From The City
Recent email notifications to our neighborhood:
received Jun 30, 2016 (Emerald Ash Borer)-
Denver Parks & Recreation’s Office of the City Forester recently launched Be A Smart Ash (http://www.beasmartash.org) to educate and inspire Denver residents to join the fight against the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), which poses a very serious threat to 1 in 6 trees in the City and County of Denver. As part of the effort against EAB, the Office of the City Forester has developed a plan to treat qualified right-of-way ash trees in our neighborhood over the next few years. To learn more about this plan, when your right-of-way ash tree might be treated and your other treatment options, please visitBeASmartAsh.org/treatment-schedule.
Many ash trees in Denver are on private property, so we’re depending on you to help preserve our neighborhood’s tree canopy! The good news is, Being a Smart Ash is as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Identify ash trees (resources available at www.BeASmartAsh.org), regularly inspect for signs of EAB, and contact the Office of the City Forester immediately at forestry@denvergov.org or (720) 913-0651 if trees display any symptoms of EAB infestation.
2. Talk to neighbors, friends, and co-workers about EAB. Spread the word and encourage people to visit BeASmartAsh.org for more information.
3. Do not transport firewood or other products from ash trees, as EAB larvae stealthily survive and travel hidden under the bark. If an ash tree absolutely has to be moved, the wood must be chipped smaller than one inch.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How did you choose which ash trees to treat?
Healthy ash trees that are 12 inches and larger in diameter at 4.5 feet off the ground were put on a list for potential treatment. From this list, a number of trees were randomly selected in each neighborhood to be treated in either 2016, 2017 or 2018. Every ash tree scheduled to be treated in 2016 was examined by a city arboreal inspector to determine if it was a good candidate for treatment.
What if I have other ash trees on my property?
Residents are responsible for any ash trees on their personal property. Contact a licensed tree care professional to discuss a plan for your ash tree.
There is more than one ash tree on the public right-of-way. Are they all being treated?
To see which right-of-way ash trees are being treated and those that are candidates for future treatment, visit BeASmartAsh.org/treatment-schedule
Why wasn’t my neighbor’s tree selected for treatment?
Due to budget and labor constraints, we are unable to treat every ash tree in the public right-of-way this year. However, we plan to treat more right-of-way trees in the next few years and may include your neighbor’s tree at that time. Visit BeASmartAsh.org/treatment-schedule for an overview of the upcoming treatment schedule.
How effective are treatments?
When properly administered by a tree professional, treatment is over 90% effective.
If my tree is not scheduled for treatment this year, can I do it myself?
Yes, but we strongly suggest you contact a licensed tree care professional to treat your tree. Your tree care professional is required to request a permit from the Office of the City Forester. For a list of licensed tree care professionals, visit BeASmartAsh.org/get-a-tree-professional/.
I already treated the tree. Is the City going to treat again?
No! Please tell us if the tree has been treated so that we don’t double treat. Shoot us an email atforestry@denvergov.org
Can I refuse treatment?
Yes. If you prefer we not treat your tree, please visit BeASmartAsh.org/optout immediately. Please note: if the health of the tree declines and the tree becomes unsafe, you will be required to remove it.
What are the risks of refusing treatment?
If the tree becomes infested with EAB and is not treated, it will most likely die within 2-4 years. Once the tree dies, it poses a safety risk and depending on the size and location of the tree, safe removal by a tree professional can be costly.
received Dec 17, 2015:
Planning Board to be broadcast on Denver 8 and Denver8.TV!
NOTE: Meetings move to the City and County Building
In response to community input, in 2016 Community Planning and Development and Denver 8 will broadcast Denver Planning Board meetings live on Denver 8 and Denver8.TV. Denver residents interested in city planning can follow board deliberations and decision-making live, and watch archived meetings online — additional opportunities to stay informed and involved in shaping your city.
To make quality filming and broadcast possible, 2016 meetings will be held in the Parr-Widener Room (Room 389) of the City and County Building at 1437 Bannock St. starting Wednesday, January 6. Until now, Planning Board meetings were held in the Wellington Webb Municipal Building.
Planning Board meetings will continue to take place the first and third Wednesday of each month at3 p.m. As always, all meetings are open to the public and offer opportunities for public comment. Items considered by the board often move on to Denver City Council committees and Council hearings, which are also broadcast live on TV and online.
How to watch:
· Watch live on TV’s Channel 8.
· Visit Denver8.tv to watch live online or view archived broadcasts.
· Attend in person at the Parr-Widener Room (Room #389) of the City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St.
For information on the Denver Planning Board, visit www.DenverGov.org/planningboard.
Please consider sharing this news by including this item in your next newsletter. Contact us with any questions!
received Dec 14, 2015:
Dear University Hills North Community,
I need your help in getting more than $1.5 million back into the hands of Denver residents! Will you help me change some lives this holiday season?
As the Denver Clerk & Recorder, one of my roles is that of Public Trustee. In that role, my office conducts auctions on properties that have gone through the foreclosure process. As the housing market has gotten stronger, we’ve had fewer homes go into foreclosure. Those that do go to sale are selling at higher and higher prices.
Often that means that the property sells for more than the owner owed the bank. The difference in the selling price and what is owed is called Excess Funds. That’s the money we’re trying to get back to the former owner.
People who lose their home have likely suffered a loss: loss of a job, loss of their health, or they’ve lost the love of their life. And now they’ve lost their home. They can’t take any more bad news – and that’s all they think a letter from my office is going to say – more bad news.
They don’t read the letter that says their house sold for more than they owe - and we have $1,000 or $100,000 to give them. We don’t have any illusion that this money will “fix” their lives and make it whole again. But it can help.
The list of properties/people that have Excess Funds available and instructions to claim the money are available on my website: http://denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-office-of-the-clerk-and-recorder/foreclosures/did-your-house-sell.html
Please use this information in any way you can to help us find these people – newsletters, websites, neighborhood and HOA meetings. Maybe you even know someone personally!
Some of the people on the lists have passed away. Their former neighbors may know a relative that can inherit the money.
There is no cost to these people to get their money. Sadly, there are people (Finders) who charge a hefty percentage and tell people in crisis that my office is trying to keep their money. Nothing could be further from the truth. We know how this money can give people a new start in life – we’ve seen it firsthand.
I hope I can count on your partnership to help find these folks and help set them on a more stable financial path.
Sincerely,
Debra Johnson
Denver Clerk & Recorder
received Oct 6 2015:
Dear Registered Neighborhood Organizations,
Recently WalkDenver launched a campaign calling upon the City and County of Denver to assume responsibility for building and repairing sidewalks, and to establish a dedicated funding source (such as a property fee) for this purpose - see our newsletter below for more details.
If your neighborhood agrees that sidewalks are a fundamental form of infrastructure that Denver needs to become a truly great city, we would very much appreciate a letter of support from your RNO. I've attached a template letter that you can use, which we encourage you to customize.
We would be happy to present to your RNO Board on this topic and answer any questions you may have, if that would be appropriate.
You can also help us spread the word and engage additional supporters by encouraging members of your network to sign the online petition.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or would like to discuss further.
Thank you,
Jill
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Jill Locantore, AICP
Policy and Program Director
WalkDenver
303-895-6376