HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-07-22 Study Session VIRTUAL FINALSTUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Virtual Meeting
February 7, 2022
Mayor Bud Starker called the Study Session to order at 6:30 p.m.
This meeting was conducted as a VIRTUAL MEETING.
No members of the Council or City staff were physically present at the Municipal
building for this meeting; the public did not attend in person.
Mayor Starker welcomed the Council, other elected officials, staff and interested
citizens.
The Mayor also explained the virtual 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,
Rachel Hultin, Leah Dozeman, Valerie Nosler Beck, Janeece Hoppe.
Also present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; City Attorney Jerry Dahl; City Clerk, Steve
Kirkpatrick; City Treasurer, Chris Miller; Chief of Police, Chris Murtha; Director of
Administration, Allison Scheck; Director of Community Development, Ken Johnstone;
other guests and interested citizens.
Citizen’s Right to Speak
No one came forward to speak tonight.
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
Citizens 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 citizens 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,
including items that include a public hearing (verbatim, if the comments do not
contain lascivious language or unlawful hate speech).
No comments appeared in Wheat Ridge Speaks for this session.
1. Disorderly House Ordinance
Discussion began at 6:32 pm, Approx. :02 minutes into the recording of the session.
Issue
From time to time, a house or apartment will become the center of discontent in a
neighborhood or apartment complex. Criminal activity and code violations will affect the
quality of life in the surrounding community. Some of the calls for service that we see
are assaults, narcotic violations, weapons violations, stolen vehicles, vehicle break-ins,
excessive trash, weeds and unkept property. Police and Code Enforcement officers
have limited ability to address individual complaints and violations. Due to multiple
tenants, subletters and associated people, we are often unable to determine the
suspect in the violation. We need the tools to address the underlying issues. The
underlying issues are often related to property owners and/or tenants that are
disengaged from the community. One group of tenants will leave and, another will
come in and, the problems will begin again. More often than not, these homes have
multiple, unrelated people living in them.
Staff Reports
Jonathan Pickett, Patrol Commander spoke on the item, giving background information
on the current city ordinance they use to address the core issue of such residences is
15-26 Disorderly House. The ordinance addresses problems such as maximum
occupancy, disproportionate calls compared to other residences in the area, and code
violations.
Items included:
Maximum occupancy
Disproportionate calls compared to other residences in the area
Code violations
Mr. Dahl also gave information about Chronic Nuisance Ordinances (CNO) in other
jurisdictions
Staff recommends that the City Attorney and Police department continue this research
and prepare options to add to or replace current Ordinances that would assist in
addressing property owners that are unwilling to assist with keeping or creating a safe
community.
2. Street Racing
Discussion of this item began at approximately pm
Issue
Staff Reports
Consensuses attained.
Staff Report(s)
Discussion began at pm,
Elected Officials’ Report(s)
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Clerk Kirkpatrick
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 9:11 PM.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON February 14, 2022.
_____________________________
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
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Rachel Hultin, Mayor Pro Tem