Local Politics
  1. Home
  2. US
  3. Colorado
  4. Colorado Springs
  5. Meetings

2026-09-08 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (Legistar status Final). The regular meeting began at the end of the same day's 2026-09-08 - City Council Work Session.

  • President Crow-Iverson called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM; all nine members present. Adjourned at 3:54 PM.
  • Consent Calendar passed 9-0 (motion by Risley, seconded by Casey) after item 4B.B (August 25 minutes) was pulled at the request of Williams. It finally passed ordinances 26-39 (Briargate Center Business Improvement District board vacancies), 26-46 and 26-47 (claims management and workers' compensation), approved on first reading the two Utilities bond ordinances (26-49 and 26-50), approved the August 24 special meeting minutes, and adopted Resolution 73-26 supporting a Great Outdoors Colorado grant agreement for the COS Creek Plan feasibility study (Erin Powers and Rich Mulledy presenting).
  • The August 25 minutes were approved 9-0 as amended: Williams asked that her comment on the Old Colorado City DDA read that the establishing ordinance in November 2024 appointed the initial five board members.
  • The Old Colorado City DDA dissolution ordinance (26-48) was postponed to the September 22 meeting (9-0) after a 6-3 vote to allow public comment on second reading.
  • Business licensing rewrite: ordinances 26-52, 26-53 and 26-54 each approved on first reading 9-0.
  • Utility liens ordinance (26-51) approved on first reading 9-0.
  • Council Engagement Program dissolved by Resolution 75-26 (9-0).
  • Use variance for a coffee shop at 16 E. Platte Avenue approved 9-0.
  • Banning Lewis Ranch Villages B2 and C: all 17 land-use actions (rezonings, right-of-way vacations, concept and land use plans, master plan modification and six development standards adjustments) passed 9-0.
  • Buckingham Drive rezoning to light industrial (Ordinance 26-38, with data centers prohibited) finally passed 7-2 (the minutes header says 8-2).
  • Recognitions: Resolution 74-26 honoring September 11, 2026 as a Day of Remembrance (9-0); Suicide Prevention Month joint proclamation; board and commission appointments approved 9-0.
  • 4A (second presentation, finally passed): Ordinance 26-39 filling vacancies on the Briargate Center BID board of directors (presented by planners Allison Stocker and Kevin Walker); Ordinances 26-46 and 26-47, see Claims Management Code Amendments.
  • 4B (first presentation): Utilities bond ordinances 26-49 (refunding, not to exceed $225,000,000) and 26-50 (improvement bonds, not to exceed $330,000,000 tax-exempt and $140,000,000 taxable), see Utilities Revenue Bond Issuance; Resolution 73-26 for the Great Outdoors Colorado grant; August 24 minutes.
  • Day of Remembrance: Casey read the resolution; Donelson noted the 25th anniversary. Adopted 9-0 (Gold, Rainey Jr.).
  • Suicide Prevention Month: Leinweber and Mayor Yemi Mobolade presented the joint proclamation; community partners spoke. Henjum announced a Race Against Suicide on September 20.
  • Boards, commissions and committees appointments (Audit Committee and Historic Preservation Board among them) presented by Crow-Iverson; motion by Gold, seconded by Rainey; passed 9-0.
  • Mayor's business (Wayne Williams, Chief of Staff): 9/11 events; Colorado Springs Airport nominated for best small airport; work with CDOT on dedicated left turn lanes in the Flying Horse area; the City is meeting its 2019 ADA settlement requirements this year; Park System Master Plan open for comment; Mayor's Cup raised $40,000 for youth homelessness; swearing-in of Chief Municipal Judge Kristen Hoffecker on September 10; groundbreaking for a temple on September 12.

Utility Service Liens

  • Patrick Malone presented the ordinance amending City Code Section 113 (Collection of Charges and Remedies); Renee Congdon of the City Attorney's Office identified legal information. Donelson asked whether it protects smaller rate payers. Motion by Henjum, seconded by Donelson, approved on first reading 9-0.

Old Colorado City DDA Dissolution

  • Emily Evans introduced Ordinance 26-48. Henjum, Leinweber and Donelson asked for public comment; Crow-Iverson declined because the item was noticed as having none.
  • Stepan, chair of the OCC DDA board, said the 5 mill levy is essential, the board passed a resolution to send the question to the ballot in 2027 (November), and the DDA intends to redraw its boundaries; if the levy fails it will move forward with dissolution. The DDA would pay for the election; debt would be forgiven if the levy fails; a BID would not fund a paid executive director.
  • Motion by Henjum, seconded by Donelson, to allow public comment on second reading: passed 6-3 (Aye: Donelson, Gold, Henjum, Leinweber, Rainey Jr., Williams; No: Casey, Crow-Iverson, Risley).
  • Motion by Williams, seconded by Casey, to postpone to September 22 so residents told there would be no comment can speak: passed 9-0.

Council Engagement Program Dissolution

  • Blongshia Lindsay presented Resolution 75-26 repealing Resolution 30-14. Gold noted the item was off the Consent Calendar so the program's former chair could comment, but he could not attend. Motion by Williams, seconded by Risley; adopted 9-0.

Business License Code Rewrite

  • Lee McRae presented three ordinances (26-52 Article 1, 26-53 Article 3, 26-54 Article 4 renamed Adult Use Businesses); Henjum said the City Clerk's Office had briefed her. Each approved on first reading 9-0 (Henjum moved all three; seconded by Rainey, Gold and Rainey).

Woodmen Valley Chapel Coffee Shop Use Variance

  • Public hearing on a use variance for a coffee shop at 16 E. Platte Avenue (R-5 zone, about 0.91 acres). Ryan Tefertiller presented; Leinweber disclosed he attends the church. Motion by Henjum, seconded by Donelson; approved 9-0. No public comment.

Buckingham Drive Industrial Rezone

  • Ordinance 26-38 (7.79 acres, BP/cr to LI/cr). Molly O'Brien presented, including the Council-requested restriction on data centers. Donelson said he would vote no because the property should not be light industrial. Motion by Henjum, seconded by Casey, finally passed 7-2 (Aye: Casey, Crow-Iverson, Henjum, Leinweber, Rainey Jr., Risley, Williams; No: Donelson, Gold). The vote line reads 8-2-0-0 in the minutes, but only nine members voted and the roll lists seven ayes.

Banning Lewis Ranch Village B2 Zoning and Banning Lewis Ranch Village C Zoning

  • Both hearings drew no public comment. Tamara Baxter presented; Don Ryan (LAA Design Group) and Oakwood Homes representatives spoke for the applicant. All motions passed 9-0.
  • Village B2 (Council District 6): Ordinance 26-40 (501.99 acres to a planned development zone, 3.5 to 7.99 dwelling units per acre, 35-foot maximum height); Ordinance 26-41 (9.2 acres to MX-M); Ordinance 26-42 (vacating 35.86 acres of rights-of-way); the 9.2-acre commercial concept plan; the master plan major modification (511.9 acres); and the PDZ concept plan.
  • Village C (District 6): Ordinance 26-43 (546.79 acres to R-Flex Medium); Ordinance 26-44 (111.54 acres to MX-M); Ordinance 26-45 (vacating 25.85 acres of rights-of-way); the land use plan (658.34 acres); and development standards adjustments for density range 3 to 16 units per acre, minimum lot area 1,000 square feet per unit, second and third floor setback encroachments of 2 feet, 10-foot corner side setbacks, 5-foot side yards and covered porch encroachments up to 5 feet.

Citizen discussion

  • Kyle McGuffey spoke against allowing Project Taurus, a large data center (Project Taurus Data Center). Another speaker said the City's roughly 400 churches should shelter people experiencing homelessness. No executive session.

Sources