HomeMy WebLinkAbout1-09-23 City Council Meeting Agenda PacketAGENDA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO January 9, 2023
7:00 p.m. This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting, and in person, at 7500 West 29th Avenue, Municipal Building, if allowed to meet on that date per COVID-19 restrictions. Some members of the City Council or City staff will be physically present at the Municipal building for this meeting. The public may participate in these ways:
1. Attend the meeting in person at City Hall. Use the appropriate roster to sign up to speak upon arrival
2. Provide comment in advance at www.wheatridgespeaks.org
(comment by noon on January 9, 2023).
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• Click here to join or provide public comments.
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Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings
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Information Officer at
303-235-2877 or wrpio@ci.wheatridge.co.us with as much notice as possible.
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
APPROVAL OF MINUTES October 10, 2022 City Council Mtg. Minutes
November 28, 2022 City Council Mtg. Minutes
December 12, 2022 City Council Mtg. Minutes December 19, 2022 Study Session Notes
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: January 9, 2023
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
PROCLAMATIONS AND CEREMONIES
Youth Art Scholarships Awards
PUBLICS’ RIGHT TO SPEAK
a. Public may speak on any matter not on the Agenda for a maximum of 3 minutes under Publics’ Right to Speak. Please speak up to be heard when directed by the Mayor.
b. Members of the Public who wish to speak on a Public Hearing item or
Decision, Resolution, or Motion may speak when directed by the Mayor at the conclusion of the staff report for that specific agenda item.
c. Members of the Public may comment on any agenda item in writing by noon on the day of the meeting at www.WheatRidgeSpeaks.org. Comments made on
Wheat Ridge Speaks are considered part of the public record.
1.CONSENT AGENDA
a. Motion to approve payment to Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA) for 2023 property/casualty premium in the amount of $372,363.16
b. Motion to approve payment to Pinnacol Assurance for 2023 workers’ compensation premium in the amount of $263,946
c. Motion to approve monthly payments to Colorado Employer Benefit Trust (CEBT) for 2023 medical, dental, employee assistance program and life insurance membership billing in an amount not to exceed $2,335,000
d. Resolution No. 01-2023 - a resolution designating the municipal building main
entrance display cabinet as the official public notice posting location and the Jeffco Transcript as the official newspaper of general circulation for the city publications in 2023
e. Resolution No. 03-2023 – a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2023 Renewal
Wheat Ridge Bond Projects Fund to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $153,531 for the purpose of extending the contract for professional services to AECOM Technical Services, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,987,068 and approving subsequent payments for
ongoing program management services for the Investing 4 the Future Program
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING NONE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: January 9, 2023
ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING
2. Council Bill No. 01-2023 - an ordinance approving the first amendment to the site
lease agreement with Verizon Wireless for use of the municipal building cellular
tower
3. Council Bill No. 02-2023 - an ordinance approving the first amendment to the site lease agreement with T-Mobile West, LLC, for use of the municipal building
cellular tower
4. Council Bill No. 03-2023 - an ordinance approving the first amendment to the
amended and restated site lease agreement with new Cingular Wireless PCS,
LLC for use of the municipal building cellular tower
DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS, AND MOTIONS
5. Resolution No. 02-2023 – a resolution adopting the Wheat Ridge Affordable
Housing Strategy and Action Plan as a guiding document to address housing
affordability in Wheat Ridge
CITY MANAGER’S MATTERS
CITY ATTORNEY’S MATTERS
ELECTED OFFICIALS’ MATTERS
ADJOURN TO SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
City Council Meeting Minutes
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
7500 WEST 29TH AVENUE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING
October 10, 2022
Note: 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. Eight members of Council were present in Council Chambers for this session. Before calling the meeting to order,
Mayor Starker stated the rules and procedures necessitated by this meeting format.
Mayor Starker called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
Judy Hutchinson Scott Ohm Rachel Hultin Janeece Hoppe
Amanda Weaver Korey Stites Leah Dozeman Valerie Nosler Beck
Also, present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; City Attorney Gerald Dahl; City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick; Chief of Police, Chris Murtha; Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell; Director of Public Works, Maria D’Andrea; Project Manager Lauren Mikulak; Assistant to the City Manager, Marianne Schilling, other staff, guests and interested
citizens.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
None Tonight
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Without objection or correction, the agenda stood as announced.
PROCLAMATIONS AND CEREMONIES
None Tonight
PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO SPEAK
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 2
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 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 address a public hearing (verbatim, if the comments do not contain lascivious language or unlawful hate speech)
No comments appeared in WR Speaks for this session of Council.
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING
None Tonight
ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING
1. Council Bill No. 18-2022 – An Ordinance amending Sections 2-89 and 11-565 of
the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to provide an administrative subpoena process
for hotel licensing
CM Nosler Beck introduced Council Bill 18-2022
Issue
This Council Bill amends the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to authorize the issuance of
administrative subpoenas for records related to hotel licensing requirements.
Motion by CM Nosler Beck to approve Council Bill 18-2022, an ordinance amending Sections 2-89 and 11-565 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to provide an administrative subpoena process for hotel licensing, on first reading, ordered in
published, public hearing set for Monday, November 14, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. as a virtual
meeting and in City Council Chambers if allowed to meet in person on that date per COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect 15 days after final publication; seconded by CM ; motion carried 8-0
2. Council Bill No. 19-2022 – An Ordinance amending Sections 2-89 and 11-565 of
the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to provide an administrative subpoena process
for hotel licensing
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 3
CM Hoppe introduced Council Bill 19-2022
Issue
This Ordinance amends the City’s land use code to require that a plat note be affixed on
resubdivisions of property advising that race and religion-based covenants on real property are illegal and unenforceable.
Motion by CM Hoppe to approve Council Bill 19-2022, an ordinance amending Article IV of Chapter 26 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws, concerning requirements for final subdivision plats, and in connection therewith, addressing race and religion-based
covenants on title, on first reading, ordered in published, public hearing set for Monday,
December 12, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers if allowed to meet in person on that date per COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect 15 days after final publication; seconded by CM ; motion carried 8-0
DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS
3. Motion to cancel the November 7, 2022 Study Session of the Wheat Ridge City Council
CM Hultin introduced the Motion.
Issue
The Study Session of November 7, 2022 is the night before the 2022 General Election. The Council Chambers in City Hall will be utilized by Jefferson County as a polling location. Election equipment will be set up in Council Chambers the weekend before the election. Due to election integrity and security concerns, the Council Chambers will not
be available for the November 7th study session.
Staff Presentation
Mr. Goff spoke on the proposed motion, stating how the council chambers will be used by the County Elections office as a polling location and needs to be kept secure while the machines are present.
Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment. No citizens appeared in
chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted to speak through the Zoom format.
Public Comment
No one came forward to speak.
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 4
Council Questions and Comments
CM Hultin
CM Ohm
CM Weaver
CM Stites
Motion by CM Hultin to cancel the November 7, 2022 study session of the Wheat Ridge City Council, seconded by CM, motion carried 8-0.
4. Resolution No. 39-2022 - A Resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2022 General
Fund Budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $39,931 for the purpose of purchasing and installing three HVAC units at the Anderson Building
CM Weaver introduced Resolution 39-2022.
Issue
An evaluation of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) mechanical
systems serving the Anderson Building revealed that most components are past their expected useful life and are operating inefficiently. There is a potential for failure to occur which would result in an inability to heat the classrooms, office, and lobby
effectively enough to allow occupation through the winter months. It may also result in
indoor temperatures dropping to levels low enough to endanger water piping and other plumbing infrastructure.
Staff Presentation
New Director of Public Works Maria D’Andrea gave a brief background on the item where she reported that in 2019, the Anderson Building underwent an upgrade to
improve the aesthetic of the facility. This renovation created a space that is more
appealing to employees and visitors, aiding in the ability to increase Parks and Recreation programming for the facility. Increased programming has the potential to increase the Parks and Recreation department revenue.
Replacement of the domestic boiler and two furnaces will heat the Anderson Building
more effectively and efficiently. Energy efficiency will be significantly improved by installing new equipment, reducing the operating costs associated with heating the facility. It will also ensure that programming can continue throughout the winter months, without the need to shut the facility down if existing equipment fails.
Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment.
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 5
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted
to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions
There were none.
Motion by CM Weaver to approve Resolution No. 37-2022 - a resolution amending the fiscal year 2022 General Fund budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $39,931 for the purpose of purchasing and installing
three HVAC units at the Anderson Building, seconded by CM , the motion carried 8-0.
5. Motion to award contract and approve subsequent payments of $259,210 to
Western States Reclamation for the Clear Creek Trail Maintenance Replacement
Project
CM Dozeman introduced the Motion.
Issue
In February of this year, the City received grant funds through the Jefferson County Open Space Trails Partnership Program for Clear Creek Trail Improvements. The full project includes upgrading sections of trail from asphalt to concrete, repairs and
improvements at the Otis Street trailhead and trail connection, wayfinding signage, and
other safety improvements.
This motion is specifically to award the contract to Western States Reclamation for the portion of the project that will upgrade sections of trail from asphalt to concrete. There were seven submissions associated with the Invitation to Bid. Western States Reclamation was the lowest bidder at $259,210.
Staff Presentation
Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell gave a brief presentation summarizing the prior actions, and financial impact where this is budgeted in the Open Space Fund (Fund 32) and is supported by grant funds through the Jefferson County
Open Space Trails Partnership Program. If this motion is not approved, this project will
be postponed until 2023 due to weather requirements related to concrete work. Not
completing the work in 2022 will almost certainly result in increased costs due to the current market conditions.
Included were the background where the Clear Creek Trail is heavily used and highly valued by Wheat Ridge residents as a regional trail within the Jefferson County trails
plan. Feedback from the bi-annual citywide resident survey and the Let’s Talk Resident
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 6
Engagement Program affirms this. The 2021 resident survey showed that 2/3 of respondents used the Clear Creek Trail in the last year. Each of the Let’s Talk
Program’s focus neighborhoods to date have told the City that bicycle and pedestrian
access and safety to and around the Clear Creek Trail is a top tier issue. Improving the Otis Street trailhead was a specific need identified by Leppla Manor residents, and this project would address that need. Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment where no citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue.
Public Comment
No one came forward to speak neither in person nor on the zoom format.
Council Questions
CM Hultin
CM Ohm
Motion by CM Dozeman to award contract and approve subsequent payments of
$259,210 to Western States Reclamation for the Clear Creek Trail Maintenance
Replacement Project, seconded by CM, motion carried 8-0.
6. Motion approving the appointment of an administrative hearing officer for a
hearing for the protest of the Certification of Insufficiency for the Referendum
Petition for Ordinance 1744
CM Hutchinson introduced the Motion
Issue
Appointment of Judge Paul Basso as the presiding administrative hearing officer for the protest hearing for the Certification of Insufficiency for the Referendum Petition for Ordinance 1744
Staff Presentation
City Attorney Gerald Dahl spoke briefly on the item where on September 16, 2022, City of Wheat Ridge City Clerk Steve Kirkpatrick delivered via email a Certification of Insufficiency for the Referendum Petition for Ordinance 1744 to the Mayor and Council. On October 4, 2022, six individuals jointly filed a timely protest of the Certification of
Insufficiency with the Clerk’s office.
The protest process is controlled by state statute. C.R.S. § 31-11-110. Clerk Kirkpatrick must mail a copy of the protest to the designated petition representatives with a notice fixing a time for a hearing that is five (5) to ten (10) days from the date that the Clerk’s notice of protest is mailed. C.R.S. § 31-11-110(1). Clerk Kirkpatrick has requested a
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 7
hearing officer be appointed in his stead to oversee proceedings. The City Attorney’s and City Clerk’s offices worked cooperatively in recommending an administrative
hearing officer who possesses both familiarity with City proceedings and the required
calendar availability for the protest hearing
Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment and no citizens appeared in chambers or in the virtual format to address this issue.
Public Comment
No one came forward to speak.
Council Questions
CM
CM CM
Motion by CM Hutchinson to approve the appointment of Judge Paul Basso, pursuant
to C.R.S. § 31-11-110(3), as the administrative hearing officer for the protest hearing for
the Certification of Insufficiency for the Referendum Petition for Ordinance 1744, seconded by CM , motion carried 8-0.
CITY MANAGER’S MATTERS
Mr. Goff
CITY ATTORNEY’S MATTERS
None
ELECTED OFFICIALS’ MATTERS
CC Kirkpatrick
CM Nosler Beck.
CM Stites a
CM Dozeman
CM Ohm
CM Weaver
City Council Minutes October 10, 2022 page 8
CM Hoppe
CM Hultin.
Mayor Starker spoke about the 3-week hiatus; our next session in 3 weeks. Please,
drive carefully
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at pm.
_____________________________
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON January 9, 2023
______________________________
Rachel Hultin, Mayor Pro Tem
The preceding Minutes were prepared according to §47 of Robert’s Rules of Order, i.e.,
they contain a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.
City Council Meeting Minutes
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 WEST 29TH AVENUE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING
November 28, 2022
Note: 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. Eight members of Council were present in Council Chambers for this session. Before calling the meeting to order, Mayor Starker stated the rules and procedures necessitated by this meeting format.
Mayor Starker called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
Judy Hutchinson Scott Ohm Rachel Hultin Janeece Hoppe*
Amanda Weaver* Korey Stites Leah Dozeman Valerie Nosler Beck*
Also, present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; City Attorney Gerald Dahl; City Clerk, Steve
Kirkpatrick; Chief of Police, Chris Murtha; Administrative Services Director, Allison
Scheck; Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell; Director of Public Works, Maria D’Andrea; Interim Director of Comm. Development, Lauren Mikulak; Assistant to the City Manager, Marianne Schilling, other staff, guests and interested citizens. 1
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The City Council Minutes of November 14, 2022 were approved as published.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Without objection or correction, the agenda stood as announced
PROCLAMATIONS AND CEREMONIES
None Tonight
PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO SPEAK
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 citizens to submit comments is 12:00 Noon Mountain Time on the day of a
*Attended and fully participated via Zoom.
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 address a public hearing (verbatim, if the comments do not contain lascivious language or unlawful hate speech)
The following comments appeared in Wheat Ridge Speaks for this session of Council:
Joel Minor
• Nov 25, 2022 ∙ 9:58pm
Dear City Council, I live in Wheat Ridge at 38th and Carr. My fiancée and I moved
into our home exactly a year ago today. We love everything about living here except one thing -- the lack of municipal compost! Like many of our neighbors in Wheat
Ridge, we love having a big yard to grow vegetables and flowers. But that means we generate a lot of yard waste! I previously lived in Denver where I paid for opt-in
municipal compost pickup, and my parents have used a similar municipal compost service in Lafayette for years. This summer, I actually drove my yard waste over to a friend's house in Edgewater because Edgewater has municipal pickup compost. All those systems work really well, and it would be great if Wheat Ridge could follow Denver, Lafayette, Edgewater, and other metro area cities and set up a municipal compost system. Wheat Ridge does offer the Scraps program, but it has major limitations. We tried opting into Scraps for the first few months we lived here, but it only takes small buckets of kitchen scraps. It wasn't really worth the hassle (or carbon footprint) of driving bags of kitchen scraps over to the rec center once a week, and it
didn't make a dent in our yard waste. I created a backyard compost bin earlier this Spring, which is great. But it can only accommodate a small volume of our total yard
waste. So municipal compost really seems to be the best option. The good news is that there is funding available for cities like Wheat Ridge! I work for the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). A part of CDPHE that I do not work with directly, the Front Range Waste Diversion Board, is currently offering
a grant opportunity for municipalities like Wheat Ridge to get funding for municipal composting and recycling options. I hope that City Council will encourage the staff to look at that grant opportunity (if they aren't already) as a way of getting funding for municipal pick up compost in Wheat Ridge. Here is a link to the Front Range Waste Diversion grant program: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/front-range-waste-diversion#Request Thank you, Joel Minor
3835 Carr St
Wheat Ridge, 80033
CONSENT AGENDA
None tonight
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING
1. Council Bill No. 20-2022 - an ordinance amending Sections 22-58 and 22-67 of
the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to establish an exemption from the city’s Sales
and Use Tax for carryout bag fees enacted by the State of Colorado
CM Ohm introduced Council Bill 20-2022
Issue
The Colorado State Legislature adopted a carryout bag fee effective January 1, 2023
which by January 1, 2024 prohibits all retailers, with a few specific exceptions, from providing single-use plastic bags. Carryout bag fees are currently subject to local sales tax. As a home-rule City, Wheat Ridge is able to establish its own laws including the
ability to exempt from taxation certain goods and services. The attached ordinance enacts such an exemption for the City.
Mayor Starker opened the public hearing.
City Clerk Steve Kirkpatrick assigned Ordinance No. 1749.
Staff Presentation
City of Wheat Ridge Finance Manager, Mark Colvin presented the background on the
Bulk plane where beginning January 1, 2023, stores may furnish a paper or plastic bag to customers for a fee of $0.10 minimum (or a higher fee if so prescribed by the local jurisdiction). Beginning January 1, 2024, stores may no longer provide single use plastic bags and may only provide carryout bags made from recycled paper. Stores are required to remit 60% of the carryout bag fee to the local jurisdiction on a quarterly
basis.
The City Finance team also recommends exempting the carryout bag from taxation for the following reasons:
1) as provisions are in place for the City to receive 60% of the fee to cover costs, taxation is unnecessary; and
2) exempting the bag fee from taxation will assist local businesses in complying with this new law as it reduces their administrative burden
Per City of Wheat Ridge Code Section 22-21, bag fees are taxable. However, members of the City Finance team serve on a Colorado Municipal League (CML) committee that
discusses and collaborates on issues pertaining to taxation and licensing. That CML sponsored group recommends exempting the carryout bag fee from taxation.
The Mayor reviewed the procedures for public comments.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions and comments
None.
Mayor Starker closed the public hearing.
Motion by CM Ohm to approve Council Bill No. 20-2022 - an ordinance amending Sections 22-58 and 22-67 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to establish an exemption from the city’s Sales and Use Tax for carryout bag fees enacted by the State of Colorado, on second reading, and that it take effect 15 days after final publication,
seconded by CM Stites, motion carried 8-0.
2. Resolution No. 42-2022 - a resolution adopting the City Budget and appropriating sums of money to the various funds and spending agencies for the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado for the 2023 Budget Year
CM Hultin introduced Resolution 42-2022
Issue
Sections 10.7 and 10.9 of the Wheat Ridge City Charter require that a public hearing on the proposed budget be conducted before its final adoption and that the budget be adopted by resolution on or before the final day (December 15, 2022) established by
state statute for the certification of the next year’s tax levy to the county.
The proposed 2023 budget includes the following:
• A General Fund budget in the amount of $47,328,776
• An unrestricted fund balance of $10,477,801 or 22% of expenditures plus 3% emergency reserves
• A General Fund transfer of $3,000,000 to the Capital Improvement Program
(CIP)
• A General Fund transfer of $1,659,000 (from ARPA funds) to the Open Space Fund
• A General Fund transfer of $500,000 to the Equipment Replacement Fund
• Proposed CIP Fund in the amount of $26,682,246
• Proposed Renewal Wheat Ridge Bonds Project Fund in the amount of $6,582,725
• Proposed 2E Fund in the total amount of $3,606,300
• Special Revenue Funds in the amount of $8,250,530
• Proposed budget (all funds) in the amount of $92,450,577
Mayor Starker opened the public hearing.
Staff Presentation
Administrative Services Director, Allison Scheck presented the background where at the
September 20, 2022 Study Session, City Council provided staff with consensus to bring the proposed budget forward to public hearing and adoption with no changes. Council did provide consensus to earmark $25,000 of the proposed $100,000 Neighborhood
Traffic Management Plan funds, plus carry over $25,000 from 2022, for traffic
management projects in school areas.
Whereas the Wheat Ridge community and economy have proven to be very resilient, despite several unique challenges since 2020. Revenues have performed significantly better than estimated and commercial and residential development activity continue to thrive. Federal financial assistance of over $10 million in CARES and ARPA funding has
provided additional resources to address impacts on the community from the COVID-19
pandemic. Grant funding of over $50 million between 2020 and 2023 and Urban Renewal Authority bond funds in the amount of $37.5 million are enabling the City to invest in catalytic public improvement projects across the entire community. Wheat
Ridge is in a good place.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted
to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions and comments
CM Hultin asked staff to confirm that $25,000 will be carried forward from 2022 and
another $25,000 in the 2023 budget for the traffic management program. Mr. Goff
replied in the affirmative, citing the staff memo to Council. She then asked about property tax revenues, which comprise about 2-3% of the budget. Mr. Goff confirmed her recollections.
Mayor Starker closed the public hearing.
Motion by CM Hultin to approve Resolution No. 42-2022, a resolution adopting the City
Budget and appropriating sums of money to the various funds and spending agencies for the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado for the 2023 Budget Year, seconded by CM Ohm, motion carried 8-0.
During the discussion of the motion, CM Hultin expressed her gratitude and pride in the
excellent budget before the Council. She thanked the staff for their hard work on the
budget; our budget presentation wins awards for our staff, especially Ms. Scheck, year after year.
CM Weaver thanked the staff for including GIS improvements in the budget,
emphasizing the importance of those services to residents.
ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING
3. Council Bill No. 22-2022 – An Ordinance amending the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to permit composting under prescribed conditions
CM Weaver introduced Council Bill 22-2022
Issue
The City of Wheat Ridge’s Municipal Code includes a definition of “nuisance” in Section 15-25 which could be interpreted to prohibit composting. The purpose of this ordinance is to clarify existing language in the Municipal Code to allow composting..
Motion by CM Weaver to approve Council Bill 22-2022, an ordinance amending the
Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to permit composting under prescribed conditions, on first
reading, ordered in published, public hearing set for Monday, December 12, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers if allowed to meet in person on that date per COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect 15 days after final
publication; seconded by CM Hultin; motion carried 8-0
DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS
4. Resolution No. 43-2022 - A Resolution levying general property taxes for the year 2022, to help defray the costs of government for the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado for the 2023 Budget Year
CM Hoppe introduced Resolution 43-2022.
Issue
This resolution authorizes the levying of property taxes for the 2022 fiscal year to help defray the cost of government in 2023.
Staff Presentation
City Manager Patrick Goff gave a brief background on the item where he reported that
Section 39-5-128 of the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) requires the Jefferson
County Assessor to certify to the City the total valuation for assessment of all taxable
property located within the territorial limits of the City of Wheat Ridge. The estimated total net assessed valuation for the City for the year of 2022 is $697,167,505, which is a decrease of $1.9 million compared to the final valuation in 2021.
The City is also required by this same section of the C.R.S. to officially certify the
property tax mill levy to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners by
December 15, 2022. The City’s property tax mill levy will remain at 1.830 mills for the 2023 budget, generating approximately $1,275,817 in property tax revenue, a decrease
of $3,567 compared to the 2022 estimate.
Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions
There were none.
Motion by CM Hoppe to approve Resolution 43-2022 - a resolution levying general property taxes for the year 2022, to help defray the costs of government for the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado for the 2023 budget year, seconded by CM , the motion carried 8-0.
5. Motion to elect Mayor Pro Tem
CM Hultin introduced the Motion.
Issue
Each year City Council Members elect by a majority vote a Mayor Pro Tem who serves until their successor is elected. The election is conducted according to Section III (B) of
the City Council Rules of Order and Procedure as follows:
B. MAYOR PRO TEM
1. At the first or second Regular meeting in November of each year, the Council shall elect a Mayor Pro Tem who shall serve until their successor is elected. The procedure shall be as follows:
a) The Chair will announce that the floor is open for nominations for the position
of Mayor Pro Tem. b) Nominations will be taken from City Council members by voice. No second is needed.
c) Each nominee will have the opportunity to address the Council.
d) A motion and second is then in order to elect one of the nominees to the position of Mayor Pro Tem. If the motion is not carried, additional motions are
in order until a Mayor Pro Tem is elected by a majority of Council present.
Staff Presentation
Patrick Goff, City Manager listed the Mayor Pro Tem’s authority and duties which
include:
1. In the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem shall preside as the Chair and shall have the voting privileges of a regular Council Member 2. Function as the Council Parliamentarian 3. Review and set the Agenda prior to Council Meetings and add emergency items for discussion if necessary
4. Remove any item from the Agenda or any Regular Meeting or Study Session,
before publication, with the exception of: a. Any item placed on the Agenda by two (2) Council Members or by the Mayor and one (1) Council Member prior to the meeting
b. An item added by the Council by majority vote of Council present during
any meeting 5. Arrange for and coordinate the orientation of all newly elected officials, including a review of Rules of Order and Procedure for the City Council
Public Comment
No one came forward to speak neither in person nor on the zoom format.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Hultin to elect CM Stites, as Mayor Pro Tem, effective
immediately, term to expire upon election of their successor, seconded by CM Hoppe, motion carried 8-0.
CITY MANAGER’S MATTERS
Mr. Goff announced the closure of the onramp to I-70 at Kipling later this week.
January 20-21 will be the Council Retreat.
CITY ATTORNEY’S MATTERS
None
ELECTED OFFICIALS’ MATTERS
CM Nosler Beck congratulated CM Stites on his election to Mayor Pro Tem (MTP). She
thanked CM Hultin for her excellent work during her term as MPT. She also wanted to remind people that with the school closures there are upcoming opportunities for families to visit the schools their children will attend after the closures. She noticed a lot of opportunities to provide holiday gifts for those who need the support.
CM Hutchinson also congratulated Mr. Stites and she thanked the folks who drive our
snow plows.
CM Stites commented on the same upcoming events as CM Nosler Beck. He
announced that Prospect Valley School will have an open house this Thursday. He
joined staff and other CM at the announcement of the charitable business of the year and congratulated Clancy’s on their award. He thanked CM Hultin for her service. If
you can find it in Wheat Ridge as you shop for the holidays, buy it in Wheat Ridge.
CM Dozeman looks forward to the lighting ceremony this Saturday afternoon at The
Green.
CM Ohm encourages everyone to visit Esters Restaurant, which opened recently at Gold’s Marketplace.
CM Hultin congratulated Mayor Pro Tem Stites on his election. The schools are
opening holiday stores to extend the spirit of the season to kids in need, and she will be
volunteering. They need volunteers for the holiday store on December 16 at Wilmore Davis School. She encountered a couple while visiting Kansas City who recently patronized the Wheat Ridge Cyclery.
Mayor Starker also reminded everyone that the lighting on the green will be this
Saturday beginning at 3 PM. On Saturday, December 10 he will welcome those who want to attend Coffee with the Mayor.
ADJOURNMENT TO SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
The meeting adjourned at 7:52pm.
_____________________________
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
_____________________________
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON January 9, 2023
______________________________
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem
The preceding Minutes were prepared according to §47 of Robert’s Rules of Order, i.e.,
they contain a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.
City Council Meeting Minutes
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 WEST 29TH AVENUE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING
December 12, 2022
Note: 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. Eight members of Council were present in Council Chambers for this session. Before calling the meeting to order, Mayor Starker stated the rules and procedures necessitated by this meeting format.
Mayor Starker called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
Judy Hutchinson Scott Ohm Rachel Hultin Janeece Hoppe
Amanda Weaver Korey Stites Leah Dozeman* Valerie Nosler Beck
Also, present: City Attorney Gerald Dahl; City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick; Chief of Police,
Chris Murtha; Administrative Services Director, Allison Scheck; Interim Director of Comm. Development, Lauren Mikulak; Assistant to the City Manager, Marianne Schilling, Sustainability Coordinator Mary Hester, several city planners and other staff,
guests and interested citizens.
*Fully participated virtually via Zoom.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The City Council Minutes of December 5, 2022 were approved as published.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Without objection or correction, the agenda stood as announced
PROCLAMATIONS AND CEREMONIES
Wheat Ridge 101 Graduation
Mayor Starker welcomed and introduced the members of the Wheat Ridge 101 graduating class of 2022.
Introduction of Wheat Ridge Police Department Officers
Mayor Starker happily introduces the newest members to the Wheat Ridge Police
Department and spoke their names.
PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO SPEAK
Van Bruce Arrant, Morrison, CO - came to comment on the right to bear arms in the
Second Amendment. Recent Supreme Court decisions obviated 200 years of
precedents on the right to bear arms. Now, restrictions on carrying weapons are limited to a few circumstances. Wheat Ridge’s current ordinances will stand the test of these new standards with a few exceptions.
Patrick Quinn, 3995 Moore St. – congratulated the City on the opportunity to attend and graduate from Wheat Ridge 101. He has worked with state legislature in previous
positions, but found WR 101 to be a totally new perspective on how government
operates. He reviewed the major sections of the curriculum and how enlightening each was. He recalled several participative learning experiences he enjoyed.
Claire Fisher, 2822 Teller St. recently moved to WR from the Highlands. She and her husband heard a loud noise and upon investigation found three bullet holes. She called
911, and the operators were so busy stay on the line until the police arrived. There
have been 4 incidents of drive by shootings on Teller between 26th and 32nd Avenues. These crimes are a serious but there are too few resources to apprehend these criminals. Please, take whatever action you can to confront this problem.
Margaret Robinson, 4 Hillside Drive. Came to discuss items already on the agenda, so
she will make comments at those times.
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 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 address 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. (A memo to Council with details about one of tonight’s agenda items was distributed after the packet was published, and distributed to CM and the Mayor, per the resident’s request.)
CONSENT AGENDA
None tonight.
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING
1. Council Bill No. 19-2022 - An Ordinance amending Article IV of Chapter 26 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws, concerning requirements for final subdivision plats, and in connection therewith, addressing race and religion-based covenants on
title.
CM Hoppe introduced Council Bill 19-2022
Issue
This Ordinance amends the City’s land use code to require that a plat note be affixed on
resubdivisions of property advising that race and religion-based covenants on real property are illegal and unenforceable.
Mayor Starker opened the public hearing.
City Clerk Steve Kirkpatrick assigned Ordinance No. 1750
Staff Presentation
City Attorney Gerald Dahl presented the background on the City of Wheat Ridge was
incorporated in 1969. At that time the City included a number of subdivisions which had been platted in the county beginning around the 1920’s. Some of these subdivisions contain private covenants precluding sales based on religion or race.
In Shelley v. Kraemer, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down race-based
covenants as illegal and judicially unenforceable. 334 U.S. 1 (1948). The Supreme Court of Colorado, relying on Shelley v. Kraemer, likewise ruled that restrictive covenants based on race were unenforceable. Capitol Fed. Sav. & Loan Association v. Smith, 136 Colo. 265, 271 (1957). The Colorado State Legislature, with these rulings in mind, enacted C.R.S. § 38-30-169, similarly declaring these covenants illegal and
equipping private citizens with a mechanism to remove them.
The Mayor reviewed the procedures for public comments.
Public Comment
Margaret Robinson, 4 Hillside Drive, called to support the ordinance.
Council Questions and comments
None.
Mayor Starker closed the public hearing.
Motion by CM Hoppe to approve Council Bill No. 19-2022 - an ordinance amending Article IV of Chapter 26 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws, concerning requirements for
final subdivision plats, and in connection therewith, addressing race and religion-based
covenants on title, on second reading, and that it take effect 15 days after final publication, seconded by CM Hultin, motion carried 8-0.
2. Council Bill No. 21-2022 - An Ordinance approving the rezoning of property located at 7525 W. 44th Avenue from Commercial-One (C-1) to Mixed Use-Commercial (MU-C) (Case No. WZ-22-08)
CM Ohm introduced Council Bill 21-2022
Issue
The applicant is requesting approval of a zone change from Commercial-One (C-1) to
Mixed Use-Commercial (MU-C) for property located at 7525 W. 44th Avenue. The zone
change will result in a zoning that matches surrounding zoning and enables
redevelopment of the site by expanding permitted uses.
Mayor Starker opened the public hearing.
City Clerk Steve Kirkpatrick assigned Ordinance No. 1751.
Staff Presentation
Planner I Alayna Olivas-Loera spoke on the issue and presented the background and exhibits which included the subject property being located on the east side of Wadsworth Boulevard between W. 44th Avenue and W. 45th Avenue.
The site is zoned Commercial-One (C-1) and is largely surrounded by C-1 and Mixed Use-Commercial (MU-C) zoning. To the northeast, the site is adjacent to Residential-
Two (R-2) zoning which is a City-owned parcel containing Apel-Bacher Park. Other
surrounding land uses are non-residential in nature, including a propane business, the former Bank of the West (now owned by the City and functioning as a construction office for the Improve Wadsworth Project) and the office building owned by the
applicant, Foothills Regional Housing. Recent development projects in the area include
Town Center and Town Center North Apartments to the southeast at 44th and Vance.
The Mayor reviewed the procedures for public comments.
Public Comment
Margaret Robinson, 4 Hillside Drive. Several weeks ago, the City denied an affordable
housing project while new, million-dollar homes are constructed at 32nd and Kipling.
Which do we want: more million-dollar homes or more affordable housing.
Mayor Starker closed the public hearing.
Council Questions and comments
CM Hoppe asked a technical question about the proposed business. Staff answered her question. CM Hoppe also supports this motion.
CM Hultin commented she is looking forward to how this project will evolve. She indicated her support for this motion. Later she commented that this property will be better served by RTD once it is completed, which will add to the attractiveness of this project.
CM Stites echoed his peers’ comments, and opined that this is the perfect place for this
project.
CM Dozeman also indicated support for the motion for the same reasons.
CM Ohm recalled hearing about this kind of property while he was on the Planning Commission (but not this specific case). He supports the motion as well.
Motion by CM Ohm to approve Council Bill No. 21-2022 - an ordinance approving the rezoning of property located at 7525 W. 44th Avenue from Commercial-One (C-1) to
Mixed Use-Commercial (MU-C) (Case No. WZ-22-08), on second reading, and that it
take effect 15 days after final publication, seconded by CM Hoppe, motion carried 8-0.
3. Council Bill No. 22-2022 - an ordinance amending Sections 22-58 and 22-67 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to establish an exemption from the city’s Sales and Use Tax for carryout bag fees enacted by the State of Colorado
CM Weaver introduced Council Bill 22-2022
Issue
The City of Wheat Ridge’s Municipal Code includes a definition of “nuisance” in Section 15-25 which could be interpreted to prohibit composting. The purpose of this ordinance is to clarify existing language in the Municipal Code to allow composting.
Mayor Starker opened the public hearing.
City Clerk Steve Kirkpatrick assigned Ordinance No. 1752.
Staff Presentation
Sustainability Coordinator Mary Hester presented the background where composting has become an increasingly popular activity and provides households with the
opportunity to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills, as over 30% of
household waste is made up of compostable materials such as food scraps and yard waste. In addition to waste reduction, composting enriches soil and improves its moisture retention, reduces methane emissions from landfills, lowers the carbon footprint of participating households, and increases the resilience of soil to extreme heat
and flooding events.
The allowance of composting in Wheat Ridge would be in alignment with the City’s 2035
Vision Statement, which states: Wheat Ridge is committed to environmental stewardship so that residents have opportunities to recycle, to compost, to reduce air pollution, emissions, litter, and water waste, and to pursue urban agriculture.
The following amendments to Chapter 15 were proposed:
Add definitions for Composting and Compostable materials in Section 15-4
• Change the initial proposed language to state “objectionable” instead of “miscellaneous” condition
• Add language to Section 15-25(c) to exempt composting from the scope
The Mayor reviewed the procedures for public comments.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions and comments
CM Hultin asked staff detailed questions about rotating compost mechanisms; will they
be legal under the proposed ordinance language? Mr. Dahl gave a detailed answer.
Mayor Starker closed the public hearing.
Motion by CM Weaver to approve Council Bill No. 22-2022 - an ordinance amending the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws to permit composting under prescribed conditions, on second reading, as submitted with the deletion documented below by amendment to
CM Weaver’s motion, and that it take effect 15 days after final publication, seconded by
CM Hutchinson, motion carried 8-0. Words in sec 15-25a.
CM Hultin moved to amend CM Weaver’s motion to strike in Sec 2 paragraph A “and shall contain alternate layers of plant material…”, Seconded by MPT Stites. Amendment approved 8-0.
The amended main motion passed 8-0.
ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING
None tonight
DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS
4. Motion to approve installation of traffic calming devices on Dudley Street between 32nd Avenue and 38th Avenue in accordance with the neighborhood
traffic management program
CM Stites introduced the Motion.
Issue
Residents on Dudley Street petitioned the City to address traffic issues on the street segment from 32nd Avenue to 38th Avenue. In accordance with the City’s
Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), the City met with the residents at
a neighborhood meeting and subsequently devised a plan to install speed humps to mitigate the traffic issues. The residents then secured a petition with the necessary number of property-owner signatures supporting the installation of speed humps in accordance with the NTMP policy and are hereby seeking approval for implementation.
Staff Presentation
Steve Nguyen presented the staff report. Civil Engineer Jordan Jefferies spoke on the item where on April 28, 2014, City Council approved the NTMP to systematically address traffic issues on residential streets. The goal of the program is to foster safety and livability in neighborhoods by reducing the negative impact of vehicular traffic and
speeding on residential streets. The policy intent is to clearly identify a problem, if one
exists, and ensure full support from the affected residents in devising a plan through consensus to a solution(s). The NTMP provides a means and process for residents to request consideration for the installation of traffic calming measures on local streets.
Traffic calming measures may include speed humps, curb extensions, signs, speed trailers and enforcement, and other traffic control measures as requested and as
applicable
Speeding and safety concerns along this segment of Dudley Street were mentioned
numerous times by commenters at public meetings for the Lutheran Campus Master Plan in 2021. Dudley Street was also added to the Police Department’s traffic enforcement list in an effort to curb speeding on the street. On October 5, 2021, Dudley Street residents filed a request to participate in the NTMP program. Upon receipt of the
request, the City collected traffic data to determine speed, volume, and vehicle
classification for the traffic on the segment. An 85th-percentile speed of 32.2 mph was observed on Dudley Street, which has a speed limit of 25 mph. This is indicative of significant driver noncompliance with the speed limit.
Public Comment
Rose Marie Bowden, 3535 Dudley St., came to comment on the proposed no parking
zone. She commented at length on questionable parking practices, especially contractors, and changes that have come to pass around water flow nearby. This proposed change will create more problems than it solves.
Walt Kordziel, 3232 Dudley St., came to comment on unintended consequences of the
proposed speed bumps. He is concerned about emergency vehicles passing over the
speed bump, commercial deliveries. Residents will experience damage to their vehicles from passing over the speed bumps persistently. We never knew about the petition and no one we spoke with understood the purpose of the petition. He urged Council to delay action for further study and resident input.
Frank Cefaratti, 3605 Dudley St. commented on a history of drag racing along Dudley St. Vehicles going 60 mph is too dangerous for anyone. He also agrees with Ms. Bowden’s comments on the no parking zone. He supports the speed bumps, especially with the coming increase of traffic with the development of the Lutheran Legacy Campus.
Council Questions and comments
MPT Stites asked Mr. Nguyen why people who had signed the petition later asked that their names be removed. He gave a detailed answer that the primary reason was they did not like the location of the speed bumps/humps.
CM Ohm asked about City policy on parking enforcement, and Mr. Nguyen again gave
a specific answer.
CM Nosler Beck asked whether Dudley St has historically been a direct route to the Lutheran Emergency Department. Mr. Nguyen gave a detailed answer.
CM Hultin asked how residents were informed of the proposed solution. Mr. Nguyen gave a detailed answer. CM Hultin then asked when and how residents are informed of
the proposed solution. Staff gave a detailed answer.
MPT Stites asked about the mix of residences, single family, duplex and multi-family, on Dudley and how the City contacted whom about this project. Staff answered.
Motion by CM Stites to approve installation of traffic calming devices on Dudley Street between 32nd Avenue and 38th Avenue in accordance with the neighborhood traffic
management program, seconded by CM Hoppe, motion carried 8-0.
MPT Stites commented on why he believes the traffic calming devices on Dudley are
essential. Slowing the traffic improves public safety.
CM Ohm predicted that traffic will shift from Dudley to adjacent streets. CM Hultin agreed with his analysis and commented on coming opportunities to revisit the TMP.
CM Nosler Beck commented that she will support the motion, because these traffic
calming devices are key to reducing speed and improving public safety. Drivers need to
know that speed humps indicate a danger to children and other pedestrians and cyclists.
5. Resolution No. 46-2022 - A Resolution approving an agreement with Mile High Flood District regarding funding of major drainageway planning for Clear Creek at
Kipling to Wadsworth update
CM Dozeman introduced Resolution 46-2022.
Issue
The Master Drainageway Plan for Clear Creek within Wheat Ridge needs to be updated
to reflect the revised flood maps that have recently been adopted by the State of
Colorado. An agreement with the Mile-High Flood District needs to be executed to outline the responsibilities and funding obligations to complete the update.
Staff Presentation
Projects Supervisor Mark Westberg, gave a brief background on the item where he
reported that Clear Creek is a major drainageway traversing the City for about nine
miles, spanning from the west City limit to Harlan Street. In addition to parks and open space, land use adjacent to Clear Creek is predominately residential with some areas of industrial and commercial development scattered throughout the basin. The current official flood maps were completed in April 2007 to reflect changes to the drainageway
since the last mapping was done in 1986. Those flood maps were adopted as the City’s
official maps in early 2014 after having completed the review and approval process with
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Funding for this project has been approved in the 2022 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget, line item 30-302-800-837 in the amount of $25,000. This project will be
administered by MHFD. A standard agreement has been prepared by MHFD to address
participation by the City in updating the Master Drainageway Plan (MDP) within the City. The estimated cost of the MDP update is $50,000, with MHFD financing 50%. The City is responsible for the remaining 50% or $25,000.
Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions
There were none.
Motion by CM Dozeman to approve Resolution 46-2022 - a resolution approving an
agreement with Mile High Flood District regarding funding of major drainageway
planning for Clear Creek at Kipling to Wadsworth update, seconded by MPT Stites, the
motion carried 8-0
6. Resolution No. 45-2022 - A Resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2022 General Fund Budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $31,273 for the purpose of approving an intergovernmental agreement
concerning crisis and withdrawal management services (detox) by and between
Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Jefferson County and the Cities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Westminster
CM Nosler Beck introduced Resolution 45-2022.
Issue
The City of Wheat Ridge entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with
Jefferson Center for Mental Health (Jefferson Center) and other parties on January 1,
2018 for the provision of Withdrawal Management Services (detox). The MOU established the funding obligations of the local government members that are parties to the MOU and the powers and obligations of Jefferson Center. This resolution will rescind the current MOU and approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to
continue these Withdrawal Management Services and add Crisis Services as an
obligation of Jefferson Center.
Staff Presentation
City Manager Patrick Goff gave the background on the item where he reported that through a legislative declaration in 1973, the Colorado General Assembly found and
declared that alcoholism and intoxication were matters of statewide concern. The General Assembly has appropriated funding annually to support medical detoxification in the Denver metropolitan area since that time. Arapahoe House, a nonprofit health care organization and provider of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, had a
contract with the state of Colorado to provide withdrawal management (detox) services
at locations in Aurora, Commerce City, and Wheat Ridge until June 30, 2017.
In late 2016, Arapahoe House announced it could no longer continue to provide detoxification services because the detox program had for years operated at a loss and the nonprofit could no longer continue subsidizing the program while also continuing its
more intensive treatment efforts
The Parties to the current MOU decided it would be in the best interest of Jefferson County residents for Withdrawal Management Services to continue into the foreseeable future. Jefferson Center agreed to provide these services at the former Arapahoe House
facility located at 4643 Wadsworth Boulevard in Wheat Ridge. Jefferson Center officially took over these services from Arapahoe House at the end of June 2017 and purchased
the property shortly thereafter. Mayor Starker reviewed the procedures for public comment.
The current MOU was approved to establish the funding obligations of the local
government members to ensure financial viability of the services to be provided by
Jefferson Center. The MOU was executed as written for the first year of the withdrawal management services program in 2017-2018.
Public Comment
No citizens appeared in chambers to address this issue. There were none who wanted
to speak through the Zoom format.
Council Questions
There were none.
Motion by CM Nosler Beck to approve Resolution 45-2022 - a resolution amending the
Fiscal Year 2022 General Fund Budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget
appropriation in the amount of $31,273 for the purpose of approving an
intergovernmental agreement concerning crisis and withdrawal management services
(detox) by and between Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Jefferson County and the
Cities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Westminster,
seconded by CM Hoppe, the motion carried 8-0
7. Motion to Adopt the 2023 City Council Meeting Calendar
CM Hultin introduced the Motion.
Issue
The calendar of City Council meetings is adopted by a motion of the City Council
annually. Adopting the meeting calendar for the year is more efficient and enables the Mayor, Council, and staff to schedule other events and travel in advance. The Council will be able to amend the schedule by motion throughout the year, if necessary.
The following City Council meetings that conflict with observed City holidays or other known events during the year are recommended for cancellation.
• Study Session, January 2, 2023 - New Year's Day observance • Study Session, January 16, 2023 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day • Study Session, February 20, 2023 – President’s Day • Study Session, June 19, 2023, Juneteenth
• Study Session, September 4,2023 - Labor Day
• Regular City Council Meeting, December 25, 2023 - Christmas Day
Staff Presentation
Ms. Scheck spoke briefly on how City Charter mandates that the meeting requirements
are to be held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7pm unless otherwise amended and Study Sessions are held the first and third Mondays at 6:30 pm
unless otherwise provided by the Mayor Pro-Tem.
Public Comment
No one came forward to speak neither in person nor on the zoom format.
Motion by CM Hultin to adopt the 2023 City Council Meeting Calendar as presented
with the addition of July 3, 2023 Study Session, seconded by CM , motion carried 8-0
CITY MANAGER’S MATTERS
Mr. Goff
CITY ATTORNEY’S MATTERS
None
ELECTED OFFICIALS’ MATTERS
CM Nosler Beck commented on her absence due to illness recently and she is glad to be back. She commented on WR 101 and our new police recruits make us proud. In this season of giving, please, consider adopting a family through the Action Center. Until Friday, December 16, you may still participate in the school programs for those in
need.
CM Nosler Beck also suggested a study session to look at possible methods to address
the apparent problem of drive-by shootings in East Wheat Ridge. Ms. Scheck also reported that Chief Murtha is about to investigate this problem.
CM Hutchinson thanked all the members who came to speak tonight. She is very
concerned about the drive-by shootings. She congratulated WR 101 and our four new
police officers.
CM Hultin expressed her pride in Wheat Ridge as exemplified by WR 101 and our excellent police department. She asked Mr. Dahl about possible changes to our ordinances in light of the comments from the public on recent Supreme Court decisions.
Mr. Dahl agreed to take that research forward.
CM Weaver expressed her pride as well. She reminded all that we have an excellent Community Services team that will help save animals from freezing weather.
MPT Stites also commented on the excellent police recruits who joined the department recently. He congratulated all of the WR 101 graduates. He thanks staff for their
amazing work on that program. He also thanked Local Works on their creativity with
fund raising efforts. He also commented on ribbon cuttings he recently attended with the Mayor. He also attended Coffee with the Mayor last Saturday and was engaged by the citizens and their insightful comments. If you can find it when Holiday shopping, buy
it in Wheat Ridge.
CM Hoppe reported on December 15 there will be a Christmas Party at Colorado Plus.
All are invited on December 15 at 6:30.
CM Ohm suggested that perhaps geothermal energy might provide benefits to the City at some future time.
Mayor Starker commented on the Coffee with the Mayor. He also reported on an event he attended at the WR Grange. He congratulated the graduates of WR 101. It’s always
a pleasure to greet and meet new police recruits. Please, drive alertly and carefully,
especially with weather coming. We will be back next week.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:17 pm.
_____________________________
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
_____________________________
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON January 9, 2023
______________________________
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem
The preceding Minutes were prepared according to §47 of Robert’s Rules of Order, i.e., they
contain a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.
STUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Hybrid - Virtual Meeting
December 19, 2022
Mayor Pro-Tem Korey Stites 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.
MPT Stites welcomed the Council, other elected officials, staff and interested citizens.
MPT Stites 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*, Leah Dozeman, and Rachel Hultin. CM Janeece Hoppe excused
herself.
Also present: City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick, City Treasurer, Chris Miller; City Manager
Patrick Goff; Maria D’Andrea, Director of Public Works; interested citizens and guests.
*Attended virtually via Zoom.
Public’s Right to Speak
None tonight.
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. 44th Avenue Subarea Plan Update
Issue
The purpose of this study session is to provide City Council with an update on the W.
44th Avenue subarea planning process and give City Council the opportunity to provide
feedback on the recommendations to be included in the Plan.
Staff Reports
Senior Planner Stephanie Stevens, and MIG Inc. Planning Consultant Mark De La
Torre, delivered to Council a detailed presentation about this item, and the next steps
for bringing it to Council. Where the City of Wheat Ridge and consultant team, MIG
Inc., restarted the W. 44th Avenue Subarea Plan in early 2022. The plan focuses on W.
44th Avenue between Youngfield Street and Clear Creek (near Field Street) and will
more broadly include the portion of the City between Clear Creek and I-70.
The plan combines public input with technical analysis to establish a long-range vision
and guiding principles for the W. 44th Avenue planning area. Plan recommendations will
guide public and private investments in the future..
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves along with the planning consultant, and with staff, who answered
their questions in detail. Topics discussed included:
• Traffic and traffic flow and both temporary changes to flows and permanent
changes.
• Maintaining the character of neighborhoods.
• Impact of changes to onramps/offramps for I-70.
• Connectivity to open spaces and trails.
• Solutions to upgrading the area while improving the environment for businesses.
• The issues raised by the presence of massive truck stops and 80-footer traffic
with the needs of pedestrians, recreators, and cyclists.
CM universally thanked staff for their hard work on this and gave special thanks and
appreciation to the MIG representative.
2. Wadsworth construction update – Phase II
Issue
The city has always hoped to complete the entire Wadsworth Improvement Project in
one phase. However, in 2020, the decision was made to phase project construction,
due to a lack of funding. Therefore, construction plans were completed for Phase 1 of
construction which extended from I-70 to 41st Avenue. Phase 2, from 41st Avenue to
35th Avenue, is the final phase of the project.
Recently, staff solicited pricing from the city’s contractor for the Wadsworth
Improvement project, Concrete Works of Colorado, in an effort to assess whether there
would be cost and time savings in proceeding with Phase II at this time. The intent of
the Study Session discussion is to determine City Council’s preferred direction for the
Phase II construction.
Staff Reports
Maria D’Andrea, Director of Public Works addressed Council that the first phase of
construction improves Wadsworth Blvd from 41st Avenue to I-70, as well as completion
of the streetscape work scheduled for Phase II from 35th to 41st Avenues. The design
for the initial phase was completed in early 2021 and then advertised for bids in mid-
April 2021. Bids were opened on July 1, 2021. A contract in the amount of
$34,971,468.01, (which includes the base bid, all four bid options, related water, and
sanitation work) was awarded to the lowest responsive bidder, Concrete Works of
Colorado (CWC) on August 23, 2021. Four federal transportation grants, three State
safety grants, a CDOT MainStreets grant, a Jefferson County Open Space grant, CDOT
maintenance funding, Wheat Ridge Water and Sanitation Districts funding, and City
funding are being used to fund this Phase. Work began in October 2021 and will
continue through fall 2024
The city’s desire is to complete all work to deliver the entire Wadsworth Widening
Project from 35th Avenue to I-70. Phase II would involve constructing the Continuous
Flow Intersection (CFI) at 38th and Wadsworth and complete the permanent concrete
pavement from 35th Avenue to 39th Avenue. This would then eliminate the need for
temporary medians and asphalt overlay south of 39th Avenue. A number of topics were
discussed including:
• Impact on traffic, ingress and egress to businesses.
• Communicating with businesses before, during and after the project is ongoing.
• How to fund the Phase II costs and recent bids received for materials and
services.
• Plans for minimal necessary disruption of the flow of traffic.
• Plans to regularly and frequently communicate to our residents and businesses
about the Project, using multiple means and methods, starting very soon and
continuing until the post project analysis.
• Allowing for the impact on families and children as a result of the school closing
coming to WR during the project.
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves and with staff including Ms. D’Andrea and Mark Westberg, Senior
Project Manager, who answered their questions in detail.
CM universally thanked staff for their hard work on this planning process.
MPT Stites entertained a consensus to direct staff to return to Council with
Consensus attained.
3. Staff Report(s)
Nothing further.
4. Elected Officials’ Report(s)
CM Nosler Beck – Happy Holidays everyone. She is very grateful that remote
participation in meetings continues to yield benefits. She also asked about the weather
forecast of an Arctic Outbreak this week and the safety of those experiencing
homelessness.
CM Hutchinson asked about a specific church as a resource for those needing shelter
this week from the weather and Mr. Goff replied in detail. She also commented on calls
she has received from residents about the several drive-by shootings that have
occurred in the past few weeks in East WR.
CM Dozeman asked what communication plans staff has in mind related to the no-tax
ordinance on plastic bags. (The statute requires retailers to collect the fee, but allows
the City to exempt that cost from sales taxes.)
CM Hultin wish everyone Happy Holidays. While driving around the City recently she
noticed a wide variety of beautiful holiday decorations.
MPT Stites wished everyone a happy Holiday season. He reminded us that as we shop
for Holiday gifts, food and drink, if we can find it in WR, buy it in Wheat Ridge.
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 8:52 p.m.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON January 9, 2023.
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem
ITEM NO: 1a
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: MOTION TO APPROVE PAYMENT TO COLORADO
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RISK SHARING AGENCY (CIRSA) FOR 2023 PROPERTY/CASUALTY PREMIUM IN THE AMOUNT OF $372,363.16 PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING
RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO _______________________________ ______________________________ Administrative Services Director City Manager ISSUE: The Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA) provides property/casualty
coverage for the City of Wheat Ridge. The annual payment due for 2023 is $372,363.16.
PRIOR ACTION: CIRSA premiums are budgeted line items in the 2023 adopted budget, General Government – Central Charges account.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
For 2023, the City received a total of $7,006.00 in credits toward the property/casualty premium for proactive work of the employee Safety Committee in accident prevention and overall loss control efforts. BACKGROUND:
Each year the City of Wheat Ridge completes a CIRSA audit and renewal application process for property/casualty coverage and the premium amount is based on the information provided through those processes. The pool billing amount is then reduced if the City is eligible for credits
offered by CIRSA.
Council Action Form – CIRSA Annual Premium Payment January 9, 2023
Page 2
The adjusted property/casualty payment for 2023 is $372,363.16, which reflects an 8.6% increase ($29,793.99) compared to the 2022 premium.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends payment of the CIRSA annual property/casualty premium. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move to approve payment to CIRSA for 2023 property/casualty premium in the amount of $372,363.16.”
Or, “I move to deny the payment to CIRSA for property/casualty premium for the following
reason(s) .”
REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY: Allison Scheck, Deputy City Manager Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Invoice #230118 - Property /Casualty Pool billing for 2023
City Of Wheat Ridge
Attn: Mark Colvin
7500 West 29th Ave.
Wheat Ridge CO 80033
DESCRIPTION COVERAGE DATES AMOUNT DUE
Date: January 01, 2023
Invoice #: 230118
ANNUAL INVOICE
Member ID: 13100
01/01/2023-01/01/2024Property/Casualty Coverage:
Auto Liability $48,380.78
Auto Physical Damage $15,368.17
General Liability (including separately rated exposures)$18,641.98
Police Professional Liability $116,761.35
Property Damage $121,876.40
Public Officials E&O Liability $58,340.48
$379,369.16Total Property/Casualty Coverage:
($7,006.00)Loss Control Credit
$372,363.16TOTAL
This invoice constitutes your Property/Casualty Pool billing for 2023. Based on your selection when you accepted
your quote, you opted to pay your contribution premium in full. Payment is due on January 1, 2023. Payments
Delinquencies are subject to CIRSA Bylaws, Article VIII (1) (a) and Article XV.
This invoice includes all exposure changes reported to us from the time your renewal quote was calculated,
August 12, 2022, to the time the invoice was calculated, December 9, 2022 Any changes between August 12
and December 9, including but not limited to the addition or deletion of buildings, mobile equipment and
automobiles, are reflected in this invoice. Any changes after December 9 will be billed or credited separately.
received in our office after February 15 will be charged interest at the current Prime Rate.
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Pay On-Line by EFT:
Bank Name: Wells Fargo Bank N.A.
Account Name: CIRSA
Routing Number: 102000076
Account Number: 1018076908
Pay by Check Mailing Address:
CIRSA
P.O. Box 910543
Denver, CO 80291-0543
Pay On-Line Website Address:
https://www.cirsa.org/billpay
ATTACHMENT 1
ITEM NO: 1b
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: MOTION TO APPROVE PAYMENT TO PINNACOL
ASSURANCE FOR 2023 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PREMIUM IN THE AMOUNT OF $263,946 PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING
RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
_______________________________ ______________________________
Administrative Services Director City Manager ISSUE:
Pinnacol Assurance provides workers’ compensation coverage for the City of Wheat Ridge. The annual payment due for 2023 is $263,946 made over nine payments, January through September. PRIOR ACTION: Workers’ compensation premiums are budgeted line items in the 2023 adopted budget, General Government – Central Charges account.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: For 2023, the City received a six percent decrease from the expiring premium and a nearly 12 percent decrease on the overall rate.
BACKGROUND:
The City transitioned to Pinnacol Assurance from workers’ compensation insurance coverage in 2020. Overall, Pinnacol has proven to be an excellent partner for the City, ensuring care to employees who experience on the job injuries. A significant factor in the calculation of the annual premium is the City’s experience modification factor which is a numerical representation of the City’s claims history compared to the expected costs for similar organizations. The City
received a favorable experience modification rate, which contributed to the decrease in overall
premium rate.
Council Action Form – Workers’ Compensation Premium Payment January 9, 2023
Page 2
RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of payment to Pinnacol Assurance.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move to approve payment to Pinnacol Assurance for 2023 workers’ compensation premium in the amount of $263,946.” Or,
“I move to deny the payment to Pinnacol Assurance for 2023 workers’ compensation premium for the following reason(s) .”
REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Allison Scheck, Deputy City Manager Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Premium Summary (IMA)
3
PREMIUM SUMMARY
ITEMS PINNACOL
22-23 ANNUAL PREMIUM
PINNACOL
23-24 ANNUAL PREMIUM
Workers’ Compensation $ 282,202 $
TOTAL $ 282,202 $
A.M. Best Rating
COVERAGE INSURANCE CARRIER A.M. BEST
RATING
ADMITTED –
SURPLUS
LINES
Workers’ Compensation Pinnacol Assurance A-XII Admitted
263,946
263,946
ATTACHMENT 1
4
PREMIUM & RATE COMPARISON
DESCRIPTION 2022-2023
EXPIRING PROGRAM
RENEWAL EXPOSURE AT
EXPIRING RATE
2023-2024
RENEWAL PROGRAM DIFFERENCE ($) DIFFERENCE (%)
Workers' Compensation Pinnacol Pinnacol
Exposure $23,021,797 $24,427,317 $ 1,405,520 6%
0106 – Tree Pruning, Spraying, Repairing $365,786 7.1484 $384,950 $ 19,164 5%
5506 – Street/Road Const: Paving or Repaving & Drivers $598,302 4.7064 $694,283 $ 95,981 16%
7380 – Driver, Chauffeurs, Messengers, & Their Helpers $14,000 4.4252 $11,270 $ (2,730) -19.5%
7538 – Electric Light or Power Line Construction $139,583 3.6556 $211,073 $ 71,490 51%
7720 – Police Officers & Drivers $9,538,048 2.9008 $9,538,048 $ - 0%
8380 – Auto Service or Repair & Drivers $115,510 1.9388 $128,642 $ 13,132 11%
8803 – Auditor, Accountant, Computer System Designer $62,162 0.0444 $67,390 $ 62,162 8%
8810 – Exclusively Office $91,000 0.1036 $100,000 $ 9,000 10%
8810 – Elected Officials $171,600 0.1036 $171,600 $ - 0%
8811 – Municipal, Township, County, Non-Salaried Board Member $3,789,576 0.1036 $3,887,520 $ 97,944 3%
8868 – College/School Professional $1,123,200 0.0444 $1,123,200 $ - 0%
8869 – Child Care Center – All Employees $75,000 0.9472 $180,482 $ 105,482 141%
9012 – Building, Property Management – Managers, Leasing Agent $18,195 0.6660 $16,535 $ (1,660) -9%
9015 – Building or Property Mgmt. – All Other Employees $457,302 2.8120 $319,590 $ (137,712) -30%
9063 – Exercise or Health Institute & Clerical $2,309,517 0.9620 $2,526,790 $ 217,273 9%
9102 – Parks NOC – All Employees & Drivers $1,739,399 2.2792 $2,067,228 $ 327,829 19%
9410 – Municipal/Town/County/State Employees – NOC $2,413,617 1.6280 $2,998,716 $ 585,099 24%
Experience Modification Factor 0.73 0.73 0.72
Average Rate $ 1.2258 $ 1.0805 $ (0.1453) -11.85%
PREMIUM $ 282,202 $ 299,431 $ 263,946
ITEM NO: 1c
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: MOTION TO APPROVE MONTHLY PAYMENTS TO
COLORADO EMPLOYER BENEFIT TRUST (CEBT) FOR 2023 MEDICAL, DENTAL, EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND LIFE INSURANCE MEMBERSHIP BILLING IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,335,000 PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
_______________________________ ______________________________ Administrative Services Director City Manager ISSUE: The City offers employees a number of benefits in order to attract and retain a high quality workforce. In 2023, the City joined the Colorado Employer Benefit Trust (CEBT) to provide a
greater choice of medical plans along with dental, vision, employee assistance program (EAP)
and life insurance coverage. January through December billing is estimated and budgeted in the amount of $2,335,000. Staff requests approval of the estimated 2023 total expenditure so that monthly payments can be made in a timely manner.
PRIOR ACTION:
Medical, dental and life insurance premiums are budgeted line items in the 2023 adopted budget, General Government – Central Charges account. EAP coverage is budgeted in the Administrative Services - Human Resources account.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
By joining CEBT, billing for medical, dental, employee assistance program and life insurance
billing is consolidated to one monthly payment. Moving to CEBT resulted in a marginal increase (< one percent) in medical premium compared to the estimated five percent increase had the City remained with the existing provider. As monthly payments exceed the $75,000 staff approval
Council Action Form – CEBT 2023 Payments January 9, 2023
Page 2
threshold, Council approval is required and as payments have strict deadlines, annual approval is recommended as in prior years.
BACKGROUND:
In 2023, the City joined CEBT for the provision of medical, dental, vision, life insurance and
EAP services. CEBT is a self-funded, governmental multiple employer trust that provides employee benefits for over 400 public entities with over 35,000 employees and dependents in Colorado. Prior to joining CEBT, the City offered two medical plans with Kaiser Permanente. By joining CEBT, the City will offer a PPO4 and high deductible plan with United Healthcare,
and a DHMO and high deductible plan with Kaiser Permanente.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of monthly payments to CEBT in 2023.
RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move to approve monthly payments to CEBT for 2023 medical, dental, employee assistance program and life insurance membership billing in an amount not to exceed $2,335,000.”
Or,
“I move to deny monthly payments to CEBT for the following reason(s) .” REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Allison Scheck, Deputy City Manager Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENT:
1. CEBT Invoice
CEBT Payments
PO Box 912631 Date:12/15/2022Denver CO 80291-2631 Due:01/01/2023
City of Wheat Ridge Group 00S8
7500 West 29th AvenueWheat Ridge,Colorado 80033 Period 2023-01
Invoice INV 0052677
SUPP SUPP SUPP TOTAL
LAST NAME FIRST NAME SSN (last 6)MEDICAL DENTAL VISION LIFE DEP LIFE LIFE SPOUSE LIFE DEP LIFE DUE
Balance Forward -
Standard - Active 21 17,193.00 1,137.00 226.00 326.90 11.40 194.55 17.13 17.50 19,123.48
81 88,727.00 5,219.00 775.00 1,207.92 52.25 1,003.46 175.25 70.00 97,229.88
102 89,024.00 6,045.00 794.00 1,604.82 57.95 825.78 157.52 35.00 98,544.07
36 0.00 325.00 91.00 398.44 22.80 283.25 35.35 3.50 1,159.34
13 13,717.00 888.00 162.00 199.22 9.50 155.20 49.03 7.00 15,186.95
Active Total 208,661.00 13,614.00 2,048.00 3,737.30 153.90 2,462.24 434.28 133.00 231,243.72
Additional EAP 256 512.00
CURRENT MONTH TOTAL PLUS ADJUSTMENTS 208,661.00 13,614.00 2,048.00 3,737.30 153.90 2,462.24 434.28 133.00 231,755.72
Grand Total due for 2023-01 (Includes City and Employee Share)231,755.72
Annual Estimate (City Cost Only)$2,335,000
HDHP2
KP-DHMO 0750
KP-HDHP 1500
No Med
PPO4
ATTACHMENT 1
ITEM NO: 1d
DATE: January 09, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: RESOLUTION NO. 01-2023 - A RESOLUTION
DESIGNATING THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING MAIN ENTRANCE DISPLAY CABINET AS THE OFFICIAL
PUBLIC NOTICE POSTING LOCATION AND THE JEFFCO TRANSCRIPT AS THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION FOR THE CITY PUBLICATIONS IN 2023
PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
_______________________________ ______________________________ City Clerk City Manager ISSUE: State statutes require that each municipality annually establish the location for posting public
notices, as well as the newspaper in which the notices will be published. Local government
entities are also allowed to publish notices on-line for public meetings. These include meetings at which the adoption of any proposed policy, position, resolution, rule, regulation, or formal action occurs or at which a majority or quorum of body is in attendance.
PRIOR ACTION:
In previous years, the Jeffco Transcript has been utilized as the City's official newspaper for
publications and the official posting location has been the municipal building main entrance display cabinet. FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None
Council Action Form – Official Publication and Posting Notice Location January 9, 2023
Page 2
BACKGROUND: This resolution designates the Jeffco Transcript as the official newspaper for City publications
and the municipal building main entrance display cabinet as the official public notice posting
location.
RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended the City formally designate the public notice posting location as the municipal building main entrance display cabinet and the Jeffco Transcript as the official newspaper of
general circulation for publishing all public notices.
RECOMMENDED MOTION: "I move to approve Resolution No. 01-2023, a resolution designating the Municipal Building
main entrance display cabinet as the official public notice posting location and the Jeffco
Transcript as the official newspaper of general circulation for the City publications in 2023.” Or,
"I move to postpone indefinitely Resolution No. 01-2023, a resolution designating the Municipal
Building main entrance display cabinet as the official public notice posting location and the
Jeffco Transcript as the official newspaper of general circulation for the City publications in 2023 for the following reason(s) _______________________." REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY;
Robin L. Eaton, Deputy City Clerk
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 01-2023
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO RESOLUTION NO. 01
Series of 2023
TITLE: A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING MAIN ENTRANCE DISPLAY CABINET AS THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC NOTICE POSTING LOCATION AND THE JEFFCO
TRANSCRIPT AS THE OFFICAL NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL
CIRCULATION FOR CITY PUBLICATIONS IN 2023 WHEREAS, the Colorado Revised Statutes require municipalities to designate official public notice and publication locations for legal notices; and WHEREAS, such locations must be approved by the governing body of the
municipality annually; and WHEREAS, the City is required by Charter, Ordinance, and State law to publish
certain notices.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, as follows: Section 1. Public notice of public meetings of the City Council, Planning
Commission, Board of Adjustment, and all other Board, Commission, Committee,
and advisory board meetings for which public notice is required, shall be posted in the display cabinet at the main entrance to the Municipal Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, which location shall be deemed the official posting location for the City.
Section 2. Except as otherwise permitted by Sections 5.2 and 5.12 of the Charter, notices and other information required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City, shall be made in the Jeffco Transcript; except
that, where circumstances make publication ineffective or otherwise undesirable,
the City may publish official notice on the City’s website. Section 3. This resolution supersedes and replaces Resolution No. 01-2022 and shall be effective upon adoption.
DONE AND RESOLVED this 9th day of January 2023.
Bud Starker, Mayor
ATTEST:
____ Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
ATTACHMENT 1
ITEM NO: 1e
DATE: January 9, 2023 REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: RESOLUTION NO. 03-2023 - A RESOLUTION AMENDING
THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 RENEWAL WHEAT RIDGE BOND PROJECTS FUND TO REFLECT THE APPROVAL OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $153,531 FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTENDING THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,987,068 AND APPROVING SUBSEQUENT PAYMENTS FOR ONGOING
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE INVESTING 4 THE FUTURE PROGRAM
PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING
BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING RESOLUTIONS QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
_____________________________ Director of Public Works City Manager
ISSUE:
On January 27, 2017, the firm AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) was selected through
the City’s procurement process to provide multi-year professional engineering and land use planning services for the 2E Bond Fund, “Investing 4 the Future”, projects and to serve as an extension of staff, as needed, for review and assistance in the delivery of private development
projects in the Clear Creek Crossing and Wheat Ridge Ward Station areas as well as construction
management for the Improve Wadsworth Project. The scope and related fees for AECOM services in 2023 have been negotiated and City Council action is requested for the approval of the AECOM contract amendment and extension and a budget supplemental specifically for the Ward Road Station Area Projects.
Council Action Form – AECOM Contract Extension January 9, 2023
Page 2
PRIOR ACTION: The initial AECOM contract was approved by Council on November 27, 2017, for the period of December 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018. In 2019 and 2020 amendments to AECOM’s
contract were approved by City Council to continue ongoing program management services for
the Investing 4 the Future program. At the December 7, 2020 Council Study Session, staff and
AECOM representatives presented a scope of work and estimated costs to provide construction management services for the Improve Wadsworth Project. In early 2021 and again in 2022, City Council awarded a contract extension to AECOM to include ongoing program management services for the Investing 4 the Future program as well as construction management services for
the Improve Wadsworth Project, for those respective years. Thus, this is the sixth year of this
contract. FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding in the amount of $1,833,537 for this contract amendment is budgeted in the 2023 Renewal
Wheat Ridge Bond Projects Fund and the Capital Improvement Program Fund budgets. As the extension amount came in slightly higher than originally budgeted, a budget supplemental in the amount of $153,531 is required for the Ward Road Station Area projects. Task orders will be issued for each of the efforts based on the estimated costs for each task. Services will be billed on an
hourly basis, for actual services performed. A cost breakdown, by task, is summarized below:
Task Estimated Cost
Program Management $60,319
Ward Road Station Area $153,531
Kipling & 38th Ave. Intersection Project $32,604
Wadsworth Boulevard Widening Project $1,740,614
Total $1,987,068
BACKGROUND: The city required professional services assistance with the various Investing 4 the Future projects including: design review, construction management, project inspection, CDOT coordination,
CDOT quality control/quality assurance documentation, and public communication. The
complexity and magnitude of these projects warrants supplemental staff assistance. Also, many of these activities cannot be completed by staff due to a lack of expertise or current workload. It was expected that these professional services would be needed over at least a four-year period,
depending on the timing of development and activity in the respective project areas.
In 2023, in order to begin to develop more expertise, one of the city’s construction inspectors will
shadow AECOM staff on the Kipling and 38th Avenue Intersection Project in order to become
familiar with CDOT requirements and the associated documentation.
AECOM serves as an extension of staff to ensure that public and private improvement plans are submitted and eventually constructed per requirements. This required the consultant to engage a
multi-disciplinary team that would be available as needed (fulltime in certain instances) and
potentially on short notice. Project descriptions and the expected services are summarized below
for each project:
Council Action Form – AECOM Contract Extension January 9, 2023
Page 3
Program Management
Project coordination
Invoicing/Monthly Reporting
Ward Road Station Area
Design review support for the plaza, pedestrian bridge and trail at the 60%, 90% and 100% submittal stages for conformance with city standards, ADA and other applicable design standards and codes.
Construction management (including contract administration, project management,
inspection, CDOT documentation, materials testing, and public communications in
accordance with the CDOT local agency requirements) for the Ward Road/Ridge Road and Ward Road/52nd Avenue signalized intersections.
Kipling & 38th Avenue Intersection Project
Construction management (CDOT coordination and inspection and materials testing, in accordance with the CDOT local agency requirements). Overall construction management and public communication will be handled by the city.
Wadsworth Boulevard Widening Project
Construction on Phase I of the project commenced in November 2021 with an estimated 2-year
duration. A contract amendment with the city’s contractor, Concrete Works of Colorado, is currently being evaluated. If the city were to proceed with Phase II, AECOM has stated that their costs for construction management services for the Phase II work would not increase their 2023 scope of work and, therefore, would be covered in this task. Since Phase II will extend the overall
duration of the project, AECOM will include costs for this extended duration in future contract
amendment requests. Services Provided (Phase I and Phase II):
Construction management in accordance with the requirements of the city, CDOT and
other applicable state and federal agencies, including project management, inspection, and CDOT documentation, in accordance with CDOT local agency requirements.
Assistance in coordinating public and private improvements that may occur simultaneously in the corridor.
Coordination of public information with updates for the traveling public, adjacent
landowners, businesses, nearby residents, and other stakeholders.
Coordination with other agencies and stakeholders, including RTD, CDOT, and public and private utilities. RECOMMENDATIONS:
To date, AECOM has performed very well on all tasks assigned to them. Staff has been pleased
with their performance, professionalism, timeliness, and cost effectiveness. Appropriate fees for the work have been negotiated in accordance with the specific tasks and services needed. Staff recommends amending and extending the AECOM 2E Professional Services Contract term and
fees in the amount of $1,987,068 for the expected work to be completed in 2023 and amending the
budget as requested.
Council Action Form – AECOM Contract Extension January 9, 2023
Page 4
RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move to approve Resolution 03-2023, amending the Fiscal Year 2023 Renewal Wheat Ridge Bond Projects Fund to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount
of $153,531 for the purpose of extending the contract for professional services to AECOM
Technical Services, Inc in an amount not to exceed $1,987,068 and approving subsequent
payments for ongoing program management for the Investing 4 The Future program.” Or,
“I move to deny the supplemental budget appropriation, amendment and extension of the contract
for professional services to AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for the following reason(s): _________________________________.”
REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Maria D’Andrea, Director of Public Works Allison Scheck, Director of Administrative Services Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 03-2023
2. AECOM 2023 Scope of Services including Workhour/Cost Summary
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO RESOLUTION NO. 03
Series of 2023
TITLE: A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 RENEWAL WHEAT RIDGE BOND PROJECTS FUND TO REFLECT THE APPROVAL OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $153,531 FOR THE
PURPOSE OF EXTENDING THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,987,068 AND APPROVING SUBSEQUENT PAYMENTS FOR ONGOING PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE INVESTING 4 THE FUTURE PROGRAM WHEREAS, the council recognizes the importance and significance of improving infrastructure in Wheat Ridge; and
WHEREAS, AECOM Technical Services, Inc. serves as an extension of staff to
ensure public and private plans are submitted and constructed per requirements; and
WHEREAS, insufficient appropriations in the 2023 Renewal Wheat Ridge Bond Projects Fund exist to cover these expenditures; and
WHEREAS, the Wheat Ridge Charter requires that amendments to the budget be effected by the City Council adopting a resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Wheat Ridge City Council, that: Section 1. A transfer of $153,531 is hereby approved from the Renewal Wheat Ridge Bond Project Fund undesignated reserves to account 40-
103-700-750 and the 2023 revenues are amended accordingly.
Section 2. A contract extension in an amount not to exceed $1,987,068 and subsequent payments and is hereby approved for ongoing program management services with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. DONE AND RESOLVED this 9th day of January 2023.
Bud Starker, Mayor ATTEST:
_ Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
ATTACHMENT 1
City of Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management Services
AECOM Contract Continuation 2023 Scope of Services
December 8, 2023
1
A.PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND CONTINUING SERVICES
AECOM will provide ongoing program management services for the City’s Investing 4 the Future Program.
The Scope of Services covers the extended phase of the Program from January 1 through December 31,
2023 for a duration of 12 months. The Program Management activities will be led by AECOM’s Project
Manager, Chad Phillips, and will be supported by the project controls and administrative support team.
The Scope includes the following program management activities:
Activity A.1 Project Initiation (N/A)
These activities were substantially completed under the initial phase of the contract and are not included
in the Scope of Services
Activity A.2 Project Management
This activity includes ongoing project management activities necessary to administer and manage the
program including the following:
a)Project Coordination: Routine management and coordination activities
b)Schedule and Document Control (Not included in the Scope of Services)
c)Cost and Risk Management (Not included in the Scope of Services))
d)Invoicing/Monthly Reporting: Routine monitoring and maintenance of project budgets and
administration of each of the City projects (not including Anderson Park). Preparation of monthly
invoices including monthly progress report including project status narrative, cost, schedule and
budget update. Any “Non-2E” Bond Program costs shall be tracked separately, if applicable
Activity A.3 Meetings/Communications
Monthly 2E City staff meetings and/or other project management meetings are not anticipated and are
not included in the Scope of Services
Activity A.4 Rapid Response (Unforeseen Services)
Not included in the Scope of Services
B.CLEAR CREEK CROSSING
The scope of work within Clear Creek Project is substantially complete and is not included in the Scope of
Services.
C.WADSWORTH IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Activity C.1 Design Review Support
Not included in the Scope of Services
Activity C.2 Funding Support
Not included in the Scope of Services
ATTACHMENT 2
City of Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management Services
AECOM Contract Continuation 2023 Scope of Services
December 8, 2023
2
Activity C.3 Construction Management
The AECOM Team will provide construction management and materials QA services for the Wadsworth
Improvements Project and provide full construction contract administration, project management,
inspection, CDOT documentation and public communications in accordance with the CDOT Local Agency
policies. The AECOM Team includes the following subconsultants:
AECOM will lead the project team and will provide overall construction management of the Project
Benesch will provide CM support and construction oversight services
Geocal will provide materials testing and QC services
Merge Resource Group will be responsible for public communications services
Terracon will provide Independent Assurance Testing as required by CDOT processes.
All work will be in accordance with City and CDOT requirements as designated on the plans for the project.
Chad Phillips (AECOM) will serve as the Engineer in Responsible Charge.
The anticipated time period required for the work described in this scope is from January through December
2023. Work may be required night or day, on weekends, holidays, or on a split shift basis. Work week may be
in excess of or less than the standard 40-hour week. Authorization by the City must be received prior to
proceeding with overtime, nighttime or weekend work. The Scope of Services includes 12 months duration
for the staffing listed below. Reductions in staffing may occur during no work periods during the winter
months. The actual duration of the project will be dictated by the construction contractor and is anticipated
to go into 2024. Requirements for CM staffing beyond December 2023 will be negotiated with the City as
part of a future Scope of Services. Services for the Construction Project Manager are estimated at 32
hours/week. Services for the Assistant Construction Project Manager are estimated at 40 hours per week.
Services for the inspectors are estimated at 45 hours/week. Hours required and approved beyond these
estimates, or contractor’s failure to complete work within the contract time allowed could be cause to exceed
these estimates and show the need for supplemental budget.
The AECOM Team shall furnish personnel, vehicles, cell phones, computer, printer and standard office
software, and miscellaneous equipment required to perform the work. A Field Office will need to be provided
for the shared use of the entire CM Team. That cost is not included in this scope.
General Work Description: The AECOM Team will provide support to the City through assignment of
personnel for construction management, inspection, and IAT testing and shall be responsible for the following
activities:
Provide construction contract administration activities – management, inspection, documentation
Project Documentation - Maintain a daily diary for each day work is performed on the project. The
contents of the diary shall be brief and accurate statements of progress and conditions encountered
during the prosecution of the work. Prepare and compile interim and final inspection reports as
required in the CDOT construction manual.
Review, give comments, and acknowledge completeness of required submittal resulting from but not
limited to:
City of Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management Services
AECOM Contract Continuation 2023 Scope of Services
December 8, 2023
3
o Method of Handling Traffic
o Progress Schedule
o Shop Drawings
Preparation of the following documentation, reports and billing on a routine basis:
o Periodic reports and billings
o Preparation of monthly progress Invoices for monthly and final billings for AECOM/Benesch fees
and construction contractor payments
o Project files, project diaries and time counts
o Conduct and document weekly progress meeting with City, Contractor, subcontractors, utilities
and other interested parties
o Monitoring of project contractor for fulfillment of contract plans and specifications
o Securing all project documentation from the contractor
Anticipating project problems and direct solutions to the City Project Representative.
Prepare and track responses to contractors' and suppliers' request for information, submittals, change
notices, claims, and correspondence. Prepare cost estimates and change orders as necessary.
Review of drawings and data submitted by the construction contractor and suppliers for general
conformance with the intent of the specifications. Inform and obtain concurrence as needed from the
City Project Representative and keep relative documentation for project records.
Review and approval of Methods of Handling Traffic (MHT).
Monitoring compliance with and taking appropriate action to preserve safety on the project for all
workers and traveling public in accordance with Method of Handling Traffic (MHT).
Conduct required stormwater management inspections and monitor contractor’s compliance.
Assist with preparation of punch list of uncompleted work, non-conformance reports, and deficiency
notices.
Prepare all Final documentation as required in CDOT’s construction manual and CDOT Local Agency
requirements.
Construction Management Oversight: This work will be for oversight of the team and providing the
Engineer in Responsible Charge for the project.
Pre-Construction Preparation: Preconstruction setup, submittal review, and other activities will need
to the completed prior to the Contractor beginning work.
The staffing for the project includes the following:
a) Construction Project Manager (Project Engineer): Chad Phillips will serve as Construction Project
Manager and Engineer in Responsible Charge
b) Assistant Project Engineer: This person will assist the Project Manager on duties of administration
of the project both office and field tasks as assigned. This person will be capable of serving as the
Project Engineer in accordance with CDOT requirements.
c) Inspection Staff: Three (3) inspectors are anticipated to be in the field full time for the efforts on
the project. One senior level and two junior level inspector are being proposed for the scope of
work. These people will inspect and record field activities, quantities, and other duties as
assigned by the Project Engineer and Assistant Project Engineer.
City of Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management Services
AECOM Contract Continuation 2023 Scope of Services
December 8, 2023
4
d) Testing: One (1) FTE is anticipated for materials testing duties. Additionally there will be some lab
testing at Geocal’s off site lab and management/oversight of the field and lab testing will be
required.
e) Public Communications Manager: Kate Binning will serve in this role. Level of effort is anticipated
to average less than one-half FTE over the project duration
D. ANDERSON PARK
The Anderson Park Project is complete and is not included in the Scope of Services.
E. WHEAT RIDGE WARD STATION AREA
Activity E.1 Project Management
Not included in the Scope of Services
Activity E.2 Station Area Analysis
Not included in the Scope of Services
Activity E.3 Design Review Support
Ward Station – Plaza, Pedestrian Bridge, Trail
The Scope of Work includes supporting the City staff with design reviews of PSE submittal packages at the
60%, 90% and 100% submittal stages for the Ward Station Plaza, Pedestrian Bridge and Trail. It is our
understanding that the submittal packages will be prepared by SEH consulting engineers. Review of the
30% design submittal was completed in January of 2020.
Design reviews are not intended to be a detail check for quality control but a review of the submittal
documents for conformance with Wheat Ridge city standards, ADA and other applicable design standards
and codes. Reviews will include general site-civil engineering, drainage, structural, landscaping, irrigation,
lighting and mechanic/electrical/ plumbing (MEP) design elements. We anticipate that the design
submittals will include plans, specifications, cost estimates, reports and other deliverables. Review
comments will be compiled in spreadsheet format along with “redline” plan revisions where applicable.
Activity E.4 Development Review Support
Not included in the Scope of Services
Activity E.5 Funding Support
Not included in the Scope of Services
Activity E.6 Construction Management
Ward Road/Ridge Road and Ward Road/52nd Ave. Intersections
City of Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management Services
AECOM Contract Continuation 2023 Scope of Services
December 8, 2023
5
The AECOM Team will provide construction management and materials QA services for the Ward
Road/Ridge Road and Ward Road/52nd Ave. Intersection Project and provide full construction contract
administration, project management, inspection, CDOT documentation and public communications in
accordance with the CDOT Local Agency policies. It is our understanding that these two intersection
projects will be packaged with the Tabor, 52nd and Ridge Road Street reconstruction project. Construction
management of the street reconstruction project will be managed by the City and is not included in the
Scope of Services. The Ward Road intersection projects will require coordination with CDOT and CDOT
QC/QA documentation.
The staffing for the project includes the following:
a) Construction Project Engineer: Assume 25% level of effort for a duration of 10 weeks
b) Assistant Project Engineer: Assume one FTE for duration of 10 weeks. This person will also
perform field inspections.
c) Materials Testing: The level of effort will be determined once the final plans are issued and
CDOT’s Form 250 is generated to determine testing frequencies and requirements.
F. Kipling and 38th
Activity F.1 Construction Management
The 38th Avenue and Kipling intersection project will require coordination with CDOT and CDOT QC/QA
documentation. The Overall construction management of the intersection reconstruction project will be
managed by the City. This includes construction contract administration and public communication. The
AECOM Team will provide construction management and materials QA services for the project. This
includes as needed inspection, CDOT documentation in accordance with the CDOT Local Agency
policies.
The City to provide staffing for the project includes the following:
1. Russ Higgins will serve as Construction Project Manager and Engineer in Responsible Charge.
2. Assistant Project Engineer: This person will assist the Project Manager on duties of administration of
the project both office and field tasks as assigned. This person will be capable of serving as the
Project Engineer periodically in the absence of
AECOM to provide the staffing for the project includes the following:
1. PM Support: 2 hours per week is estimated for PM support
2. Assistance Project Engineer: Assume part time 25% of FTE for duration of 8 weeks. This person
performs as needed field inspections.
3. Material Testing: The level of effort will be determined once the final plans are issued and CDOT’s
Form 250 is generated to determine testing frequencies and requirements.
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023
December 8, 2023
Workhour/Cost Summary
Task
No.
Total Cost
A 53,874$ Labor
6,195$ Fee (11.5%)
250$ ODC's/Subcontractor
60,319$
B -$ Labor
-$ Total Cost
C 1,437,396$ Labor
100,554$ AECOM Fee (11.5%)
109,332$ ODC's/Subcontractor
1,740,614$ Total Cost
D -$ Labor
-$ Total Cost
E 136,145$ Labor
13,136$ Fee (11.5%)
4,250$ ODC's/Subcontractor
153,531$ Total Cost
F 26,970$ Labor
1,384$ Fee (11.5%)
4,250$ ODC's/Subcontractor
32,604$ Total Cost
1,987,068$ PROJECT TOTALS
Subtotal - Program Management
Continuing Requirements
Subtotal - Clear Creek Crossing
Subtotal - Ward Road Station
Subtotal - Wadsworth Widening
Subtotal - Anderson Park
Subtotal - Kipling and 38th Ave
Page 1 of 1
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023
December 8, 2023
Program Management Services
Task Project Management
No.
Project Manager
Deputy
Project
Manager
Project
Controls Admin PM Support
Total
Hours Total Cost Notes
$169.63 $223.45 $214.20 $104.07 $190.17
(Phillips)(Center)(Dwyer)(Wood)(McQuilkin)
0 -$ 0
A.1 Project Initiation (N/A)0 -$ 0
A.2 Project Management
a) Routine management, accounting and administration 52 12 200 40 304 39,812$ Assume PM hour per week, Admin 4 hours per week
b) Schedule and document control (if required)0 -$
c) Cost and risk management (if required)0 -$
d) Invoicing/monthly reporting 24 96 120 14,062$ Assume PM 4 hours per month, Admin 8 hours per month
Subtotal Project Management 76 0 12 296 40 424 53,874$
A.3 Meetings/Communications 0 -$
Not included in Scope of Services
A.4 Rapid Response (Unforeseen Services)0 -$ 0
Not included in Scope of Services
Subtotal Project Management/Continuing Requirements 76 0 12 296 40 424 53,874$ Total Labor
Labor Fee at 11.5%6,195$
Other Direct Costs 250$ Other Direct Costs
TOTAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT/CONTINUING
REQUIREMENTS 60,319$
A PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/CONTINUING SERVICES
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023
December 8, 2022
Wadsworth Improvements Project
Task
No.
Construction
Project Engineer
(AECOM)
Assistant
Project
Engineer
(AECOM)
Inspector &
Office Engineer
(AECOM)
Junior Inspector
(AECOM)
CM Oversight
(Benesch)
Inspector
(Benesch)
Materials
Manager
(Geocal)
Materials
Tester
(Geocal)
Public Info
(Merge)
Total
Hours Total Cost
$151.18 $131.55 $78.30 $70.93 $191.22 $97.08 $130.00 $77.09 $130.00
(Phillips)(McLeod)(Payab)(Loya)(Guikema/Hastings)(Hausauer)(Perzinski)(Elkins)(Binning)
C WADSWORTH IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
C.1 Design Review Support 0 -$ 0
Not included in Scope of Services
C.2 Funding Support 0 -$ 0
Not included in Scope of Services
C.3 Construction Management Assume 52 full weeks
a) Construction Project Engineer (32 HR per week)1664 1,664 251,564$
c) Asst. Project Engineer (40 HR per week)2080 2,080 273,624$
d) Inspection Staff (3 each at 45 hr/wk)2340 2340 2340 7,020 576,365$ Phase 2 work package being added, increasing 0.5 FTE to 1 FTE for
total 3 inspectors
e) Testing (1 EA @ 45HR/Wk) + Additional Misc testing 200 2510 2,710 219,496$
f) Public Information & Community Outreach (14 HR/Wk)690 690 89,700$
g) Project Management and Administrative Support (2 HR/Wk)104 52 156 26,647$
Subtotal Construction Management 1,664 2,080 2,340 2,340 104 2,340 252 2,510 690 14,320 1,437,396$
Subtotal - Wadsworth Improvements Project 0 1664 2080 2340 2340 104 2340 252 2510 690 14320 1,437,396$ Total Labor
AECOM Labor 874,386$
Labor Fee at 11.5%100,554$ Total AECOM Labor Fee
Terracon IAT Testing 4,500$ Estimated for 2023
Geocal Company Laboratory Testing 11,500$ Estimte Lab Fees 2023
Other Direct Costs 93,332$ ODC's, AECOM trucks 4, 1 Benesch, 1 Geocal + Merge estimated
flyers, etc.
C 1,740,614$ TOTAL WADSWORTH IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Construction Management
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023
December 8, 2023
Ward Station
Task Project Management Design Review Support (AECOM) Planning Construction Management
No.
Project
Manager
Deputy Project
Manager
PM Support Senior Civil
Engineer
Traffic
Engineer
Structural
Engineer Architectural MEP
Lighting/Electri
cal Landscape Irrigation
Construction
Project
Engineer
(AECOM)
Assistant
Project
Engineer
(AECOM)
Materials Manager
(Geocal)
Materials Tester
(Geocal)
Total Hours Total Cost Notes
$169.63 $223.45 $190.17 $137.22 $137.04 $139.41 $159.06 $171.89 $174.75 $159.42 $79.04 $151.18 $131.55 $130.00 $77.09
(Phillips) (Center) (McQuilkin) Seyboldt (Candeleria) (Holst) (Doyle) TBD TBD (Lynn) (Morehouse) (Phillips) TBD TBD TBD
E WARD STATION
E.1 Project Management 0 -$ 0
Not included in Scope of Services
E.2 Station Area Analysis 0 -$
Not included in Scope of Services
E.3 Design Review Support
Ward Station Plaza/Bridge/Trail Infrastructure
60% Design Review 20 20 20 16 20 12 16 8 132 21,264$
90% Design Review 16 16 16 12 16 8 12 8 104 16,604$ 104
100% Design Review 8 8 8 6 8 4 8 4 54 8,621$
Subtotal Design Review Support 0 44 0 44 0 44 34 44 24 36 20 0 0 0 0 290 46,489$ 46489
E.4 Development Review Support 0 -$
Not included in Scope of Services
E.5 Funding Support 0 -$
Not included in Scope of Services
E.6 Construction Management Support
Ward/Ridge and Ward/52nd Intersections (10 weeks construction)100 400 500 67,738$ Need to confirm duration after plan approval
Materials Testing (50% FTE, 10 weeks, TBD based on final plans)50 200 21,918$ Need final plans and test frequency
Subtotal 100 400 50 200 750 89,656$
Subtotal - Ward Station 0 44 0 44 0 44 34 44 24 36 20 100 400 50 200 1040 136,145$ 136145
Labor Fee at 11.5%13,136$
Other Direct Costs 4,250$
E TOTAL WARD STATION 153,531$
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023
December 8, 2022
Ward StationTaskProject Management Construction Management
No.
Project Manager
Deputy
Project
Manager
Construction
Project Engineer
(AECOM)
Assistant
Project
Engineer
(AECOM)
Materials
Manager
(Geocal)
Materials
Tester
(Geocal)
Total Hours Total Cost Notes
$169.63 $223.45 $151.18 $131.55 $130.00 $77.09
(Phillips) (Center) (Phillips) TBD TBD TBD
F Kipling and 38th
F.1 Construction Management Support
Kipling (25% 8 weeks + PM support)10 80 90 12,036$ Need to confirm duration after plan approval
Materials Testing (50% FTE, 8 weeks, TBD based on final plans)20 160 14,934$ Need final plans and test frequency
Subtotal 10 80 20 160 270 26,970$
Subtotal - Kipling and 38th 0 0 10 80 20 160 270 26,970$ 26970
Labor Fee at 11.5%1,384$
Other Direct Costs 4,250$
E TOTAL KIPLING and 38th AVE 32,604$
Wheat Ridge Investing 4 the Future Program Management/Construction Management
Workhour/Cost Estimate 2023 - ODC's
December 8, 2022
Other Direct Costs Notes
A. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CONTINUING SERVICES
Printing, delivery, mileage, etc. Say $250
Total $250
B. I-70 Hook Ramps/CCC
C. WADSWORTH
Construction Management & Testing
Full Time CM Vehicles: $75,600 $1000/month, 5 vehicles, $1300/mo geocal @ 12 mo Each
Milege for other staff, say 1600 miles @ $0.52 = $832 $832
Appia Construction Management Software - Annual License @$2100/yr x 5 licenses $10,500
Other ODC's, printing, delivery, etc. Say $500
Total ODC's CM $87,432
Public Information (Merge)
Public meetings (food, boards, handouts) Say $1,500
LEP Language Link on-demand, as needed $200
Fliers (2000 addresses @ $1.50/ea) $4,000
Printing, copies for site visits, misc. Say $200
Total ODC's PI $5,900
Total ODC's Wadsworth 2023 $93,332
D. ANDERSON PARK
E. WARD ROAD STATION
Full Time CM Vehicles: $1000/month, 1.5 vehicles @ 2.5 total months, 3750 3750
Other ODC's, printing, delivery, etc. Say $500
Total ODC's CM $4,250
F. Kipling
Full Time CM Vehicles: $1000/month, 1.5 vehicles @ 2.5 total months, 3750 3750 Will charge mileage, basis of budget use monthly charge
Other ODC's, printing, delivery, etc. Say $500
Total ODC's CM $4,250
ITEM NO: 2
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: COUNCIL BILL NO. 01-2023 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING
THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SITE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON WIRELESS FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING CELLULAR TOWER PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING (01/09/2023) BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING (01/23/2023) RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
____________________________ ___________________________ Director of Parks & Recreation City Manager ISSUE: The City entered into lease agreements with three cellular companies for replacement of the
Municipal Building cellular tower. Those leases contemplate a start date of February 14, 2023.
Because of supply chain delays, the leases must be amended to allow additional time for this work. Approval of this ordinance will extend the commencement date deadline to June 1, 2023,
and also grants authority for minor changes to the lease as needed.
PRIOR ACTION:
City Council approved the site lease agreement with Verizon Wireless on June 27, 2022.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Lease payments will not commence until the adjusted commencement date, which will be on or
before June 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND:
Due to aging infrastructure and changes to technology over the years, Verizon Wireless, along
with two other cellular carriers, would like to demolish the existing cellular tower located at City
Hall and construct a new monopole cellular tower. City Staff is in support of this initiative, under the condition that the City will not share in the cost of demolition and construction.
CAF – First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with Verizon Wireless January 9, 2023
Page 2
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the approval this ordinance.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move to approve Council Bill No. 01-2023, an ordinance approving the First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with Verizon Wireless for use of the Municipal Building cellular tower on first reading, order it published, public hearing set for Monday, January 23, 2023 at 7 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers if allowed to meet in person on that date per
COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect upon adoption and signature by the Mayor, as
permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.” Or,
“I move to postpone indefinitely Council Bill No. 01-2023, an ordinance approving the First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with Verizon Wireless for use of the Municipal Building cellular tower for the following reason(s) __________________.”
REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Karen A. O’Donnell, Parks & Recreation Director
Gerald Dahl, City Attorney Patrick Goff, City Manager ATTACHMENTS:
1. Verizon Wireless First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement
2. Council Bill No. 01-2023
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
This FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT (the “First Amendment”) is effective the date of
the last signature herein (the “Effective Date”) by and between City of Wheat Ridge (“Landlord”) and Cellco
Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless, a company authorized to do business in the State of Colorado (“Tenant”).
Landlord and Tenant agree to the following:
Site Lease Agreement Amended. Landlord and Tenant hereby amend the Site Lease Agreement previously
entered into between them on June 30, 2022 (the “Agreement”) for certain property at 7500 W. 29th Avenue,
Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the “Property”) as legally described on Exhibit A attached hereto, as follows:
• Paragraph 5b of the Agreement, final sentence, is amended to read as follows: “In the event the
Commencement Date, as defined herein, does not occur on or before June 1, 2023, this
Agreement shall terminate and be of no effect.”
Paragraph 21 of the Agreement (Miscellaneous), is amended by the addition of a new subparagraph (m), to
read as follows: “This Agreement may be amended to provide for minor adjustments in timeframes, dates,
and adjustments to exhibits, deemed appropriate by the City Manager or designee, without the requirement
of City Council approval by ordinance or otherwise.”
LANDLORD: City of Wheat Ridge, a Municipal
corporation of the State of Colorado
By:
Printed Name: Bud Starker
Title: Mayor
Date:
ATTEST: _____________________________
Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk [seal]
APPROVED AS TO FORM
_____________________________________
Gerald Dahl, City Attorney
TENANT: Cellco Partnership
d/b/a Verizon Wireless
By:
Printed Name:
Title:
Date:
ATTACHMENT 1
Exhibit A
Legal Description
The Property is legally described as follows:
PARCEL 1
Lot 1, Block 3, BARTH’S SUBDIVISION excepting the North ½ of the East ½ of said Lot and the West 6 feet of said parcel
therefrom, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado.
AND BEING the same property conveyed to City of Wheat Ridge, a municipal corporation from County of
Jefferson, State of Colorado acting by and through its duly constituted and appointed Board of County
Commissioners and Commissioner Joanne K. Paterson by Commissioners Deed dated September 23, 1976 and
recorded October O6, 1976 in Deed Book 2911, Page 920.
PARCEL 2
North ½ of Lot 1, Block 3, BARTH’S SUBDIVISION except the East 25 feet as described in book 722 at page 353, County of
Jefferson, State of Colorado.
AND BEING the same property conveyed to City of Wheat Ridge, a municipal corporation from County of
Jefferson, State of Colorado acting by and through its duly constituted and appointed Board of County
Commissioners and Commissioner Robert Clement by Commissioners Deed dated March 13, 1979 and recorded April
20, 1979 in Instrument No. 79034601.
Tax Parcel No. 39-264-15-001
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ___________
COUNCIL BILL NO. _______
ORDINANCE NO. _________ Series 2023 TITLE: AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE
AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON WIRELESS FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL
BUILDING CELLULAR TOWER
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the “City”), is a Colorado home rule municipality, duly organized and existing pursuant to Section 6 of Article XX of the Colorado Constitution and governed by its elected City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has authority to approve leases for uses of City
property; and
WHEREAS, the Council has previously approved a lease with Verizon Wireless for use of the municipal building cellular tower, subject to terms and conditions of said lease; and
WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Director, the lease must be amended to adjust the initiation of the Commencement Date and to provide a mechanism for minor amendments to the lease. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO:
Section 1. First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement Approved. The First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement between the City of Wheat Ridge and Verizon Wireless attached hereto as Exhibit A, is hereby approved, and the Mayor and City Clerk
are authorized and directed to execute the same, in form approved by the City Attorney.
Section 2. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption and signature by the Mayor, as permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.
INTRODUCED, READ, AND ADOPTED on first reading by a vote of ___ to ___ on this
9th day of January 2023, ordered published in full in a newspaper of general circulation
in the City of Wheat Ridge, and Public Hearing and consideration on final passage set for
January 23, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat
Ridge, Colorado.
READ, ADOPTED AND ORDERED PUBLISHED on second and final reading by
a vote of ___ to ___, this 23rd day of January 2023.
SIGNED by the Mayor on this _____ day of ____________, 2023.
ATTACHMENT 2
_________________________
Bud Starker, Mayor ATTEST:
_________________________
Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk Approved as to Form
_________________________ Gerald E. Dahl, City Attorney
First Publication: Second Publication:
Jeffco Transcript Effective Date:
Published:
Jeffco Transcript and www.ci.wheatridge.co.us
EXHIBIT A
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
ITEM NO: 3
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: COUNCIL BILL NO. 02-2023 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING
THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SITE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH T-MOBILE WEST LLC, FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING CELLULAR TOWER PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING (01/09/2023) BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING (01/23/2023) RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
___________________________ _____________________________ Director of Parks & Recreation City Manager ISSUE: The City entered into lease agreements with three cellular companies for replacement of the
Municipal Building cellular tower. Those leases contemplate a start date of February 14, 2023.
Because of supply chain delays, the leases must be amended to allow additional time for this work. Approval of this ordinance will extend the commencement date deadline to June 1, 2023,
and also grants authority for minor changes to the lease as needed.
PRIOR ACTION:
The City Council approved the site lease agreement with T-Mobile West LLC on June 27, 2022.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Lease payments will not commence until the adjusted commencement date, which will be on or
before June 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND:
Due to aging infrastructure and changes to technology over the years, T-Mobile West LLC,
along with two other cellular carriers, would like to demolish the existing cellular tower located
at City Hall and construct a new monopole cellular tower. City Staff is in support of this
CAF – First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with T-Mobile West LLC January 9, 2023
Page 2
initiative, under the condition that the City will not share in the cost of demolition and construction.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval this ordinance. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move to approve Council Bill No. 02-2023, an ordinance approving the First Amendment to
the Site Lease Agreement with T-Mobile West LLC for use of the Municipal Building cell tower
on first reading, order it published, public hearing set for Monday, January 23, 2023 at 7 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers if allowed to meet in person on that date per COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect upon adoption and signature by the Mayor, as
permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.”
Or, “I move to postpone indefinitely Council Bill No. 02-2023, an ordinance approving the First
Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with T-Mobile West LLC for the use of the municipal
cell tower for the following reason(s) __________________.” REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY: Karen A. O’Donnell, Parks & Recreation Director Gerald Dahl, City Attorney
Patrick Goff, City Manager ATTACHMENTS: 1. T-Mobile West LLC First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement
2. Council Bill No. 02-2023
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
This FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT (the “First Amendment”) is effective the date of
the last signature herein (the “Effective Date”) by and between City of Wheat Ridge (“Landlord”) and T-
Mobile West LLC, a Delaware limited liability company authorized to do business in the State of Colorado
(“Tenant”).
Landlord and Tenant agree to the following:
Site Lease Agreement Amended. Landlord and Tenant hereby amend the Site Lease Agreement previously
entered into between them for certain property at 7500 W. 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the
“Agreement”) as follows:
• Paragraph 5b of the Agreement, final sentence, is amended to read as follows: “In the event the
Commencement Date, as defined herein, does not occur on or before June 1, 2023, this
Agreement shall terminate and be of no effect.”
Paragraph 21 of the Agreement (Miscellaneous), is amended by the addition of a new subparagraph (m), to
read as follows: “This Agreement may be amended to provide for minor adjustments in timeframes, dates,
and adjustments to exhibits, deemed appropriate by the City Manager or designee, without the requirement
of City Council approval by ordinance or otherwise.”
LANDLORD: City of Wheat Ridge, a Municipal
corporation of the State of Colorado
By:
Printed Name: Bud Starker
Title: Mayor
Date:
ATTEST: _____________________________
Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk [seal]
APPROVED AS TO FORM
_____________________________________
Gerald Dahl, City Attorney
TENANT: T-Mobile West LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company
By:
Printed Name: ______
Title:
Date:
ATTACHMENT 1
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ___________
COUNCIL BILL NO. _______
ORDINANCE NO. _________ Series 2023 TITLE: AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE
AGREEMENT WITH T-MOBILE WEST LLC FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL
BUILDING CELLULAR TOWER
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the “City”), is a Colorado home rule municipality, duly organized and existing pursuant to Section 6 of Article XX of the Colorado Constitution and governed by its elected City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has authority to approve leases for uses of City
property; and
WHEREAS, the Council has previously approved a lease with T-Mobile West LLC for use of the municipal building cellular tower, subject to terms and conditions of said lease; and
WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Director, the lease must be amended to adjust the initiation of the Commencement Date and to provide a mechanism for minor amendments to the lease. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO:
Section 1. First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement Approved. The First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement between the City of Wheat Ridge and T-Mobile West LLC attached hereto as Exhibit A, is hereby approved, and the Mayor and City
Clerk are authorized and directed to execute the same, in form approved by the City
Attorney.
Section 2. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption and signature by the Mayor, as permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.
INTRODUCED, READ, AND ADOPTED on first reading by a vote of ___ to ___ on this
9th day of January 2023, ordered published in full in a newspaper of general circulation
in the City of Wheat Ridge, and Public Hearing and consideration on final passage set for January 23, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat
Ridge, Colorado.
READ, ADOPTED AND ORDERED PUBLISHED on second and final reading by
a vote of ___ to ___, this 23rd day of January 2023.
ATTACHMENT 2
SIGNED by the Mayor on this _____ day of ____________, 2023.
_________________________
Bud Starker, Mayor ATTEST:
_________________________ Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Approved as to Form _________________________ Gerald E. Dahl, City Attorney
First Publication: Second Publication: Jeffco Transcript Effective Date:
Published: Jeffco Transcript and www.ci.wheatridge.co.us
EXHIBIT A
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
ITEM NO: 4
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: COUNCIL BILL NO. 03-2023 - AN ORDINANCE APPROVING
THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED SITE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS PCS, LLC FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING CELLULAR TOWER
PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING (01/09/2023)
BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING (01/23/2023) RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
___________________________ _____________________________
Director of Parks & Recreation City Manager
ISSUE: The City entered into lease agreements with three cellular companies for replacement of the
Municipal Building cellular tower. Those leases contemplate a start date of February 14, 2023. Because of supply chain delays, the leases must be amended to allow additional time for this
work. Approval of this ordinance will extend the commencement date deadline to June 1, 2023,
and also grants authority for minor changes to the lease as needed.
PRIOR ACTION:
The City Council approved the site lease agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC (also
known as AT&T) on June 27, 2022.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Lease payments will not commence until the adjusted commencement date, which will be on or before June 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND:
Due to aging infrastructure and changes to technology over the years, New Cingular Wireless, along with two other cellular carriers, would like to demolish the existing cellular tower located
CAF – First Amendment to the Site Lease Agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC January 9, 2023
Page 2
at City Hall and construct a new monopole cellular tower. City Staff is in support of this initiative, under the condition that the City will not share in the cost of demolition and
construction.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the approval this ordinance. RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move to approve Council Bill No. 03-2023, an ordinance approving the First Amendment to
the Amended and Restated Site Lease Agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC for the use of the Municipal Building cell tower on first reading, order it published, public hearing set for Monday, January 23, 2023 at 7 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers if
allowed to meet in person on that date per COVID-19 restrictions, and that it take effect upon
adoption and signature by the Mayor, as permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.” Or,
“I move to postpone indefinitely Council Bill No. 03-2023, an ordinance approving the First
Amendment to the Amended and Restated Site Lease Agreement with New Cingular Wireless
PCS, LLC for the use of the municipal cell tower for the following reason(s) __________________.” REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Karen A. O’Donnell, Parks & Recreation Director
Gerald Dahl, City Attorney Patrick Goff, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Site Lease Agreement 2. Council Bill No. 03-2023
FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
This FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED SITE LEASE AGREEMENT (the “First
Amendment”) is effective the date of the last signature herein (the “Effective Date”) by and between City of
Wheat Ridge (“Landlord”) and New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
authorized to do business in the State of Colorado (“Tenant”).
Landlord and Tenant agree to the following:
Site Lease Agreement Amended. Landlord and Tenant hereby amend the Site Lease Agreement previously
entered into between them for certain property at 7500 W. 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the
“Agreement”) as follows:
• Paragraph 5b of the Agreement, final sentence, is amended to read as follows: “In the event the
Commencement Date, as defined herein, does not occur on or before June 1, 2023, this
Agreement shall terminate and be of no effect, and as of that date the Prior Agreement shall
also terminate.”
Paragraph 21 of the Agreement (Miscellaneous), is amended by the addition of a new subparagraph (m), to
read as follows: “This Agreement may be amended to provide for minor adjustments in timeframes, dates,
and adjustments to exhibits, deemed appropriate by the City Manager or designee, without the requirement
of City Council approval by ordinance or otherwise.”
LANDLORD: City of Wheat Ridge, a Municipal
corporation of the State of Colorado
By:
Printed Name: Bud Starker
Title: Mayor
Date:
ATTEST: _____________________________
Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk [seal]
APPROVED AS TO FORM
_____________________________________
Gerald Dahl, City Attorney
TENANT:
New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company
By: AT&T Mobility Corporation, its Manager
By:
Printed Name:
Title:
Date:
ATTACHMENT 1
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ___________
COUNCIL BILL NO. _______
ORDINANCE NO. _________ Series 2023 TITLE: AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED
AND RESTATED SITE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH NEW CINGULAR
WIRELESS PCS, LLC FOR USE OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING
CELLULAR TOWER
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado (the “City”), is a Colorado home rule municipality, duly organized and existing pursuant to Section 6 of Article XX of the Colorado Constitution and governed by its elected City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has authority to approve leases for uses of City
property; and
WHEREAS, the Council has previously approved a lease with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC for use of the municipal building cellular tower, subject to terms and
conditions of said lease; and
WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Director, the lease
must be amended to adjust the initiation of the Commencement Date and to provide a mechanism for minor amendments to the lease.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO:
Section 1. First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement Approved. The First Amendment to Site Lease Agreement between the City of Wheat Ridge and New Cingular
Wireless PCS, LLC attached hereto as Exhibit A, is hereby approved, and the Mayor
and City Clerk are authorized and directed to execute the same, in form approved by the
City Attorney.
Section 2. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption and signature by the Mayor, as permitted by Section 5.11 of the Charter.
INTRODUCED, READ, AND ADOPTED on first reading by a vote of ___ to ___ on this
9th day of January 2023, ordered published in full in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Wheat Ridge, and Public Hearing and consideration on final passage set for January 23, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
READ, ADOPTED AND ORDERED PUBLISHED on second and final reading by
a vote of ___ to ___, this 23rd day of January 2023.
ATTACHMENT 2
SIGNED by the Mayor on this _____ day of ____________, 2023.
_________________________
Bud Starker, Mayor ATTEST:
_________________________ Stephen Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Approved as to Form _________________________ Gerald E. Dahl, City Attorney
First Publication: Second Publication: Jeffco Transcript Effective Date:
Published: Jeffco Transcript and www.ci.wheatridge.co.us
EXHIBIT A
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SITE LEASE AGREEMENT
ITEM NO: 5
DATE: January 9, 2023
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
TITLE: RESOLUTION NO. 02-2023 – A RESOLUTION ADOPTING
THE WHEAT RIDGE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN WHEAT RIDGE PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES FOR 1ST READING
BIDS/MOTIONS ORDINANCES FOR 2ND READING
RESOLUTIONS
QUASI-JUDICIAL: YES NO
___________________________________ ______________________________ Interim Community Development Director City Manager
ISSUE:
Addressing affordable housing is one of the City and State’s most pressing issues. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs awarded the City a grant in October 2021 to complete an Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan. This resolution would adopt the Strategy as City policy to guide future decisions around affordable housing.
PRIOR ACTION:
City Council provided guidance on this project throughout 2022. Most recently, City Council reviewed the draft Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan (“Strategy”) on December 5, 2022, and unanimously supported the action items as presented at that meeting. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Adopting the Strategy will not have an immediate financial impact on the City. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) awarded a $112,500 grant to the City to
complete this Strategy with a required a City match of $37,500 (25%) that was
appropriated by City Council in March 2022. Some of the Strategy’s action items would
CAF – Affordable Housing Strategy January 9, 2023
Page 2
have financial impacts on the City if implemented; they would require the direction of City Council in the future (see Part 3 of Attachment 2).
BACKGROUND:
The City currently has minimal adopted policies or strategies related to affordable housing, nor any recent community-specific needs assessments in contrast to peer nearby cities. This Strategy includes a Wheat Ridge-specific needs assessment, articulates City policy related to affordable housing, and curates a responsive set of actions with recommended sequencing over the next 5+
years. City staff and the consultant team czb, LLC developed this Strategy in close consultation with City Council and other stakeholders. The Strategy kicked off in early 2022 and City Council
provided direction at study sessions in May, August, and December of 2022. Notable steps in the
process included:
1. City Council support via Resolution 45-2021 for a grant application for the Strategy (September 13, 2021)
2. DOLA grant award to City (December 2021)
3. City Council study session with czb to kick off project, share aspirations, and review
scope of work (May 2, 2022) 4. Analysis and strategy development (Summer 2022) that included: a. Focused interviews with over 20 housing developers to ensure findings and recommendations were grounded in market realities;
b. Opportunities for community input that included an open house, survey, and
various public communications about the project; and c. Project briefings to the Planning Commission (July 7, 2022), Wheat Ridge Housing Authority (July 7, 2022), and Race and Equity Task Force (May 26,
2022)
5. City Council extended study session that included a deep dive on why housing is so expensive in Wheat Ridge and included an opportunity to provide input on the draft
framework for the Strategy (August 5, 2022) 6. City Council study session to review the draft Strategy (December 5, 2022)
City Council Feedback from December 5 Study Session
City Council unanimously supported the Strategy’s action items as presented at the December 5, 2022 study session. Comments from City Council at this meeting provided guidance for the Strategy’s implementation and included the following:
• The Strategy’s policies and action items should be flexible and responsive to creative and emerging solutions to address affordable housing both from the housing development community and as opportunities present themselves to the City (e.g., Proposition 123 which creates a new statewide funding stream for affordable housing).
• Any inclusionary housing rules should be calibrated appropriately to the range of
residential projects expected in the future in Wheat Ridge from small infill projects to large developments.
CAF – Affordable Housing Strategy January 9, 2023
Page 3
• The Strategy should recognize the value of Wheat Ridge’s existing, diverse housing stock related to housing types and affordability, and the Strategy should focus on maintaining
and enhancing this asset of naturally occurring affordable housing. Next Steps
The project team plans to spend early 2023 communicating the adopted Strategy to community
members and other stakeholders and working towards implementation of the Strategy’s action
items. Public information will include:
• A series of short educational videos about affordable housing in Wheat Ridge and what the City can do to address the issue (as laid out in the Strategy);
• Articles in various Wheat Ridge-specific publications and social media platforms sharing
information about the Strategy;
• Communications to previously involved boards, commissions, and the housing developers interviewed for the Strategy; and
• Opportunities for community members to discuss the Strategy with the project team. The highest priority action items include a series of code amendments, establishment of a
housing fund, and continued preparation for development at the Lutheran Legacy Campus. All of these action items will result in further study sessions with City Council throughout 2023, the
first of which will be on January 9 to discuss the creation of a housing fund and on February 6
which will include housing-supportive code amendments. RECOMMENDATIONS:
Attachment 1 is a resolution that adopts the Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and
Action Plan (Attachment 2) as a guiding document for the City. Staff recommends approval of the resolution and adoption of the Strategy. RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move to approve Resolution No. 02-2023, a resolution adopting the Wheat Ridge Affordable
Housing Strategy and Action Plan as a guiding document to address housing affordability in Wheat Ridge.”
Or,
“I move to postpone indefinitely Resolution No. 02-2023, a resolution adopting the Wheat Ridge
Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan as a guiding document to address housing
affordability in Wheat Ridge, for the following reason(s)_______________.” REPORT PREPARED/REVIEWED BY:
Lauren Mikulak, Interim Community Development Director
Patrick Goff, City Manager
Jeff Hirt, Senior Neighborhood Planner
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution No. 02-2023
CAF – Affordable Housing Strategy January 9, 2023
Page 4
2. Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
ATTACHMENT 1
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO RESOLUTION NO. 02
Series of 2023
TITLE: A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE WHEAT RIDGE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT TO ADDRESS HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY IN WHEAT RIDGE
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge has learned through recent community engagement that housing affordability and housing choice are among the City’s most significant issues; and
WHEREAS, the State of Colorado has recognized that housing affordability is one of the biggest issues facing the state by enacting House Bill 21-1271 that creates grant opportunities for local governments to address this issue; and
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge currently has limited policy and programmatic guidance to address the issue of housing affordability and diverse
housing choices in the City; and WHEREAS, City Council supported the successful grant application to create a
Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan in recognition of the need for
such policy and programmatic guidance; and WHEREAS, City Council desires to adopt the Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan as a guiding document to address housing affordability in
Wheat Ridge.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, as follows:
1. The City Council hereby adopts the Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy
and Action Plan.
DONE AND RESOLVED this 9th day of January 2023.
________________________________
Bud Starker, Mayor ATTEST:
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Prepared by czbLLC
NOVEMBER 2022
Adopted by City Council ____________
ATTACHMENT 2
Acknowledgements Table of Contents
2 3Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Special thanks to the Wheat Ridge Planning Commission,
the board of the Wheat Ridge Housing Authority, the Race
and Equity Task Force, and members of the development
community and the public at-large who provided their
insights, questions, and feedback to help shape this Afford-
able Housing Strategy and Action Plan.
The following people made the Affordable Housing
Strategy and Action Plan possible:
Mayor Bud Starker
CITY COUNCIL
District I
Janeece Hoppe
Judy Hutchinson
District II
Rachel Hultin
Scott Ohm
District III
Amanda Weaver
Korey Stites
District IV
Leah Dozeman
Valerie Nosler Beck
CITY STAFF
Patrick Goff, City Manager
Marianne Schilling, Assistant to the City Manager
Kenneth Johnstone, AICP, Community Development Director
Lauren Mikulak, AICP, Planning Manager
Jeff Hirt, AICP, Senior Neighborhood Planner
Ashley Holland, Neighborhood Engagement Specialist
The Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan was supported by funding from the
Colorado Department of Local Affairs Innovative Housing Planning Grant Program..
Market Conditions and
Needs Assessment
PART 1
Policies and Principles to
Guide Housing Actions
PART 2
Taking Action
PART 3
10
26
32
Executive Summary
Introduction
How to Use this Document
4
8
9
60 Appendix
List of Affordable Housing Tools Evaluated
Incentives Conditioned on Inclusionary
Outcomes
City provision of incentives to projects with a
residential component requires the project
to include affordable housing and a variety
of price points to achieve mixed-income
outcomes.
Full Housing Ladder
Wheat Ridge recognizes that its economic
and social strength and resilience benefit
when households of all types are able to find
suitable housing options in the city across the
stages of life.
Economic and Income Diversity
Wheat Ridge embraces economic and
income integration citywide and within its
neighborhoods. It rejects economic and
income segregation that may result from the
natural functioning of housing markets.
Housing Type Diversity
Wheat Ridge places a high value on its diverse
housing stocks and seeks to achieve and
maintain a well-balanced supply of housing
types.
Material Support for Affordable Housing
Wheat Ridge acknowledges the difficulties
of providing affordable housing and supports
public, private, and nonprofit organizations
developing affordable housing in the city.
ExecutiveSummary
The purpose of this Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan is to establish
a foundation and framework for the City of Wheat Ridge to address affordable
housing over a five-year period, and beyond. The document, which is organized
into three parts, describes housing affordability challenges in Wheat Ridge,
identifies potential opportunities for the City to encourage affordable housing
development, and outlines action steps that match the right tools and
resources to the City’s opportunities. This summary provides an overview of the
information contained in the full document.
4 5Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Challenges in the Wheat Ridge Housing Market
Much has changed in Wheat Ridge
since the mid-2000s, when the
city faced a dearth of economic
development opportunities and
homeowner investment and
community leaders were focused on
revitalization. By 2021, the median
sale price for a house in Wheat
Ridge was nearly $600,000, which
meant a new buyer household
in Wheat Ridge likely needed an
income of at least $150,000 per year (vs the
2020 median owner-occupied household
income of $91,000) to afford a house. The
number of households who can afford to
buy a home and put down roots in Wheat
Ridge is shrinking rapidly, inevitably squeezing out many
of those who grew up here. Wheat Ridge’s economy also
employs thousands of people in education, healthcare,
local government, and the management of private sector
services that are critical to daily life in the community, and
whose wages are less and less sufficient to secure housing
in Wheat Ridge each year.
In 2022, a renter household needed an income of $56,000
to afford the median priced two-bedroom apartment (vs
the 2020 median renter-occupied household income of
$42,000) and any renter household with
an annual income below $50,000 was
at risk of an affordability challenge. As of
2020, more than half of all Wheat Ridge
renter households paid 30% or more of
their household income toward housing costs. This is
the government definition of unaffordability, or a “cost-
burdened” household.
Target Markets for Affordable Housing Strategy
The City of Wheat Ridge
has a range of current
and potential tools and
capabilities to take action
in support of affordable
housing options across
a range of household
incomes. But the City can
directly impact some more
effectively than others. The
large affordability gaps
facing the lowest-income
households—those with
annual incomes below
$50,000—dictate that
the City support other
providers who have
access to sources of deep
subsidy, while somewhat
smaller, and thus more
manageable, affordability
gaps for households with
incomes between $50,000
and $149,999 present
opportunities for the City
to take more direct action.
This strategy is organized,
in part, around these
income segments.
Whether Wheat Ridge’s approach
to affordable housing is ultimately
opportunistic and flexible, or
targeted and rigid, it should operate
inside a set of high-level rules
that reflect both the community’s
values and aspirations, as well as
its economic, political, and fiscal
realities. The Strategy and Action
Plan recommends the City adopt the
following principles:
• Be action-oriented and embrace
incremental progress.
• Aim for mixed- income outcomes.
• Pursue geographic dispersion.
• Get the right project in the right
place.
• Support other affordable housing
developers when possible and
lead when necessary.
• Act regionally.
GIVES GETS
Households with
incomes below
$50,000
Households with
incomes $50,000
to $74,999
Policies and Principles
The Envision Wheat Ridge comprehensive plan, though a foundational document in
terms of setting community vision, deals with housing only at a very high altitude and
was adopted in 2009—a vastly different time in the Wheat Ridge housing market. This
Strategy and Action Plan recommends policies, pending a new comprehensive plan, to
put the City on firm footing to respond to the housing conditions of the early 2020s, and
to connect longstanding City goals to action steps specifically crafted for this decade.
Households with
incomes $100,000
to $149,999
Households with
incomes $75,000
to $99,999
Executive SummaryEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market Conditions and Needs Assessment Housing market conditions and the resulting
affordability impacts on various types of households.PART 1
Policies and Principles to Guide Housing Actions Recommended Policies and Principles that give
shape to the Strategy and Action Plan.PART 2
6 7Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PRIORITY LEVEL 1 PRIORITY LEVEL 2 PRIORITY LEVEL 3
Update Development Code and
Zoning Map
Following the update to the
comprehensive plan, update the
City’s code and zoning map to
reflect the plan. The community-
wide discussion of whether,
where, and how to accommodate
new housing is best suited for
the comprehensive plan where
public engagement will play an
important role.
Exploration of Changes to
Charter Limits on Height and
Density
Following the update to the
comprehensive plan, establish
a commission to study the
possibility of amending the City
Charter’s current limits on height
and density in order to make a
recommendation for a potential
ballot question.
Update Affordable Housing
Strategy and Action Plan
Update this document to respond
to new conditions and events.
Housing Staff
Hire a staff person dedicated to
housing program management.
Comprehensive Plan Update
Use the comprehensive plan
process to reaffirm community
support for affordable housing
goals and establish community’s
vision for growth and
development.
Naturally Occurring Affordable
Housing (NOAH) Preservation
Program
A program to make grants from
the Wheat Ridge Housing Fund
to rental property owners to
upgrade aging rental units in
exchange for affordable rents.
Revise Zoning Framework for
Community Benefit
Require mixed-use districts to
produce either true mixed-use or
affordable inclusionary housing,
and create a new “townhouse
district” with inclusionary
requirements.
Wheat Ridge Housing Fund
A dedicated fund to receive, hold,
and deploy financial resources
specifically in support of
affordable housing activities.
Housing- Supportive Code
Amendments
Amendments to the City’s
code to support affordable
housing development in areas
such as: process, fees, parking
minimums, and “no net loss” to
keep redeveloping properties
from decreasing the amount of
housing.
Continue Lutheran Legacy
Implementation Efforts
Continue preparing for the
eventual Lutheran Legacy
Campus redevelopment and set
clear expectations for substantial
affordability.
Recommended Action Items
In the coming years, the historic 100-acre
Lutheran Hospital campus in the heart of
Wheat Ridge will be vacated. The potential
redevelopment of this site offers ample
opportunity to creatively develop new
affordable housing.
Maximize the potential for
the Lutheran Legacy Campus
redevelopment to achieve inclusionary, mixed-income
outcomes.
Attached Ownership with Inclusionary INCLUSIONARY
Multi-unit Rental with Inclusionary
INCLUSIONARY
Existing Affordable Rental
Wheat Ridge is awash in aging rental units
that are affordable to renter households
with incomes below $75,000 and even
below $50,000. Age and declining quality
are contributing factors to the relatively low
rents. The City could help to upgrade these
units while maintaining affordable rents by
offering a Naturally Occurring Affordable
Housing Rental Rehab Program.
Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units.
With single-unit detached homeownership
slipping out of reach for households
with incomes below $150,000, attached
ownership units offer a relatively affordable
option, and opportunities for inclusionary
housing.
Build more attached ownership
units where possible and
achieve inclusionary, mixed-
income outcomes.
#2
Multi-unit rental offers opportunities for
inclusionary housing and is the type most
economical for affordable housing providers
to build and operate.
Build more multi-unit rental
where possible and achieve inclusionary, mixed-income
outcomes.
#3
Key Affordable Housing Opportunities
#1
#4
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
Considering the difficulty of closing affordability gaps, the substantial costs of
housing development, and the planning context in Wheat Ridge, what are the
City’s best opportunities to take action on affordable housing?
Realizing Wheat Ridge’s key housing
opportunities requires a series of actions,
prioritized based on their impact and
timing factors.
Executive SummaryEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Taking Action Key Housing Opportunities and recommended specific actions
the City should take.PART 3
In the mid-2000s, Wheat Ridge faced a dearth
of economic development opportunities
and homeowner investment. Development
opportunities that could improve the
community’s quality of life, and its tax base,
were regularly choosing other nearby cities
instead of Wheat Ridge. The City felt that its
need for new investment, by businesses and
real estate developers and even the city’s own
homeowners, was existential in nature. Wheat
Ridge was at a crossroads.Policies and Principles to Guide Housing Actions
Part 2 recommends Policies
and Principles that give shape
to the Strategy and Action
Plan.
Go here to learn how the
City should think about its
affordable housing decision
making.
Market Conditions and
Needs Assessment
Part 1 describes housing
market conditions and
the resulting affordability
impacts on various types of
households.
Go here to learn what has
been happening with the city’s
affordability situation.
Taking Action
Part 3 identifies Key Housing Opportunities and recommends specific actions the City should take.
Go here to learn what the City should do about creating affordable housing.
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
Introduction: A Changing Market and the Costs of Inaction
How to Use this Document
8 9Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
It was such a critical issue that the City
commissioned the first Neighborhood
Revitalization Strategy—known locally as
the NRS—which challenged Wheat Ridge
to undertake a number of new initiatives
and to show its pride by making important
investments in itself. With the adoption
of the NRS, growing the city’s quality of
life and its tax base, and doing so while
improving its competitive position within the
Denver region, became
top priorities. However,
by 2022 circumstances
had changed in the
Wheat Ridge market.
The 2021 median sale
price for a house in
Wheat Ridge was
nearly $600,000, which meant a new buyer
household in Wheat Ridge likely needed an
income of at least $150,000 per year (vs the
2020 median owner-occupied household
income of $91,000) to afford a house. If a
new buyer household in 2022 was not in
the top 20% of the U.S. household income
distribution, buying a house in Wheat Ridge
was likely to be a stretch.
Median rents for one- and two-bedroom
apartments in Wheat Ridge exceeded $1,100 and
$1,400 respectively by mid-2022. This meant a
renter household needed an income of $56,000 to
afford the median priced two-bedroom apartment
(vs the 2020 median renter-occupied household
income of $42,000) and any renter household with
an annual income below $50,000 was at risk of
an affordability challenge. As of 2020, more than
half of all Wheat Ridge renter households paid
30% or more of their household income toward
housing costs. This is the government definition
of unaffordability, or a “cost-burdened” household.
Amongst renter households with incomes below
$50,000, 75% were cost burdened.
In Wheat Ridge, affordability is now just as
hot a topic as revitalization. But why does the
strengthening market matter? What’s at stake? If
the City does not attempt to intervene, what are
the costs to the Wheat Ridge community? These
questions can be answered a few different ways,
but some are particularly salient for Wheat Ridge
residents.
One has to do with identity. By outward
appearances, Wheat Ridge is an inner ring suburb
fully subsumed within the Denver metro area—
specifically the west side. To outside observers,
the municipal boundaries separating the City of
Wheat Ridge from its neighbors mean very little.
But Wheat Ridge residents, especially those with
deep roots in the community, consider Wheat Ridge
to be distinct—a small town with its own character
occupying its own space amongst a number of
communities, home to families who want to have
multiple generations living nearby. When this is the
case, local residents prioritize the ability for younger
generations to find housing opportunities in the
community, and this is becoming more and more
difficult. The number of households who can afford
to buy a home and put down roots in Wheat Ridge
is shrinking rapidly, inevitably squeezing out many
of those who grew up here.
Another answer relates to both practical self-interest
as well as a sense of fairness. Wheat Ridge’s local
economy employs thousands of people in education,
healthcare, local government, and the management
of private sector services that are critical to daily life
in the community, and whose wages are less and less
sufficient to secure housing in Wheat Ridge each year.
It matters to Wheat Ridge that those workers are part
of the community—living in town, not just working here
and commuting—and it matters that they are able to
make their own choice about where they live, given how
important they are to the community.
Ultimately the most important question is: What kind
of community does Wheat Ridge want to be in the
future? Will it be a place where a wide variety of people
and households can find affordable housing options and
contribute their spirit, skills, and talents to the city? Or
will it be a place limited only to those fortunate enough
to be able to pay the increasingly high price?
This is the context within which the City of Wheat Ridge
commissioned this document—the Affordable Housing
Strategy and Action Plan. Its purpose is to describe
housing affordability challenges in the community,
identify potential opportunities for the City to encourage
affordable housing development, and outline action
steps that match the right tools and resources to the
City’s opportunities. There is much about the housing
market that the public sector cannot control, to say
nothing of a single local government in a large, dynamic
region. But this document is about what the City can
do, and how it can quickly begin taking its first steps to
preserve space in the Wheat Ridge community for a
variety of households.
What kind of community does Wheat Ridge want to be in the future?
Market Conditions
PART 1
and NeedsAssessment
Throughout the 21st century, Wheat Ridge has experienced
affordability challenges. The median value of owner-
occupied housing units was 40% higher than the U.S. overall
in 2000, and 80% higher by 2020, which was in line with
the Denver-area market during those years. And although
renters historically have found more affordability in Wheat
Ridge than elsewhere in the Denver region, there are signs
that growing regional rental demand may soon impact
Wheat Ridge. Changes in both the ownership and rental
markets have effects on both existing and potential Wheat
Ridge households.
Part 1, Market Conditions and Needs Assessment, provides
more detailed information and analysis related to:
The homeownership market.
The rental market.
Affordability for both owners/buyers and renters.
Affected household types.
Data Note: Much of the analysis in Part 1 relies on data from the Census Bureau’s
American Community Survey Five Year Estimates program. Each reported data
year, in reality, covers the previous five-year period and the data are sample
based. Later data years, especially 2019 and 2020, may not fully reflect the
impacts of new units that were built and sold , or rented, in those years.
10 11Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
Owner-occupied home values rose steadily in the second half of the 2010s.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units
in Wheat Ridge has grown in recent years. According
to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American
Community Survey (ACS) Five Year Estimates, values
grew slowly or not at all between 2010 and 2014 before
picking up in 2015 and achieving double-digit annual
growth rates above 10% between 2016 and 2020. This
pattern is nearly indistinguishable from that of the
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan statistical area
(MSA) (see Fig. 1).
(The data reported for each year in Fig. 1 is sample-based data for a five-year period. It may not fully reflect the impacts of new units that were built and sold in 2019 and 2020.)
Owner incomes are on the rise, though still lower than the MSA.
Between 2010 and 2020, the median owner-occupied
household income grew faster in Wheat Ridge than it
did in the Denver MSA (44% vs 33%). Despite this rate of
increase, in 2020 the median owner income in Wheat
Ridge was still lower than in the Denver MSA (see Fig. 2).
20
1
0
20
1
1
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1
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0
$450,000
$400,000
$350,000
$300,000
$250,000
$200,000
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000
$0
$15,000
$25,000
$35,000
$45,000
$55,000
$65,000
$75,000
$85,000
$95,000
$105,000
$426,500
$232,200
$63,044
$90,922
Denver MSA
Denver MSA
Wheat Ridge
Wheat Ridge
Fig. 1
Median Owner-Occupied Value, 2010-2020
20
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0
$450,000
$400,000
$350,000
$300,000
$250,000
$200,000
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000
$0
$15,000
$25,000
$35,000
$45,000
$55,000
$65,000
$75,000
$85,000
$95,000
$105,000
$426,500
$232,200
$63,044
$90,922
Denver MSA
Denver MSA
Wheat Ridge
Wheat Ridge
Fig. 2
Median Owner Income, 2010-2020
Source: ACS Five Year Estimates, 2006-2010 through 2016-2020
Ownership Market Overview
When it comes to homeownership, Wheat
Ridge, as a fully integrated part of the
Denver regional housing market, is now
quite expensive by national standards. As of
2020, the median estimated value of owner-
occupied housing units in the Denver region
and in Wheat Ridge were roughly 80% higher
than the national median. New buyers in
2021 were faced with a median sale price of
nearly $600,000 for a single-unit detached
house (see Fig. 3). Those without a significant
down payment, or an income above $150,000,
or both, may struggle to be homeowners in
Wheat Ridge going forward.
Source: ACS Five Year Estimates, 2006-2010 through 2016-2020
Fig. 3
Median Single-Unit Detached House Sale Price by Year,
2017 to 2021, Selected Communities
Source: czb analysis of MLS data
$800,000
$700,000
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
20
1
7
20
1
8
20
1
9
20
2
0
20
2
1
ARVADA LAKEWOODWHEATRIDGE GOLDEN
$4
1
2
,
0
0
0
$5
8
0
,
0
0
0
$800,000
ARVADA
LAKEWOOD
WHEAT RIDGE
GOLDEN
Median sale prices confirm a strengthening market.
ACS data on the value of owner-occupied
units is self-reported and is subject to error
for that reason, but it has the added benefit
of accounting for all owner-occupied units
even if they do not change hands. Data
from actual sales, by contrast, offers infor-
mation only about houses that are sold, but
it paints a more relevant picture of market
conditions for would-be homebuyers. Sales
data is also more up-to-date than the ACS
data.
Data from actual home sales, reported
here as median sales prices for selected
west metro communities, reflect a general
upward trend. In 2021 (see Fig. 3), the me-
dian sale price for a house in Wheat Ridge
approached $600,000.
Though a minority of for-sale units, condos offer relative affordability.
Median sale prices for townhouses and
condos are significantly lower in Wheat
Ridge than for single-unit detached houses
(see Fig. 4). This was especially true prior
to 2020 when the median sale price for a
townhouse jumped 56% year over year,
likely due to numerous new townhouse
units that were built and sold beginning
in 2019. The median price for condos has
tracked the single-unit detached price, but
remains $300,000 below the single-unit
detached median and $200,000 below the
townhouse median as of 2021.
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
20
1
7
20
1
8
20
1
9
20
2
0
20
2
1
Single-Unit Detached
$580,000
Townhouse
$464,000
Condo $263,000
Price
Percentage of all home sales 2017-2021
77%
12%
11%
Source: czb analysis of MLS data
Fig 4
Median Sale Price by Housing Type, 2017-2021
12 13Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
20
1
0
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$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
DenverMSA
WheatRidge
$1,164
$1,446
DenverMSA
WheatRidge
$41,859
$54,529
Fig. 5
Median Gross Rent, 2010-2020
Rental Market Overview
Wheat Ridge has had rents generally lower than the region’s since at least 2010, but recent rent trends suggest the rental market is trending upward along with the rest of the area. Any renter households with incomes below $50,000 are at risk of affordability challenges in the very near future, if they are not facing them already. As of 2020, this described an estimated 3,872 renter households out of 6,724 total renter households in Wheat Ridge.
Source: ACS Five Year Estimates, 2006-2010 through 2016-2020 Source: ACS Five Year Estimates, 2006-2010 through 2016-2020
Fig. 6
Median Renter Income,
2010-2020
Wheat Ridge rents are generally lower than
the region’s.
During the previous decade, Wheat Ridge’s median gross
rent was consistently lower than that of the Denver MSA
(see Fig. 5). The median figure accounts for all rental units
in the city, regardless of type or unit size. One possible
explanation is the age of the city’s rental stock relative to
the region’s. In Wheat Ridge, according to 2020 ACS data,
75% of occupied rental units were built before 1980. Across
the Denver MSA, that figure is 48%.
20
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$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
DenverMSA
WheatRidge
$1,164
$1,446
DenverMSA
WheatRidge
$41,859
$54,529
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
20
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$0
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$400
$600
$800
$1,000
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$1,400
$1,600
Ma
y
De
c
Ja
n
2019 20222020
De
c
De
c
Ja
n
2021
Ja
n
Ap
r
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
Denver MSA
Wheat Ridge
Fig. 7
Median One Bedroom Rent, May 2019-April 2022
Wheat Ridge renter incomes are generally
lower than the region’s.
The median renter income in Wheat Ridge increased
by 39% between 2010 and 2020 (see Fig. 6), which
is slower than the Denver MSA’s 65% increase (and
slower than the city’s 44% median income increase for
owners).
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$1,400
$1,600
Ma
y
De
c
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n
2019 20222020
De
c
De
c
Ja
n
2021
Ja
n
Ap
r
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
Denver MSA
Wheat Ridge
Fig. 8
Median Two Bedroom Rent, May 2019-April 2022
Recently, rents have been on the rise.
More recent data, in the form of median rent
estimates from Apartment List (see Figures
7 and 8), suggest that renters in 2022 may be
under increased strain if seeking a new lease.
Estimated median rents for a one-bedroom
unit approached $1,200 per month in the spring
of 2022, while the price for a two-bedroom
exceeded $1,400. This data, along with the
historical ACS data, suggest that rents are on the
rise along with the rest of the region, but Wheat
Ridge still offers a measure of relative rental
affordability.
Source: Apartment List Source: Apartment List
14 15Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Wheat Ridge’s housing diversity
largely matches the region’s, but
the city lags in large-scale rental
projects.
Wheat Ridge has a housing supply that
is no less diverse—arguably it is more
diverse—than the region’s. It has a smaller
proportion of single-unit detached houses,
a higher proportion of single-unit attached
units, and relatively more duplex, triplex,
and quadplex units. It has relatively more
multi-unit properties with ten or more units
than does the rest of Jefferson County,
though fewer on a relative basis than its
neighbor Lakewood.
When it comes to ownership units, the
breakdown of types is very similar to both
the Denver region’s and Jefferson County’s.
The mix of rental units is a different story.
What stands out is that Wheat Ridge has a
much higher proportion of rental units that
are attached single-unit, duplex, triplex,
and quadplex units. These housing types
are considered to exist within a category
sometimes called “middle housing”—
neither single-unit detached houses nor
large multi-unit properties. It does however
have a smaller proportion of units in
structures of 5-9 units than either Jefferson
County or Lakewood, and it lags the entire
region in larger multi-unit properties with
more than ten units.
Existing Housing Supply
Key to the functioning of the
Wheat Ridge housing market
is the nature of the physical
stocks themselves. What kinds of
residential properties are most
prevalent in the city, and how does
that compare to the broader region
and its neighbors? In the city’s
owner- and rental-occupied stocks,
what stands out from the pack, if
anything?
0%
2-4 units
5-9 units
Single Detached
Single Attached
10+ units
Mobile Home
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood
53%
13%
9%
5%
20%
60%
9%
4%
5%
21%
66%
9%
4%
5%
14%
50%
12%
6%
8%
23%
2%1%0.7%0.1%
Fig. 9
Unit Type
Breakdown, by
Units in Structure
All Units
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
0%
2-4 units
5-9 units
Single Detached
Single Attached
10+ units
Mobile Home
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood
3%2%2%2%
53%
13%
9%
5%
20%
60%
9%
4%5%
21%
66%
9%
4%5%
14%
53%
13%
9%
5%
20%
2%1%1%
84%
9%
1%4%
81%
9%
21%
84%
9%
75%
14%
2%1%0.7%
19%
17%
16%
10%
37%
21%
7%
8%
10%
52%
21%
10%
10%
12%
44%
14%
10%
11%
16%
50%
1.2%0.8%0.5%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
2%2%3%3%5%
3%2%2%2%
Units in structures of...
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
Ownership Units Rental Units
2-4 units
5-9 units
Single Detached
Single Attached
10+ units
Mobile Home
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood
84%
9%
1%
4%
81%
9%
4%
84%
9%
75%
14%
2%1%0.7%
19%
17%
16%
10%
37%
21%
7%
8%
10%
52%
21%
10%
10%
12%
44%
14%
10%
11%
16%
50%
1.2%0.8%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2%
2%
3%
5%
3%2%
2%
2%
3%
16 17Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Wheat Ridge has relatively fewer units in detached houses than the surrounding region.
Wheat Ridge has a greater proportion of units in “middle housing” types than the surrounding region.
Wheat Ridge’s mix of owner-occupied unit types largely mirrors the surrounding region.
Wheat Ridge has a relatively small proportion of rental units in large multi-unit properties.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood Wheat Ridge Denver MSA Jefferson County Lakewood
$400,000$0 $1M$750,000 $1,000$0 $1,500$1,250 $2,000
18%
17%
21%
31%
13%
18%
17%
19%
30%
16%
18%
17%
19%
29%
17%
35%
23%
15%
15%
12%
42%
52%
3%2%
48%
43%
4%
6%
42%
50%
3%
6%
50%
45%
1%3%
Fig. 10
Owner-Occupied Value, 2020
Fig. 11
Gross Rent, 2020
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
Note: Per data note on page 11, these figures may not fully reflect new rental units
added to marketplace since 2019.
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
Relative to the region, Wheat Ridge
has fewer entry-level homeownership
options, and a greater proportion of
affordable rental options.
Median rents and values provide a high-level
view of a market, but digging a bit deeper
into the distribution of those rents and values
begins to shed light on specific challenges and
opportunities.
The values of owner-occupied housing in
Wheat Ridge, as reported in 2020 ACS data,
largely mirror the rest of Jefferson County,
though entry-level purchase opportunities—
defined here as owner-occupied units valued
at less than $400,000—are relatively fewer in
Wheat Ridge than in the broader Denver region
or in Lakewood (see Fig. 10).
Lower-cost rental opportunities are substantially
greater in Wheat Ridge than elsewhere (see
Fig. 11), This is likely due to two factors: first, the
age and configuration of many existing rental
units from the mid-20th century, and second,
the existence of nearly 500 deed-restricted
affordable units at Caesar Square, Wheat Ridge
Town Center, Town Center North, and Highland
West, which together represents 7% of all
occupied Wheat Ridge rental units.
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
Wheat Ridge has been a slow
development community for
decades. From 2000 to 2020, it
added approximately 27 new
housing units per year, on a
net basis. There is little to no
greenfield land left, the market is
on a strengthening trajectory with
land prices rising, and almost all
development going forward will
be redevelopment of previously
occupied sites. The economics of
real estate development demand
higher densities to deal with total
development costs that include
high land prices and the price of
site preparation. This means that
No new market-rate rental units between 1980 and 2019
1980 2019
West End 38 opens with
165 rental units
The Edison adds another
231 rental units
Market-rate rental units in Wheat Ridge
Clear Creek Crossing adds
310 rental units
After 2019, three market-rate rental properties added over 700 rental units
large-lot single-unit detached
housing will be increasingly rare,
and when it happens, sale prices
will be well out of reach for most
households.
Between 1980 and 2019, Wheat
Ridge saw no new market-rate
rental units, meaning the only
new rentals built were deed-
restricted affordable units. This
period ended in 2019 with the
opening of the West End 38 rental
property with 165 units. Shortly
thereafter, the Edison project
added another 231 market-rate
rental units and Clear Creek
Crossing (Phase 1) contributed
another 310. The projects offer
a mix of studio, one, and two-
bedroom configurations with rents
that range from roughly $1,700 to
nearly $5,000 per month for some
exceptional units.
Single-unit attached ownership
(i.e.townhouses) has also been a
product of choice for developers
in recent years because the
combination of development
costs and market demand make it
feasible, especially within Wheat
Ridge’s charter limits on height and
density (see page 35). Sale prices
for new townhouses, at the time
of this report, range roughly from
$600,000 to $800,000.
Rents range from $1,700 to nearly $5,000 per month.
TODAY
Housing development in Wheat Ridge has picked up in recent years.
18 19Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Wheat Ridge has a higher proportion of low-cost rentals than the region.
Wheat Ridge has a smaller proportion of entry-level purchase opportunities than the Denver region or its neighbor Lakewood.
$40,000 $80,000 $200,000
How much income goes
towards housing to be
considered affordable?
Up to
$1,000
Up to
$2,000per
month
Up to
$5,000
Up to
$12,000
Up to
$24,000per
year
Up to
$60,000
Fig. 12 Affordable housing costs for households by annual income
51
%
Renters Owners ALL Households
Af
f
o
r
d
a
b
l
e
Un
a
f
f
o
r
d
a
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3,
3
2
0
3,
4
0
4
5,
7
6
0
1,
7
8
0
24
%
36
%
3,
4
0
4
1,
7
8
0
2020
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
Fig. 13 Percentage of Wheat Ridge Households Spending at least 30% of Income on Housing Costs, 2020
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
What does “affordable” mean when it comes to housing?
By federal government definitions,
housing is considered “affordable”
when it costs less than 30% of a
household’s gross income, and those
spending 30% or more on housing
are considered “cost-burdened”
which means housing is no longer
affordable. Because the metric is a
percentage, and not just an absolute
number, affordability is relative.
For example, a household with
an annual income of $40,000
spending $1,000 per month or more
on housing, is considered cost-
burdened (see Fig. 12).
A household with an annual income
of $80,000 spending $2,000 per
month or more on housing is
considered cost-burdened.
A household with an annual income
of $200,000 spending $5,000
per month or more on housing is
considered cost-burdened.
Affordability Impacts and Needs
Although Wheat Ridge is
a strengthening housing
market overall, not all
households are impacted
the same way, nor do they
face the same amount of
either current or future
affordability risk. Current
owners who purchased in
years past and qualified for
fixed-rate mortgages face
less stress than current
renters—especially lower-
income renters—who risk
rents rising faster than their
incomes can grow.
Many Wheat Ridge households struggle to afford housing.
According to the latest available
data from 2020, over one-third
of Wheat Ridge households
paid at least 30% of their annual
income toward housing, including
over half of the city’s renter
households.
Owner-occupied households are
less likely to face affordability
issues because mortgage
lenders account for it before
loaning to a buyer, and because
many long-time homeowners
purchased their homes when
prices were lower than they are
today. However, nearly a quarter
of Wheat Ridge owners face their
own affordability challenges,
which may stem from declines
in household income related to
retirement, job loss, divorce, or
other factors (see Fig. 13).
Lower-income renters struggle most in Wheat Ridge.
Over half of all Wheat Ridge renters
are cost-burdened but this figure
rises to 75% for renter households
with incomes below $50,000.
Extreme cost burdens (paying 50%
or more of income toward housing)
are common in renter households
with incomes below $35,000. This
described an estimated 1,606
renter households as of 2020.
There are too few rentals for the lowest- and highest-income renters.
Gap analysis measures the
difference between the number
of households in a given income
range and the number of units
affordable to that income range.
A deficit results if there are fewer
units than households, and a
surplus results if the number
of units exceeds the number of
households. In Wheat Ridge’s case,
as of 2020, there were more rental
units priced for households with
incomes between $35,000 and
$74,999 than there were renter
households with those incomes.
There were deficits for households
with incomes below $35,000. This
is a common pattern in which
those renters impacted by the
shortage at the bottom of the
income distribution must “rent up”
into the surplus supply which is
priced above what they can afford.
It is the reason that so many low-
income renters are cost-burdened.
As of 2020, there were over 1,200
renter households in Wheat Ridge
with incomes less than $35,000 for
whom there is no corresponding
affordable unit (see Fig. 15).
At the same time, a shortage of
units for the highest-income renters
means they “rent down” into the
surplus supply, and their demand
helps to inflate rents that those in
the middle have to pay.
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
Fig. 14Renter Household Cost Burdens, by Income, 2020
Source: czb analysis of data from 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
Fig. 15Renter Household Unit Gaps, by Income, 2020
$35,000 to$49,999
Less than$20,000
$20,000 to$34,999
50% or More
Total number of renter householdsHousehold Income
$75,000+
$50,000 to$74,999
1,812
1,265
1,001 308 212
Households Paying
795
1,111
1,741
606 554 59
14 405 20
42 318 8
150 23
30% -49%No Cash Rent Less than 30%
Cost-Burdened Households
$35,000 to$49,999Less than$20,000
0
$20,000 to$34,999
50% or More
Number of HouseholdsHousehold Income
$75,000+
$50,000 to$74,999
1,8121,2651,001 308 212
Households Paying
795
1,111
1,741
606 554 591440520
42 318 8
150 23
30% -49%No Cash Rent
$35,000 -$49,999Less than$20,000 $20,000 -$34,999 $75,000+$50,000 -$74,999Income Range
-909
-319
500
1,000
1,500
-500
-1,000
Su
r
p
l
u
s
of
A
f
f
o
r
d
a
b
l
e
U
n
i
t
s
Sh
o
r
t
a
g
e
of
A
f
f
o
r
d
a
b
l
e
U
n
i
t
s
-964
+1,349
+843
1.4857 pt
20 21Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Lower-income renters “rent up”
Higher-income renters “rent down”
Fig. 16 Renter Affordability, 2010-2020
Fig. 17Owner Household Cost Burdens, by Income, 2020
Fig. 18Income Needed to Afford Median Sale Price by Housing Type, 2017-2021
Fig. 19Wheat Ridge Jobs Paying $40,000 or Less by Industry, 2019
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies, accessed via OnTheMap
Industry Jobs
Retail Trade 1,593
Health Care and Social Assistance 2,682
Accommodation and Food Services 1,238
All Other Industries 3,898
Fig. 20 Selected Household Types Potentially Facing Affordability Challenges, 2020
Se
n
i
o
r
s
L
i
v
i
n
g
Al
o
n
e
Wo
r
k
i
n
g
-
A
g
e
Li
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i
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g
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-
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s
Si
n
g
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e
P
a
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e
n
t
Fa
m
i
l
i
e
s
Median Income
If headed by
woman?$22,000 $31,000
$113,000
$92,000 $39,000
If headed by man?$31,000 $36,000 $87,000 $112,000
How many are
renters?
(85% of all renters accounted for)
Source: czb analysis of data from 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
1,300
1,800
600
900 1,000
20
1
0
20
1
1
20
1
2
20
1
3
20
1
4
20
1
5
20
1
6
20
1
7
20
1
8
20
1
9
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
20
1
0
$0
20
2
0
Wheat Ridge’s renter household incomes create affordability risk.
As of 2020, a renter household needed just over
$45,000 in annual income to afford the median-priced
rental unit in Wheat Ridge (see Fig. 16). If more recent
data is to be believed, the required income is now
surpassing $50,000. As illustrated on page 14, Wheat
Ridge renter incomes are lower than those in the
region, and those low incomes create vulnerability as
regional rental demand impacts Wheat Ridge.
Affordability Impacts and Needs, cont’d.
Relatively few owners struggle with affordability.
Overall, fewer than a quarter of existing owners
in Wheat Ridge were cost burdened as of 2020.
The highest rates of cost burden were amongst
households with incomes below $35,000, with
rates nearing or exceeding 70% (see Fig. 17). Owner-
occupied households are generally at less risk
for affordability issues both because mortgage
underwriting accounts for it and also because
mortgage payments are usually fixed for decades,
though insurance and property taxes may increase.
When owner incomes decrease due to job loss or
retirement, they may fall below a level where house
payments are affordable and a cost burden can result.
New buyers need significantly higher incomes than current owners.
The income required to purchase a home varies,
depending on many factors, including down payment,
credit score, and interest rates. It is generally
understood that a ratio of annual income to purchase
price should be 3:1 to be considered affordable.
Depending on individual buyer circumstances, down
payment, etc., the ratio could go as high as 4:1 while
remaining affordable. Using a midpoint of 3.5:1, Figure
18 illustrates how the income needed to become a
homeowner in Wheat Ridge changed from 2017 to
2021. The income needed to afford the median priced
townhouse or single-unit detached house was well
beyond $100,000 as of 2021, and roughly $75,000
for a condo. In 2020, the most recent year for which
the median owner-occupied household income was
available in ACS data, Wheat Ridge’s median was
about $91,000. Homeownership would not be possible
for many Wheat Ridge owners today, nor for the 97%
of current renter households with incomes less than
$150,000.
Source: czb analysis of data from ACS Five Year Estimates
Income needed to rent the median-priced rental unit
$45,000
$41,859
Median renter income
$0
2017 2021201820192020
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
Single-Unit Detached
$580,000
Townhouse $464,000
$263,000
Condo
$0
2017 2021201820192020
$40,000
$80,000
$120,000
$160,000 Single-Unit Detached
$165,714
Townhouse
$132,644
$75,143
Condo
Source: czb analysis of data from MLS
Source: 2016-2020 ACS Five Year Estimates
$35,000 to$49,999
Less than$20,000
$20,000 to$34,999
$75,000+
$50,000 to$74,999
425 TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS
329 (77%)
532 (68%)
267 (35%)
329 (30%)
323 (7%)
780
767
1,089
4,452
Households Paying at Least 30% of Income for Housing
Market Conditions and Needs AssessmentPART 1
There are thousands of low-wage jobs in Wheat Ridge.
According to the most recent relevant
data, which is from 2019, there were over
9,000 jobs in Wheat Ridge paying wages
or salaries of $40,000 or less (see Fig. 19).
If a worker in one of these positions is the
sole earner in the household, the chances
of an affordability problem are very high
(see Fig. 12 on page 20). If two low-wage
workers live in the same household, they
may escape the housing “danger zone”
but could still face shrinking options in the
rental market as it strengthens over time.
A diverse collection of household types are potentially affected.
As of 2020, there were a number of
household types that were likely to
face housing affordability challenges in
Wheat Ridge due to low incomes. At the
median, those living alone, both working-
age and senior citizens, had incomes
of less than $40,000 The maximum
affordable monthly rent at that income is
only $1,000, which was below the city’s
median gross rent. Households headed by
single mothers were similarly challenged.
Generally speaking these are the types of
households most likely to struggle to pay
the rent and in need of the deepest levels
of assistance (see Fig. 20).
Single Incomes are a Risk Factor
As of 2020, Wheat Ridge had over 3,000
renter households where the occupant
was living alone, and hundreds of single-
parent renter households. These single-
income households had the lowest
median incomes among the household
types listed in Figure 20, which implied
clear affordability challenges. Because
the income data is only reported
at the median, it is not possible to
determine the exact number of single-
income households facing affordability
challenges, but it is at least the halves
below their respective median household
incomes—650 seniors living alone, 900
working age people living alone, and
500 single-parent families the majority of
whom were female headed.
22 23Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Takeaways: Summarizing Housing Needs and Looking Ahead to Policy
Focusing on Target Markets
Wheat Ridge’s housing market
challenges, and opportunities, can
be defined by five income categories
around which to organize affordable
housing policy and strategy, referred to
here as target markets. Based on the
City’s current and potential tools and
capabilities, it can directly impact some
target markets more effectively than
others.
Household Income Less than $50,000
Sizable affordability gaps for the
lowest-income households dictate
that the City support other providers
who have access to deep subsidy. The
City should have a supportive posture
toward proposed projects for these
households, as described in Parts 2
and 3.
Household Income $50,000 to
$149,999
Affordability gaps at these incomes
are smaller, and thus become more
manageable using tools other than
deep financial subsidy. These target
markets present opportunities for
the City to take more direct action as
discussed in Parts 2 and 3.
Household Income $150,000 and
Above
Households at these incomes have
abundant choice in the Wheat Ridge
market and do not require public
sector interventions to support housing
affordability.
Households with incomes
below $50,000
Households with incomes
$50,000 to $74,999
PART 1 Market Conditions and Needs Assessment
Current
Own/Rent Split
Percent
Renters
Cost
Burdened
Deficit/Surplus of
Affordable Rental
Units Matched to
Income
Maximum
Affordable
Rent
Maximum
Affordable
Purchase
Rental Risk
Assessment Significant current rent
burdens, and whatever
affordability exists is at risk as
housing costs rise.
Renters currently enjoy
affordable options, but the
units are aging and quality in
question. As rents rise in the
region, currently affordable
units are ripe for reinvestment
and resulting rent increases.
Homeownership
Risk Assessment Incomes are too low to
support homeownership.
Incomes are generally too low
to support homeownership.
There are virtually no single-
unit houses at this price point.
Condo ownership may be a
possibility, but even that is a
challenge at current prices.
Policy Implications There is need in Wheat
Ridge for a large volume
of low-income rental units,
but affordability gaps are so
large that they demand the
kind of subsidy best provided
via professional affordable
housing developers.
Current affordable rentals are
an opportunity for preservation
and quality should be
upgraded.
-1,228
for incomes less than $35,000
+1,349
for incomes $35,000 to $49,999
+843
75%32%
$1,250 $1,875
$175,000 $263,000
34%66%49%51%
Households with incomes
$75,000 to $99,999
Households with incomes
$100,000 to $149,999
Households with incomes
$150,000 or more
Affordability unlikely to be
a concern, but new rental
units are not affordable. The
highest-income households
may consider leaving the
region to find suitable
housing options.
None. New rental units are
affordable to this group.
None. New rental units are
affordable to this group.
As homeownership ceases to
be an option, households may
consider leaving the region.
Increasingly difficult to
purchase a home in Wheat
Ridge at this income.
Households may consider
leaving the community.
None. This group can
generally afford to purchase a
home in Wheat Ridge.
-13 -764 -210
N/A N/A N/A
$2,500 $3,750 $3,750 and up
$350,000 $525,000 $525,000 and up
60%40%63%37%90%10%
Improving rental options for
this group is an opportunity.
Improving homeownership
options for this group is an
opportunity.
None. This group has little
to no problems in the Wheat
Ridge housing market.
24 25Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 2
Principlesto GuideHousingActions
Policies and
26 27Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Policies and Principles respond to identified issues
and guide the way toward discrete actions. Policies
help to define the new set of conditions Wheat
Ridge hopes to create in its housing market, while
Principles establish “rules of the road” as to how the
City will approach its decision making.
The Policies and Principles in Part 2 are
recommendations, based on the broad set of
identified needs in Part 1. They are constructed to
provide the City a formal basis for taking future
action, beyond a comprehensive plan that is out
of date and in anticipation of a new plan yet to
be developed. They may therefore be considered
“interim” pending validation or revision in a
new comprehensive plan. If this Strategy and
Action Plan is formally adopted by the City, these
recommended Policies and Principles will then
become decision-making guideposts alongside
Envision Wheat Ridge and other policy documents.
PART 2 Principles for Guiding Housing Actions
Recommended Policies
POLICY A: Full Housing Ladder
Wheat Ridge recognizes that its
economic and social strength
and resilience benefit when
households of all types, including
but not limited to workers
providing critical services to
the community, are able to find
suitable housing options in the
city across the stages of life. The
City is committed to supporting
the development of a full “housing
ladder” to meet this goal.
Envision Wheat Ridge signals the community’s desire
to address housing both through the plan’s Key Values
(“Promote…. an array of housing options.”) and in its Goals
(“Goal NH2: Increase housing options.”). Envision
Wheat Ridge, though a foundational document in
terms of setting community vision, deals with housing
only at a very high altitude and was adopted in 2009—
a vastly different time in the Wheat Ridge housing
market. The following policies are recommended, at
least as interim policies pending a new comprehensive
plan, to put the City on firm footing to respond to the
housing conditions of the early 2020s, and to connect
longstanding City goals to action steps specifically
crafted for this decade.
POLICY B:
Economic and Income
Diversity
Wheat Ridge embraces economic
and income integration citywide and
within its neighborhoods. It rejects
economic and income segregation
that may result from the natural
functioning of housing markets. The
City is committed to taking actions
to facilitate economic and income
diversity where possible.
POLICY C:
Housing Type
Diversity
Wheat Ridge places a high value on
its diverse housing stocks and seeks
to achieve and maintain a well-
balanced supply of housing types
to accommodate a wide range of
households. The City is committed
to maintaining and increasing the
diversification of its housing supply
where possible, and working within
market realities to do so.
POLICY D:Material Support for Affordable Housing
Wheat Ridge acknowledges the
difficulties of providing affordable
housing and supports public,
private, and nonprofit organizations
developing affordable housing
in the city. The City is committed
to providing material support to
projects that align with adopted
policies, plans, and design
requirements.
POLICY E:Incentives Conditioned on Inclusionary Outcomes
Wheat Ridge city government is
an active participant in important
development and redevelopment
projects across the community,
particularly through its capacity to
provide financial incentives. City
provision of incentives to projects with
a residential component requires the
project to include affordable housing
and a variety of price points to achieve
mixed-income outcomes. Partnership
with Renewal WR (the City’s Urban
Renewal Authority) is crucial to this
policy.
GIVES GETS
28 29Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 2 Principles for Guiding Housing Actions
Be action-oriented
and embrace
incremental progress
Aim for mixed-
income outcomes
Pursue geographic
dispersion
Recommended Principles
Principles are “rules of the road” that offer guidance for decision
making. Whether Wheat Ridge’s approach to affordable housing
is ultimately opportunistic and flexible, or targeted and rigid,
it should operate inside a set of high level rules that reflect
both the community’s values and aspirations, as well as its
economic, political, and fiscal realities. Sticking to a handful of
key principles can maintain clarity as the City pursues affordable
housing goals, or provide it when the path is somehow unclear.
Housing markets are complex,
powerful, and difficult to affect.
This can appear daunting to
those who seek different market
outcomes. But the City of Wheat
Ridge is a forward-thinking and
creative local government with a
history of rolling up its sleeves and
getting to work. There are action
items in this strategy that the City
can begin working on quickly, with
demonstrable results to follow.
Wheat Ridge should have no
hesitation about getting started
right away, and beginning the
process of stacking up small but
important wins that add up over
time.
Just as housing monocultures run
counter to the need for flexibility
for individual households and the
community over time, so too do
income monocultures. A focus
on preserving and increasing
affordability citywide will help to
maintain income diversity as the
market continues to strengthen.
Special attention should be paid
to new, site-specific, large-scale
housing projects where price
points should be varied across
units sufficient to achieve a mixed-
income result.
No part of the community
should be “off limits” to new
housing or affordable housing.
Each neighborhood, or Council
district, or corridor, should have
opportunities for the location
of new and affordable housing.
This is not to say that every
opportunity will be the same, or
that a project that is the right fit
for one location could easily be
relocated somewhere else. But if
housing affordability is a citywide
challenge, then every part of
the city has some role to play in
helping to address it.
Act regionally Get the right project in
the right place
Support other affordable
housing developers
when possible and lead
when necessary
Although the city has an
affordability challenge, it is not
Wheat Ridge’s alone. It is a regional
phenomenon across the entire
Denver area. Wheat Ridge should
show leadership by implementing
this strategy and the City should
also stand ready to collaborate
with other regional actors, from
neighboring jurisdictions to a
region-wide body or consortium, as
opportunities present themselves.
Affordability is a critical
consideration for newly built
housing, but it is not the only
consideration that matters. Wheat
Ridge is a mature community
with a well-established existing
planning context, and new housing,
if not properly designed for its site,
block, street, or neighborhood,
may fail to contribute positively
to the city. Simply being
affordable may not be enough to
outweigh a poorly planned site,
inappropriate architecture, or a
shoddily constructed building.
The city’s planning system, from
the comprehensive plan to the
development code, should set
rules within which any housing
developer, including affordable
housing developers, must operate.
Housing development, especially
affordable housing development,
is a difficult and financially complex
undertaking. The City cannot
provide housing directly, but there
are existing organizations that are
expert in housing development,
and are able and willing to build
affordable housing in Wheat
Ridge. The City of Wheat Ridge
may consider a number of tools
to increase affordable housing
that no other entity can achieve
such as land use designations and
development regulations including
zoning, potential affordability
requirements through inclusionary
housing, and allocation of
meaningful financial resources to
fill financing gaps.
30 31Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 3
TakingAction What should Wheat Ridge do to address its housing market
needs and effectuate its policies? There are a number of
ways in which the City can begin to tackle affordable housing
right away, using its resources and capacities to make the
most of current conditions, trends, and events.
Part 3, Taking Action, identifies the best affordable housing
opportunities facing Wheat Ridge today and the actions that
will help take advantage. Part 3 includes information about:
Important context related to development costs, land use,
and the role of subsidy.
Analysis and description of Wheat Ridge’s Key Housing
Opportunities
Detailed description of discrete action items the City can
pursue to activate the opportunities.
32 33Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Development Costs, Land Use Regulations, and Subsidy
There are a number of tools available to help local
governments support the production of affordable
housing. Some may provide substantial benefits
while others contribute only at the margins. Key to
understanding which tools will be most useful in
Wheat Ridge’s specific context is first understanding
why housing costs what it costs, how land use
regulations can impact costs and affordability, and how
public subsidy is needed to close affordability gaps.
Housing costs begin with development costs.
Development costs can be lowered, but within limits.
Subsidizing developers or households, directly or indirectly, can fill affordability gaps.
Maximizing land utilization provides more units and helps lower per unit development costs.
Value created through higher densities can also be extracted for affordability.
SOLD
Development Regulations Subsidies
PART 3 Taking Action
Between the costs of construction, the cost of land, and the other costs of
developing housing, new residential units are expensive. If the construction
cost of a house is $200 per square foot, which is a typical amount in the
Denver region at the time of this report, an 1,800 square foot house costs
$360,000 to build. If land costs $1,000,000 per acre, which is a typical
amount in the Denver region at the time of this report, and eight houses can
be built on an acre, then the land for that house costs $125,000. Before any
other developer costs, such as the cost of financing, permit fees, design
work, etc., the new house costs $485,000, which likely requires nearly
$140,000 in annual household income to afford.
When it comes to rental projects, costs in the Denver area in 2022 suggest
that a rental unit may cost between $350,000 and $400,000 to produce. In
some cases, the figure may be higher. As a general rule, monthly rents are
about 1% of the cost to develop a rental unit, meaning that average rents for
newly constructed projects in the area are in excess of $3,500, which likely
requires $140,000 in annual household income to afford.
Improving the affordability of newly built housing means either lowering
the cost of developing a housing unit, or providing subsidy to fill the gap
between what housing costs to build and what a particular household can
afford to pay. Sometimes, it means some of both.
A number of development costs are outside the control of developers and
builders. These include costs for land, materials, labor, public improvement
and impact fees, and financing to name a few. There are only a handful of
variables a developer can adjust in order to lower the cost of delivering
a housing unit. Among them are size, type of materials, and quality of the
finishes.
At first glance, it might appear that it is in a developer’s interest to build
units as small and as cheaply as possible, in order to maximize the number
of units and the potential profit. In reality, however, it is not so simple. Just
because a housing market may be expensive overall does not mean that the
developer’s potential target markets do not have any choice. Missing market
expectations or unit size or quality creates risk that the new units will remain
vacant for longer than planned, which is a risk no developer wants to face.
For the community’s part, it is also wise to think about marketability and the
long-term viability of any new housing units. New units that are affordable
but with questionable long-term viability in the marketplace could end up
being liabilities instead of assets as market conditions change.
Housing costs begin with development costs.
Development costs can be lowered, but within limits.
SOLD
34 35Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
In a housing context, in a land
constrained environment like Wheat
Ridge, each buildable square inch
becomes important. That is true of
land that has never been developed
and of land that is redeveloped into
something new. Each potential site
upon which housing might be built
is subject to regulations which
determine the number of units
that can be built there. The more a
community wants to add housing,
the higher the number of allowable
dwelling units per acre (DUA) will be
allowed.
The number of DUA also impacts
housing costs by impacting the
land cost that finds its way into the
cost of an individual housing unit.
Assuming a fixed cost of land for
a particular site, the higher the
number of allowed DUA, the lower
the land cost per unit. As the land
cost per unit falls, so too does the
total cost of producing the unit.
In the examples below, increasing
the DUA from 6 to 12, and changing
the housing type from single-unit
detached to single-unit attached,
lowered the land cost per unit by
$125,000, which is a substantial
decrease. Moving to an even more
intense and urban building form,
the multi-story rental building with
structured parking, lowers the land
cost per unit significantly.
Maximizing land utilization provides more units and helps lower per unit development costs.
PART 3 Taking Action
Single-unit detached houses
Attached Single-unit townhouses
Multi-unit rental
building with surface
parking
Multi-unit rental building with structured parking
Land cost per unit on a 4 acre site
Number of units on a 4 acre site
24
48
100
160
$250,000
$125,000
$60,000
$37,500
6 units per acre
12 units
per acre
25 units per acre
40 units
per acre
Land cost for 4 acre site $6M
As the number of units per acre increases, the land cost per unit falls.
Subsidizing developers or households, directly or indirectly, can fill affordability gaps.
Boiled down to its bare essence, affordable housing work is about filling
the gap between what housing costs to provide and what a household
can afford to pay. This requires, in some way, shape, or form, subsidy flowing
from somewhere, and this is almost always from the public sector. Even in
cases where housing can be built less expensively, through adjustments
to allowed units per acre, unit size, or quality, subsidy may still have a role
to play because the gaps between what housing costs to provide and
what many households can afford is so great. For example, if a typical two-
bedroom market-rate rental unit has a total development cost of $400,000,
and somehow that cost could be reduced by 25% to $300,000—a significant
reduction—through higher density or decreased square footage, the resulting
monthly rent of $3,000 would still require $120,000 in annual household
income.
Public sector funding of affordable housing goes back to the very first
public housing projects before the middle of the 20th century. Low Income
Housing Tax Credits and Community Development Block Grants have
been important sources of subsidy to affordable housing developers for
decades. Individual households are also recipients of housing subsidy, via
Housing Choice Vouchers for example. Local governments also have the
ability to raise and spend their own funds to subsidize affordable housing,
whether to developers or to households, or both. As with every other public
expenditure, the decision to allocate resources to affordable housing is a
matter of political will, prioritization, and trade-offs.
A commonly used mechanism to produce affordable housing is inclusionary
zoning, a legal mechanism under which developers are required to set
aside some percentage of new housing units as affordable, as defined by
the regulating jurisdiction, with some means of alternative compliance made
available. The alternative means is usually a “fee in lieu.” If the inclusionary
housing requirements are calibrated properly, meaning they are not overly
onerous, projects of a minimum size can usually meet the requirements
while maintaining financial viability for the developer. czb’s analysis suggests
that a 10% set aside is likely feasible so long as the qualifying incomes,
and the matching affordable rents, are not set too low. To be more specific,
the affordable rents should not be set much below those affordable to a
household with an income at 80% of the area median. The income limits
for homeownership would be higher, in the range of 100-120% of the area
median.
In a strong housing market with high land values, like that of the Denver
region, additional value can be created on a site by increasing the allowed
DUA, thus creating financial conditions where some of that additional value
can be recaptured by the community to help pay for the income restricted
units. This increase in allowed density, or “upzoning,” is a tool that works hand
in glove with inclusionary housing requirements. Sophisticated communities
understand this approach of “gives” and “gets” is critical to balancing
public priorities and meeting community goals.
Value created through higher densities can also be extracted for affordability.
Development Regulations
Subsidies
36 37Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Key Affordable Housing Opportunities
The preceding pieces of this analysis are
foundational:
• Market conditions and housing needs.
• Recommended policies that outline at
a high level what Wheat Ridge hopes to
accomplish. -Recommended principles
that guide decision making.
• Costs, challenges, and opportunities
that development and subsidy create.
These foundational components inevitably
lead to the most important question of all:
At the time of this report, the constraints
on the City’s actions are clear. The
potential housing need across the
community is both wide and deep. Housing
development is complex and expensive,
and the subsidy needed to fill affordability
gaps is substantial. Some of the housing
types most likely to facilitate good
affordable housing outcomes represent
a departure from Wheat Ridge’s historic
housing typology and the community-wide
discussion of whether, where, and how to
accommodate new housing is best suited
for a comprehensive plan update that
is still in the future. But this document,
crafted to be useful to the Wheat Ridge
community, is not about what the City
cannot do. It is about what the City can do,
with an emphasis on what it can begin to
do almost immediately.
The city has need for affordable rental units.
Multi-unit rental projects will be the most
economical housing type for affordable
housing providers to develop.
Multi-unit rental
projects are
also a housing
solution that the
private sector is
equipped to deliver, and in so doing, can offer
the opportunity for inclusionary affordable
housing.
Perhaps more important
than the benefits of new
construction, the city is
already awash in older,
relatively affordable
rental units that represent an opportunity for
preservation.
The city’s Key Housing
Opportunities are framed by
the following points made clear
throughout this document:
PART 3 Taking Action
The city has need for entry-level ownership
opportunities.
Attached townhouses have the twin benefit
of being recently proven as a marketable
product in Wheat
Ridge, and come
with development
economics that
make them a
potential entry-
level alternative to single-unit detached
houses, which are not affordable to households
defined as target markets in need of assistance.
Inclusionary affordable housing is also a
possibility here, so the private sector can be a
partner in delivering some affordability.
Attached Ownership with Inclusionary INCLUSIONARY
Multi-unit Rental with Inclusionary
INCLUSIONARY
Existing Affordable Rental
What should Wheat Ridge do?
Build more multi-unit rental where possible and achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
These, therefore, are the Key Housing
Opportunities outlined in the following pages:
KEY HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
#1
#2
#3
#4
Build more attached ownership units where possible and achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units.
Maximize the potential for the Lutheran Legacy Campus redevelopment to achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
Development Regulations
Subsidies
Each of these opportunities come with
implications for changing development
regulations and raising and deploying capital
for subsidies. There are short-term opportunities
available, and opportunity can be expanded over
time commensurate with changes to regulations
and funding.
38 39Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Build more multi-unit rental where possible and achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
The City of Wheat Ridge, relative to the region,
has few rental units in large rental complexes.
The market for these products has been proven
in recent years with a handful of new projects.
This housing type, with densities and heights only
allowed in areas of the city exempted from specific
City Charter-imposed limitations, makes efficient
use of land, which is a key variable in development
cost per unit and resulting affordability. This
housing type offers the following benefits:
1. It is the new housing type most economical to
build for affordable housing developers hoping
to reach affordable rents for households with
incomes below $75,000.
2. Market-rate units of this type, given
development costs at the time of this report,
are likely affordable, on average, only to
households with incomes above $100,000.
But czb’s analysis suggests that roughly 10%
of units within a new project could be made
affordable to households with lower incomes,
down to about $75,000.
Increasing the number of multi-unit rental projects
in Wheat ridge can enable opportunities to create
new affordable rental housing.
Charter Exception Areas
PART 3 Taking Action
OPPORTUNITY
TARGET MARKETS
#1
THE OPPORTUNITY
For Affordable
Housing
Developers:
Households with incomes
$75,000 to $99,999
Households with
incomes below
$50,000
Households with
incomes
$50,000 to $74,999
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
For Private
Sector
Market-Rate
Developers:
The Wheat Ridge City
Charter limits maximum
residential building
heights in the city to 35
feet and maximum density to 21 dwelling units per
acre. There are exceptions to these limits, mostly
but not exclusively coincident with boundaries
for Urban Renewal Areas. The Charter exceptions
have been critical to the development of recent
multi-unit residential projects, as have mixed-use
zoning districts. There are three potential regulatory
changes that could encourage more multi-unit
residential development with affordable outcomes.
All should be explored and are discussed in greater
detail later in Part 3:
1. Addition of an inclusionary housing requirement
in mixed-use districts when the project is
substantially or majority residential.
2. Rezonings, either developer initiated
or potentially legislative (following the
comprehensive plan update), to mixed-use
districts where multi-unit rental projects can be
built.
3. The expansion of Exception Areas, either
through site-specific, limited additions or
through broader changes to the Charter’s limits.
Site-specific additions may include, but not
necessarily be limited to, the Lutheran Legacy
Campus.
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
If the City imposes an
inclusionary affordability
requirement of about
10%, with the affordability
aimed at households down to about $75,000, or
roughly 80% of the area median income (AMI—
see Appendix for 2022 AMI information) then no
subsidy is likely needed. If the City desires deeper
affordability aimed at lower-income households,
additional subsidy will be needed. Monthly rent
is generally 1% of a unit’s total development cost
(TDC). Or, TDC is roughly 100 times the monthly
rent. So, for example, if the City were seeking a
further $500 per month reduction in the rent of
an inclusionary affordable unit, it would need to
provide the developer an additional $50,000.
Affordable housing developers for lower-income
units will no doubt be accessing other subsidy
sources, like Low Income Housing Tax Credits,
and the City may choose to provide additional
subsidy to support the project, per Policy D (see
page 29).
SUBSIDY CONSIDERATIONS
Development Regulations Subsidies
40 41Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Build more attached ownership units where possible and achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
The total development costs for single-unit detached houses
make them unaffordable for the households in question.
Attached townhouses, however, offer an alternative that could
be priced affordably for them.
The Mixed-Use Neighborhood (MU-N) zoning district,
which was intended to be a true mixed-use district where
neighborhood-serving ground floor retail and commercial
uses would coexist with residential uses, has instead become
a highly effective tool for the development of townhouses in
Wheat Ridge. This has been in response to market demand for
newly built single-unit ownership product at a more affordable
price point than a detached house. MU-N zoning was purposely
concentrated along W. 38th Ave. but has also become
common in rezoning requests for developers seeking to build
townhouses. MU-N, as it exists today, presents Wheat Ridge
with two challenges, and opportunities:
1. First, many of the townhouse units that have been built
and sold in recent years have not been affordable to
households with incomes below $150,000. But they could
be, through the imposition of inclusionary requirements,
and the possible application of some subsidy. czb’s analysis
suggests that roughly 10% of units within a new project
could be made affordable to households with lower
incomes, down to about $120,000,
2. Second, MU-N has not led to true mixed-use outcomes as
the market for first floor retail and commercial spaces has
not enticed developers, while residential demand has been
seen as a good bet. But this could change.
Scattered sites citywide
OPPORTUNITY
TARGET MARKETS THE OPPORTUNITY
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
#2
Households with incomes
$100,000 to $149,999
PART 3 Taking Action
Revisions to the existing MU-N district,
alongside the creation of a new R-4
residential zoning district, could help
address both challenges and opportunities
described here. MU-N should be amended to better achieve the
mixed-use outcomes for which it was intended while a new R-4
district, keeping with the naming convention of the City’s other
residential zoning districts, should become “the townhouse district”
while imposing affordability requirements that attached ownership
projects at or near 21 DUA should be able to meet. R-4 would
effectively become an incentive district, based on “gives” and
“gets” as described on page 37. The allowance to the private sector
to maximize land and build townhouses up to 21 DUA should be
matched to a requirement that the City receive some community
benefit.
1. The City should consider requiring MU-N to produce EITHER
mixed-use, or inclusionary affordable housing.
2. Maximum allowable density in R-4 could vary based on location.
If a site with R-4 zoning is in a location subject to Charter limits, it
would be capped at 21 DUA, just as most MU-N sites have been. If
it is in an Exception Area, it could exceed 21 DUA. (This report does
not recommend any locations where a new R-4 district should
apply. It is recommended as a tool for the toolbox.)
3. R-4 development standards would need to be calibrated for
context sensitivity.
4. R-4 sites over one acre should be exempted from any requirement
to enter a Planned Residential Development (PRD) process. The
new district should be designed well enough that its outcomes
are predictable for both the developer and the community.
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
If the City
imposes an
inclusionary
affordability
requirement of
about 10%, with the affordability
aimed at households down
to about $120,000, or roughly
100% of the area median
income (AMI—see Appendix for
2022 AMI information) then no
subsidy is likely needed. If the
City desires deeper affordability
aimed at lower-income
households, additional subsidy
will be needed.
SUBSIDY CONSIDERATIONS
Development Regulations
Subsidies
42 43Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units.
Wheat Ridge is home to thousands of aging rental units
that are affordable to renter households with incomes
below $75,000 and even below $50,000. Age and quality
are contributing factors to the relatively low rents. Many
of these units are, at the time of this report, in need of
investment and upgrades but if the private sector takes
on these improvements alone, it will necessarily mean
an increase in rents because the investment must be
recovered. The properties containing the rental units in
question are scattered all over the city, not concentrated
in any one location. Improving the quality of older housing
is good for the city and its neighborhoods, and good for
tenants, but rising rents present an affordability challenge.
The City can overcome the dilemma of conditions and
affordability by investing directly in private rental properties
under the “gives” and “gets” approach. A program that
provides grant funding for rental unit upgrades in
exchange for preservation of affordable rents creates
win/ win outcomes.
Scattered sites citywide
OPPORTUNITY
TARGET MARKETS THE OPPORTUNITY
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
PART 3 Taking Action
Households with
incomes below
$50,000
Households with incomes
$50,000 to $74,999
#3
Given rising land
costs and the aging of
structures, there may
be a growing incentive
over time to tear down older properties and
redevelop them. While it is unlikely that an owner
would pursue this path without increasing the
number of units, there are plausible scenarios
where it could happen. A “no net loss” policy
applied strategically under certain conditions
could help limit the redevelopment of such
properties in such a way that they result in fewer
units, and might create an incentive instead to
rehab the property.
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
A high-level estimate at
the time of this report
for per unit cost to
rehab rental units while
maintaining affordable rents the $50,000 to
$74,999 target market is $50,000. For the lower-
income target market, the estimate is an average
of $100,000.
In reality, the per unit cost will vary not only by
target market, but also by property. The City,
should it pursue an affordable rental rehab
program, should not set firm limits per unit,
but rather accept proposals and determine
reasonable costs based on the proposals.
Developing sufficient funding for a rehab program
is critical. Upgrading just twenty affordable units
could cost over $1M. Ideally, program funds will
flow through a new Wheat Ridge Housing Fund
(see page 51) and funds could be derived from:
• Community Development Block Grants in
partnership with Jefferson County.
• City lodging tax revenues from short-term
rentals.
• New impact fees the City might consider.
• State programs, including new resources
potentially made available by the passage of
Proposition 123 in November 2022.
SUBSIDY CONSIDERATIONS
Development Regulations Subsidies
44 45Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Maximize the potential for the Lutheran Legacy Campus redevelopment to achieve inclusionary, mixed-income outcomes.
SCL Lutheran is building a new facility
and will be vacating its historic 100-acre
Lutheran Hospital campus in the heart
of Wheat Ridge in the coming years.
The potential redevelopment of this site
offers ample opportunity to creatively
develop new affordable housing.
Although the details of any future
redevelopment proposals are as yet unknown, the City can
be assured that its participation will be required. The site
will require rezoning, infrastructure investment, potential
use of the City’s Urban Renewal authority, and more. The
City should look at the future Lutheran redevelopment as a
partnership, in which “gives” and “gets” will apply. As a once
in a generation redevelopment opportunity, likely to include
a substantial amount of new housing, the City should make
clear its expectation that a significant amount of affordable
housing will be included in the eventual redevelopment.
In order to both make best use of the land for residential
development, and to lower land cost per unit to support
affordability, the City should anticipate and plan for attached
housing products. It is possible that the redevelopment, and
the resulting public benefit, could be helped by an exemption
from the Charter limits on height.
Lutheran Legacy Campus
OPPORTUNITY
TARGET MARKETS THE OPPORTUNITY
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
PART 3 Taking Action
#4
Households with
incomes $100,000
to $149,999
Households with
incomes $75,000
to $99,999
The Lutheran site will
require a new zoning
designation in order to
be redeveloped. It also
may possibly benefit from an exemption from
the Charter’s limits on height in order to have the
flexibility necessary for residential development
that can create value in the site and the
conditions for a range of inclusionary affordable
outcomes. There are two factors at play that
could potentially support a residential height
exemption on the site:
1. Lutheran already exceeds the existing
residential height limit for its hospital use,
meaning the site historically is known for
greater than normal height.
2. The City is already exploring the use of Urban
Renewal for the site, which historically is
accepted in the community as precondition
and co-existing with height exceptions.
The City should continue down the path of
exploring Urban Renewal and a height exception
for the Lutheran site in order to maximize options
for public benefit of the eventual redevelopment.
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
Until there is a proposal
for redevelopment, it is far
too soon to know whether
financial incentives from
the City will have a role to play. The unique nature
of the project means the City should not set
firm affordability requirements at the outset, nor
should it have any firm ideas about its financial
participation.. Instead, “gives” and “gets” should
flow from the negotiations between the future
developer and the City.
SUBSIDY CONSIDERATIONS
Development Regulations Subsidies
46 47Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
#1
#2
#4
#3
#1
#2
#4
#3
#1
#2
#4
#3
#1
#2
#4
#1
#2
#3
#4
#3
#1
#2
#4
#3
#1
#2
#4
#2
#4
#3
#1
#2
#1
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
PRIORITY LEVEL 1
Action Items: Prioritizing for Progress
Realizing Wheat Ridge’s key housing opportunities requires a series of actions, but not all action items will have the same level of impact, and some may be achievable sooner while others will take more time. The combination of these factors helps to establish a logical prioritization of action items. The following pages describe, at a summary level, the recommended action items. More detailed information for each can be found starting on page 50. The proposed timing of action items is tentative and subject to change based on events.
PART 3 Taking Action
Ac
t
i
o
n
It
e
m
Revise Zoning
Framework for
Community Benefit
Wheat Ridge
Housing Fund
Housing-
Supportive Code
Amendments
Continue
Lutheran Legacy
Implementation
Efforts
Housing Staff Comprehensive
Plan Update
Naturally Occurring
Affordable
Housing (NOAH)
Preservation
Program
A program to make grants from the Wheat Ridge Housing Fund to rental property owners to upgrade aging rental units in exchange for affordable rents.
Update Development Code
and Zoning Map
Exploration of
Changes to Charter
Limits on Height and
Density
Update
Affordable
Housing Strategy
and Action Plan
De
s
c
r
i
p
t
i
o
n
Require all projects in mixed-use districts to EITHER produce mixed-use or inclusionary affordable housing, and establish a new R-4 district with inclusionary requirements.
A dedicated fund to receive, hold, and deploy financial resources specifically in support of affordable housing activities.
Amend the City’s code to support affordable housing development in areas such as: process, fees, parking minimums, “no net loss,” etc.
Continue preparing for the eventual Lutheran redevelopment and set clear expectations.
A staff person dedicated to housing program management.
Use the comprehensive plan process to reaffirm community support for affordable housing goals and establish community’s vision for growth and development.
Following the update to the comprehensive plan, update the City’s code and zoning map to reflect the plan.The community-wide discussion of whether, where, and how to accommodate new housing is best suited for the comprehensive plan where public engagement will play an important role.
Following the update to the comprehensive plan, establish a commission to study the possibility of amending the City Charter’s current limits on height and density in order to make a recommendation for a potential ballot question.
Update this document to respond to new conditions and events.
Op
p
o
r
t
u
n
i
t
y
Im
p
a
c
t
e
d
Im
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
St
e
p
s
• Strengthen Requirement for Mixed-Use or Inclusionary Affordable Housing in Mixed-Use Districts
• Create a New R-4 Residential District
• Establish Fund
• Identify Initial One-Time Sources
• Identify Recurring Sources
• Develop Funding Guidelines
• Ordinance • Complete Evaluation of Potential Urban Renewal
• Consider Exemption for Charter Limits
• Negotiations and Plans
• Job Description
• Recruitment
• Evaluation of Need for Additional Staff
• Reassess Wheat Ridge Housing Authority (WRHA) Role
• Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
• Project Scoping and Organization
• Project Initiation
• Plan Completion and Adoption
• Identify Funding Sources
• Design Program
• Solicit Proposals for First Funding Round
• Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
• Project Scoping and Organization
• Project Initiation
• Code Completion and Adoption
• Establish Charter Commission
• Commission Findings and Recommendation
• Potential Ballot Question
• Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
• Project Initiation
• Analysis and Strategy Completion
PRIORITY LEVEL 2 PRIORITY LEVEL 3
48 49Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
#2
Revise Zoning Framework for Community Benefit
The City’s existing mixed-use districts do not clearly mandate mixed-use unless the site is over five acres. As a result, districts that were meant to produce true mixed-use outcomes have mostly produced market-rate housing units. The City can adjust its zoning framework to derive more community benefit either through true mixed-use, with active ground floor uses, or inclusionary affordable housing. As long as the market continues to drive development of housing in mixed-use districts, the City stands a strong chance of getting some affordable units if it implements this recommendation.
A new zoning district, called R-4, can become the appropriate zoning tool for production of attached ownership housing, filling the role that the Mixed-Use Neighborhood (MU-N) district has been playing up to the time of this report. Imposing an inclusionary requirement on the district will help facilitate the delivery of some affordable ownership opportunities in a product that has proven successful in Wheat Ridge in recent years.
1PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
Strengthen Requirement for Mixed-Use or Inclusionary Affordable
Housing in Mixed-use Districts
Existing mixed-use districts should be amended to require EITHER true
mixed-use with active ground floor uses, OR inclusionary affordable
housing. The exact requirements should be calibrated to market
conditions, and the City should consider a “fee-in-lieu” option as an
alternative form of compliance.
Create a New R-4 Residential District
Concurrent with the recommended changes to mixed-use districts,
the City should create a new zoning district that accommodates
housing types up to 21 DUA as a use by right, with inclusionary housing
requirements. The district may have a variant for Charter Exception areas
where greater densities are possible. R-4 should offer an alternative
to a PRD process for projects larger than one acre and development
standards should be calibrated to account for neighborhood context.
Households
with incomes
$100,000 to
$149,999
INCLUSIONARY
ACTION ITEM
PART 3 Taking Action
TIMING
Wheat Ridge Housing Fund
ACTION ITEM
There are specific actions recommended in this strategy that will require funding, and potential future projects that may require public subsidy to come to fruition. Having a reliable source of local funds allows the City to be both proactive and opportunistic as it builds programming and contemplates housing investments. Wheat Ridge should establish and provide resources for a Wheat Ridge Housing Fund (WRHF). The WRHF is envisioned as a vehicle for grants and loans to properties and projects that align with the City’s policies and further the development of affordable housing in Wheat Ridge.
1PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
TIMING
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
Establish Fund
Take necessary steps to establish a Wheat Ridge housing fund under the
authority of City Council.
Identify Initial One-Time Sources
To provide initial seed funding, identify possible one-time sources that can
sensibly be linked to housing uses. These may include unrestricted surplus
funds, unspent bond proceeds, housing-related grant funds, or other funds.
Identify Recurring Sources
One-time infusions will always be important to the WRHF, and they are
appropriate to such a use because awards to affordable housing projects is
not a recurring obligation for the City. But the City would be wise to identify
an annual recurring source of funds that can continuously replenish the fund,
even if the amount appears relatively small at the beginning. Potential sources
might include lodging tax derived from short-term rentals, an annual general
fund allocation, or future revenues from a possible housing impact fee or
commercial linkage fee (either of the latter would require a nexus study).
Develop Funding Policies and Guidelines
At minimum, it is recommended that the WRHF be set up to provide funding
for the NOAH Preservation Program (see page 56). Beyond that, the City
needs to decide what it will fund, and how it will make decisions about what to
fund. The following approaches to funding availability should be considered,
and are not mutually exclusive:
-Rolling basis, subject to proposals.
-Annual basis, with proposals solicited and weighed against each other
competitively.
ALL
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
Households
with incomes
$75,000 to
$99,999
50 51Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 3 Taking Action
Housing-Supportive Code Amendments
ACTION ITEM
While the logical sequence for a rewrite or update of the zoning ordinance should commence upon completion of the City’s comprehensive plan, there are a number of housing related ‘quick fixes’ that the City could integrate within the current code.
1PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
Ordinance Amending Code
Craft an ordinance with changes focused on at least the following:
-Expedited review for projects with an affordable component. This may
include changes to the triggers that cause a residential project to enter
the Planned Residential District (PRD) which can create uncertainty
and delay (The addition of the R-4 zoning district may also provide an
alternative to PRD.).
-Fee waivers or reductions for projects with an affordable component.
Although City-imposed development fees are a relatively small portion
of the total development costs of a housing unit, any City contribution to
affordable housing can help to shrink gaps.
-“No net loss” requirement for redevelopment projects. The demolition of
a residential property and its replacement with a project that has fewer
units is not highly likely, but the City can help keep this from happening
through a policy that requires one for one replacement of residential
units. “No net loss” provisions should be evaluated for application only
under specific conditions because there may be other public benefits
derived from a redevelopment project (e.g. elimination of nonconforming
use, affordable housing, etc).
-Reduced parking minimums. Provision of parking represents a
development cost and, in areas exempted from the Charter’s limits on
density, parking can be an inefficient use of land that reduces a project’s
capacity to lower land cost per unit. In cases where unit occupancies
are expected to be low, and/or transit availability is sufficient, reducing
parking requirements can be a contributor to better affordability.
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
ALL
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
TIMING
Continue Lutheran Legacy Campus Implementation Efforts
ACTION ITEM
1PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
SCL Lutheran has indicated that it will not be seeking redevelopment of its Lutheran Hospital site until it has opened its new facility and transferred all operations there. Until that time, the City should continue to be proactive in planning and discussions around the future of the Lutheran Legacy Campus.
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
Complete Evaluation of Potential Urban Renewal
At the time of this report, the City is studying the possibility of
designating the Lutheran Legacy Campus as an Urban Renewal Area.
Enter into and Complete Negotiations and Plans
The Lutheran redevelopment has the potential to reshape Wheat Ridge.
The City is not just an important stakeholder, but also a partner in the
eventual project, controlling many of the levers that will determine what
can happen on the site and how valuable it becomes. The City, working
from the Lutheran Legacy Campus Master Plan and this strategy,
should work in an ongoing manner with SCL Lutheran to make clear
expectations for the site, including a substantial amount of affordability.
Evaluate the Possibility of Action to Exempt Lutheran Legacy Campus
from Charter Restriction on Height
As described earlier in the document, maximizing the affordable housing
contribution of the site could possibly involve building types that exceed
the Charter limits. Due to the site’s size, it is hard to envision a scenario
where redevelopment exceeds the density limit, but the height limit is a
more obviously limiting factor for multi-unit development. This should be
weighed depending on a future redevelopment proposal.
TARGET MARKETS
TBD
Households
with incomes
$75,000 to
$99,999
Households
with incomes
$100,000 to
$149,999
TIMING
52 53Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 3 Taking Action
Housing StaffACTION ITEM
This strategy recommends specific programming that includes significant management responsibilities, and actions that will produce affordable housing units whose ownership is likely to remain in the private sector. All of this comes with an administrative burden that will fall on the City. Program management is labor intensive, and the maintenance of an affordable housing supply in private hands requires someone to handle the ongoing compliance work. It is therefore recommended that the City appoint a Housing Manager to oversee these efforts.
2PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
Job Description
• Identify reporting structure.
• Describe responsibilities, which may include but not be limited to:
• Managing the NOAH Preservation Program.
• Ensuring compliance for privately held affordable rental and
ownership units.
• Evaluating proposals to the WRHF, and its programs, and working
with other staff to make funding recommendations to City Council.
• Working with other City staff, including legal staff, to craft housing-
related provisions to development agreements and other legal
documents as necessary to ensure compliance with affordability
provisions.
• Managing grant writing and resource development efforts for
affordable housing activities.
Recruitment and Hiring
Reassess Wheat Ridge Housing Authority (WRHA) Role
Foothills Regional Housing (FRH, previously Jefferson County Housing
Authority) has historically acted as Wheat Ridge’s “full service” affordable
housing provider and is resourced accordingly to partner on funding
and building affordable housing, as well as to manage various affordable
housing programs like vouchers. Since its establishment in 2001, WRHA has
had a much more limited focus than FRH and has been dormant in recent
years. As the City develops a job description for housing staff, the WRHA’s
role in implementing portions of this strategy should be examined and
structured to be complementary to FRH’s ongoing affordable housing work.
ALL
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
TIMING
Comprehensive Plan Update
ACTION ITEM
The City’s current comprehensive plan, Envision Wheat Ridge, was adopted in October 2009 and has served the City well. But much has changed since its adoption during the height of the Great Recession. Today, Wheat Ridge enjoys the benefits of a thriving Denver area economy with real estate values as a primary indicator. Combined with a gradual demographic shift toward households with higher educational attainment levels and higher incomes, the impacts on housing affordability have been magnified.
A new comprehensive plan, tentatively planned to begin in 2023, offers the opportunity to reaffirm community support for affordable housing with outcomes that are measurable and achievable. Much of the work done for this project can and should be used to guide the housing components of the new comprehensive plan.
2PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
Determine a preliminary scope and issues of particular emphasis, if any.
Project Scoping and Organization
Finalize a scope of work, including schedule and any stakeholder or public
engagement needs, and organize staff and consultants into a project team.
Project Initiation
Kick off planning process and communicate process and schedule to the
public.
Plan Completion and Adoption
Move draft plan through adoption process, including public events,
Planning Commission review and recommendation, and City Council
approval.
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
ALL
TIMING
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
54 55Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 3 Taking Action
NOAH Preservation Program
ACTION ITEM
PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
Wheat Ridge is home to thousands of aging rental units that are affordable to renter households with incomes below $75,000 and even below $50,000. Age and quality are contributing factors to the relatively low rents. The City can overcome the dilemma of conditions and affordability by investing directly in private rental properties under the “gives” and “gets” approach. It is recommended that the City establish a program for naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) that provides grant funding for rental unit upgrades in exchange for preservation of affordable rents creates win/win outcomes.
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
Identify Staff Resources
A NOAH rehab program will come with an administrative burden,
and proper staffing and program oversight are prerequisites for the
undertaking to be successful (see Housing Staff on page 54).
Identify Funding Sources
It is envisioned that the the Wheat Ridge Housing Fund will support this
program, premised on its establishment per the recommendations on
page 51. The rehab program, however, may specifically be a good fit for
CDBG or HOME funds from Jefferson County or future Colorado housing
implementation funds as well.
Design Program
A program like this one requires careful design with many details to be
worked out, including program budget with sources and uses, eligibility
criteria, minimum standards for specifications, etc. Before the program
can go live, these items and more must be addressed.
Solicit Proposals for First Funding Round
When the program has been designed and funds are ready to be
deployed, interest must be solicited from local rental property owners.
The City should issue a request for proposals with uniform application or
proposal forms that property owners can fill out.
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
Households
with incomes
below $50,000
TARGET MARKETS
Households
with incomes
$50,000 to
$74,999
2
Households
with incomes
$75,000 to
$99,999
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
TIMING
Update Development Code and Zoning Map
ACTION ITEM
#1
The Wheat Ridge zoning ordinance and map have received minor piecemeal text and mapping updates on an as-needed basis over the past decade. The last major rewrite or update to the zoning ordinance was in 2001. Following the adoption of the comprehensive plan, the City should update the zoning ordinance and map to ensure that it is consistent with the comprehensive plan and other City-led planning efforts including this Strategy and Action Plan and the Lutheran Legacy Campus Master Plan and/or successor plans.
3PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
Based on the results of the comprehensive plan, including policy
direction and identified community priorities, determine a preliminary
scope and areas of focus for the code update.
Project Scoping and Organization
Finalize a scope of work, including schedule and any stakeholder or
public engagement needs, and organize staff and consultants into a
project team.
Project Initiation
Kick off code update project and communicate process and schedule to
the public.
Code Completion and Adoption
Move updated code through adoption process, including public events,
Planning Commission review and recommendation, and City Council
approval.
ALL
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
TIMING
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
56 57Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
PART 3 Taking Action
Exploration of Changes to Charter Limits on Height and Density
ACTION ITEM
Section 5.10.1 of the City Charter limits residential density to 21 dwelling units per acre and restricts the height for residential structures to thirty-five feet (35’) while nonresidential structures are allowed a maximum height of fifty feet (50’). There are areas within the city where these restrictions do not apply.
As described in this document, residential heights and densities beyond the Charter limits are important contributors to facilitating new housing development in a land-constrained community, like Wheat Ridge, and enabling new affordable housing opportunities.
If community sentiment reflected in a new comprehensive plan suggests that Wheat Ridge confirms its commitment to affordable housing, is accepting of a greater amount of new development, including new housing at heights and densities above those allowed citywide in the Charter, the existing limits will merit reexamination.
3PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
TARGET MARKETS
Complete update to the comprehensive plan
The comprehensive plan should provide community-supported direction
on Wheat Ridge’s vision for development.
Establish Charter Commission with at least the following questions:
-Should the Charter control limits on height and density instead of the
city’s code?
-If so, should the limits, or the geography to which they apply, be
changed?
Commission Findings and Recommendation
The Charter Commission should develop a report including its analysis,
findings, and recommendations for public consideration.
Potential Ballot Question
If the Charter Commission recommends changes to the Charter, a
question should be drafted for the next appropriate election.
ALL
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
Multi-unit Rental with Inclusionary
Attached Ownership with Inclusionary
INCLUSIONARY
INCLUSIONARY
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
TIMING
Update Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
ACTION ITEM
Prepared by czbLLC
NOVEMBER 2022
3PRIORITY LEVEL
OPPORTUNITIES IMPACTED
As the data and analysis in this document illustrate, housing market conditions can shift quickly. A number of circumstances affecting the assumptions within and implementation of this strategy are likely to be different within a few short years. It is therefore recommended that the City of Wheat Ridge update this document five years from its adoption.
Preliminary Scope and Solicitation of Consultants if Appropriate
Determine a preliminary scope and issues of particular emphasis, if any.
Project Initiation
Finalize scope of work and begin analysis.
Analysis and Strategy Completion
Present findings and recommendations and consider City Council
adoption.
IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
#1 Multi-Unit Rental Units with Inclusionary
TARGET MARKETS
ALL
#2 Attached Ownership Units with Inclusionary
#3 Preserve and upgrade existing affordable rental units
#4 Lutheran Legacy Campus
TIMING
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5
58 59Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Appendix
List of Affordable Housing Tools Evaluated
60 61Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
There are a number of tools available to help local governments support the production of affordable
housing. Some may provide substantial benefits while others contribute only at the margins. The
following table lists those tools that received close study to determine which would provide the
most substantial benefits in Wheat Ridge and were elevated to the main body of this strategy. Many
of these tools are included in Colorado House Bill 21-1271 that established the Innovative Affordable
Housing Planning program that provided funding for this strategy.
Affordable Housing Tools Analysis Matrix
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Use of vacant
publicly owned
real property
The cost of land is generally about
one-third of total development
costs. When publicly-owned land
can be contributed for affordable
housing development, at a cost
below its market value, the savings
can be passed on to future residents.
Wheat Ridge does not have any City-
owned land available for this purpose.
Program to
subsidize or
otherwise reduce
local development
review or fees
Fees are one cost of many in
development. Reducing fees
can lower total development
costs with savings passed on to
future residents. In most cases,
development fees are not a major
percentage of costs and reducing
them provides marginal benefit for
affordability.
In Wheat Ridge, city-imposed
development fees are less than
$10,000 per unit on total development
costs that are generally at least
$250,000 per unit. Water- and sewer-
related fees are not directly controlled
by the City. Waiver or reduction of
development fees may contribute
to improving affordability, but on
their own provide minor affordability
benefit.
Expedited review
process for
affordable housing
Expedited
development
review process
for acquiring
or repurposing
underutilized
commercial
property
Expediting review processes
entices developers to take on
projects by making it easier to
move from project application to
project approvals and ultimately
to construction. It can also
decrease project costs if fewer
hours are required from engineers,
architects, and lawyers who
support developers through review
processes.
While speed of review processes
is a net positive for developers, the
real key is predictability of process.
Uncertainty and unpredictability
make it difficult to know what to
plan for or how long things will take.
The potential for negative domino
effects resulting in delays dissuades
developers from the already
inherently risky development process.
Wheat Ridge should work toward fast
and predictable review processes but,
if it must choose only one, it should
focus on predictability.
APPENDIX
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Density bonus
program
Density bonuses are an incentive
that allow developers extra market-
rate units above and beyond what
the base zoning allows, in exchange
for the inclusion of affordable
housing units.
Density bonuses have a mixed record
of success, because achieving the
bonus often means building to heights
requiring much more expensive steel
frame construction. The increased
expense offsets the bonus benefit
to the developer. Between market
demand and community tolerance
for height, Wheat Ridge is likely to
remain a city where prevailing building
heights will not support density
bonuses. (Also see later discussion of
Inclusionary Housing.)
Sub-metering of
utility charges for
affordable housing
projects
In most multi-unit buildings, utility
costs such as water, sewer, electric,
and gas are common to the building
and the operator’s costs are passed
on to tenants via the rent. Sub-
metering each individual unit allows
the tenant to control the usage and
remove the utility cost from the rent.
Cutting back on utility usage then
becomes an option for a tenant
hoping to reduce costs.
The City of Wheat Ridge is not a
utility provider, including for water
and sewer, so this would be an issue
requiring engagement by other
entities. It is plausible that sub-
metering could help a tenant pay less
for utilities than would otherwise be
included in the rent, but in most new
projects where utilities are included
in rent, the general uniformity of unit
sizes and household sizes, and the
correlation of rent with both of those,
should mean that sub-metering would
not reveal much of a meaningful
difference in utility usage between a
commonly-metered or sub-metered
unit, and thus would not result in
much cost savings.
Subsidies for
infrastructure
costs incurred by
affordable housing
development
Infrastructure costs are project-
specific, depending on the type
of project, its setting, availability
of existing infrastructure, etc. In
cases where a project may need
substantial new or upgraded
infrastructure, the costs can be
substantial.
The City of Wheat Ridge has powerful
tools, such as Urban Renewal and
Tax Increment Financing, that allow
it to assist projects under certain
circumstances. It could also provide
financial subsidies from general funds
or dedicated housing funds. Either
of these options could be critically
important in supporting projects on
a case-by-case basis, depending on
needs.
62 63Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Granting duplexes,
triplexes, or other
appropriate multi-
family housing
options as a use by
right
New single-unit detached houses in
any strong market are generally not
considered to be affordable options.
Other housing types, from duplexes
to high-density multi-unit rental
are assumed to have lower per unit
development costs resulting in less
expensive options than single-unit
detached houses.
Duplexes and triplexes are allowed
by right across much of the city
already, and there are a variety of sites
across the city where townhouses
and multi-unit properties are also
feasible. Given land and construction
costs, housing development in
Wheat Ridge’s land-constrained
setting generally becomes feasible
at 15 units per acre, and the zoning
designations within which this is
achievable are the mixed-use districts.
Substantially increasing available
housing opportunity sites likely means
expanding the areas covered by
mixed-use districts.
Classification
of a proposed
affordable housing
development as a
use by right when it
meets density and
design standards
of a given zoning
district
Zoning does not make any use
distinctions between affordable
housing and market-rate housing,
nor can it. So long as a community
has one or more zoning districts
where housing can be built,
affordable housing projects should
be subject to all the same rules as
market-rate projects.
Wheat Ridge development code does
not discriminate against affordable
housing. Affordable housing must
meet density and design standards
just as market-rate projects must.
Authorizing
Accessory
Dwelling Units
(ADU) as a use by
right in single-
family zoning
districts
ADUs are small secondary units on
an otherwise single-unit detached
property. There is no guarantee that
a newly constructed ADU will meet
a local definition of “affordable.” It is,
however, one method of increasing
the housing supply on existing land.
ADUs are allowed in all residential,
agricultural, and mixed-use
neighborhood zone districts as an
accessory use to a single-unit home.
ADUs are newly allowed in Wheat
Ridge, so it is too early to know how
widely they might be adopted and
built, how many will be used as long-
term vs short-term rentals, and what
their rents might be.
Allowing (or
better supporting)
Planned Unit
Developments
(PUD) with
integrated
affordable housing
Planned Unit Developments are
a tool to facilitate development
projects that are difficult to achieve
under regular zoning but which the
community wants to approve. There
may be some projects that include
affordable housing that would
benefit from such an approach,
depending on the regulations in the
community.
Wheat Ridge already uses planned
developments in different forms.
Planned residential development
(PRD) and planned mixed-use
development (PMUD) designations
are used to help facilitate housing
projects that otherwise are difficult to
achieve under base zoning districts.
APPENDIX
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Allowing (or better
supporting) the
development
of small square
footage residential
unit sizes
Because each square foot of floor
area in a unit comes at a cost,
shrinking the square footage in a
unit can decrease its cost. In recent
years, some cities have allowed
the construction of what are called
“micro-units” which may be as small
as 200 square feet, and sometimes
offer more common amenities
than are found in standard rental
properties. The production of such
small units assumes a market that
will pay to live in them.
Small units will be difficult or
impossible to achieve anywhere
except in the Charter exception
areas because they inevitably will
exceed the 21 DUA limit. Small units,
however, face a potential marketability
challenge despite the relative
affordability that may result from their
small size. A single person can live
in a unit meant for three, but three
people will struggle to live in a unit
built for one. Very small units do not
have the broadest potential market.
Developers, owners, and financiers of
rental housing know this and factor
it into their decision making. Land
use controls are but one factor in
determining whether such projects
get built. Another is whether the
project represents an acceptable risk
for the private sector.
Lessened
minimum parking
requirements for
new affordable
housing
The cost of a parking spot can be
tens of thousands of dollars per unit.
In addition, reducing the space used
for parking may allow for additional
density that helps lower the cost
per unit, with savings passed on to
future residents.
Parking requirements in mixed-use
districts, where affordable housing
opportunities are most likely to be
found, are one space per unit. In
locations and situations where transit
service is deemed to be sufficient
for reducing parking further, the City
should explore possibilities for doing
so.
Creation of a land
donation, land
acquisition, or land
banking program
The cost of land is a substantial
portion of total development costs.
Any suitable land for affordable
housing that can be procured
for less than market value helps
lower development costs and the
savings can be passed on to future
residents.
If the City finds itself in a situation
where it can somehow acquire
and bank land for future housing
development, it would be wise
to consider doing so. These
opportunities may be few and far
between, however, given the value of
land in the region.
64 65Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
APPENDIX
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Calibrate and Allow
Sufficient Densities
for Affordable
Opportunities
In expensive markets where land
costs are a major factor in housing
production and affordability, simply
increasing densities does not
always solve affordability problems.
Certainly a 2,000 square foot
house on a quarter acre lot will
almost always cost more than an
attached townhouse, but that does
not automatically make the latter
affordable to the desired target
markets. That said, understanding
local development conditions can
help local governments align land
use policy and regulations with their
desired affordable housing goals,
especially when other tools are used
to augment land use approaches.
Under the prevailing development
conditions—cost of land and
construction costs are the main
culprits—at of the time of this report,
it is challenging to develop housing in
Wheat Ridge below 15 dwelling units
per acre (DUA) that can approach
affordability for households with
incomes below $150,00. As the
allowed units per acre increases, the
necessary economies of scale begin
to take effect and make entry level
ownership options more feasible.
These densities are only achievable in
the city’s mixed-use zoning districts,
some of which only exist in parts of
the city that are not subject to City
Charter’s limits on height and density.
Those particular districts, including
MU-C and PMUD, have recently
accommodated the City’s first new
market-rate rental units since 1980,
which are largely the same building
type that a fully affordable rental
housing project would also take.
The mixed-use district that is largely
outside the exception areas, and thus
subject to Charter limits, is MU-N,
and it has been highly successful
in facilitating new townhouse
development. czb’s analysis suggests
that these kinds of projects—attached
ownership units at or above 15
DUA and rental projects above 20
DUA—offer development economics
that enable inclusionary housing
outcomes.
Tool General Applicability Applied to Wheat Ridge
Inclusionary
Housing
Inclusionary housing is a legal
mechanism under which developers
are required to set aside some
percentage of new housing units
as affordable, as defined by the
regulating jurisdiction, with some
means of alternative compliance
made available. The alternative
means is usually a “fee in lieu.” If the
inclusionary housing requirements
are calibrated properly, meaning
they are not overly onerous, projects
of a minimum size can usually meet
the requirements while maintaining
financial viability for the developer.
czb’s analysis suggests that a 10% set
aside is likely feasible so long as the
qualifying incomes, and the matching
affordable rents, are not set too low.
To be more specific, the affordable
rents should not be set much below
those affordable to a household with
an income at 80% of the area median.
For ownership units, a 10% set aside
should be paired with affordability
targets in the range of 100-120% of
the area median. In a strong housing
market with high land values, like that
of the Denver region, inclusionary
housing can be a valuable tool to get
the private sector to produce some
affordable housing. When combined
with zoning changes that create more
potential value for landowners and
developers, inclusionary housing can
become even more workable.
Financial Subsidy Boiled down to its bare essence,
affordable housing work is about
filling the gap between what
housing costs to provide and what
a household can afford to pay.
This requires, in some way, shape,
or form, subsidy flowing from
somewhere, and this is almost
always from the public sector. This
is the reason for public housing, Low
Income Housing Tax Credits, and
Housing Choice Vouchers, to name a
few subsidy tools.
Wheat Ridge could raise and deploy
financial capital for a number of
housing initiatives, including but not
limited to: direct assistance to housing
developers, grant and/or loan funding
for naturally occurring affordable
rental properties in need of upgrades,
direct assistance to renters or first-
time homebuyers, and land purchases
for future affordable housing
opportunities. Potential sources of
revenues include, but are not limited
to: surplus or one-time funds, housing
related grants from other levels of
government, general revenues, and
impact fees.
66 67Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
APPENDIX
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSAFY 2022 Income Limits
FY 2022
Income Limit
Area
Median
Family
Income
FY 2022 Income
Limit Category
Persons in Family
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA
$117,800
Very Low (50%)
Income Limits
41,050 46,900 52,750 58,600 63,300 68,000 72,700 77,400
Extremely Low
(50%) Income
Limits ($)*
24,650 28,150 31,650 35,150 38,000 40,800 43,600 46,630
Low (80%) Income
Limits ($)
62,600 71,550 80,500 89,400 96,600 103,750 110,900 118,050
Note: Jefferson County is part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA, so all information pre-
sented here applies to all of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA.This page intentionally left blank
68 69Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
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70 71Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan Wheat Ridge Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan
Prepared by
czbLLC
NOVEMBER 2022