The City Council wants to Mayor Mike Johnston to tackle food insecurity by creating a new “food justice fund.”

The fund, the council said, will provide “flexible support for infrastructure, staffing, transportation, cold food storage and culturally relevant food purchasing and distribution.”

The council also wants to see “small acreages” set aside for “local agricultural production,” presumably to expand the reach of programs like the Denver Botanic Gardens CSA.

The recommendation appears aimed at tackling “food deserts,” which advocates describe as areas or neighborhoods that have no access to a grocery store within one mile. Addressing “food deserts” was a major selling point of the proposed Park Hill Golf Course redevelopment, in which property owner Westside Investment Partners agreed to reserve storefront property for a new grocery store.

This council also recommended increasing money available to community boards and commissions. In particular, the council wants board and commission members to be compensated with a “per-meeting stipend.”

In addition, the council said Johnston should consider implementing “reasonable taxes on products harmful to health,” specifically citing alcohol, tobacco, and gasoline.

The council didn’t cite cannabis products in its letter to the mayor.