HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.16.24 - Study Session NotesCITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
STUDY SESSION NOTES
Hybrid - Virtual Meeting
December 16, 2024
1. Call to Order
Mayor Starker called the Study Session to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. Attendance
Council Members present: Jenny Snell, Rachel Hultin, Janeece Hoppe, Korey Stites, Leah
Dozeman, Dan Larson, and Scott Ohm.
Absent: Amanda Weaver
Also present: City Manager Patrick Goff, Assistant City Manager Marianne Schilling,
Economic Development Director Steve Art, Management Analyst Cole Haselip, and
Senior Deputy City Clerk Margy Greer.
3. Public Comment
None.
4. Wheat Ridge Prosperity Plan
Issue
The Economic Development Division of the City Manager’s Office and its consultant,
Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA), have completed a final draft of
an
Economic Development Strategic Plan. This strategic plan is being branded as the
Wheat Ridge Prosperity Plan (the Plan) and is being developed as a stand-alone
document to be used by the City Manager’s Economic Development Division. PUMA
and City Staff will provide an update primarily on the Plan’s Implementation Matrix,
which can be found in Section A of the Appendix (Attachment 2). The final
recommended plan will be presented to City Council at a future date for adoption.
Economic Development Director Steve Art introduced the PUMA representatives,
stating that the Plan focuses on four area goals: 1) Corridors, Nodes, and
Redevelopment Opportunities; 2) Jobs, Innovation, and Light Manufacturing; 3)
Attainability and Quality of Jobs; and 4) Business Support Ecosystem.
The PUMA representatives gave a PowerPoint presentation going into detail
regarding the Plan’s four focus areas and the goals and strategies related to same.
Goal Area 1 – Corridors, Nodes and Redevelopment Opportunities
Strategy 1A – Continue to work with developers, property owners and businesses to
deliver a mixed-use vision for Wheat Ridge’s “main street” and create a central
community hub along West 38th Avenue between Harlan and the Lutheran Legacy Campus.
• Strategy 1B – Focus on key nodes and activity centers along 44th Avenue for infill
development, business recruitment, and public realm investment in the mid-to-near-
term,
and longer-term planning efforts to make the full corridor more walkable and dynamic.
• Strategy 1C – Continue investments in the 29th and 26th Avenue commercial nodes
to
promote greater visibility, branding and public improvements.
• Strategy 1D – Attract and retain an appropriate mix of chain and local retail and businesses along the regional-serving corridors.
• Strategy 1E – Encourage commercial property owners to make investments and
building
upgrades for business tenants using a “carrot and stick” approach.
• Strategy 1F – Invest in redevelopment areas abutting I-70. • Strategy 1G – Support the community’s vision for the Lutheran Legacy Campus
redevelopment and consider compatible ‘right-sized’ commercial and innovative
uses.
• Strategy 1H – Support neighborhood-serving amenities and retail opportunities
within walking distance of new multi-family housing development and transit-oriented
development.
Goal Area 2
• Strategy 2A – Target efforts in industrial zoned areas to retain industrial uses and to
attract additional light manufacturing/creative businesses, particularly in the General
Production Center zones identified in the City Plan. • Strategy 2B – Expand Wheat Ridge’s inventory of flex space for innovative firms,
including R&D’s, biomedical, creative manufacturing, and other related uses.
• Strategy 2C – Attract small, niche professional service employment opportunities.
• Strategy 2D – Explore incentives and programs to spur innovative start-up concepts.
• Strategy 2E – Support workforce development initiatives that bolster key industries, including manufacturing.
Goal Area 3
• Strategy 3A – Invest in mobility improvements to improve ease of biking and
walking to business districts. • Strategy 3B – Install public art along trails and corridors to create a unique
experience for residents and visitors.
• Strategy 3C – Enhance gateways to Wheat Ridge’s business districts through
design and public realm improvements.
• Strategy 3D – Implement recommendations from the 2023 Wheat Ridge Housing
Plan to increase housing attainability.
• Strategy 3E – Implement recommendations from the Wheat Ridge Sustainability Plan that encourage businesses to operate more energy and resource-efficient.
Goal Area 4
• Strategy 4A – Maintain and refine Economic Development functions and focus on
providing hands-on support for existing and prospective businesses. • Strategy 4B – Implement improvements to business permitting and licensing and
expand awareness about codes and processes.
• Strategy 4C – Improve support systems for emerging entrepreneurs and elevate
opportunities for BIPOC- and women and nonbinary owned businesses.
• Strategy 4D – Improve coordination with external partners to support the business community, and market Wheat Ridge with a unified voice.
• Strategy 4E – Re-align business support organizations to create a more balanced
public-private partnership for economic development.
• Strategy 4F – Redefine priorities for Renewal Wheat Ridge (URA)
• Strategy 4F – Maintain partnerships with the JeffCo EDC, neighboring municipalities, community colleges, and other regional partnerships.
A question-and-answer period followed the PowerPoint presentation between City
Council Members and PUMA representatives.
Steve Art explained that the City Plan, Sustainability Plan and others all work together
and there is a coordinated effort with staff to ensure conformity.
Council Comments
Discussion included office space, flex space, private/public partnerships, north/south
corridor businesses vs. east/west corridor buildings, traffic and traffic management
including the new improvements to Wadsworth Blvd., working with CDOT to address
some of the traffic issues, density, sales tax, walkability, businesses up for sale, lack of
self-promotion, amplifying the message of Wheat Ridge being a great place to have a
business, bringing in national retailers, serving neighborhoods, affordability, the City’s
investment via the annual budget, sharing of ideas and opportunities, building
excitement and passion, implementing the ideas in the Plan, and moving forward. PUMA
representatives and Steve Art stated that many of these issues are included in the Plan
detail.
After much discussion, there was consensus from City Council to move the Plan, as
presented, forward.
5. Legislative Advocacy Program Update
Issue
The Legislative Committee held its inaugural meeting on December 3, 2024. This memo
provides a status update from that meeting and presents the current draft of the
Legislative Agenda, threshold criteria, and priority areas. No action is requested from the
City Council currently.
Staff Presentation
Cole Haselip, Management Analyst for the City, gave the background regarding the
Council asking to move forward with a Legislative Committee. He explained that the
Committee consisted of the Mayor, Chair Council Member Hultin, and Council Member
Larson.
He stated that the Legislative Committee met on December 3rd and reviewed the
Legislative Agenda provided by staff which focuses on the following key areas: Home
Rule, Community Development, Economic Development, Affordable Housing,
Homelessness, Public Safety, Infrastructure & Transportation, Sustainability, and Parks &
Recreation.
He stated the Legislative Agenda is designed to be a document which outlines positions
on a variety of issues, types that Council would support or oppose. Bills will be reviewed
to see how they impact Wheat Ridge and if Council adopts an advocacy resolution, it
may trigger lobbying or other similar activities.
At the December 3rd Legislative Committee Meeting, members considered the Agenda
and are reviewing it for future adoption by Council. They want to ensure that it aligns
with Wheat Ridge and with CML (Colorado Municipal League).
Haselip stated there was no action required by Council at this time, but wanted to ensure
Council was being kept informed every step of the way.
Council Member Hultin stated that while the documents state that the Committee is
looking at taking a position on 3-5 bills, that number may change depending on the types
of bills being presented this year and how many the Committee wishes to move forward
on.
6. Staff Reports
City Manager Patrick Goff wished everyone a Merry Christmas and stated the next Study
Session was scheduled for January 6th and the next regular meeting would be held on
January 13th.
7. Elected Officials Reports
Mayor and Council Members reported on recent meetings and events they attended and
upcoming activities in the community.
8. Adjournment
With no further business to come before Council, Mayor Starker adjourned the meeting
at 7:41 p.m.
Margy Greer, Sr. Deputy City Clerk
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem