HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-05-22 Study Session NotesSTUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Hybrid - Virtual Meeting
December 5, 2022
Mayor Bud Starker called the Study Session to order at 6:30 p.m.
This meeting was conducted both as a virtual meeting and hybrid, where some
members of the Council or City staff were physically present at the Municipal building,
and some members of the public attended in person as well. A quorum of members
(eight) of Council were present in Council Chambers for this session.
Mayor Starker welcomed the Council, other elected officials, staff and interested
citizens.
Mayor Starker also explained the virtual/hybrid meeting format, how citizens will have
the opportunity to be heard, and the procedures and policies to be followed.
Council members present Scott Ohm, Amanda Weaver, Judy Hutchinson, Korey Stites,
Valerie Nosler Beck, Janeece Hoppe, Leah Dozeman, and Rachel Hultin.
Also present: City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick; City Treasurer, Chris Miller; City Attorney,
Gerald Dahl; City Manager Patrick Goff; Chief of Police, Chris Murtha; WR Police
Department; Assistant to the City Manager, Marianne Schilling; Director of Parks and
Recreation, Karen O’Donnell, Lauren Mikulak, Interim Director of Community
Development; more than a dozen presenters for the two items on tonight’s agenda;
interested citizens and guests.
Public’s Right to Speak
Susan Woods, 3936 Simms St., a WR resident and a professional urban planner, came
to support the strategic plan that will be presented tonight, to address the housing crisis,
affordable housing and show her support for the City’s efforts. Wheat Ridge has
changed dramatically in the past few decades with population turnover and a trend
toward young families living among older residents. WR also has precious little open
land for development. Consequently, this planning process is essential, and the staff
and czb have done a good job.
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
Members of the public may visit the Wheat Ridge Speaks website and enter written
comments of up to 1,000 words on any Council agenda item. The deadline for the
public to submit comments is 12:00 Noon Mountain Time on the day of a Council
session so that Council members, other elected officials and City Staff have time to
review the comments before the meeting on Monday evening.
The City Clerk’s Office transcribes those Wheat Ridge Speaks comments into these
minutes, placing each comment along with the record for that agenda item.
No comments appeared in Wheat Ridge Speaks for this session of Council.
1. Colorado School of Mines Tabor Lake Trail Presentation
Issue
Throughout 2022, a Colorado School of Mines Capstone Project student team has
conducted public engagement, assessed the area around Tabor Lake, and developed a
design proposal for an accessible, safe, and stable trail around Tabor Lake with related
amenities. Their final project presentation on 12/5 will provide a concise project
overview.
Staff Reports
Grant and Special Project Administrator Brandon Altenburg, delivered to Council a
detailed presentation about this item, and the next steps for bringing it to Council. While
the student work product cannot be accepted and approved as engineering plans, the
professional engineers who will review, approve, and “stamp” the work, the student
work can be provided to a professional engineering firm as baseline work and guidance
to develop stamped plans.
The City has earmarked ARPA funds for the design and construction of the Tabor Lake
Trail and recently learned that Jeffco Open Space Trails Partnership Funds will also be
awarded to help fund this trail project. In 2023, the Department plans to contract with a
design firm to complete the trail design. Trail construction will follow shortly thereafter
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves and with the team from School of Mines, and with staff, who
answered their questions in detail.
CM universally thanked staff for their hard work on this and gave special thanks and
appreciation to the team from the Colorado School of Mines, who came to present this
plan as one step in their senior capstone project. CM recognized the student team for
an excellent presentation and a phenomenal job of engineering planning.
2. Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Issue
This study session is a follow-up to the August 15, 2022, discussion of the Affordable
Housing Strategy and Action Plan. The purpose of this December 5 study session is for
City Council to:
• Review a draft Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan (the “Strategy”).
• Provide feedback on the recommended policies, principles, and actions; and
• Advance towards City Council adoption of the Strategy (early 2023).
Staff Reports
Jeff Hirt, Senior Neighborhood Planner addressed to Council that affordable housing is
one of the City and State’s most pressing issues. The Colorado Department of Local
Affairs (DOLA) awarded the City a grant in October 2021 to complete an Affordable
Housing Strategy and Action Plan. A contract was awarded to the consultant team from
czb, LLC on April 8, 2022, to lead the project.
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves and with staff and the czb consultant team, who answered their
questions in detail.
The czb presentation, supported by a detailed and informative slide deck, generated
several complex questions about what kind of housing might add to the affordable
housing inventory and what family income levels are able to live in Wheat Ridge,
whether renters or homeowners.
CM and czb discussed several methods for making development of affordable housing
attractive to developers and likely to appreciably increase the inventory of affordable
housing in the City. For instance, would creating an R-4 zone for town houses work
well here in WR?
CM universally thanked staff and czb for their hard work on this planning process.
Mayor Starker asked for a consensus to direct staff to return to Council with plans to
implement the recommendations in the czb presentation and written documents
submitted to Council in this meeting packet.
Consensus attained.
3. Staff Report(s)
Nothing further.
4. Elected Officials’ Report(s)
CM Hoppe asked all who can to support the organizations benefitting from Colorado
Gives Day.
Mayor Starker invited the public to the next Coffee with the Mayor, Saturday, December
9 at Vinola’s Italian Deli on 38th Ave. 1 block west of Wadsworth.
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 8:52 p.m.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON December 12, 2022.
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem