At the June 21, 2026, City Council meeting, members of the public requested that the City adopt several policies related to immigration enforcement and the interaction between the Wheat Ridge Police Department (WRPD) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following public comments, the Mayor Pro Tem, with support from Council, requested that staff evaluate the requests and provide policy recommendations. This report summarizes each request, analyzes the City's legal authority and operational considerations, and provides staff recommendations.

In 2026, the City was awarded funding through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to construct two HAWK signals at 44th Avenue and Miller Street, and 44th Avenue and Lamar Street. The funding includes federal funds only. CDOT administers the funding, so an Intergovernmental Agreement needs to be executed that outlines the various parties’ responsibilities, summarizes the funding sources, and details the requirements of the funding sources.

A request for approval of a Specific Development Plan (SDP) for a 2,550 square-foot DOP’s Sweet Spot restaurant on a property zoned Planned Commercial Development (PCD) and located at 3765 Johnson Street.

As drone use increases across commercial, recreational, and public-safety fields, the City of Wheat Ridge currently relies solely on FAA regulations to guide operation within city limits. With the growing presence of drones—and emerging concerns around privacy, nuisance behavior, wildlife impact, and public safety—the adoption of a local drone ordinance may be necessary to uphold community values, protect citizen rights, and provide clarity for operators. Staff seeks Council direction regarding potential ordinance creation.

At the August 3, 2026, Study Session, City Council received presentations from five outside organizations requesting financial support through the 2027 budget. The purpose of this Special Study Session is to obtain City Council consensus regarding these requests so staff can finalize the Proposed 2027 Budget for Council consideration.

The City of Wheat Ridge was awarded $4.5 million from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs’ Transit-Oriented Communities Infrastructure (TOCI) grant program to fund public infrastructure for Foothill Regional Housing’s Ridge Road Master Plan. The city will pass these funds to Foothills Regional Housing, and this Agreement establishes their obligations in carrying out the project as a subcontractor.

The purpose of this memorandum is to continue the discussion initiated during the July 27, 2026, Study Session regarding the results of the City's second round of community polling and to seek policy direction regarding a potential sales tax ballot measure for the November 2026 election. The July 27 Study Session included a presentation of polling results conducted by Magellan Strategies to evaluate voter priorities, project support, and potential funding approaches for major community investments. In addition, a debt capacity analysis presentation was conducted by Piper Sandler.

The purpose of the July 27 special study session is to provide the Mayor and Council with an update on the former Wilmore Davis Elementary School property and to review the draft Purchase and Sale Agreements (PSAs) necessary to implement the proposed acquisition and reuse. Staff is seeking Council consensus to continue negotiations with Jefferson County Public Schools (Jeffco Schools) and Spectra Centers based on the attached draft agreements and to proceed through the Municipal Interest Process established by Jeffco Schools. Evaluation of the Kullerstrand responses remains underway and will be presented to Council at a future meeting.

Nine (9) bids were received in response to the city’s Invitation for Bids to complete the 2026 Residential Concrete Program project. The lowest responsive bidder is LG Contractors. It is recommended that the city enter into a contract with LG Contractors to perform the work for the 2026 Residential Concrete Program.

The City continues to advance the design of the 38th Avenue West project between Youngfield Street and Kipling Street. The project is intended to improve safety, accessibility, multimodal connectivity, stormwater drainage, and overall corridor function while accommodating existing and future transportation needs. As design progresses toward the 60% milestone, a significant component of the project is the undergrounding of Xcel Energy's existing overhead electrical facilities. Staff are providing City Council with an update on overall project design, schedule, and estimated costs, along with information regarding utility undergrounding requirements, funding implications, and coordination necessary to maintain the planned construction schedule.

The City has received a June 16, 2026 Notice of Violation from the attorneys for the Lakeside Autowash. This Notice is filed under the “Regulatory Impairment of Property Rights statute, CRS § 29-20-201, et seq. Under the statute, the City must respond to the Notice by informing the property owner that the new conditions imposed on the SUP by the Council’s May 18, 2026 motion and June 8, 2026 written findings and decision, will either proceed as approved, be modified, or be discontinued.

The purpose of the June 22 special study session is to provide the Mayor and Council with an update on the Request for Interest (RFI) process for the former Wilmore Davis Elementary School property and to seek Council consensus on a preferred concept to advance for discussion with Jefferson County Public Schools. RFI responses have been received for both Wilmore Davis and Kullerstrand. Because one of the Wilmore Davis proposals includes a time-sensitive proposal, staff prioritized review of the Wilmore Davis responses and are seeking Council feedback on that property only. Evaluation of the Kullerstrand responses remains underway and will be presented to Council at a future meeting.

Over the last quarter, resignations were received from members of several Boards, Commissions, and Committees. There are currently sixteen existing vacancies.

A request for approval of a zone change from Agricultural-Two (A-2) to Planned Residential Development (PRD) with an Outline Development Plan to facilitate the development of up to 18 single unit dwellings on the 4.97-acre property located at 5225 Swadley Street.

The City’s current social club regulations were adopted to address potential impacts associated with private event venues; however, the licensing and operational requirements apply uniformly regardless of a venue’s size, frequency of use, or actual community impact. As a result, the existing framework may create unnecessary barriers for small businesses while providing limited flexibility to address the varying characteristics of modern event venues. City Council is asked to provide policy direction regarding staff’s recommendations to eliminate the existing social club licensing framework and instead regulate event venues through the City’s zoning, business licensing, noise, nuisance, and special use permit processes. This memo outlines how this approach aligns with the regulation of other businesses and provides clear guidance for ensuring compliance with community standards.

Magellan Strategies conducted a statistically valid community survey between May 14th and May 29th to better understand resident priorities related to long-term capital infrastructure needs and potential ballot measures. The survey included 678 Wheat Ridge residents, providing a margin of error of approximately ±3.72%. Representatives from Magellan Strategies will present the results of the survey at the June 8th study session.

City Council conducted a public hearing to review the special use permit for Lakeside Autowash which is located at 5900 W. 44th Avenue. Following the hearing, the Council voted to add conditions of approval and further directed the City Attorney to prepare written findings and decision.

This memorandum provides a summary of the two recently enacted state statutes and their impact on the City’s existing massage business licensing regulations. I have reviewed HB 24-1371 and SB 25-146 against the requirements of Sections 11-230 through 11-245 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws. Both bills involve more than massage licensing, but the result is to impose fingerprint verification on local licensing of massage operations. The two bills purport to declare the regulation of massage businesses a matter of state interest, thus requiring home rule cities, including Wheat Ridge, to comply with its provisions. I believe: (i) it is likely that a court would hold this is a matter of statewide concern or at the very least a mixed local, state, concern, and (ii) complying with the statute will not require major changes to the City's massage business licensing and enforcement program.

The purpose of this page is to receive public comment which will be reviewed by the City Council as part of the public hearing process. --- The property at 5900 W. 44th Avenue is zoned Commercial-One (C-1) and has operated as a carwash since 1997. In 2024, the City approved a Special Use Permit (SUP) to allow redevelopment of the site with a new automatic carwash. As required by Section 26-114 of the Municipal Code, the approval was based on findings that the proposed use would not have a detrimental effect on the surrounding area and would not create impacts greater than those allowed under existing zoning. Since the facility began operations in early 2025, the City has received ongoing concerns related to noise, hours of operation, and operational characteristics. Over the past year, the City has worked with Autowash to explore operational adjustments. These efforts have not resulted in sustained resolution of the identified impacts on the surrounding area. The core issue remains whether the carwash use, as operated, satisfies the discretionary criteria of the SUP. --- Accordingly and consistent with Municipal Code Section 26-114.F, the Community Development Director has determined that formal review by City Council is necessary to evaluate the status of the Special Use Permit and to determine what action, if any, is warranted. A public hearing has been set for Monday, May 18, 2026 at 6:30pm before the Wheat Ridge City Council for the purpose of reviewing the Special Use Permit and associated conditions related to the Lakeside Autowash at 5900 W. 44th Avenue, and if necessary, taking action with respect to that SUP.