Thornton Civic Observatory

Category: Uncategorized

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for July 22, 2025

    • PDF packet for the update session – 90 pages
    • PDF packet for the full council meeting – 1,376 pages (including documentation for the Development Code changes)

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Session

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow was absent for the meeting; Council Member Martinez joined remotely.

    Stormwater Code Revisions and Program Upgrades

    Staff briefed council on changes to changes to Chapter 22 in the city code governing stormwater, which are being made in conjunction with the Chapter 18 development code updates.

    New permits and fees will be required for developments with a planned disturbance of one or more acre or that are part of a larger common plan of development (8:00).

    Surplus Property Declaration

    As part of the permitting process with Larimer County for the Thornton Water Project, the city committed to divest all six city-owned farm properties in the county and contribute proceeds to the Poudre River Enhancement fund (13:15).

    Environmental Sustainability Task Force & Master Plan Update

    Staff reported on the timeline of the sustainability project, which is currently in a strategy development stage and collecting community input.

    Some emerging themes include gaps in current energy management strategies and measurement and reporting of energy use, a mobility priority among community input, and need for alignment on city goals and inter-departmental coordination (18:50).

    Staff reported that the community survey has about 130 responses so far.

    Update on Proposed Changes to City Code Regarding Special Elections

    Staff discussed proposed changes on the special election process applying lessons learned from the recent special city council election in Ward 1, which was the first special election the city has conducted in a long time.

    Council Discussion

    Staff alerted council to an inquiry about organizations using city facilities to host council candidate forums.

    Staff indicated that in 2023, the procedure was for organizations to be granted free access to the facility but required to pay for staff time used to open and operate the facility.

    Council Member Ayala emphasized that all groups should be treated equally. Staff indicated that groups might make different use of facility staff, resulting in different fee amounts. Mayor Kulmann proposed a minimum facility use fee.

    Staff suggested that the council adopt a uniform administrative procedure. Kulmann asked if that could be in place by the end of August when candidate petitions are due.

    Council Meeting

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow and Council Member Sandgren were absent.

    Council passed two resolutions: one commending Jacqueline Phillips for her service on the Thornton Local Licensing Authority and one conveying appreciation for city employee Scott Twombly on his retirement.

    Public Hearing on Resolution Approving the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan and Associated Development Block Grant

    These approvals were discussed in the 7/15/2025 planning session.

    Proposed priority goals for the plan include rehabilitation of owner-occupied units, increase of obtainable housing, expansion of home ownership opportunities, and expanding or improving public facilities and infrastructure (25:39).

    HUD has granted $811,711 for the 2025 program year (running 10/1/2025 until 9/30/2026).

    Four applications are being recommended for funding from the grant for two City of Thornton programs (code compliance clean-up and fence repair cost assistance and the homeless outreach program) and two programs by Brother’s Redevelopment, Inc. (home repairs and exterior painting) (29:00).

    One person had signed up for testimony.

    Dariush ‘Dan’ Namazi used up the three minute testimony time as performative protest against the audience participation portion of the agenda being placed after the public hearings. Mayor Kulmann asked several times for him to speak on the topic of the public hearing.

    The plan was approved unanimously.

    Public Hearing on the Development Code and Zoning Map Updates

    This hearing was part of the final stage of the two-year process to update the development code (40:25).

    There is an affordable housing code review project getting under way in the city, but this is separate from the development code process (1:00:45).

    Three people signed up to give testimony.

    The first person spoke in opposition to the decrease in the proposed lot size standards and increase in building height standards (1:24:26).

    She also objected to having only one hearing for proposed development projects and that hearing being scheduled for the same day that the decision would be made. She described the public input process used for the development code revisions as inadequate.

    The second speaker spoke positively of development standards he had enjoyed as a city resident since 1999. He objected to the lot size standard changes.

    He also objected to the community input process: “Apparently this whole process is to please our rich developers” (1:29:10). He encouraged the council to vote in the interests of current residents.

    Both speakers won rounds of applause from people in the audience.

    The third speaker was Namazi again doing a performative protest of the placement of the public hearing portion of the council agenda.

    A fourth speaker supported the proposed changes, saying that the new variety of housing types and lot sizes could help with affordability. That speaker also got applause.

    A fifth speaker also supported the changes, echoing the previous speaker on housing diversity.

    Staff responded to the comments by saying that smaller lot sizes would enable greater housing density and availability in the future (1:40:00).

    Council Member Ayala asked if staff could prepare a shorter precis of the changes, such as a 1-2 page document. Staff agreed that could be done but may take awhile; staff acknowledged that people do not have time to review the 800 pages of codes changes (1:45:40).

    Council Member Martinez expressed appreciation for the work that has gone into the code revision process through the past two years and looked forward to more housing availability in the future with the changes.

    Council Member Ayala encouraged people to look at campaign finance disclosures if they are concerned about undue influence of developers but that the city has to make policy to increase housing inventory (1:52:00).

    Mayor Kulmann acknowledged the concerns of the residents who spoke, suggesting that their concern was driven by a specific development project and stating the the code revision process is intended to serve the city as a whole (1:53:00).

    The code revision resolution (first reading) passed unanimously.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker continued his long-running objection to the land acknowledgment.

    The second speaker from Ward 1 expressed appreciation for the Thornton Fire Department’s assistance to the search and recovery work in the recent Texas floods. She requested that the city should invest in an outdoor warning system for disasters.

    The third speaker was Namazi, in his guise as right-wing caricatures Danny Kulmann, expressed sarcastic gratitude that Mayor Kulmann follows homophobic public personalities like Ben Shapiro on Twitter.

    He amplified claims by Trump and his allies that the Epstein sex trafficking criminal enterprise was not about deal. He displayed a slide show showing Trump and Epstein together at various events with Trump’s infamous interview audio about his ability to sexually assault women without punishment.

    Note: As reported by Ward 3 candidate Sam Nizam on Nextdoor, during Namazi’s comments, Council Members Unrein and Acunto turned their chairs so that they were facing away from the speaker’s podium and the audience.

    The video replay shows only the camera on the audience participation podium, so the recording does not archive the council members who turned their back.

    A fifth speaker addressed the council in Spanish. A companion translated that the speaker was very upset about inconsistent enforcement of laws applying to mobile home community property owners.

    The companion expressed concern that there was no action until they took part in audience participation, and she feared that there would be no actual action. They voiced concern that racial bias was behind the inconsistent enforcement (2:07:10).

    The city manager noted that because code enforcement is largely complaint-based, it takes time for the process to complete between initial complaint, a warning, and then any potential enforcement action. She indicated that due process was applied evenly in all cases.

    Council Member Martinez asked if staff and the council could address what he sees as a growing issue in terms of the city’s code enforcement department being able to keep up with complaints (2:10:50).

    The resident stated that she had tried to set up an appointment with the mayor and had been denied. The mayor offered her direct contact information to set up an appointment.

    Council Member Salazar stated that the delay in addressing the resident’s concern was unacceptable. Mayor Kulmann countered that they need time to collect all the information about the situation (2:12:48).

    The sixth speaker noted how council protocol used to allow response by council to audience participation and felt that the council should return to that process. She asked why council did not have a Spanish translator for the city’s large Spanish-speaking population (2:14:45).

    The mayor stated that Roberts Rules of Order doesn’t allow for dialogue.

    The seventh speaker was Eliza Namazi who expressed appreciation for the city staff who work late hours during public meetings. She stated that she believed council turning their backs on speakers should not be allowed.

    The eighth speaker called out Council Member Acunto for turning his back and demanded that the council find him in violation of the code of conduct.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Ayala spoke about the owners of the Pines Lakes Ranch mobile home park, which was the subject of the earlier audience comment, has a history of stating that its duties are actually the responsibility of the city, leading to extended back-and-forths.

    Ayala remarked on the mural painted by an unknown community member at the Grand View Ponds underpass. She displayed images of the mural and expressed appreciation for the artist’s work.

    She reported on her trip to the Local Progress conference.

    Council Member Salazar stated she was “disgusted and ashamed” with how the council members had acted earlier (2:31:22), and she apologized for the council not having a translator available.

    Council Member Martinez reminded about the mobile home legal clinic program hosted by the city, but he acknowledged that the program was not as well-attended as it could be due to residents’ fear of retaliation.

    He asked if the city could calculate how many residents would be affected by the coming Medicaid and SNAP budget cuts.

    Action Items

    Council passed 6-1 the second reading of the ordinance to move audience participation before public hearings on the council meeting agenda with Mayor Kulmann being the sole no vote.

    Staff presented on an intergovernmental agreement of area municipalities and Adams County on a transportation program for residents age 60+. The resolution passed unanimously.

    Council unanimously passed the first reading of amendments to stormwater and floodplain regulations discussed during the update session earlier in the evening.

    Council voted on several first readings of proposed city charter amendments to be placed on the November 2025 election ballot.

    Council unanimously passed an ordinance to place on the ballot a charter amendment to provide that a partial term of office of less than two years served by a council member or mayor does not count as a term in office for purposes of term limits.

    Council unanimously passed an ordinance to place on the ballot a charter amendment to fill mayoral vacancies by special election when more than one year of the term remains.

    Council unanimously passed an ordinance to place on the ballot a charter amendment to increase timeframes to gather signatures on initiative and referendum petitions.

    Council unanimously passed an ordinance to place on the ballot a charter amendment to eliminate superfluous, obsolete, outdated, and ambiguous language; clarify the applicability of anti-nepotism provisions; clarify authority related to intergovernmental agreements and revocable permits; clarify provisions related to budget procedures and control; correct grammar and citations; conform to changes in the law; and make other non-substantive revisions.

  • Thornton Decides 2025: July Update

    A fourth candidate has filed in Ward 3: Mark Gormley.

    According to TRACER filings, Gormley has contributed to the Adams County Democratic Party and various Democratic candidates.

    Contribution reports for the municipal race up to 7/2/2025 are now available through the candidates list (click the “View” link to access the reports at each candidate’s detail page).

    Some notable donors for Ward 2 candidate Eric Montoya include Colorado state Representative Jacque Phillips, current Thornton Mayor Pro Tem Karen Bigelow, current Ward 1 Council Member Cherish Salazar, state representative and 8th congressional district candidate Shannon Bird, and Adams County Commissioner and former Ward 1 Council member Kathy Henson.

    Some notable donors for Ward 2 candidate John Alge include current Ward 2 Council Member Roberta Ayala, state representative an 8th congressional district candidate Manny Rutinel, form Adams County Commissioner Eva Henry, state representative candidate Gabriel Cervantes, Adams County Commissioner Emma Pinter, former Thornton Council Member Julia Marvin, Colorado State Board of Education member Kathy Plomer, Adams County Commissioner and former Ward 1 Council member Kathy Henson

    Montoya’s contributions totaled $3,785.00. Alge’s totaled $4,777.92.

    Ward 2 candidate Rebecca Berner did not file a contributions report.

    Some notable donors for Ward 3 candidate Devin Byrd include current Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann, current Ward 3 Council Member Tony Unrein, and current Ward 2 Council Member Jessica Sandgren.

    Some notable donors for Ward 3 candidate Sam Nizam include Ward 2 candidate Eric Montoya, current Ward 1 Council Member Cherish Salazar, Jacque Philips, and Shannon Bird’s Leadership Fund.

    Byrd’s contributions totaled $3,718.76. Nizam’s totaled $8,768.97.

    Ward 3 candidate Peter Duong filed a termination notice with all campaign funds raised donated to the Thornton Arts and Science Council.

    Some notable donors for Ward 4 candidate Drew Morris include Mayork Kulmann, Council Member Sandgren, and Council Member Unrein.

    Some notable donors for Ward 4 candidate Jason Anaya-Ledeboer include Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow, Kathy Henson, Kathy Plomer, Eric Montoya, Jacque Phillips, Sam Nizam, Eva Henry, Cherish Salazar, Shannon Bird’s Leadership Fund, Kathy Henson,

    Contributions for Morris totaled $16,087.00, for Anaya-Ledeboer $25,537.00, and for Pedrianes $4,616.00.

    This tag collects earlier election 2025 updates.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for July 15, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    Council Member Russell did not attend the meeting.

    Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission Interviews

    The meeting agenda describes the Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission (BTAC):

    The Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission (BTAC) represents Thornton businesses and makes recommendations to City Council on issues impacting the ability of businesses to be successful in Thornton. Commission members are residents and business representatives of the City. The general purpose is to discuss and share both the challenges as well as the successes experienced by Thornton businesses. (p. 6)

    The council interviewed 7 candidates for two openings.

    Multiple candidates discussed how the city could better communicate with and educate business owners on policies, code, and support services offered by the city.

    At the time of the interviews, BTAC needed more representation from Wards 2 and 3. Council started deliberations by considering applicants from those wards and selected two applicants to join the commission.

    Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant Funding

    The city is due to send a five-year plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which will make the city eligible for community block grant funding.

    The plan is informed by input from city staff, stakeholder organizations, and city residents.

    Four priority needs have been identified based on feedback: affordable housing, public services (including homeless outreach), public facilities and infrastructure (including sidewalks and flood management), and program administration (including outreach).

    2026 Utility Rate and Fee Increases

    The city’s water, trash, stormwater, and sewer services are run as independent non-profit businesses. Each service is entirely funded by its rates and fees (2:04:30).

    The proposed rate increases are water 11%, sewer 6%, trash 1.32%, and stormwater 6% for 2026. The agenda packet includes projected increases for future years.

    For the average residential utility consumer, winter prices would increase $6.41 and summer prices $12.63.

    If approved, rates would take effect on January 1, 2026.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow stated that she could not support the increase in water rates (2:18:30).

    Staff indicated that the 11% water rate increase was due in part to PFAS mitigation. Starting in 2027, the projected yearly increase for water is 3.6%.

    Bigelow noted that in the recent lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., the EPA could not say whether the federal government would be providing any funding for mitigation.

    Staff reported that several state grants have been obtained for PFAS mitigation and the city expects to receive funds from litigation settlements from 3M and other companies.

    Council Member Martinez noted the uncertainty in the national economy and wondered what effects delaying the date of fee increase would have (2:23:22).

    Staff explained that the January start date is done to align with the budget timeline for the utilities.

    Council Member Sandgren cautioned against delaying rate increases too far into the future, referencing the difficulties Westminster has faced in recent years regarding rate increases (2:28:15).

    Sandgren also asked about the frequency of water main breaks. Staff indicated that the city was seeing the average number of breaks.

    Council Member Salazar also voiced opposition to a water rate increase.

    The mayor asked staff to come back to the council with a couple of different scenarios for smaller water rate increases in 2026 and 2027.

    Review of Prairie Dog Regulations

    The presentation was in response to community questions asked during earlier development meetings.

    The prairie dogs in Thornton are not classified as endangered.

    The city’s ordinance requires developers to make a good faith effort to relocate prairie dog colonies. Usually, developers are unable to find sites for relocation. Once that effort is complete, developers can then euthanize prairie dogs.

    Thornton is one of two nearby communities that has codified regulations for prairie dogs (Broomfield is the second).

    Council Member Ayala asked whether extermination efforts might be required to post public notice about methods being used, referencing an incident where residents were concerned about potential toxins.

    Council Reports and Discussion

    Council Member Martinez discussed a economic development plan at the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

    Martinez also described a meeting of Latino elected representatives that discussed the relationship between law enforcement and immigration, noting the erosion in trust between local communities and local law enforcement who are providing crowd control while federal operations take people into custody (3:02:00).

    Martinez asked for updates on questions he had for the police chief. Staff planned to address those questions and any other council questions in the July 29th planning meeting.

    Council Member Salazar asked about expanding hours for a city-provided portable playground service at a location in her ward.

    Council Member Ayala communicated concerns from residents about masked law enforcement and ordinance changes. She also briefly described her participation at the Local Progress convening and asked for future reevaluation of safety measures for council members given the assassinations in Minnesota.

    Mayor Kulmann reported that she will be participating in a Hunt Institute program to support local leaders with education.

    Executive Sessions

    The council adjorned to meet in executive sessions for two topics:

    • to confer with the City Attorney for purposes of receiving legal advice regarding certification and compliance with various federal grant applications and awards.
    • to discuss personnel matters related to the mid-year appointee performance evaluations.

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for July 8, 2025

    • PDF packet for the update session – 49 pages
    • PDF packet for the full council meeting – 354 pages

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Meeting

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow joined remotely late, and Council Member David Acunto were absent for the update meeting.

    Charter Amendments Briefing

    The city attorney provided a follow-up on a previous discussion of possible city charter amendments for the November 2025 ballot.

    Currently, citizen-led initiatives require 10% of city voters obtained within 21 days.

    According to 2017 data from the Colorado Municipal League, most municipalities require between 10 and 15% for signatures for initiatives (30 and 39 cities/towns respectively). Only eight cities/towns have a signatures gathering time frame shorter than 30 days.

    Referenda, which would be petitions to repeal current laws, require 10% in most municipalities with 30 days.

    Council Member Ayala expressed that she still supported lowering the number of required signatures, noting along with Mayor Kulmann that the city has not had many citizen-led initiatives. The ones in recent years have failed to meet ballot eligibility due to not having enough signatures.

    Council Member Sandgren was open to increasing the time but not lowering the percentage, citing negative outcomes in Lakewood. She was concerned that a no growth special interest group could get an initiative on the ballot (20:12). Sandgren suggested 180 days for initiatives while keeping the 10% requirement.

    Council Member Martinez was open to keeping the 10% if the time period increased, explaining that it would be meaningful for 10% of voters to be in support of a proposal. He suggested 90 days as an average of comparable municipalities.

    Council Member Russell suggested 120 days to split between 180 and 90. Council reached consensus to leave the 10% requirement in place but to propose changing the initiative timeline to 120 days. The referendum timeline will stay the same.

    Fourth of July Fireworks Response Debrief

    The police department identified the top 10 historically high-report areas for illegal fireworks and met proactively with residents in those areas.

    This year, six of those 10 locations dropped off the high-report top-10 list.

    Five summons for illegal fireworks were issued during this year’s enforcement effort.

    Council Meeting

    The council unanimously passed a resolution “supporting home rule municipalities in litigation against the State asserting home rule authority over local land use and zoning.” The Colorado Sun reported on the law suit at issue.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker, Dariush Namazi, satirically spoke in favor of the Trump administration’s military attacks on Iran.

    The second speaker thanked Thornton police and fire for support with a family member’s medical emergency during the 4th of July celebration.

    The third speaker continued his months-long protest of the land acknowledgment.

    The fourth speaker raised concerns about traffic safety near 123rd Ave. and Harrison, noting that he had spoken at previous council meetings and with city staff to no avail. He also complained of inconsistent enforcement of fireworks laws and property codes.

    The fifth speaker thanked Thornton’s sanitation department workers.

    The sixth speaker, State House Representative Jacque Phillips (D, HD-31), spoke about youth engagement with city government and in support of the home rule litigation.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Martinez discussed attending two restaurant openings and the successful Thornton Juneteenth and Pride celebrations. He also spoke about the Colorado Municipal League conference events he had attending, including on housing.

    Council Member Salazar spoke of attending a fire graduation and a block party in Ward 1.

    Council Member Ayala thanked city staff for their work during the 4th of July celebration.

    Ayala remembered the lives lost in the recent Texas floods, thanked the two Thornton firefighters traveling to Texas to help with the recovery, and emphasized the importance of emergency and disaster planning for the city.

    Ayala also spoke about different understandings of leadership, from a pragmatic approach that strives to maintain the status quo to a visionary approach that works toward change to help those who are struggling. She also mentioned leadership that aligns itself with business interests over working families: “We don’t need caretakers of broken systems; we need builders of a just future.”

    Council Member Sandgren thanked various city departments for their work. She continued her factoid protest of the land acknowledgment.

    Council Member Unrein noted the recent legal ruling on the Thornton Water Project.

    Council Member Russell spoke of his experience at the Colorado Municipal League conference and the Rocky Mountain Partnership Community Leadership Council meeting on civic influencers. He voiced appreciation for the youth involvement work Representative Phillips has done.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow also thanked city staff for work at recent events.

    Mayor Kulmann reported on her lobbying trip to Washington DC, which she described as a “productive trip” and stated that she was “optimistic about the relationships we are building to support our city’s future” (1:05:26).

    Commercial Projects Quarterly Update

    Staff provided an overview of recently opened and upcoming retail locations. New employers were also described, totaling over 700 new jobs.

    Council Member Martinez expressed interest in more council tours of primary employers in the city.

    Consent Calendar and Action Items

    The first action item dealt with creating a new health plan for city employees. Council unanimously approved all resolutions related to the health plan.

    The second action item was a resolution designating the “Syndal Residence” at 12545 Second Street as a local historic landmark.

    Currently, there are only two designated historic properties in Thornton: The Reitzenstein Barn (locally designated) and the Eastlake Grain Elevator (nationally, not locally, designated).

    The city’s historic designation code only “encourages” preservation of designated properties; it does not place any requirements or restrictions on the property owner (1:55:26).

    During council questioning, Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow urged that the vote on historic designation be delayed until December as the current home owner is a candidate for city council and was concerned that the designation could be used for campaign purposes.

    Council Member Sandgren responded that it was “ridiculous” (2:00:11) to be concerned with the application as a campaign effort because it was submitted some time previously and approved by the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Culture Council (TASHCO).

    Several council members asked questions about the nature of the city’s historic designation code, raising concerns about properties being encumbered by designation. Staff indicated the the current code was “preservation light” and places no requirements.

    This property would be the first residential structure in Thornton to receive historic designation.

    Council Member Sandgren spoke in favor of the resolution. Council Member Martinez voiced concerns that the historic designation code was too ambiguous to decide during the meeting.

    Council Member Russell agreed with Martinez about there being too many questions about the historic designation code to move forward at this time.

    Council Member Ayala spoke in favor of the resolution in order to honor the recommendation of the TASCHO.

    Council Member Sandgren described the objection to the resolution as “political retaliation,” to which Mayor Kulmann reminded her to remain on topic (2:18:35).

    The final vote on the historic designation failed on a tie: Yes (Unrein, Ayala, Kulmann, Sandgren) No (Bigelow, Salazar, Martinez, Russell).

    Council voted unanimously to consent to the dissolution of the Lambertson Lakes Metropolian District.

    Council voted unanimously to approve the designation of a project of economic significance for the Thornton Commons project at 114th Ave. and Washinginton St (retail, dining, convenience and hospitality).

    The staff representative describes the porposed development as including a “nice public space” (2:35:38).

    A birds-eye view of a proposed commercial development property that is largely dominated by parking spaces.

    The council voted voted to move audience participation to earlier during council meetings.

    Council Member Sandgren and Mayor Kulmann voted no. Kulmann stated that her no vote was because the issue should have been discussed in a planning session. The ordinance was put on the agenda by Council Member Salazar at a previous council meeting.

  • Site Title Update

    To clarify the civic engagement mission of this blog, the title is being changed from Thornton Observer to Thornton Civic Observatory.

    The About page has also been expanded to include the following:

    The material posted on this blog is intended to support the civic engagement and deliberations of Thornton residents.

    The site’s author has a viewpoint just as each reader does.

    Readers are invited to go to the original sources, form their own positions, and productively engage their neighbors and city government in working toward a more equitable and just Thornton for all residents.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for June 17, 2025

    PDF of meeting packet – 83 pages

    Video replay – 2:41:49

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    The city manager noted that there is an intergovernmental agreement between the city and the North Metro Fire District regarding training facilities that expires at the end of 2025.

    The plan is for a short-term extension of the agreement along with a study to consider longer-term options, which will be discussed in a joint meeting between the city and the district scheduled for Sept. 30.

    The manager also reported on a meeting between city staff and RTD regarding the 144th and York station that is part of the planned continuation of the N-Line commuter rail. Conversations are underway with landowners in the area.

    Strategic Plan Update

    Four teams have been working on the strategic plan process for the city (environmental scan, outcome measures, goal themes/statements, and actions—develop/prioritize).

    The teams have been using an ecosystem mapping tool recommended by Council Member Martinez based on experience at a National League of Cities meeting.

    Staff presented on the language used for the strategic focus areas based on feedback from council (12:14).

    Staff presented on key themes associated with the four strategic focus areas: Connected Communities (16:10), Vibrant and Purposeful Development (19:23), Organizational Excellence (23:46), and Safe, Supported, and Livable Communities (30:23).

    The organization in “organizational” refers to the staff and departments of the city of the Thornton.

    During discussion of the approach to measuring work in these areas, Council Member Unrein encouraged staff to solicit feedback from the lowest level possible in terms of city geography to represent the diversity of viewpoints across the city.

    Bond Allocation

    Staff sought guidance from council on awardees for the 2025 Private Activity Bond funds from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), which are to be awarded to support affordable housing efforts.

    Since 2018, funds have been allocated for first-time homebuyer assistance programs as well as new construction and renovation of affordable and low-income housing (47:00).

    The city sent invitations for proposals to 64 housing organizations. Three organizations responded (47:40). One proposal was for new construction, one for renovations, and one for homebuyer purchase assistance.

    Staff did not recommend two of the three proposals (51:44), making a sole recommendation in favor of the renovation project. That project would update housing that will remain deed-restricted as affordable for a 30-year period. The project is one block outside the city limits.

    City Charter Amendments

    The city attorney elaborated on 3 possible charter amendments discussed at an earlier meeting: term limits (to clarify role of partial terms), mayoral vacancy, and voter signature requirements for initiatives and referenda.

    Council were presented with several possible term limits amendments (1:04:00). Council came to a consensus that any time over a year served should count as a full term in order to honor the spirit of Colorado’s term limit requirements.

    Regarding an amendment to create a special election for mayoral vacancies after one year served, concerns were raised about the cost of such a city-wide election (contrasted with the lower costs for an election in one ward). Council Member Acunto suggested that if voters approve the amendment, then they approve the increased costs.

    Council reached consensus to move forward with an amendment to have a special election for mayoral vacancies after one year served.

    Regarding voter petitions for initiatives, the charter currently requires 10% of registered voter signatures gathered within 21 days. With Thornton’s 2023 voter registrations, that requirement is 8,800 signatures (1:14:15).

    The statewide requirement is 5%. Denver sets a 2% requirement.

    Council Member Ayala described her experience working with a group that attempted a ballot initiative only to find the current requirements impossible to meet (1:17:30). At the same time, she did not want the requirements set so low that nuisance initiatives proliferate.

    Ayala suggested a 3% requirement with a 90-day timeline. 3% would be 2600 voters. The council discussed differing opinions on the number of signatures and the time frame. Council Member Martinez recommended seeking more information about similar efforts in comparable municipalities before making a decision.

    The city attorney presented on three other potential amendments: allowing delegation of some inter-governmental agreement approval work to city staff, adding spouses to the anti-nepotism provision, and allowing council’s designees to grant revocable permits in addition to the council.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow suggested that council member absence policy needed clarification as well to include planning sessions in addition to regular council meetings.

    There was discussion about excused vs. unexcused absences and whether the charter language needed to be updated to conform to current laws regarding leave.

    July 4th Update from Policy and Fire

    The police department provided an update on fireworks law awareness and enforcement. Fireworks-specific enforcement will being June 20 and continue through July 9th using both marked and unmarked vehicles.

    The fire department is distributing fireworks signs and posting on social media.

    Staff wanted to set expectations that police and fire demand for fireworks enforcement will likely exceed response capacity (1:58:00).

    Washington Square Business Improvement District

    The properties east of I-25 between Washington, 120th, and 128th were under an business owners association that dissolved in 2023. Since then, irrigation and landscaping maintenance issues have arisen, leading to code violations.

    The city can create a business improvement district to tend to these issues if 50% of the assessed value commercial property owners in the district sign a petition.

    The district would be able to raise revenue in a more equitable manner than the previous association (where only a few businesses were paying for upkeep of common property throughout the area).

    Sex Offender Residency Ordinance

    Staff presented an update on the discussion from the Feb. 18 2025 planning session where council requested creation of residency restrictions on sexually violent predators (a specific class of sex offender under state law). According to the presentation, there are currently four such classed individuals within Thornton.

    The code amendments will not change other restrictions for other classes of sex offenders set elsewhere in city code (2:19:46).

    The new restriction would exempt those who had established residency before the revised ordinance goes into effect, and it will not apply to recognized areas created by the city after the person established lawful permanent residence.

    Other Discussion

    Council Member Martinez reported on a meeting with CDOT on Thornton-area projects.

    Council Member Ayala requested that the council consider revisiting the city’s marijuana dispensary ordinances to allow for dispensaries to open north of 128th. Staff will work on an informational presentation and schedule it for Sept. or Oct.

  • Commentary: Questions for State House Representative Jacque Phillips

    HD-31 State House Representative Jacque Phillips (D) spoke at the 6/10 Thornton City Council meeting’s audience participation.

    She urged constituents to give her input before proposed legislation gets to her committees (Education and Transportation, Housing & Local Government):

    It’s important, if you’re watching legislation or you have concerns when we get back in session in January, if you can come to me before committee. That’s super helpful because then we can do amendments in committee (49:00).

    Why is she making this request?

    Beyond the stated rationale of offering amendments, this request may be in response to the defeat of HB25-1142, which died after negative committee testimony that apparently surprised Phillips.

    Whatever the reasoning, the request raises several questions:

    • Where will Phillips be publishing all versions of all legislation that may come before her committees with deadlines for when input is most helpful?
      • As bills are already being drafted by lobbyists, when is the earliest constituents can have access to the draft language?
    • How else will Phillips be supporting constituents in learning about proposed legislation on the timeline she proposes?
    • How can constituents do this review work in ways respectful of their time given that they lack access to paid lobbyists?
      • What advocacy groups can the representative recommend constituents work with, including groups who might oppose her positions on any given bill?
    • If voters do not become aware of a bill until just before a committee hearing, what options do they have for input?
    • What is the role of hearing testimony? And how does testimony differ from input constituents should provide before a bill reaches a committee?

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for June 10, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Session

    At the start of the session, Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow and Council Member Russell were not in attendance but were planning to call in. Council Member Sandgren was attending remotely.

    A follow-up discussion on homelessness with Adams County representatives that was scheduled for 6/17 was postponed by the county.

    State Legislative Summary

    Council heard a summary of the state legislative session from Peggi O’Keefe of Clear Strategies,

    O’Keefe noted the possibility of a special session to address Medicaid funding should proposed federal budget cuts go into effect and on AI legislation but did not expect other issues to be part of a special session should it be called.

    The city took positions on 16 bills.

    Council was asked for its thoughts on the session.

    Council Member Ayala asked if the city could be provided information on the positions of other organizations beyond the business community. Ayala said that she felt as though she had to be the “voice for labor” in those bill discussions (19:13). Ayala specifically asked for information from homeless advocacy organizations.

    Mayor Kulmann described feeling as if they were on the defense against attempts to take away local control and asked if there were ways to be more on the offense (20:56).

    Update on Fiber Installations in the City

    The city’s executive director of utilities and infrastructure briefed the council on fiber development in Thornton.

    In 2023, Thornton and Ting entered into an agreement for citywide fiber. Ting encountered difficulties fulfilling that agreement, and in May 2025, Ting and Thornton amended the agreement to allow Intrepid to complete the majority of the construction of the fiber network.

    Page 26 in the update packet depicts areas around Colorado Blvd between 120th and 104th Ave. where Intrepid will be installing up to 338,000 linear feet of fiber starting in summer 2025.

    Other Fiber network companies are planning to or have installed fiber in Thornton: Lumen, Google, and Metronet.

    Update on Charter Review

    The city attorney described the findings of the review process thus far as indicating no substantive changes being needed. Instead, proposed amendments would clean up language within the charter.

    The attorney sought input from the council on any changes they would like to propose. Attorney mentioned that one open issue is whether a partial term counts as a full term (28:20).

    Changes to the charter can be started by citizen petition or by council vote. Either option results in the proposed change being placed on the ballot for voter approval.

    The charter has been amended 17 times.

    Page 33 in the update packet lists the suggested changes to clarify and update language in the charter. The city attorney explained that the changes are not urgent or necessary as the current charter language can still be interpreted.

    The city attorney asked if the council wanted to start the process for placing amendments on the ballot for this year, delaying, and potentially creating a wider engagement process in 2026 that could include a temporary citizen committee to participate in the review process.

    Council Member Ayala voiced support for a broader engagement process, particularly for any more substantive changes. She supported completing the clean-up changes for a November 2025 vote.

    Mayor Kulmann noted that doing the clean-up this year would be cost-effective with a municipal election already scheduled. Council Member Martinez also voiced support for completing the clean-up this year.

    Council Member Ayala also asked if a comparison could be made to other municipalities regarding the petition signature requirements for citizen-initiated amendments, voicing concern that the current requirements are impossible to meet (50:54).

    Annual Public Art Update

    The city’s public art coordinator brief the council on 2024-2025 public art projects.

    2024 saw Thornton’s first public art tour: 12 pieces in a 27-mile loop. An online version of the tour is available. The city also maintains a digital art and history archive.

    A Native American history and heritage sculpture project scheduled for Aylor Open Space did not originally get proposals from Native American artists. The city is working with 1st Tribal Consulting to re-work the call for proposals.

    Council Member Ayala asked what policies the city has regarding guerrilla art, such as a mural being painted in the Grandview Ponds pedestrian underpass on 104th Ave.

    The city is aware of who the artist is and is not planning to cover the mural at this time but does want to be able to channel the artist’s work into more appropriate avenues.

    Council Meeting

    Council Members Russell and Sandgren and Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow attended the meeting remotely.

    The council considered resolutions for the following: declaring June 2025 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Colorado, declaring July 2025 as national Parks and Recreation Month; declaring July 2, 2025 as national Wildland Firefighter Day, and condemning the antisemitic attack in Boulder.

    Beckie Bean, member of the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Humanities Council and chair of the Pride event committee, gave a presentation the LGBTQ+ Pride Month resolution (13:13).

    Bean noted how the city’s Pride and Juneteenth celebrations are scheduled just two days apart this year. She acknowledged the importance of intersectionality, describing the background of and reading a poem by Audre Lorde, “A Litany for Survival.”

    During discussion of the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Mayor Kulmann warned about hate being disguised as political speech.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker spoke on how law in the U.S. has been weaponized against queer Americans, such as during the Lavender Scare. He said that if the council agrees to housing restrictions based on sex offender lists, then they will be persecuting queer members of the community.

    The second speaker was Eliza Namazi, Dariush Namazi’s wife. She spoke of threats made against her and her husband made by city employees at Thorntonfest, including a threat to kill their pets. She accused Mayor Kulmann of lying in court testimony.

    The third speaker was Dariush Namazi who described his experience of harassment while protesting at Thorntonfest, including how the people at the Adams County Republican table repeatedly threatened to bring Mayor Kulmann over to their table so as to intentionally get Namazi arrested again for violating the protection order the mayor has against him.

    The fourth speaker was District 31 State House Representative Jacque Phillips (47:45). She said that people should come to her before a bill is heard in committee to share concerns.

    The fifth speaker continued his ongoing objection to the land acknowledgment.

    The sixth speaker, wearing a Jacque Phillips t-shirt, spoke of ongoing concerns with water quality as a resident at a mobile home park in Thornton.

    The seventh speaker was Kathy Henson, former council member and current Adams County commissioner. She voiced appreciation for the work done on Pride Month and antisemitism, and she voiced concerns about city resources being used for a private event.

    In reply to Henson, the mayor said, “It’s already been addressed internally” but did not elaborate (58:00).

    Council Comment and Communication

    Council Member Martinez celebrated the success of Thorntonfest. He thanked the speaker who asked questions about mobile home water quality. He described an upcoming planning event from the Colorado Department of Transportation where he will advocate for the city.

    Council Member Salazar also thanked the water quality speaker. She offered appreciation for the street light replacement project on 88th Ave.

    Council Member Ayala expressed concerns about how the conversation on immigration is being handled at the state and national level and expressed her commitment to human rights and immigrant justice.

    Council Member Sandgren thanked the parks and recreation staff for their work at various city events. She also thanked the city’s budget team. She continued her protest of factoids against the land acknowledgment.

    Council Member Unrein voiced appreciation for Thorntonfest and the work put into the event. He also reminded residents to be aware of construction projects that are serving to keep our city infrastructure healthy.

    Council Member Acunto also thanked those who made Thorntonfest a success and reiterated his appreciation for support for the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack.

    Council Member Russell described various events he had attended, including a neighborhood clean-up.

    He reported attending the city council campaign kick-off events for Sam Nizam and Eric Montoya: “It’s very encouraging to see people step up and get involved in public service. Both those individuals have previously served on council, so they are coming back to continue the work they did before.”

    [Point of clarification: neither Nizam nor Montoya are running unopposed. For more information on the 2025 municipal race, see this post. Some commentary is provided here, and candidate websites are linked here.]

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow also thanked everyone for their contributions to Thorntonfest. She elaborated on her comments on the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack, emphasizing her record of consistently advocating for a Thornton where all residents feel safe and welcome.

    She condemned those who only speak out against Israeli actions in Palestine and not other crises around the globe, such as Yemen, Myanmar, Ethiopa, or China. She described those people as “supporting the global intifada against free nations” (1:22:35).

    She also said that “the job of the city council is not to weigh in on international issues” (1:23:11) and that “personally, I do stand with Israel” (1:23:20).

    Mayor Kulmann offered thanks to the Thornton Community Band. She described various meetings she had attended.

    Kulmann said that Dariush Namazi “aggressively targeted and harassed women working at the Republican booth.” She went on to describe how Namazi’s conduct is not protected speech but harassment (1:26:21). According to Namazi’s comments early in the meeting, police did not find his behavior unlawful.

    She indicated that unnamed persons are “complicit” in Namazi’s behavior. She demanded all city council candidates condemn Namazi’s behavior.

    When Namazi was arrested for allegedly violating Kulmann’s protection charge, the Adams County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charge after police body cam footage was released and failed to support a criminal charge as reported by Fox31.

    For context, Namazi has a long-running protest, acting in a far-right caricature persona called “Danny Kulmann.” In that persona, he explicitly articulates positions that conservatives often shield behind a veneer of respectability and reasonableness.

    Staff Reports

    Staff provided an update on the Thornton Shopping Center, which is in the clean-up phase of the project. As of May 20, 2025, the project is on budget.

    The city is working with Civistruct to manage the request for proposals for redevelopment projects of the site.

    Council Member Martinez asked whether the site cleanup might interfere with the request for proposal process. Staff indicated that the process is proceeding as expected and that there should be no unexpected delays.

    Martinez also asked about how the guidelines for the request for proposals guidelines were established in collaboration with the consultant. Staff indicated that they were running various scenarios based on the property and the zoning uses assigned to it. Council will be given an opportunity for input on those scenarios.

    Council Member Unrein asked for an update on the post office. Staff indicated that no new updates were available.

    Consent Calendar

    Council passed the consent calendar items unanimously.

    New Motion – Moving Audience Participation Earlier

    Before the meeting was adjorned, Council Member Salazar moved to create an ordinance that would move audience participation at council meetings back to an earlier time in the agenda. Council Member Martinez seconded the motion.

    Salazar noted that she’s consistently observed people leaving the meetings before the late time at which audience participation currently occurs.

    Martinez said that although he had voted to move audience participation later, the know understands that to have been a mistake. He has also observed people leaving before audience participation and has received constituent feedback criticizing the later time.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow had supported the original change but said that she’d support audience participation as the first agenda item and public hearings as the second item. Bigelow moved for an amendment to reflect that order; that motion was seconded.

    Council Member Sandgren objected to both versions because city council meetings are “business meetings.” She does not believe those giving testimony at public hearings should have to wait. She does not think the council should be making business decisions at late hours.

    Mayor Kulmann said that the idea should have been presented at a planning session. She had a similar objection when Council Member Salazar moved to vote on the council code of conduct.

    Bigelow’s amended motion passed in a 5-4 vote (Bigelow, Russell, Martinez, Salazar, and Ayala yes; Unrein, Acunto, Sandgren, and Kulmann no).

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for June 3, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Parks and Open Spaces Advisory Commission Interviews

    The council conducted interviews with two candidates and considered their application along with the candidate interviewed at the 5/13 meeting.

    All three candidates are from Ward 3 with only one vacancy open. Ward 1 currently has no representation on the commission. One Ward 1 applicant withdrew from consideration.

    Parks and Recreation Visioning Plan

    The consultant for the parks and rec visioning plan provided council an overview of the project.

    The project will produce a 2-5 year strategic plan and a 20-year comprehensive plan.

    An equity tool is being built that will provide a public-facing dashboard communicating information on capital improvements, long-range plans, and land acquisitions. This is inspired by similar dashboards currently available through the Atlanta, GA and Tacoma, WA city governments.

    The currently live community survey has received 180+ responses so far. According to the second-half 2024 population and housing report, Thornton has 153,992 residents.

    Residents can take the survey here.

    Development Code Update

    Staff intended this briefing to be the final opportunity for council input before moving to the formal public hearing process ahead of adopting the code updates.

    Staff addressed three areas of concern raised by council at the 5/20 meeting:

    1. Increasing housing choice/affordability in Residential—Low Density (RL) District
    2. Building heights and standards in Transit-Oriented Development areas
    3. Oil and gas well/production sites permitted by right

    Housing Options in the Residential—Low Density (RL) District

    At 1:03, staff displayed a table comparing the different residential districts and the types of housing permitted in each. This table is shown on page 52 in the PDF packet.

    Staff presented options for expanding housing types in the low density district, allowing cottage housing and/or triplexes/quadplexes. Another option is to reduce lot size requirements or eliminate lot size requirements as requested by one developer.

    Other options include requiring a mix of housing types and eliminating the low density district entirely, letting the mid density district to cover most housing types included in the low density district.

    Council Member Martinez noted that the city’s housing needs assessment noted a deficit of rental housing, providing a counterpoint to concerns that housing density that increased rentals might lower property values. The city provides a Word document file version of the assessment.

    Council Member Ayala asked whether there are means for the city to enforce affordability standards. Staff explained that the city does not currently have mechanisms to enforce affordability, such as deed restrictions.

    Staff noted that the city currently has a consultant working on affordable housing recommendations.

    Height Limit in Transit-Oriented Development

    Staff recommended updating the Station Area Master Plans that were originally adopted between 2012 and 2017: Original Thornton at 88th, Crossroads at 104th, 112th Avenue, and Eastlake at 124th. New STAMPs should be created for new TOD areas.

    Council Member Sandgren asked about the ground floor commercial requirements. Staff reported that the current requirement is 25% of a development be devoted to commercial, which is a reduction from 50% based on developer feedback.

    Sandgren also described how apartment residents are being charged for parking now that state-level parking space reductions are in place. Staff reported that the city will not be enforcing those state-level standards.

    Oil and Gas Wells/Production Sites

    The city attorney’s office is working on a report describing what the city can do to regulate oil and gas sites within the scope of state and federal law.

    New Comments from Developers

    Staff sought council input on five topics raised in developer feedback: lot dimension standards, nonresidential and multi-unit dwelling facade and architectural standards, nonresidential vehicular circulation standards, parking lot standards, and parking standards (vehicles and bikes).

    Council reaffirmed pedestrian-friendly measures for crosswalks and sidewalks that had received pushback from developers.

    Project Finalization

    No properties are being rezoned. Some districts are being renamed and two new districts are being created. A new zoning map will be prepared to reflect the name changes.

    Planning and permit fees are largely unchanged. A new fee is proposed for administrative adjustments at $115 (2:37:00).

    The code changes adoption will have its first reading before council and a public hearing on July 22.

    Voter Designation for Colorado Municipal League and National League of Cities

    Council selected representatives to vote at the Colorado Municipal League conference in Brekenridge, Colorado in June and the National League of Cities summit in Salt Lake City, Utah in November.

    Council Member Sandgren was selected as the primary and Council Member Martinez as backup for the Colorado Municipal League.

    Council had not yet finalized travel schedules for the National League of Cities summit, so that designation was deferred.

    2025 Festivals and Events

    Staff provided an overview on events scheduled for 2025 and a preview of the city’s 70th anniversary in 2026.

    Council members raised ongoing questions related to lack of cultural diversity at WinterFest. Staff reported that those concerns were being addressed, including through coordination with the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Humanities Council.

    Staff reported that movie rights costs may require canceling the Float & Flicks special event at the Park Village Pool.

    Some events, including Juneteenth, Pride, and Dia de los Meurtos, are outgrowing their current locations and will need to be relocated elsewhere within the city in the near future.

    Staff called for community volunteers to coordinate a new Veterans Day event that would be supported by the city.

    Council Discussion

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow requested that the land acknowledgment reading be rotated among council members, incorporating a suggestion from Mayor Kulmann that the rotation be opt-in.

    Council Member Martinez proposed a revision to a scheduled resolution condemning the June 1 antisemitic attack in Boulder and denouncing antisemitism.

    Martinez sought to remove language that could be seen as entangling the city with matters of international policy, which he indicated had been the position of council in the past. Council agreed to the change.

    Council Member Ayala asked council’s input on new ways the city can commemorate military service members. Ayala noted how other cities and Adams county have dedicated military parks while Thornton memorials are distributed in small spaces throughout the city. Staff will create an inventory and report.