In 2024, the City was awarded $669,073 in federal USDA Urban and Community Forestry funding as a pass-through partner of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN). On April 4, 2025, the City was notified that the USDA had terminated its grant agreement with USDN, which paused the City’s grant and all related spending. In September 2025, USDN informed the City that a federal judge had issued an injunction blocking the USDA’s termination, allowing the City to resume eligible grant activities on a reimbursement basis rather than through advance payments. The proposed supplemental appropriation would increase the forestry budget within the 2026 Open Space Fund to support planned USDN grant activities in 2026.

There are 59 open purchase orders from the 2025 budget that will be carried over to the 2026 budget. Each purchase order is associated with a specific project that was not fully completed in the 2025 fiscal year. The funds which were encumbered for these purchase orders were transferred to the unreserved fund balance of the relevant fund when the purchase orders were closed. To continue or close out these projects in 2026, a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $10,360,392 is necessary to allow transfer of these funds into specific budget line items in the 2026 Budget.

The City of Wheat Ridge manages approximately seven miles of the regional, paved Clear Creek Trail (CCT). From approximately the I-70 Westbound bridge over Clear Creek to Wadsworth Boulevard, the CCT is mostly within Arvada’s jurisdiction, but is only accessible to users from Wheat Ridge. Historically, Wheat Ridge has managed and maintained this trail segment, along with the Otis St. connection trail. This proposed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) formalizes the division of responsibilities for Wheat Ridge and Arvada in this area. To participate in this IGA, City Council must authorize the Mayor to sign the IGA.

In 2025, the City was awarded funding through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to construct improvements for Tabor Street from I-70 to Clear Creek Trail. The funding includes both federal and state funding. 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.

This ordinance repeals the licensing procedures for amusement arcades. It has become apparent that this section of the Code of Laws is outdated and no longer necessary for the protection of the public health, safety or welfare of the residents of Wheat Ridge.

This ordinance requires that write-in candidates for any elective office must file an affidavit of intent with the City Clerk prior to 64 days before the election.

As of March 2, 2026, the terms of twenty-six Board, Commission, and Committee members of the City of Wheat Ridge will expire. Additionally, there are three existing vacancies to fill. These twenty-nine positions in total are to be filled or reappointed.

A request for approval of a Specific Development Plan (SDP) for a 31,281 square-foot Dave & Buster’s entertainment use on a property zoned Planned Mixed-Use Development (PMUD) and located at 3800 Clear Creek Drive.

Amending Chapter 26 of the city code to update the review processes for qualifying affordable housing projects and to update Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) setback requirements for some zone district to ensure compliance with state regulations. This will ensure that Wheat Ridge remains eligible for state funding opportunities.

The City of Wheat Ridge is committed to regional homeless navigation efforts between Jefferson County and the cities therein to address the increasing number of individuals experiencing homelessness. A previous Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) included the cities of Wheat Ridge, Golden and Edgewater. Golden has since left the IGA and hired its own Homeless Navigator. This Intergovernmental Agreement, in partnership with the City of Edgewater, reflects this change as well as the corresponding payment obligation update between the two cities.

During the October 28, 2024, City Council Meeting, City Council approved the service agreement with Altumint, Incorporated to provide automated vehicle identification services (AVIS). The fee structure guarantees that the City never incurs direct costs to Altumint, however, for financial auditing purposes, the City must capture the total expense to implement the program in the budget. This budget supplemental of $423,775 is offset by total revenues of $499,586.

The City is applying for grant funding from the Colorado Energy Office for the Local IMPACT Accelerator Grant. The grant would support a zoning code audit, housing-supportive code amendments, and financial incentives for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), multi-unit, and affordable housing. A resolution and letter of support from the City Council are required to apply for this grant program.

Noise produced by motor vehicles with noncompliant, altered, or missing mufflers is injurious to the public health and welfare. This ordinance adopts muffler-specific Code requirements to better address vehicular exhaust noise and its control.

This ordinance repeals the licensing procedures for amusement arcades. It has become apparent that this section of the Code of Laws is outdated and no longer necessary for the protection of the public health, safety or welfare of the residents of Wheat Ridge.

This ordinance requires that write-in candidates for any elective office must file an affidavit of intent with the City Clerk prior to 64 days before the election.

City Clerk Kirkpatrick tragically passed in February of 2025. An initiative was added to the ballot at the November 4, 2025, election to have both the City Clerk and City Treasurer positions appointed following the completion of the term. This ballot initiative failed, and therefore it is necessary to appoint a City Clerk to finish out the term ending in November of 2027. Wheat Ridge City Charter Section 3.11 (c) states that “If a vacancy occurs in the office of the City Clerk or City Treasurer, no special election shall be called but such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the council for the remainder of the term”. After advertising the vacancy, one qualified application was received from an interested candidate for the vacant seat. An interview was conducted by City Council at the Study Session on February 2 and an appointment will be considered at the regular meeting on February 9.