, and the Development Review Committee, only approve a GDP for South Sloan’s Lake once it has been amended to reflect the following:
- Increased open space from 1.4 to 2.5 acres, to be aggregated along 17th Avenue
- Building heights not to exceed 3 stories on the site’s perimeter
- Building heights in the interior not to exceed 8 stories

These changes reflect citizens’ input, require a modest increase in zoning and are consistent with the extensive St. Anthony’s Redevelopment Task Force Plan.

In addition, the West Highland Neighborhood Association has requested Councilwoman Shepherd to initiate rezoning of this property immediately, to reflect the above points. I support this and respectfully request that you do the same.

Right-sizing the GDP and proactively changing zoning now avoids multiple divisive and costly zoning fights over this site in the future; it provides the predictability that both residents and developers deserve and will be an example of great leadership by the Mayor and City Council.

Thank you for your service.

Sincerely,
[Your name]