Summary of Comments Made 6-23-99
Mar 17, 2000
The discussion was lively and points of view varied. This is a summary of the discussion that occured during the June 23rd meeting:
We need to band together. Possibly have an association that purchases and develops property. Invest in the community. There may be a different way to think about this - not just two ways, Regulate versus Infringement on Freedoms.
A neighbor believes that home expansion has improved the area. Hates some bungalows. Believes that people should have the freedom to decide about their homes.
Knows a builder that works successfully in Country Club which has Historic Designation. Wants homeowners to realize that higher cost is one of the trade-offs with Historic Designation.
Board of Adjustment has guidelines in place. Those guidelines are fine, but they are NOT being followed. Get BOA to live by its own rules.
All residents have values and rights.
Do a better job of enforcing rules and regulations we've got. Look at Zoning/Planning Tools.
Educate ourselves on choices.
Zoning is complicated. Overlay District examples 16th Street Mall, LODO.
West Washington Park took two years to get an overlay district. Ultimately it comes before the Denver City Council. Overlay Districts regulate dimensions, not uses. Historic Designation is based first on the Landmark Commission finding. Commission reviews application and determines whether the area has historical value and is deemed worthy of designation. It probably wouldn't be the entire neighborhood, usually a street or an area. Homeowners have to agree. The issue then goes before City Council where there would be a public hearing prior to the final vote. If historical designation is granted, the Commission reviews designs in the designated area.
Need to be proactive - like what we're doing now. Educate and work with developers.
Have a bungalow and may want to pop up. Interested in the ugliest, most horrendous pop tops and the best examples.
Not a group to set forth mandates. Process must be democratic and this is not democratic. The bungalows in Denver are some of the best examples of bungalows in the country. Would like a reading list about bungalows. Also, would like historical context of the neighborhood. Are there any great builders of bungalows represented in the park? Compromise is very important.
Are there aging concerns with these houses? Asbestos? Lead paint?
There are ordinances in new neighborhoods.
The tax base has changed in the 1990s.
Important to talk about our history.
Property values may be affected by historic designation.
Board of Adjustment doesn't seem to work as it should. Neighbors of properties that have a variance request have only 10 days to respond and 4 of those daysare weekend days. In contrast, the person making the variance application gets two months to prepare.
Make sure rules are followed FIRST - don't make additional rules.
Educate about what CAN be built. Work with developers to educate.
Don't mind diversity in housing. Love brickwork and become frustrated when people stucco over brickwork.
Ordinances address character. Must tell people what they can/cannot do. For example, a house that consumes the entire lot violates what most people want in their neighborhood.
Corner lot bulk plane regulation is flawed. Can build a mansion on a corner lot. Have to tell people what to do.
Does historic designation prohibit any changes?
East 7th Avenue and Country Club both have historic designation and changes continue to happen.
A neighbor who has lived in EWP for 43 years has become increasingly unhappy with the changes. People used to buy a home on the basis of the neighborhood. Now people buy a home with the idea, "I'll just change it to what I want". Newer neighborhoods have covenants. Right now, one person can affect the rights of six people. Whose rights are more important?
A neighbor who has lived in the neighborhood since he was two years old has seen money coming into the neighborhood as the result of home expansions. A small group should not be able to mandate to others. Most houses are tasteful. Going to lose your rights.
Every neighbor could have been here.
Concerned about property values if historic designation granted. Want to know about legal status and legal representation of committee. Terry Andrews responded that there is no committee, only two concerned citizens. People who have come back into the neighborhood should be given a medal. Without them, the neighborhood stagnates. They've made major investments. Don't want to be curators of 1920's museum. We wouldn't want to drive cars from the 1920's and we wouldn't want medical care from the 1920's. The Pop Top ordinance is perfectly satisfactory. We need to create our own history. Very concerned from a property value standpoint. I spoke to a law firm regarding rights. What you're doing right now you don't have a right to do.
Appreciate the open forum. Served on the board of Historic Boulder. Sounds like we're afraid of something we don't know.
A neighbor from the 400 block of S. Gaylord gave an example of a scrape off in her neighborhood where the architect walked the plans around the neighborhood and got consensus. This is an issue of neighborhood communication. Wondered what the demographic profile of a "pop topper" is. Will organize as a block to work on issues.
Synthesize opinions. Have small area meetings, block by block.
Pet peeve is when builders use the entire lot. Is it a general perception that the bulk plane rule is unreasonable?
Small percentage of cases end up at the Board of Adjustments.
Builders that scare me are the developers. Houses that take up the whole lot. Money talks - where do scrape offs end?
What is the percentage or number of homes in EWP that have been modified?
A neighbor who has a pop top tried to keep it in the bungalow style because she would like to see the style preserved. It was difficult to do. The bulk plane ordinance needs to be looked at.
A neighbor who loves the bungalow style, renovated their entire house and added 800 square feet without piercing the bulk plane. Her Architect was Doug Walters.
Historic designation doesn't happen unless people want it.
Changes in the neighborhood have been positive. Lots of creative energy. Kids and younger people have come to the area. Must make EWP a place for families. Not fond of bungalows, willing to allow for diversity. People have a right to space and light.
A neighbor from New York sought out a neighborhood with bungalows. Bought a pop top that respects the architecture of the bungalow. Need guidelines so that things don't get insane. Not dictating.
Architectural police - NO! People may not like bungalows.
