2026-07-14 - City Council
Summary
Built from the official minutes (Legistar status: Revised, treated as approved). No video is posted.
- Called to order 9:00 AM by President Crow-Iverson; adjourned 6:24 PM. All nine members present; Gold attended virtually.
- Consent Calendar passed 9-0-0-0 (moved by Donelson, seconded by Risley): finally passed stormwater code Ordinances 26-24 and 26-25 and the Marconi Heights rezoning (Ordinance 26-27, 5.24 acres to PF/HS-O); approved the June 9 minutes; adopted Resolution 60-26 on 2027 cemetery fees; Resolution 61-26 setting an August 25 hearing on the Utilities net metering rate case; Resolution 62-26 authorizing acquisition of 845 West Moreno Avenue for the Rio Grande Pump Station relocation; and referred two annexation petitions (7770 Black Forest Road Addition No. 2 and Broadmoor Glen Additions 1-3) to the Administration.
- Recognitions: a District 6 resident honored; Resolution 63-26 declaring July 19 Jack Slocum Day (9-0); Resolution 64-26 designating July as National Park and Recreation Month (9-0); Council appointments to boards, commissions and committees approved 9-0.
- Ethics code revisions postponed within the day (7-2), then approved on first reading as amended, 7-1-1.
- Urban forest code rewrite: both ordinances approved on first reading 8-0-1-0.
- Old Colorado City DDA dissolution postponed to August 25 (5-4); a companion boundary correction approved on first reading 8-1.
- Public hearings: PTAA charter school annexation passed 8-0-0-1 on each item with Risley recused; Kettle Creek annexation passed 9-0-0-0 on each item; Briargate/Voyager multi-family rezoning and land use plan both denied 9-0.
- Eight citizens spoke in the open comment hour on sewer gas, the Utilities chief executive's pay raise, Fourth of July downtown observances, trees in Monument Valley Park, a large data center, variances, Project Taurus and a living wage for Council, gray water, and license plate reader cameras.
Mayor's Business
- Wayne Williams, Chief of Staff: no Council item will be brought for replacing the fire engine totaled in an accident because an advance purchase discount was found; the City helped the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Parade take place; the Creel family will locate a pecan shelling and distribution center at Peak Innovation Park; Sertich Ice Center reopened; the economic development position closes July 16 at 5:00 PM; sales tax rose 4.1 percent last month. He said residents have been sued over a Charter provision setting elections in April and the City plans to defend them.
Ethics Code Revisions
- File 26-211. Risley introduced the ordinance (including the babysitting provision) with Carly Hoff of Legislative Services. Leinweber asked for a de minimis exception for infractions under fifty dollars; Tracy Lessig said the Independent Ethics Commission would still review. Henjum raised the family-in-City-vehicle issue and asked for postponement; Gold did not support the ordinance as written.
- Motion by Donelson, seconded by Risley, to postpone later in the agenda before the public hearings: passed 7-2 (No: Gold, Henjum).
- After revisions (Denver-style language on family members in City vehicles; valets clarified), motion by Donelson, seconded by Williams, to approve as amended on first reading: passed 7-1-1 (No: Henjum; Absent: Gold). No de minimis provision was added.
- Context: the City Auditor's findings were heard the day before at the work session (Elected Official Audit Findings).
Urban Forest Code Rewrite
- Matthew Puckett presented. Amend Article 1 and repeal Article 4 (Donelson, Casey) and create Article 9, Ordinance 26-30 (Henjum, Leinweber): both 8-0-1-0, Rainey Jr. absent.
Old Colorado City DDA Dissolution
- File 26-264. Emily Evans introduced the dissolution ordinance. Williams said it is not personal but a DDA is not the right tool for the area. DDA Vice Chair Allison Daniell asked for more time; attorney Laura Gardner said the DDA lacked time to compare DDA and BID costs. Trevor Gloss said El Paso County had incorrectly collected tax increment financing and Finance was correcting it; Williams said a Plan of Development had been submitted, which could allow debt.
- Motion by Leinweber, seconded by Henjum, to postpone to August 25: passed 5-4 (Aye: Donelson, Gold, Henjum, Leinweber, Rainey Jr.; No: Casey, Crow-Iverson, Risley, Williams).
- File 26-262, correcting the Central Business District boundaries (removing seventeen properties): Rainey said they were erroneously captured and only two other cities have two DDAs. Motion by Donelson, seconded by Risley, first reading: passed 8-1 (No: Rainey Jr.).
PTAA Charter School Annexation
- 14.12 acres at Stetson Hills Boulevard and North Marksheffel Road. Risley recused. Resolution 65-26, annexation ordinance and zoning ratification ordinance each passed 8-0-0-1.
Kettle Creek Annexation
- 19.88 acres at Kettle Creek Road and Old Ranch Road. Resolution 66-26, annexation, R-Flex Medium zoning and land use plan each passed 9-0-0-0. Questions on water, utility costs, Old Ranch Road widening and child safety walking to the middle school.
Briargate Voyager Multi-Family Rezone
- Ordinance 26-26 and the multi-family land use plan at 1625 Springcrest Road, with two supporters and ten opponents. Motions to deny by Casey (seconded by Henjum, then Donelson) passed 9-0 each; Casey, Donelson, Henjum and Rainey gave traffic, compatibility and safety reasons.
Other items
- Net Metering Rate Case: Resolution 61-26 on consent set the August 25 hearing.
- Rio Grande Pump Station acquisition and cemetery fee resolutions passed on consent with no discussion recorded.
- The citizen comment on Project Taurus relates to Project Taurus Data Center.