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Home My WebLink About2026-09-14 Special Study Session Notes SPECIAL STUDY SESSION NOTES CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO Monday, September 14, 2026 The Special Study Session was held in a hybrid format, with Councilmembers, City staff, and members of the public participating either in person at the Municipal Building (7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado) in Council Chambers, or virtually. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Korey Stites called the City Council Special Study Session of September 14, 2026, to order at 7:40 p.m. ATTENDANCE Councilmembers Present: Rachel Hultin; Dan Larson; Kathleen Martell; Mike Okada; Patrick Quinn; Jenny Snell; and Susan Wood; Scott Ohm appeared virtually. ABSENT: None STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: City Manager Patrick Goff; City Attorney Gerald Dahl; Assistant City Manager Marianne Schilling; Assistant to the City Manager Wyatt Peterson; Deputy City Clerk Lucy Spalenka. Public Comment on Agenda Items – No public comment 1. Community Partner Grant Program (CPGP) Committee Recommendations City Manager Goff introduced Korey Kolar (staff liaison) and committee member Aspen Jacoby. Mr. Kolar provided program overview and context. Ms. Jacoby presented the committee's recommendations on behalf of the full eight-member committee. Key program highlights and changes for the current year: • The program is in its 19th year and has distributed over $1,000,000 in awards since 2020 alone. • Small grants: $1–$7,500; large grants: $7,501–$12,000 (newly capped, previously uncapped). • Per Council's April direction, 20 percent of total CPGP funding ($20,000) was set aside as a block grant for Wheat Ridge High School, leaving $180,000 for the committee to award. • Large grant applicants must now align with at least one of Council's strategic priorities. • 37 applications were reviewed; 32 awards recommended. Total requests were approximately $340,000. • Average award: $4,865. Highest award: $12,000. Lowest award: $1,000. Council Discussion: Councilmember Okada inquired about the Grange application, which was unfunded. Ms. Jacoby explained the funds would have been only for a planning study without additional funding to finish the project, suggesting the money would be more impactful elsewhere. Regarding the Farmers 5000 grant for Wheat Ridge High School, Ms. Jacoby clarified that the award was reduced compared to prior years as other applicants had higher-impact uses, and funding for race t-shirts did not appear the best use of the limited funds. Councilmember Wood asked about follow-up support for unfunded applicants. Mr. Kolar conﬁrmed he will make himself available to any organization that did not receive funding or received signiﬁcantly less than requested, and that he maintained detailed notes from all committee deliberations to provide speciﬁc, actionable feedback. Ms. Jacoby noted the committee gave substantive written feedback for all unfunded organizations and encouraged reapplication. Councilmember Snell conﬁrmed that at least two organizations that applied in a prior year without success were funded this cycle. Mayor Pro Tem Hultin noted that under the tiered structure, several large-tier applicants ultimately received awards below the small-grant threshold of $7,500, while some small-tier applicants received more — creating an imbalance in application burden relative to award size. Mr. Kolar clariﬁed that the committee evaluated each application on its own merits regardless of tier, and that one organization requested exactly $7,501 speciﬁcally to earn a presentation opportunity before the committee. Councilmember Larson raised a philosophical point about grant criteria, noting his preference in philanthropic contexts for funds to ﬂow directly to program beneﬁciaries rather than toward staff salaries or operational costs at nonproﬁts. City Manager Goff conﬁrmed that this distinction was not part of the current evaluation criteria provided to the committee, and that any change would require Council direction for future cycles. Consensus: Council provided consensus to move forward with the committee's recommendations for inclusion in the 2027 budget. 2. Community Partner Grant Program (CPGP) – Wheat Ridge High School Allocations City Manager Goff introduced Wheat Ridge High School Principal Lisa Mahannah, who presented the school's planned allocation of the $20,000 block grant. Principal Mahannah explained the school prioritized programs based on ﬁnancial need, student reach, and alignment with extracurricular participation as a driver of attendance, engagement, and on-track rates. The allocations were as follows: • STEM Program – $5,000: Covers transportation to competitions (Indianapolis) and materials for the nitrogen car program, which requires approximately $40,000 in materials annually. • Instrumental Music Program – $5,000: Supports an exchange trip to Germany (10 days, performing and cultural immersion with a sister school), as well as instrument repairs and ongoing program needs for the marching band and jazz ensemble. • Cheerleading – $3,000: Supports the team's bid to compete at nationals and efforts to increase youth participation; helps offset high program costs including travel. • PTSA – $4,000: Supports a new winter dance/incentive event, expanded scholarship opportunities for students unable to afford prom or homecoming tickets, and outreach programming. Principal Mahannah noted some students cannot afford the $60 prom ticket and that staff members sometimes personally cover those costs. • Football Boosters – $3,000: Supports team meals and community dinners and helps offset the $8,000 annual cost of the shared video recording system used across all sports programs for ﬁlm review. Principal Mahannah expressed interest in developing a tiered small/large grant structure for the school's internal allocation process in future years, with an application cycle running February through May so programs receive notiﬁcation at the start of the school year. She also committed to returning to Council with a follow- up presentation or video showing how the funds were used by each program. Council Discussion: Mayor Pro Tem Hultin asked about improving the timing of notiﬁcation. Principal Mahannah conﬁrmed that a February-through-May application window would allow programs to have funding conﬁrmed at the start of the academic year. Councilmember Martell asked what student groups fall outside these ﬁve and might beneﬁt in future cycles. Principal Mahana highlighted the language and interpretation pathway program (one of only two in the nation), the Gone Boarding (skateboarding) program, the horticulture program (the only one in the Jeffco district), and smaller clubs like speech and debate that lack boosters and rely entirely on a single teacher. Consensus: Council expressed unanimous support for the allocations and the approach. No action was required. 3. Communal Outdoor Dining Areas Ordinance City Manager Goff introduced the item, noting it arose from development interest at Clear Creek Crossing (speciﬁcally the Lookout at Clear Creek Crossing), and introduced Wyatt Peterson, Assistant to the City Manager. City Attorney Jerry Dahl, Deputy City Manager Marianne Schilling, and Deputy City Clerk Lucy Spalenka were also present as part of the team that developed the framework. Mr. Peterson presented the proposed ordinance framework for Communal Outdoor Dining Areas (CODAs). Key elements of the presentation: • A CODA is a deﬁned common outdoor space shared by at least two eligible liquor licensees allowing food and alcohol service and consumption within approved boundaries. • CODAs differ from special event permits, which are temporary and event- speciﬁc; a CODA is an ongoing licensing framework that becomes part of participating licensees' approved premises. • Potential qualifying areas include the Lookout at Clear Creek Crossing and smaller adjacent shared patios such as Get Rights, Stiles, and Crate. • Colorado law provides the legal authority; local governments must establish standards for application, review, and enforcement. Multiple Colorado communities (including Denver and Arvada) have already adopted similar frameworks. • Applications would be submitted to the City Clerk and routed to the Police Department, Community Development, Public Works, Finance, Risk Management, the Fire District, and the City Attorney as needed. • The City Clerk may approve routine applications administratively, approve with conditions, deny, or refer to an Administrative Hearing Oﬃcer. • A uniﬁed security and control plan must be submitted and agreed upon by all participating licensees, who share joint responsibility for compliance. • If only one licensee remains attached, the CODA cannot continue operating for shared alcohol service until at least two eligible licensees are again attached. • Insurance is required before ﬁnal approval, with continuous coverage required throughout participation. • If the CODA includes City property or right-of-way, separate approval authority and conditions — including indemniﬁcation — apply. • Proposed fee structure: $150 initial application fee plus $100 per additional licensee; no annual renewal fee for the CODA itself (standard liquor license renewals still apply). Speciﬁc fee amounts will be set by future resolution. • Adoption of the ordinance would not approve any speciﬁc CODA; each proposal would still go through the full application and approval process. City Attorney Dahl provided the following comments and clariﬁcations throughout discussion: • He noted the City has relevant experience through the special event permit program, which already requires applicants to deﬁne perimeters, access points, security plans, and hours — experience that directly informs the CODA framework. • On the question of insurance for shared spaces, Attorney Dahl explained that the insurance industry is familiar with extending coverage to joint venture or shared-use scenarios, and that the City would send applicants back to their insurers to develop an appropriate coverage plan. He noted one or more licensees could approach their insurer to add an additional insured for a small additional premium. • On the scenario where one business leaves a CODA: Attorney Dahl explained the City Clerk's oﬃce would administratively suspend the CODA (no pejorative intended), the remaining business would retain its existing license premises rights but would need to ﬁle a modiﬁcation of premises if it wished to continue serving alcohol in the shared area. Once a second licensee applies, the CODA could be administratively reactivated. • On public property indemniﬁcation: Attorney Dahl conﬁrmed that indemniﬁcation by participating businesses for use of City sidewalks or right- of-way would be required, plugged into the use permit for that property, and could also be bootstrapped as a condition of the CODA approval itself. • On the modiﬁcation of premises timeline: Attorney Dahl conﬁrmed the process typically takes a few weeks. Councilmember Okada summarized the core concept as enabling multiple businesses to share a patio as though they each held the same licensed outdoor premises, and asked about the uniﬁed security plan. Mr. Peterson acknowledged the security plan will be tailored to the size and nature of each CODA, ranging from early cutoff hours for smaller low-risk areas to formal security staﬃng for larger late-night operations. Council Discussion: Councilmember Larson asked whether there would be public notice for applications near residential areas. Mr. Peterson conﬁrmed that routine approvals handled administratively by the City Clerk would not require public notice, but that the City Clerk may elevate applications to the Administrative Hearing Oﬃcer when additional review is warranted — which could result in a public meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Hultin raised a question about capacity management across businesses with varying levels of demand. Mr. Peterson indicated the application materials would require a stated capacity limit, which Community Development and the Fire District would review for reasonableness. Councilmember Wood asked about enforcement and revocation. Mr. Peterson conﬁrmed the ordinance allows the City Clerk to temporarily or permanently revoke CODA approval for noncompliance. Consensus: Council provided consensus to direct staff to incorporate feedback, complete internal review with the City Attorney's oﬃce, and place the ordinance on future Council agendas for ﬁrst and second readings. 4. Staff Report(s) City Manager Goff provided the following updates: • Hashtag is scheduled to open October 15, 2026. Staff is working to bring the CODA ordinance to Council in time to support their opening. • I-70 and Kipling extended closure: The ﬁrst weekend closure begins Friday, September 18 at 7:00 PM through Monday, September 21 at 6:00 AM, with a second closure the weekend of September 25th. The closures are related to improvements to the Kipling Bridge at I-70. • Crunch Fitness will backﬁll the former Big Lots space on Wadsworth Boulevard. 5. Elected Oﬃcials’ Report(s) Mayor Pro Tem Hultin announced the upcoming Build A Bike event at Stevens Elementary on Thursday from 9:00–11:30 AM, now in its third year in four, led by Rose Hospital and Health One volunteer corps. Approximately 75 bikes will be built for every second grader, along with helmets and one-on-one riding support. She also highlighted a new Bike Bus at Prospect Valley Elementary, which launched with 40 students and parents on its ﬁrst Wednesday and will run the ﬁrst and third Wednesday of each month on two routes. She credited the City's investments in safe walking and biking infrastructure as a driver of these programs. Councilmember Ohm had nothing to report. Councilmember Larson reported attending the Bellaire neighborhood block party on August 28, 2026; the Renewal Wheat Ridge regular meeting on September 1, 2026, discussing the 2027 budget; the quarterly Jeffco Commissioners and Municipal Leaders breakfast on September 3, 2026; a Labor Day trip to Steamboat Springs including a visit to the new Steamboat city hall and ﬁrehouse; the Wheat Ridge Business Association lunch at Discovery Park on September 8, 2026; and the Aura at the Ridge groundbreaking on September 9 with Mayor Stites and Councilmember Ohm. He also reminded residents that the Longer Table event is Sunday, September 27, 2026, from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Green at 38th, with seats available at What's Up Wheat Ridge. Councilmember Okada thanked public commenter Georganne Zeiger for raising awareness of long-term care issues, drawing on his three years of experience in long- term care pharmacy. He encouraged Council members to pick up the Respect, Oversight, Advocacy and Reform for Long Term Care (ROAR for LTC) event ﬂyers on their way out. Councilmember Snell also thanked Ms. Zeiger for her public comment and expressed interest in the September 27, 2026, walk. She announced that she and Councilmember Martell are holding afternoon oﬃce hours the following day, Tuesday, September 15, 2026, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. on the patio at Rolling Smoke Barbecue. Councilmember Martell reported that her neighborhood held a block party utilizing the Local Works Block Party grant and recognized City Manager Goff for receiving an award at a recent Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) celebration. Councilmember Quinn reported attending Coffee with the Mayor the previous Saturday. He noted he and Councilmember Wood are working on a date for a District 3 community update meeting, potentially at Prost. He acknowledged Labor Day and workers broadly, and recognized the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, thanking ﬁrst responders and public safety personnel. Councilmember Wood reported attending Coffee with the Mayor and her neighborhood block party, where Mayor Stites and Councilmember Quinn attended and were warmly received. She also reported attending the Municipal Leadership Academy's second session in Grand Junction, which focused on water and climate — speciﬁcally the imbalance between where the state's water supply originates (80 percent west of the Continental Divide) and where 90 percent of the population lives (east of the Divide). She expressed appreciation for the learning opportunity and its relevance to local policymaking. Mayor Korey Stites reported attending the Aura at the Ridge groundbreaking; a panel discussion in Arvada on aging in place alongside Amanda Harrison; hosting the Jeffco Municipal Breakfast; attending Councilmember Wood's and Councilmember Ohm's block parties; and Coffee with the Mayor at Mountain Milk. He announced the next Coffee with the Mayor will be October 10, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Chalet. He also congratulated City Manager Goff on his DRCOG award. Mayor Stites adjourned the meeting at 9:12 PM. _________________________________________________ Rachel Hultin, Mayor Pro Tem __________________________________________________ Lucy Spalenka, Deputy City Clerk