Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-2024 City Council Meeting MinutesCity Council Meeting Minutes CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 WEST 29TH AVENUE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING  April 8, 2024  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 6:30 p.m. All in attendance stood and recited The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS Jenny Snell Scott Ohm         Rachel Hultin Janeece Hoppe Amanda Weaver     Korey Stites       Dan Larson Leah Dozeman Absent: None. Also present: City Manager Patrick Goff; Deputy City Manager Allison Scheck; City Attorney Gerald Dahl; Sr. Deputy City Clerk, Margy Greer; Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell; Director of Community Development, Lauren Mikulak; Grant and Special Project Administrator, Brandon Altenburg, other staff, guests and interested citizens.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes not available for approval at this time. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Without objection or correction, the agenda stood as announced. PROCLAMATIONS AND CEREMONIES The City of Wheat Ridge declared April 14-20, 2024 as the week reaffirming the City’s commitment to supporting the men and women tasked with enforcing regulations, bylaws, and ordinances regarding animal control. Where animal care and control personnel provide essential community functions by enforcing Animal Control laws, protecting the public from diseases such as rabies, and educating the public on the proper care of community pets. Mayor Starker presented the proclamation to CSO Phil Shroeder. CSO Shroeder spoke a few words about the animal care and control program in Wheat Ridge and thanked Mayor Starker for the honor. Crime Victim Rights Mayor Starker proclaimed the week of April 21-27, 2024, as crime victims’ rights week where the victims' rights movement has resulted in the passage of laws at the local, state, and federal levels that established essential rights for victims. Mayor Starker presented the proclamation to Jennifer Griffin who thanked Mayor Starker for the honor. Arbor and Earth Day Mayor Starker proclaimed Monday April 22, 2024, as City Of Wheat Ridge Earth Day Celebration as we are all caretakers of our planet and have an obligation to combat climate change and environmental degradation to preserve the Earth's beauty and resources. Mayor Starker also then declared Friday, April 26, 2024, as City of Wheat Ridge Arbor Day Celebration to encourage the community members and businesses of Wheat Ridge to care for, enjoy and appreciate trees in your yard and neighborhood. He presented the proclamation to Jim Roemelt, Forestry and Open Space, Benny Paiz of parks, the City’s Forestry and Open Space Manager, and Bob Timms of the WR Rotary. The Mayor and Council were thanked for recognizing Arbor Day and the tree planting done throughout the city. PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO SPEAK Bob Timm, a member of the Wheat Ridge Rotary Club, spoke about a Tree Grant they Rotary received. They joined forces with the City to plant 18 trees on residential properties in Wheat Ridge. He also spoke about the Rotary Club celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, their scholarship program, and other activities. Kim Calomino, a resident of Wheat Ridge, spoke to the increase of volume, cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets, and increased failure to enforce the speed. She suggested taking a larger look at the neighborhood and the cut-through traffic through neighborhoods. She expressed her concern about non-enforcement of drivers going over 10 mph. She suggested having a traffic advisory committee, public education, and improving the ticketing process. Kelly Blin, a member of the Wheat Ridge traffic advisory team, spoke in favor of many of the traffic remedies in the City’s responses to the traffic issues. She made many other suggestions and offered statistics locally and nationally regarding lower speed limits in residential streets and measuring speed differently when it comes to enforcement. Overall, she spoke to many traffic concerns that fall outside the scope of a regular traffic study. Cameron Falon, a resident of Wheat Ridge, spoke in support of the Council looking into the traffic issues. She asked if Council would look at qualitative measures, not just quantitative. She stated people are using her street as a cut-through and it is especially dangerous when people are walking their dogs, children are playing, and more. She stated she has seen semis and moving trucks on her street. She suggested a speed bump be placed on her street, signage, and reduced speed limits would be helpful. Candace Tomlinson, a resident of Wheat Ridge, spoke about the Lutheran Master Plan and there is a big misconception about the Plan itself. She stated more public education is needed before changing the Charter. Ms. Tomlinson also spoke to the traffic issue and is hopeful that the Belair Neighborhood will get a grant for traffic improvement on that street. She stated that not ticketing over 10 mph on residential streets should change, and speed limits should be lowered in residential areas. She stated she would like to have the NPP Program stopped because it pits neighbor against neighbor. She also would like to see one focal point for traffic issues in the City, rather than going through each department in the City to get questions answered. She stated she would like to see a traffic advisory committee put into place. 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 were received from Wheat Ridge Speaks. CONSENT AGENDA There was nothing tonight. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING There was nothing tonight. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING 1. Council Bill No. 06-2024, an Ordinance amending Section 26-109 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws concerning Public Hearing letter notice. CM Hultin introduced Council Bill 06-2024 and read the Issue Statement into the Record. Issue Prior to the public hearing for a quasi-judicial application, the zoning code currently requires that the City send letter notice of the hearing to owners and occupants within 600 feet of the subject property. The proposed ordinance extends this letter notice to 1000 feet. Staff Presentation There was none as this is a bill on first reading. Public Comment No one came forward as this item sets the date and time for the public hearing on this ordinance at the indicated date and time. CM Hultin made a motion to approve Council Bill No. 06-2024- An Ordinance amending Section 26-109 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws concerning public hearing letter notice, on first reading, order it published, public hearing set for Monday, April 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers, and that it takes effect fifteen (15) days after final publication. It was seconded by MPT Stites. Vote: 8-0. The motion carried. DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS 2. Motion to approve the public art selection titled “Mechan and Celestial Vines” by Tyler Fuqua to be installed at the Wheat Ridge Ward Transit Oriented Development project site. CM Dozeman introduced the item and read the Issue Statement into the Record: Issue The Wheat Ridge Ward Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Project includes funding for public art. The process for selecting public art is defined in the Public Art Management Plan. Per this process, a public art piece by Tyler Fuqua titled “Mechan and Celestial Vines” has been selected by an appointed committee for recommendation to the Cultural Commission. The Cultural Commission reviewed the proposal and is recommending this selection to City Council for acceptance and purchase. The purchase price of $160,000 includes design, construction, installation, and documentation. Staff Presentation Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell presented to Council the background of the item where the policies and procedures for this selection are based on the Public Art Management Plan adopted by the Wheat Ridge City Council. The public art selection committee included a Cultural Commission representative, two community representatives, a visual artist, an elected representative, a City staff representative, and one site agency representative. She stated that the Wheat Ridge Ward TOD project includes a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks, a plaza on south side and a multi-use trail connecting the station area to the I-70 Frontage Road, also that Mechan and Celestial Vines was selected unanimously by the public art selection committee. Karen O’Donnell introduced Kendall Peterson of ThereSquared LLC, who gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the selected artwork at Ward Road. After the presentation she stood by to answer questions. Council Questions and comments Council Members thanked staff and the consultant for their hard work on the project and spoke to their support of the artwork project. CM Dozeman made a motion to adopt Resolution 15-2024, a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a license agreement and confirmation, grant, and conveyance of ditch right-of-way and easement with the Lee and Baugh Ditch Company. It was seconded by CM Ohm. Vote: 8-0. The motion carried. 3. Resolution No. 15-2024 – a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a license agreement and confirmation, grant and conveyance of ditch right-of-way and easement with Lee & Bought Ditch Company CM Larson introduced the item and read the Issue Statement into the Record: Issue: The City is currently working towards the design and construction of a trail around Tabor Lake. The Lee and Baugh Ditch Company has legal rights-of-way and easements to inspect, use, operate, maintain, and repair the Ditch adjacent to Tabor Lake. This proposed license agreement would formalize and document the rights of both the Ditch Company and the City in the area near Tabor Lake and allow the City to install and maintain a non-motorized trail in this aera. Staff Presentation Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O’Donnell stated that the reason this is being done at this time is because in order to receive funding of around $450,000, they wanted to be sure the City had a formalized agreement with the Lee & Baugh Ditch Company. She stated it is the final step in receiving that funding. City Attorney Jerry Dahl stated that the Ditch Company worked well with him throughout the process of drafting the agreement. They made changes at his suggestion and were very accommodating. He stated he supports the form of the agreement. After the presentation, Karen O’Donnell stood by to answer questions. Council Questions and comments CM Larson asked if the Ditch Company was in favor or supported what the City wanted. Attorney Dahl stated that he received no push back from the Company. He also spoke to the construction happening during the non-irrigation season. CM Larson made a motion to adopt Resolution 15-2024, a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a license agreement and confirmation, grant, and conveyance of ditch right-of-way and easement with the Lee and Baugh Ditch Company. It was seconded by CM Ohm. Vote: 8-0. The motion carried. CITY MANAGER’S MATTERS City Manager Patrick Goff reminded residents about the branch drop off location. CITY ATTORNEY’S MATTERS No report. ELECTED OFFICIALS’ MATTERS Mayor and Council Members reported on their various activities including ribbon cutting ceremonies, their attendance at other agency meetings, and items of personal interest. ADJOURN TO SPECIAL STUDY SESSION The meeting adjourned at 7:51 pm. _________________________________ Margy Greer, Sr. Deputy City Clerk _________________________________ Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem