WHAT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INITIATIVE?
The Neighborhood Planning Initiative (NPI) is a new commitment to cover 100% of the city with area plans. This will be achieved over a period of approximately 10-14 years, or faster if resources allow (under Denver’s current planning approach of conducting one or two neighborhood plans at a time, this would take approximately 78 years to achieve). Under the banner of NPI, area planning will occur according to a consistent, streamlined process common to all plans. The multi-year work program will occur according to a predictable schedule laid out in advance. Once 100% coverage of the city is achieved, NPI will continue by cycling back through and updating the completed plans for each area.
WHY DOES DENVER NEED NPI?
Historically, small area plans in Denver have taken many forms including plans for neighborhoods, station areas, corridors, and other geographies. Small area plans do a lot for communities:
▪▪ They engage neighborhood stakeholders in identifying a future vision for the area and then provide strategies and recommendations for achieving that vision.
▪▪ They provide detailed recommendations for land use and future investments to help ensure
neighborhoods grow as envisioned by the plan.
▪▪ They provide a level of analysis, detail, and guidance on issues affecting local areas that
citywide plans cannot.
Today, only about 19% of the city has a small area plan adopted after Blueprint Denver (the 2002 citywide land use and transportation plan). Another 39% of the city has small area plans older than Blueprint Denver, indicating they are getting out-of-date and need to be refreshed.
Finally, a significant percentage of the city (42%) has no small area plan at all. New plans produced under NPI would be the first area plans of any kind for many parts of the city.
The NPI area planning process offers neighborhood stakeholders the opportunity to come together and shape the future of an area. By obtaining 100% coverage of the city with area plans, NPI will place all areas of the city on an equal footing on issues related to growth and development. Elected officials, Planning Board members, and other decision-makers will have comparable
information and policy guidance to help with decision making regardless of location.
BACKGROUND ON DENVER’S 78 NEIGHBORHOODS
The basis for the City’s neighborhood delineation was established in 1972 as part of a federally-funded
community renewal program, driven by the need to keep consistent boundaries for the purposes of data tracking and historical comparison. The resulting areas are called Neighborhood Statistical Areas (NSAs), and their purpose is to maintain consistent and permanent boundaries over time. The boundaries align with U.S. census tracts, allowing for historical comparison of data. The only
changes made to the map since this original effort have been to reflect annexation of new land into Denver, such as DIA. NSAs are distinct from Registered Neighborhood Organizations (RNOs), which are organizations with boundaries that are self-defined and may overlap.
The Over All Plan is to:
1. Group Neighborhoods Together
• Up to 6 neighborhoods per plan
• 19 plans total
2. Observe a Maximum Timeline
• 18-24 month process for each plan
• 10-14 years total
3. Align with Citywide Plans
• Coordinate processes
• Create clear system for where/how NPI updates Blueprint
Congress Park will be part of the East Central Neighborhood Group and will consist of N. Cap Hill, Cap Hill, City Park West , Cheesman Park, City Park. Congress Park established a neighborhood plan but will need to incorporate revisions.
SEE CONGRESS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 1995
Click to access CongParkPlan.pdf
Quarter 2 2017 will start kick off for East Central
PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL DECEMBER 13, 2016
Click to access luti-npi121316.pdf
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INITIATIVE STRATEGIC PLAN DECEMBER 08, 2016
Click to access NPI-Strategic-Plan-12.8.pdf
