“Because of the significant mobility of today’s traffic and the influx of motorists from many areas, every driver has a right to expect the rules governing the movement of vehicles and pedestrians on streets and highways are clearly defined and reasonably uniform throughout the state and the nation. The General Assembly of the State of Colorado has recognized that conflicts between the state’s traffic laws, and municipal traffic ordinances lead to inconsistencies in the movement of traffic and has strengthened the requirements for uniformity of traffic regulations.” (Model Traffic Code for Colorado 2024-Colorado Department of Transportation) The City of Wheat Ridge is bound by the laws and guidance of the State of Colorado and as such, we are required to periodically review the City of Wheat Ridge Municipal Traffic Code to ensure conformance with the state mandate as a subservient or secondary traffic management plan to the State of Colorado Traffic Ordinances. The Wheat Ridge Police Department periodically reviews the City of Wheat Ridge Municipal Code to align with state traffic code changes and ensure consistency across all Colorado roads. The newest version of the Colorado Model Traffic Code was adopted and installed in 2024. The updated Model Traffic Code re-enforces and provides additional guidance and resources to serve more comprehensively those who use the roads in Colorado as well as those who utilize the roads within Wheat Ridge. The newest guidance, changes, and updates along with the addition of new technology and resources will allow Wheat Ridge employees (Police and Courts) to address emerging trends and driving behaviors that have become problematic within Wheat Ridge. The addition of new vehicle technology, cultural attitudes, and intentions was the impetus of many of the changes in the 2024 Model Traffic Code. The ability to address more comprehensively those driving behaviors and trends allows Wheat Ridge employees the opportunity to ensure our community safety and advance the city’s core values with persons using the roads within the Wheat Ridge community.

The Colorado General Assembly has recently enacted Senate Bill 23-290, codified at CRS 44- 50-101, creating a regulatory structure for the operation of licensed facilities for the supervised use of natural medicines by individuals age 21 and over. The Act creates a state agency responsible for licensing and registration of facilities and related businesses that provide for the use, cultivation, manufacture, and testing of these substances. Further, the state licensing authority will not issue licenses for any building which is within 1000 feet of a childcare center, preschool, elementary, middle, junior high school, or residential childcare facility. While the state statute does not require local governments to enact any local regulations of natural medicine businesses, the City has the authority to do so, and several municipalities across the state have chosen to enact various forms of regulation, while other communities have decided not to. Under the Act, the City may regulate the time, place and manner of the operation of healing centers licensed by the state but may not prohibit the uses entirely. The City may not prohibit licensed health care facilities or individuals from providing natural medicine services within the City, nor may it prohibit the transportation of natural medicine on public roads within the City. Finally, according to the Act, the City may not impose regulations that are “unreasonable or in conflict with the [Act].”

Sections 10.7 and 10.9 of the Wheat Ridge City Charter require that a public hearing on the proposed budget be conducted before its final adoption and that the budget be adopted by resolution on or before the final day (December 15, 2024) established by state statute for the certification of the next year’s tax levy to the county. The proposed 2025 budget includes the following: • A General Fund budget in the amount of $48,765,853 • An unrestricted fund balance of $8,312,000 or 17% of expenditures plus 3% emergency reserves ($1,462,976) • Proposed CIP Fund in the amount of $12,443,000 • Proposed Renewal Wheat Ridge Bonds Project Fund in the amount of $13,560,000 • Proposed 2J Fund in the total amount of $12,829,361 • Special Revenue Funds in the amount of $8,027,596 • Proposed budget (all funds) in the amount of $95,625,810 Additionally, this resolution establishes the 2J Next Chapter Bond Fund and authorizes spending in 2024; authorizes the General Fund portion of short-term rental lodgers’ tax to remain in the General Fund to be used for general operating expenditures in 2024 and 2025; and reduces the Renewal Wheat Ridge Bond Fund 2024 budget so that the budgeted ending fund balance is $0.00.

Chapter 21 of the city’s municipal code provides for construction and other work activities within or upon the public right-of-way while protecting the integrity of the roadway network and city-owned infrastructure. This ordinance adds or modifies language to the municipal code to address various construction-related provisions and streamlines the licensing provisions.

The City’s Community Development Department manages the licensing of building contractors. Currently there are 14 license categories and over 3400 active licenses. This ordinance simplifies the licensing framework.

The City was approached by Kyle and Erin Ballew for a proposed retail development, DOP’s Sweet Spot, at the southwest corner of 38th Avenue and Johnson Street. The 29,810 square foot parcel is owned by the City of Wheat Ridge and was rezoned to Planned Commercial Development in 2008. Permitted uses on the subject property include any land use allowed in the City’s Restricted Commercial zone district. This proposed retail use would be a permitted use. Only 25,378 square feet of the parcel would be sold and the remaining 4,432 would be retained by the City for regional drainage. Section 16.5 of the City Charter states that “The City shall not sell or dispose of municipally owned buildings or real property for a public purpose, without first obtaining the approval, by ordinance, of three-fourths of the entire council.”

This resolution authorizes the levying of property taxes for the 2024 fiscal year to help defray the cost of government in 2025.

The 2015 Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted by City Council on April 27, 2015. The Plan designates certain parcels in the City as park land. In 2008, City Council approved an ordinance rezoning the property which is now Discovery Park. The Outline Development Plan included a condition that up to 36,000 square feet of the northern portion of the site may be used for commercial uses. However, the park land designation on this portion of the site was not removed. This resolution will amend the 2015 Parks and Recreation Master Plan to remove the park land designation from this remanent parcel.

Case No. WZ-24-07 is an application for approval of an amendment to Phase II of the Prospect Park Place ODP for property located at 11600 W. 44th Avenue. The purpose of the request is to amend the existing ODP to allow RV camping uses on Lot 1, Phase II, located on the northernmost portion of the site.

Request for approval of an amendment to the underlying zoning to revise uses and standards impacting Planning Areas 3 and 6 at Clear Creek Crossing.

Staff will present the outcomes and recommendations of the draft Stormwater System Master Plan along with recommendations for implementation of various capital projects focused on system enhancements to prevent flooding, maintenance of the existing system, and various operational needs. A stormwater utility is recommended to be established which would provide a dedicated funding source for the operational and capital needs of the overall program.

Approval of a Specific Development Plan (SDP) for a Primrose School daycare center in the Clear Creek Crossing Planned Mixed Use Development (PMUD).