DENVER — Following a series of 22 public outreach events earlier this year, the City and County of Denver has completed its initial draft of the Denver Food Vision, a policy document intended to guide the development of the city’s food system. The document is open for public review and comment from now through January 31, 2017.
The Denver Food Vision sets forth an ambitious, comprehensive approach to further develop Denver’s food system. The first document of its kind for Denver—and one of only about a dozen nationwide—the vision includes priorities, strategies and winnable goals to provide direction related to land use, public investment and public-private partnerships. The vision focuses on the multiple ways food makes Denver more inclusive, healthy, vibrant and resilient.
“From farm to table, Denver’s food system presents an incredible opportunity to strengthen the health of our communities, as well as promote business development and job creation,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “Through this community vision, we will have a solid framework in place to help guide public and private resources to build a stronger, more resilient Denver.
Priorities detailed in the 35-page vision include:
- Invest in building complete neighborhood food environments
- Encourage community food production and sharing
- Improve access to a wide variety of healthy food options
- Ensure that healthy food is affordable for everyone
- Promote healthy food environments and education for youth
- Increase community food demand for healthy foods
- Promote Denver as an epicenter for the food economy
- Support the creation, expansion and success of food businesses in Denver
- Spur innovation and entrepreneurship across food and agricultural industries
- Preserve remaining regional food system assets and infrastructure
- Promote environmentally responsible and climate smart food systems
The City and County of Denver will present key highlights of the draft vision and collect feedback at the following public meetings:
Thursday, January 12, 2017
3-4:30 p.m.
Mile High United Way, 711 Park Avenue West
Thursday, January 12, 2017
6-7:30 p.m.
Commons on Champa, 1245 Champa St.
Feedback can also be submitted via the following online survey, or by emailing questions or comments to [email protected]. Public comments will be collected through January 31, 2017.
Development of the Denver Food Vision was guided by the Denver Sustainable Food Policy Council, in conjunction with Denver City Council members, 92 community and industry co-sponsors, and an interagency working group that included the Department of Community Planning and Development, Office of Economic Development, Denver Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Office of Children’s Affairs, Denver Human Services, and CSU Extension Denver County.
The public engagement process for the development of the draft plan featured 11 community listening sessions and 11 focus groups with businesses across the local food supply chain. The process generated 4,918 comments from hundreds of residents and businesses across the city.
The Denver Office of Economic Development (OED) is dedicated to advancing economic prosperity for the City of Denver, its businesses, neighborhoods and residents. Working with a wide variety of community partners, OED operates to create a local environment that stimulates balanced growth through job creation, business assistance, housing options, neighborhood redevelopment and the development of a skilled workforce.
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