Residents of the Cole neighborhood urged Denver City Council during the July 28 general public comment period to delay consideration of a for‑profit developer’s proposed affordable housing project at 30 Fifth and Gilpin pending mediation.

Speakers said the project, described in the transcript as a four‑story building with 63 units tied to rezone application 20 24 12, would be out of scale in a predominantly one‑ to two‑story area and would worsen parking near two nearby schools.

Jessica Velez told council that the Community Planning and Housing Committee would hear the developer “tomorrow” and said many neighbors had been unaware of the proposal until after the city’s notice. “This project has been rushed and the neighbors feel sidelined,” Velez said, adding that neighbors who would be most directly affected include people who historically have been marginalized.

Nancy Perez, who said she has lived in the neighborhood her whole life and cares for elderly parents nearby, said a four‑story building and the proposed 63 units “would not fit our neighborhood” and that the project lacks adequate parking. Perez said parking is already difficult for her elderly parents and that drop‑off and pickup at nearby schools would make parking worse.

Velez also told council she understood the developer had agreed to attend mediation with neighborhood representatives and asked that the project not be recommended to move forward until mediation “has taken place and you have heard real concerns from the marginalized neighbors who will be adversely affected.” The transcript records this as her understanding; no city action or decision on the project was recorded during the July 28 public comment session.

Why it matters: the item is before the Community Planning and Housing Committee; residents said the project’s scale, parking impacts, and the process by which notice and outreach were handled raise equity and neighborhood‑compatibility concerns. Commenters asked city decision‑makers to prioritize direct engagement with affected residents before advancing the rezoning request.

Next steps: Velez said the Committee would hear the developer the following day; speakers asked council members and staff to ensure mediation and direct outreach occur before any formal recommendation to move the rezone forward.