Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is listening to the voice of reason from PeakNation™ and announced he will not back the green roof ballot initiative.
Here’s what we said Tuesday:
But when so many cities are battling problems of homelessness, including our own, it seems superfluous to demand that all new builders creates gardens that will certainly hike the purchase or rent price.
Here’s what Hancock said Wednesday:
“We also are very concerned about cost increases to construct and maintain priority projects such as affordable housing, the legality of several parts of the ordinance, and conflicts with existing city building codes,” Hancock wrote.
Minus our snark, it’s the same concern — mandating lovely rooftop gardens on new city buildings is cost prohibitive for renters and buyers.
If the demand is there and the market supports it, the builders will come. But if this ballot measure is passed by voters on Nov. 7, we may end up with a lot of empty new buildings in Denver and no one to care for the rooftop gardens.