DENVER (KDVR) — Early returns show Denver voters rejecting the plan to develop the former Park Hill golf course.
Returns show nearly 60% of voters had rejected the plan as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Yes on 2O concession statement
The opposition campaign declared victory late Tuesday night.
While the votes are still being counted, the Yes on 2O campaign sent in a concession state to FOX31 on Wednesday.
The Park Hill Golf Course will forever be a case study in missed opportunities. With historically low turnout, Denver has rejected its single best opportunity to build new affordable housing and create new public parks. Thousands of Denverites who urgently need more affordable housing are now at even greater risk of displacement.
Because the Park Hill easement is unambiguous, the land will return to a privately-owned, regulation-length 18-hole golf course. The site will immediately be closed to public use or access, with no housing, community grocery store, or public parks allowed on this site, in accordance with the will of the voters.
Westside Investment Partners and The Holleran Group are grateful to every partner, community organization, volunteer, and voter who campaigned for a brighter and more affordable Denver.”
Yes on 2O campaign
The 155-acre property, located north of 35th Avenue and west of Colorado Boulevard, has sat vacant since 2018 and was purchased by developers. It has a city-owned conservation easement on it requiring the land to be used primarily for golf-related reasons.
In January, Denver City Council voted to change the conservation easement and put the issue before voters.
Arguments in favor of removing the easement focus on the potential development of the land.
If passed, Westside Investment Partners said it plans to build 2,500 to 3,200 housing units, 25% of which would be affordable housing, a large park and a grocery store.
Opponents say the land should remain as open space in the city and, in some cases, question the reliability of the developer to meet the expectations of the community around the golf course.
The Park Hill golf course easement was referred question 2O on the 2023 Denver municipal ballot. In addition to this, voters decided on mayor, city council members, auditor and two other questions related to zoning laws in the city.