International Church of Cannabis continues battle with city of Denver over sculpture

DENVER — The back-and-forth battle to maintain a symbolic piece of art work up at a Denver home of worship continues.

Final week, we instructed you a couple of sculpture in entrance of the Worldwide Church of Hashish that was stirring up controversy within the Washington Park neighborhood.

Town instructed Steve Berke, the church’s founder, the brilliant pink sculpture in entrance of the church at 400 South Logan is unsafe and poses a hazard to drivers. The sculpture was put in about 4 months in the past.

Berk stated town instructed him that he had two weeks to use for a allow. However now he stated town’s Division of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) is telling him the art work has to go.

Denver7 spoke to a vacationer, Jason Pollock, who stopped to admire it on Sunday afternoon.

“I believe it’s a lovely piece of artwork,” Pollock stated.

The very distinctive home of worship has change into an enormous vacationer hotspot because it opened in 2017. It isn’t your typical church. The congregation makes use of hashish as a sacrament.

“We named our faith ‘Elevationism’ as a result of we imagine that folks ought to try to elevate themselves to a greater model of self,” Berke stated.

He stated the sculpture has nice which means for his congregation and claimed town was going to bulldoze the artwork piece if it wasn’t eliminated.

Worldwide Church of Hashish continues battle with metropolis of Denver over sculpture

However in a press release, DOTI disputes these claims:

“The concept of us bulldozing in two weeks is ridiculous and wouldn’t align with any established practices,” the assertion learn.

The division additionally claims that Berke could also be confused in regards to the two-week window for a allow.

“The instruction the church obtained was to achieve out to our allowing crew inside two weeks – to not “get” the allow in two weeks,” the DOTI assertion learn.

A couple of days after the Denver7 story aired, Berke stated he bought one other e-mail from DOTI, that stated partially:

“Though we can not forestall any utility for Encroachment Allow to the Metropolis, we have now taken the time to assessment picture and inspector notes from the sphere, and have fairly decided that the sculpture as put in doesn’t meet minimal placement, peak, and car sight line standards of the Encroachment Guidelines & Rules. Even if you happen to want to skip really useful Steps 1-3 above, it’s anticipated {that a} formal Encroachment Allow utility for the present sculpture as put in might be denied subsequently the present set up isn’t permittable in its present location. Our really useful Steps above will forestall losing your time and payment cost awaiting preliminary outcomes of the allow assessment, when it’s already generally known as not a permittable location,” the DOTI e-mail learn.

“So you may apply for the allow. However we have already predetermined that we’ll reject it,” Berke stated. “So “It is already decided that this sculpture cannot be right here.”

Berke stated he would not agree and would not perceive why it has already been decided the applying could be denied.

“Whether or not you’re going right here on Dakota Avenue or coming from Logan Avenue, the automobiles on Logan avenue are extra of an encroachment than the sculpture,” Berke stated.

We requested folks within the space what they thought.

Pollock stated he didn’t imagine the sculpture was a hazard.

“By no means,” he stated. “I believe it is lovely.”

Scott Donahoe, who’s an engineer engaged on drainage within the space stated he additionally believed it wasn’t impacting something.

“I believe the parked automobiles are extra in the best way than the sculpture,” Donahoe stated. “I don’t see it being a difficulty.”

Berke stated he is ready to place up a struggle towards town’s calls for.

“Artwork is artwork. There are not any parameters on the dimensions of artwork this isn’t simply artwork to us. It’s a non secular image, and right here to ascertain our proper to have spiritual liberty and freedom,” he stated. “This can be a holy sculpture, in response to Elevationists. They view this as a logo of spiritual freedom and it ought to keep.”