Current Let's Talk Neighborhoods
The program is conducting engagement in our last two Let's Talk neighborhoods - North I-70 and Lutheran / Crown Hill. If you live in either of these neighborhoods, please consider participating by taking your neighborhood's Action Survey or attending our upcoming open house. Learn more on your neighborhood's webpage.
What is Let's Talk?
We know every Wheat Ridge neighborhood is unique. Our Let’s Talk program is designed to learn more about what's important where you live. What do you love about your neighborhood? What could improve?
The program breaks the city down into 10 neighborhoods. Each neighborhood will see a 4-5 month blitz of engagement opportunities. We'll cover the city in about two-year cycles. After each engagement blitz, we update a program work plan to reflect what we're hearing most about from residents (see the Let's Talk Program Work Plan section below on this page).
Let's Talk Neighborhoods
During these blitzes, we'll first send out a survey to residents to start the conversation. After that we'll follow up with a range of in-person and/or virtual events to home in on what's important to residents in our unique neighborhoods.
When we're in your area, we'll add a What's Up Wheat Ridge page for your neighborhood. Our first six blitzes were in East Wheat Ridge, Bel Aire, Applewood, Leppla Manor, Fruitdale, and Anderson Park and are now complete.
Past Blitzes
Why are we doing this?
In 2018, city officials heard loud and clear that residents want more and better opportunities to weigh in on issues that impact their neighborhoods. This resulted in the 2019 adoption of an updated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRS) by City Council. The update was led by a 26-member Wheat Ridge resident committee.
The NRS is a citywide policy document that reflects a year of robust community input. The primary recommendation is for the city to conduct focused engagement of residents at the neighborhood level.
Let's Talk Program Goals
Specifically, the program goals are to:
- Develop a thorough, well documented understanding of the issues and opportunities at the neighborhood level;
- Build trust between city staff and neighborhoods through demonstration that the city is listening and being responsive;
- Better empower neighborhoods to take initiative and work effectively with the city for positive outcomes that respond to neighborhood changes;
- Ensure that all neighborhoods in the city have an opportunity for focused listening and responsive actions from the city within approximately two year cycles; and
- Ensure that the feedback received during the engagement "blitz" is robust and represents a diversity of opinions in each neighborhood.
Let's Talk Program Work Plan (Updated February 2023)
The Let's Talk Resident Engagement Program Work Plan reflects the current hot button topics we're hearing from residents across neighborhoods and aligns with citywide work plans including current City Council priorities. The Work Plan is updated continuously and after each engagement blitz that typically includes two neighborhoods at a time. The Work Plan reflects input from residents all over the city, not just those living in one of our current or recent focus neighborhoods. City Council will evaluate this work plan in February 2023 at a study session. The table below contains a snapshot from the Work Plan. To explore the full Work Plan, click here. For more details on this work plan, contact us at lets-talk@ci.wheatridge.co.us. The snapshot below contains work plan items in no particular order.
| Let's Talk Program Work Plan Item | Description | Status (February 2023) |
Implement the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan “Main Street” Vision
| Advance the vision in adopted plans and other efforts to date that addresses 38th Avenue between Wadsworth and Sheridan in east Wheat Ridge. | Advance Some Elements in 2023/2024, Requires City Council Policy Direction
City staff are actively advancing The Green on 38th project to advance a strategic element of the “main street” vision. Community input received in Fall 2021 is informing refinement of conceptual plans in 2023 with construction slated for 2024. More information on this project to develop a future public gathering space in front of Stevens Elementary can be found at: https://whatsupwheatridge.com/the-green-at-38th |
| Improve 38th Avenue between Kipling and Youngfield Streets for Walking and Biking | Evaluate preferred concepts followed by developing cost estimates and funding options with a community process. | Advance in 2023/2024, Potentially Budget for 2024, Requires City Council Policy Direction
City staff are finalizing a scope of work for consultant services for the design phase that will include community engagement planned to start in 2023. |
| Implement Targeted 44th Avenue Improvements | Evaluate targeted and cost-effective strategies to improve 44th Avenue east of Wadsworth Boulevard within the City’s public right-of-way. “Targeted” and “cost-effective” would mean working within the existing street configuration, without changing lanes or impacting traffic flow, and without any reconstruction of the street. | Monitor
City Council is scheduled to adopt the 44th Avenue Subarea Plan in spring 2023. The plan provides guidance for any such improvements in the area between Youngfield Street and Clear Creek. City staff intends to explore both short- and long-term opportunities for targeted improvements on 44th Avenue west of Clear Creek in 2023. |
| Improve Youngfield Corridor | Improve the Youngfield Street corridor (for segments within Wheat Ridge) by addressing a range of topics including vehicular traffic flow, walking and biking access and safety, signage, landscaping, and other enhancements. | Advance in 2023/2024
The City’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA) issued bonds in November 2021 to fund improvements. The URA has initiated the design phase and City staff are currently working with a consultant to develop a scope of work, with community engagement planned to start in 2023. The design concepts will address bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular traffic and corridor beautification. Construction will be covered by bond funds and will follow completion of CDOT’s I-70 over 32nd Avenue bridge replacement. |
| Address Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) | Address Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in the City’s zoning regulations, whereas the City does not currently acknowledge these types of units as any different from other types of dwelling units. | Completed in 2022
On July 11, 2022, City Council approved zoning code changes to allow ADUs in all residential zone districts, with standards to address impacts and a process to legalize existing nonconforming ADUs. |
Increase Resources for Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) Program
| Increase funding and/or staffing for this program that includes a community and technical process to evaluate streets for various traffic calming strategies. | Monitor, Requires City Council Direction
City staff are currently evaluating improvements the program, including:
1. A more efficient, clear process for resident-initiated requests; and
2. A tandem process where the City can initiate related projects as needs arise (e.g., areas around schools).
City staff plan to review proposed improvements to the program with City Council in the second quarter of 2023. |
| Improve Otis Street Clear Creek Trail Access | Evaluate improvements around the Otis Street Clear Creek trailhead and in the area leading to it. Improvements could include new wayfinding signage leading to the trailhead from the neighborhood, parking area improvements addressing drainage, and enhanced buffering from I-70. | Completed in 2022/2023
The City was awarded a $196,668 grant from Jefferson County Open Space in early 2022 to support Clear Creek trail improvements, including improvements specifically to the Otis Street trailhead area. The improvements were completed in early 2023. |
| Expand Bulk Plane | Expand current bulk plane rules to apply to more residential areas to regulate building size. More information on the current rules and how they were developed can be found here | Completed in 2022
City Council approved zoning code changes in 2022 that expanded these requirements to all new single-unit homes, additions, and accessory structures in all residential (R-series) zone districts. |
Expand Dumpster and Cleanup Days to Address Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement Issues
| Expand these programs in recognition that they promote both community building and improved property maintenance. More information can be found on this partnership between the City and Localworks here. | Advance in 2023
In 2022, a budget increase from 2021 approved by City Council for this program allowed each event to be extended to accommodate more demand (in years past, people have been turned away whendumpsters fill). City staff and Localworks plan to schedule the 2023 events soon. Information can be found at: https://wearelocalworks.org/ourprograms/tlc-wheat-ridge/. |
Questions or Comments?
Questions about the program? Review the Frequently Asked Questions section, and feel free to email lets-talk@ci.wheatridge.co.us with questions.
Current Let's Talk Neighborhoods
The program is conducting engagement in our last two Let's Talk neighborhoods - North I-70 and Lutheran / Crown Hill. If you live in either of these neighborhoods, please consider participating by taking your neighborhood's Action Survey or attending our upcoming open house. Learn more on your neighborhood's webpage.
What is Let's Talk?
We know every Wheat Ridge neighborhood is unique. Our Let’s Talk program is designed to learn more about what's important where you live. What do you love about your neighborhood? What could improve?
The program breaks the city down into 10 neighborhoods. Each neighborhood will see a 4-5 month blitz of engagement opportunities. We'll cover the city in about two-year cycles. After each engagement blitz, we update a program work plan to reflect what we're hearing most about from residents (see the Let's Talk Program Work Plan section below on this page).
Let's Talk Neighborhoods
During these blitzes, we'll first send out a survey to residents to start the conversation. After that we'll follow up with a range of in-person and/or virtual events to home in on what's important to residents in our unique neighborhoods.
When we're in your area, we'll add a What's Up Wheat Ridge page for your neighborhood. Our first six blitzes were in East Wheat Ridge, Bel Aire, Applewood, Leppla Manor, Fruitdale, and Anderson Park and are now complete.
Past Blitzes
Why are we doing this?
In 2018, city officials heard loud and clear that residents want more and better opportunities to weigh in on issues that impact their neighborhoods. This resulted in the 2019 adoption of an updated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRS) by City Council. The update was led by a 26-member Wheat Ridge resident committee.
The NRS is a citywide policy document that reflects a year of robust community input. The primary recommendation is for the city to conduct focused engagement of residents at the neighborhood level.
Let's Talk Program Goals
Specifically, the program goals are to:
- Develop a thorough, well documented understanding of the issues and opportunities at the neighborhood level;
- Build trust between city staff and neighborhoods through demonstration that the city is listening and being responsive;
- Better empower neighborhoods to take initiative and work effectively with the city for positive outcomes that respond to neighborhood changes;
- Ensure that all neighborhoods in the city have an opportunity for focused listening and responsive actions from the city within approximately two year cycles; and
- Ensure that the feedback received during the engagement "blitz" is robust and represents a diversity of opinions in each neighborhood.
Let's Talk Program Work Plan (Updated February 2023)
The Let's Talk Resident Engagement Program Work Plan reflects the current hot button topics we're hearing from residents across neighborhoods and aligns with citywide work plans including current City Council priorities. The Work Plan is updated continuously and after each engagement blitz that typically includes two neighborhoods at a time. The Work Plan reflects input from residents all over the city, not just those living in one of our current or recent focus neighborhoods. City Council will evaluate this work plan in February 2023 at a study session. The table below contains a snapshot from the Work Plan. To explore the full Work Plan, click here. For more details on this work plan, contact us at lets-talk@ci.wheatridge.co.us. The snapshot below contains work plan items in no particular order.
| Let's Talk Program Work Plan Item | Description | Status (February 2023) |
Implement the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan “Main Street” Vision
| Advance the vision in adopted plans and other efforts to date that addresses 38th Avenue between Wadsworth and Sheridan in east Wheat Ridge. | Advance Some Elements in 2023/2024, Requires City Council Policy Direction
City staff are actively advancing The Green on 38th project to advance a strategic element of the “main street” vision. Community input received in Fall 2021 is informing refinement of conceptual plans in 2023 with construction slated for 2024. More information on this project to develop a future public gathering space in front of Stevens Elementary can be found at: https://whatsupwheatridge.com/the-green-at-38th |
| Improve 38th Avenue between Kipling and Youngfield Streets for Walking and Biking | Evaluate preferred concepts followed by developing cost estimates and funding options with a community process. | Advance in 2023/2024, Potentially Budget for 2024, Requires City Council Policy Direction
City staff are finalizing a scope of work for consultant services for the design phase that will include community engagement planned to start in 2023. |
| Implement Targeted 44th Avenue Improvements | Evaluate targeted and cost-effective strategies to improve 44th Avenue east of Wadsworth Boulevard within the City’s public right-of-way. “Targeted” and “cost-effective” would mean working within the existing street configuration, without changing lanes or impacting traffic flow, and without any reconstruction of the street. | Monitor
City Council is scheduled to adopt the 44th Avenue Subarea Plan in spring 2023. The plan provides guidance for any such improvements in the area between Youngfield Street and Clear Creek. City staff intends to explore both short- and long-term opportunities for targeted improvements on 44th Avenue west of Clear Creek in 2023. |
| Improve Youngfield Corridor | Improve the Youngfield Street corridor (for segments within Wheat Ridge) by addressing a range of topics including vehicular traffic flow, walking and biking access and safety, signage, landscaping, and other enhancements. | Advance in 2023/2024
The City’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA) issued bonds in November 2021 to fund improvements. The URA has initiated the design phase and City staff are currently working with a consultant to develop a scope of work, with community engagement planned to start in 2023. The design concepts will address bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular traffic and corridor beautification. Construction will be covered by bond funds and will follow completion of CDOT’s I-70 over 32nd Avenue bridge replacement. |
| Address Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) | Address Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in the City’s zoning regulations, whereas the City does not currently acknowledge these types of units as any different from other types of dwelling units. | Completed in 2022
On July 11, 2022, City Council approved zoning code changes to allow ADUs in all residential zone districts, with standards to address impacts and a process to legalize existing nonconforming ADUs. |
Increase Resources for Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) Program
| Increase funding and/or staffing for this program that includes a community and technical process to evaluate streets for various traffic calming strategies. | Monitor, Requires City Council Direction
City staff are currently evaluating improvements the program, including:
1. A more efficient, clear process for resident-initiated requests; and
2. A tandem process where the City can initiate related projects as needs arise (e.g., areas around schools).
City staff plan to review proposed improvements to the program with City Council in the second quarter of 2023. |
| Improve Otis Street Clear Creek Trail Access | Evaluate improvements around the Otis Street Clear Creek trailhead and in the area leading to it. Improvements could include new wayfinding signage leading to the trailhead from the neighborhood, parking area improvements addressing drainage, and enhanced buffering from I-70. | Completed in 2022/2023
The City was awarded a $196,668 grant from Jefferson County Open Space in early 2022 to support Clear Creek trail improvements, including improvements specifically to the Otis Street trailhead area. The improvements were completed in early 2023. |
| Expand Bulk Plane | Expand current bulk plane rules to apply to more residential areas to regulate building size. More information on the current rules and how they were developed can be found here | Completed in 2022
City Council approved zoning code changes in 2022 that expanded these requirements to all new single-unit homes, additions, and accessory structures in all residential (R-series) zone districts. |
Expand Dumpster and Cleanup Days to Address Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement Issues
| Expand these programs in recognition that they promote both community building and improved property maintenance. More information can be found on this partnership between the City and Localworks here. | Advance in 2023
In 2022, a budget increase from 2021 approved by City Council for this program allowed each event to be extended to accommodate more demand (in years past, people have been turned away whendumpsters fill). City staff and Localworks plan to schedule the 2023 events soon. Information can be found at: https://wearelocalworks.org/ourprograms/tlc-wheat-ridge/. |
Questions or Comments?
Questions about the program? Review the Frequently Asked Questions section, and feel free to email lets-talk@ci.wheatridge.co.us with questions.
Anderson Park Blitz Report (4.18 MB) (pdf)