Thornton Civic Observatory

Tag: Thornton City Government

  • City Council Replay – April 22

    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

    Council Member Sandgren will join virtually for the council meeting but is not at the update session. Council Members Acunto and Bigelow are absent.

    State Legislative Update

    The council received an update on state legislation with two weeks left in the legislative session.

    The briefing spent time on HB25-1296, which would provide reciprocity for food truck licensing and permitting between municipalities. At the time of the update, the city was opposed to the bill, but the bill has also received late amendments. The person briefing council indicated that the amendments do address previous concerns but that concerns remain.

    The mayor reported hearing rumors about a summer session to which she and the lobbyist agreed would be sad if true (said sarcastically).

    Update on the Environmental Sustainability Task Force & Master Plan

    Staff shared an estimated project schedule with completion for the master plan by the start of 2026.

    The city will create opportunities for community engagement and feedback, including a community-wide survey and workshops (with one potentially in May).

    Parks, Recreation, & Community Programs Visioning Plan

    The plan considers what the department and programs should look like in 20 years.

    The city only has one full-time staff for events like festivals. All other staff are taken on an overtime basis from other roles (26:00).

    Council Member Martinez suggested that there was insufficient opportunity for the council to provide feedback on the visioning plan (32:00).

    Staff explained that there will be opportunity as the process gets underway for council feedback, including feedback on drafts at 50% and 75% completion.

    Council Member Martinez suggested that the council do a workshop in a future planning session to give some big picture feedback early on in the visioning plan process. Council Member Russell supported that approach.

    Outdoor Pool Update

    The City Manager is requesting a budget adjustment to address short-term repairs to the city’s outdoor pools that came to light in recent audits. The pools are also approaching end-of-life. The immediate repairs would provide 3-5 years of continued use.

    Council Meeting

    Council Members Bigelow and Unrein were absent.

    The council recognized May 9, 2025 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day in Thornton.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker praises the city for the Eggstravaganza event the past weekend, which the city at late notice had to move indoors for weather. She also thanks the Parks and Recreation Department for working with the community.

    The second and third speakers spoke in appreciation of past support for the Thornton Tennis Association and asked the city to expand lighted courts at the city.

    The fourth speaker encouraged the city to continue to work on accessibility for autism. He stated that he supports a code of conduct for the council in general but cannot support the code as currently written for consideration of the council later in the session.

    The fifth speaker continued his ongoing condemnation of the city’s land acknolwedgement.

    The sixth speaker expressed thanks for the child care worker resolution. She reminded the council of the lack of capacity in the childcare sector due to low wages.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Sandgren said, “I think we all celebrated Easter last weekend.”

    Staff Reports

    The fire and police departments gave public safety reports.

    Council Member Martinez asked the interim police chief about efforts in the 88th Ave. corridor where residents have reported feeling unsafe. The chief explained that police are engaged in active efforts in that area and that the staff split between south and north Thornton is approximately 66/33%.

    Action Items

    The council considered adopting a code of conduct, which is the same language as was considered Dec. 3, 2024.

    Mayor Kulmann moved to require a two-thirds vote instead of a simple majority vote to censure a council member.

    Council Member Ayala supports Kulmann’s motion. Council Members Salazar and Martinez voted against the motion; the motion passed 5-2.

    The council unanimously passed the code of conduct.

  • City Council Replay – April 15, 2025 Planning Session

    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.

    CDOT Projects Update

    The council first heard an extensive update from CDOT and RTD representatives on road improvements and proposed projects on state highways in the Thornton area.

    The RTD Thornton Park-n-Ride (88th and I-25) has seen vast decrease in use, so the cost of a proposed I-25 median bus station proposal may no longer be justified.

    The 88th bridge over I-25 can be improved whether or not the median station is built.

    International Building and Fire Codes

    Staff provided a briefing ahead of a council meeting agenda item on code revisions scheduled for May 13.

    South Thornton Redevelopment Plan

    Staff provided an update on the projects approved by council last year.

    The unifying goal of the projects is “to encourage commercial reinvestment and community access to businesses in the south Thornton corridor through infrastructure investments and grant opportunities that improve mobility, pedestrian safety, and aesthetics.”

    The city will work with Adams 12 FutureForward on producing 40 metal art panels to be placed throughout Thornton medians and right-of-ways.

    Homelessness Policy Discussion

    The staff posed policy questions to the council to get council’s guidance on future approaches to homelessness.

    The presentation showed data on the increase in homelessness nationwide and in Colorado, noting that these data measures often under-measure homelessness.

    The presentation cited a 2023 National League of Cities on homelessness to describe causes of and responses to homelessness. Staff noted that the city was active, to a greater or lesser extent, in all response areas.

    The presentation noted that the Adams County homeless outreach team works in unincorporated areas of Adams County.

    Council Member Ayala asked staff for more information on what Adams County is doing and their funding situation so that city’s efforts can better coordinate with the county (1:59:00).

    Council Member Martinez asked about what capacity Adams County has with their current services. He also notes the absence of domestic violence shelters in Adams County compared to what is available in Denver.

    Council Member Sandgren said that warming shelters become de facto homeless shelters (2:04:00). She wanted to know what city resources are being used and how recreation staff are supported/trained to serve a homeless population.

    Sandgren noted that the homeless should be served at Community Connections, not in recreation department facilities that people are paying to use. {Note: the hours for the warming center are during the closed hours for recreation services.}

    Sandgren said that the county needs to pay for city services that the county is directing homeless to use.

    Sandgren asked the outreach team about their office hours and response time.

    The Thornton homeless outreach team currently has four members.

    Martinez asked about volunteer opportunities, and the outreach team representative said that volunteer positions were posted on the city website and that volunteers are active in support programs, such as meal distribution.

    Staff described the differences between a warming center and a homeless shelter, indicating the staffing impact for a warming center is minimal.

    Ayala noted that there are no homeless shelters in Thornton and asked about efforts to build a shelter in Adams County. Staff reported that discussions about shelters have been ongoing for years.

    Sandgren said that homeless are showing up at the rec center when it is not open as a shelter and asked how that situation is being dealt with. Staff said that they are working with the rec center staff and that any location used as a warming center would face this issue.

    Staff noted that unhoused people are resourceful in knowing what buildings are open at what hours, both public and private, as they seek shelter.

    Martinez asked if there is data on increased crime at the rec center. Staff did not have immediate access to that data but will follow up.

    Staff will be reviewing building options for warming centers for next winter.

    The Thornton Police representative explained that the police focus on criminal complaints and providing peace keeping support for other staff working with the homeless.

    Staff explained that there is a variety of camping ban legal language across the metro area. Thornton currently has no camping bans, only regulations about staying in flood plains, prohibition of tents, and a curfew for parks. Council may consider a criminal or civil camping ban in the future.

    Ayala expressed that the city should do more to expand support programs, including working with the county and other municipal governments, before turning to civil or criminal penalties that would only exacerbate the precarious situation of unhoused individuals.

    Salazar suggested creating an ad-hoc committee to get resident input. Martinez supported that idea to get input from residents and businesses.

  • Thornton Decides 2025 – April 2025 Update

    One seat in each of Thornton’s 4 wards is up for election in November, 2025. Incumbent term expiration dates are listed here.

    As of April 15, 10 council candidates have filed with the city. These filings do not guarantee that they have met eligibility requirements to appear on the ballot.

    Ward 1

    • Cherish Salazar

    Ward 2

    • Eric Montoya
    • John Alge
    • Rebecca Berner

    Ward 3

    • Devin Byrd
    • Peter Duong
    • Sam Nizam

    Ward 4

    • Drew Morris
    • Jason Anaya-Ledeboer
    • Amanda Pedrianes

    Both Eric Montoya and Sam Nizam have previously served on the council.

    None of the candidates have yet filed any financial reports.

    According to these guidelines from the Colorado Secretary of State, reports do not have to be filed until 60 days before the election (09/05/2025).

    Campaign donations tracked by the state’s TRACER database report the following:

    Cherish Salazar donated in 2024 to Democratic candidate Jacque Phillips (currently serving in the state house as representative for district 31).

    Eric Montoya has made past donations to the Adams County Democratic Party and Democratic candidates.

    John Alge has made past donations to the Adams County Democratic Party and Democratic candidates.

    Rebecca Berner has no record of donations in TRACER. She currently serves on the Thornton Active Adult Board.

    Devin Byrd has no record of donations in TRACER.

    Peter Duong has no record of donations in TRACER. He currently serves on the Thornton Ats, Sciences, & Humanities Council (TASHCO).

    Sam Nizam has made past donations to Democratic candidates and ran in the 2022 Democratic primary for Colorado House District 34.

    TRACER lists no contributions from a Drew Morris residing in Thornton. He has served on the Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission.

    Jason Anaya-Ledeboer has donated to a Democratic candidate.

    Amanda Pedrianes has donated to a Democratic candidate and the Denver Democratic Central Committee.

  • City Council Meetings Replay for March 18, 2025

    PDF packets:

    Video replays:

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

    While this summary 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.

    Update Session

    First Briefing – State Legislative Update

    The first briefing was a state legislative update from Peggi O’Keefe with Clear Strategies. She reported that the state’s economic forecast was negative with an expected $1+ billion shortfall. The state budget is expected to be passed next week.

    The following is a selection of bills discussed.

    The city is in opposition to BD25-1147 Fairness & Transparency in Municipal Court, which would restrict municipal court penalties to the maximum penalty set by the state.

    The city has concerns regarding SB25-001 Colorado Voting Rights Act due to the state overriding home rule of the city, including for special elections.

    The city has concerns with HB25-1169 Housing Developments on Faith and Educational Land, which has passed the house but may be amended in the senate.

    The city supports BD25-1272 Construction Defects & Middle Market Housing, which Council Member Bigelow testified in favor.

    O’Keefe reported that the business community is opposed to HB25-1286 Protecting Workers from Extreme Temperatures. She did not share any perspectives from workers.

    The council’s stated concern is that the law would prohibit emergency workers from responding to emergencies in inclement weather and wants an amendment on that point.

    Second Briefing – City Process for Permanent Road Closures

    Under current city code, a permanent road closure requires a public hearing and an ordinance passed by council.

    Permanent closures would conflict with approved land use documents (plats) and with design standards in City Code Section 18-677.

    Staff described a process that would need to be followed to permanently close a road, including a one-year trial period.

    Staff discussed an example from the Glen Eagles Estates neighborhood (128th & Riverdale) that is experiencing high traffic to and from Riverdale High School, which a road closure could potentially address.

    At this point, staff’s recommendation is that the 128th & Riverdale intersection be improved by Adams County to address traffic issues given the challenges of closing a road.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Sandgren requested being able to attend conferences to wrap up work as she is in her last term. Council Member Ayala wanted to let staff know about April events: autism awareness month, Arab-American heritage month, and Earth Day.

    Council Member Martinez requests membership funding for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

    Council Meeting

    All council members were present for this meeting (one Ward 1 seat is still vacant pending the results of the special election).

    Resolutions

    Council Member Martinez added an item to the agenda to declare March 31, 2025 as Transgender Day of Visibility in Thornton.

    The council approved that resolution and a resolution declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month in Thornton.

    During the council comments on the Transgender Day of Visibility resolution, Council Member Sandgren said that she believes that “fairness should be for everyone but not at the expense of erasing others.”

    Council Member Acunto was the sole vote against that resolution. The child abuse awareness resolution passed unanimously.

    Audience Participation

    Seven people signed up for in-person participation and two signed up online.

    The first speaker discussed an application to build a mobile phone tower, expressing concerns that his community was not given adequate notice of the application.

    The second speaker showed an election flier for Ward 1 candidate Eric Garcia. She said that the flier’s claim that Garcia had been endorsed by Thornton firefighters was a lie.

    She claimed it was hilarious that Council Member Sandgren would say that Garcia “walks the walk” because he walked away from Ward 1 residents asking him what he would do for his ward. The speaker described Garcia as Mayor Kulmann’s “puppet” in his previous term on the council.

    The third speaker also raised concerns about PAC mailers for the campaign, which misleadingly implied a firefighter endorsement. He asked council to condemn this activity and amend election code to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

    The fourth speaker reiterated that the Thornton firefighters union has not endorse Garcia, contrary to the claims in the campaign mailers.

    The fifth speaker, a recurring gadfly, continued his critique of the city’s land acknowledgment.

    The sixth speaker was the return of resident who speaks satirically as a right-wing extremist in order to criticize conservatives on the council. In the past, he was arrested under dubious circumstances with the charges later dropped.

    The seventh speaker is a representative from the CASA advocate organization who thanked council for voicing support in the child abuse resolution and encouraged residents to volunteer.

    The eighth speaker voiced concerns about the cell tower that was mentioned by the first speaker, suggesting it would hurt home values and is not appropriate for a residential area given that other towers are in industrial/commercial areas.

    The ninth speaker was Ward 1 candidate Cherish Salazar. She shared concerns from Ward 1, including about a sewage backup, recommending the Active Adult Center, and sharing condolences for a departed member of the community.

    Council Comment and Communications

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow discussed a financial literacy event at a local school, attending a bill signing for an accessibility law, testifying for the new building defects bill, and recognizing Ramadan and Purim celebrations.

    Council Member Russell spoke on his experience traveling to Washington, D.C. for the National League of Cities. He met with Representative Gabe Evans.

    Council Member Unrein also spoke on the National League of Cities events in D.C. The main topic of concern he saw from participants around the nation was housing affordability and availability. He also met with Rep. Evans.

    Council Member Sandgren described advocating for many areas in the D.C. trip.

    Sandgren addressed the campaign issue discussed in audience participation. She offered the “correction” that the mailer did not come from the candidate, although the audience participants seemed to be clear that the mailers were for the candidate, not from the candidate.

    At 48:27, Sandgren uses the transgender resolution to talk about safety in women’s spaces.

    Sandgren explained that her factoids (e.g., national blue-berry pancake day) are her way of protesting the land acknowledgment. She alleges that the land acknowledgment contains falsehoods.

    An audience member applauds Sandgren’s remarks and is not ruled out of order by the mayor.

    Council Member Ayala described speaking with a Cub Scout troop at Cherry Elementary. She described taking a waste water course during the D.C. trip.

    Ayala described how the campaign mailers were issued by an independent expenditure committee (IEC). She encouraged voters to identify the group sponsoring the mailers.

    She described her work supporting municipal election funding reform in Colorado (reducing the individual contribution limit to $400 from unlimited and increase the frequency of campaign funding disclosure reporting dates).

    Ayala encouraged residents to consider what actions are within the scope of the city government to address.

    Council Member Martinez amplified the concern about the mobile home sewage backup and requested staff to get more information.

    Martinez described advocating for the continued existence of tax-free municipal bonds to Representative Evans during the D.C. trip.

    Kulmann closes her comments by thanking those who “respectfully” engaged with council.

    Thornton Shopping Center Quarterly Progress Update

    Demolition is completed at the site. Environmental testing and clean-up is now underway.

    Planning for redevelopment is underway with an estimated issue of a request for proposals set for mid-2025.

    Public Hearing

    The hearing was on a conceptual site plan for an apartment conversion at 2513 E. 104th Ave. (Village at Sunny Acres Ambassador Apartments).

    The plan is to subdivide and convert an existing housing site from assisted living to multi-family units.

    This will require 97 new parking spaces.

    A public meeting was held August 19, 2024. Approximately 560 property owners were notified of the meeting (hybrid online and in-person), and no residents attended the meeting.

    Council voted to approve the conceptual site plan.

    Council/TASCHO Meeting

    TASCHO gave its annual report.

    Council/Thornton Development Authority Meeting

    TDA gave its annual report.

    Thornton Observer Reflection, Commentary, and Questions

    Will the city be as invested in defending home rule against federal government overreach at the hands of the current administration as they are alleged overreach by the state of Colorado?

    For at least two bills, the council and its lobbyist raised concerns about adverse effects on law enforcement and emergency responders as reason to oppose bills or support amendments without acknowledging the needs and concerns of residents that the bills were originally proposed to address.

    The council emphasized the city’s right to home rule in the update meeting.

    In a previous meeting, Council Member Sandgren said that it is the county, not the city, that should be responsible for addressing homelessness. It would seem that some on the council want home rule power while also shirking some of the responsibility that comes with that power.

    In the road closure presentation, Council Member Martinez noted how 30-40 people showing up at a ward meeting made an impact. If there is an issue affecting Thornton residents, showing up and communicating with council can support change for the better.

    The road closure discussion also highlights how the city pursues growth without always being able to address the unintended negative effects of that growth.

  • Thornton Meetings for the Week of March 17, 2025

    Check out the full list of meetings for the week at the city’s calendar page, which includes times, locations, and video meeting links where available.

    The documents page provides agendas where available.

    03/18 City Council Planning Session Agenda

    Review of Formal Council Meeting Agenda

    Briefings

    • State legislative update – with Peggi O’Keefe of Clear Strategies lobbyist firm.
    • Discussion Regarding the Process for Evaluation of a Permanent Road Closure

    Planning Agenda – Notable Items

    The planning session meeting packet is available here.

    The state legislative update includes a 30-page list of bills of interest to the city, including whether the city has taken a position for or against the bills (approximately 108 bills).

    The 30-page list of bills in the packet is formatted so that its text cannot be searched.

    03/18 City Council Meeting Agenda

    A presentation declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month in Thornton

    Audience Participation

    Council Comments

    Staff Report on the Thornton Shopping Center Quarterly Progress Update.

    Consent Calendar (approval of 2/25 meeting minutes, Jan. 2025 city financial report, an ordinance vacating a city right-of-way at 110th and Holly, an ordinance to amend council rules to move public hearings before audience participation).

    A public hearing concerning a resolution approving a conceptual site plan for The village at Sunny Acres – Ambassador Building (104th and York).

    Meeting Agenda – Notable Items

    The meeting packet is available here.

    Public Hearings are being moved to before Audience Participation because the council felt that the paid professionals speaking at public hearings, such as real estate developers, should not be kept waiting late into the evening to be heard.

  • 03/04/2025 City Council Planning Session Reply

    The PDF packet for the session is available here. The video replay is available here. Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While this summary 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 packet for this planning session included a couple of informative documents, which are included in the above-linked PDF:

    • The summary report from the strategic planning conference
    • The 2025 legislative agenda, listing the city’s lobbying priorities

    On paper, the strategic planning summary has good commitments to housing and multi-modal transportation options, including pedestrian safety.

    The Legislative Agenda documents specific asks for state and federal lobbying priorities in 7 areas:

    • Local Control
    • Local Funding
    • Transportation
    • Public Safety
    • Water Security
    • Housing
    • Sustainability

    Session Highlights

    Council Members Absent: Bigelow and Sandgren

    The first item was interviews of two applicants for the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Humanities Council (TASHCO).

    The second item was an informational update on the Ward 1 special election (election day March 25). The presenter compared municipal elections and elections coordinated with the county.

    While not required for municipal elections, the city is providing an in-person voting center, access to 24-hour ballot drop boxes, and translation of ballot materials in Spanish.

    The new council member will be sworn in April 8, 2025 (assuming no recount is required).

    The third item was a discussion of the city strategic plan framework—the big picture, long-term strategic focus areas that emerged from the conference the council members attended at the end of February:

    1. Connected Communities
    2. Vibrant and Purposeful Development
    3. Organizational Excellence (city administration)
    4. Safe, Supported, and Livable Communities

    The presenter asked for the council’s feedback in terms of phrasing, the definition for each focus area, and any additional priorities that should be considered.

    Council Member Martinez noted the importance of the city’s regional collaborations for support of connected communities (e.g., work with the Colorado Department of Transportation).

    The fourth item was another informational presentation to provide council travel date options for a federal lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. Traditionally, council has met with house and senate offices on one day and federal agency offices on the second day.

    The council discussed which member would be responsible for which of the seven priority topics.

    There was an update on state legislation, starting with a construction defects bill introduced by Representative Shannon Bird (HB25-1272). The presenter noted that many defect bills have been introduced in recent sessions. Other defect bills are also active this session.

    The fifth item was updates from council members at various regional boards, councils, and committees.

    Mayor Kulmann talked about her positive experience at a state of the city event at Brighton that was co-run by their chamber of commerce. Kulmann wants to do something similar in Thornton with our chamber of commerce.

  • 2/25 City Council Meeting Replay

    The PDF packet for the session is available here. The video replay is available here. Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While this summary 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.

    Session Highlights

    Council members absent: David Acunto (Ward 3, term expires 2027)

    The session began with a resolution and recognition of the city staff teams and employees of the year.

    Three other resolutions were approved, recognizing the following in Thornton:

    • March 3, 2025 as World Hearing Day
    • March 2025 as Women’s History Month
    • March 8 as International Women’s Day

    Public comment included a returning resident who had voiced concerns about disruptive neighbors and lack of code enforcement as the previous meeting. He indicated that the city had not been responsive to his previous comments.

    One speaker, who works at a gas station on 120th Ave., spoke of the need for the city to do more to assist the homeless, explaining that businesses cannot serve as warming centers during cold weather.

    Another speaker reminded everyone of the Ward 1 special election with ballots going out on 3/3. He encouraged voters to do their research on the candidates. This previous post has election resources.

    During the council members comments, Council Member Martinez (Ward 1) again spoke in support of the resident who had voiced concerns about neighbors.

    Martinez also spoke of his work with the National League of Cities and serving on its Hispanic committee as well as plans to host another workshop for mobile home residents and the Colorado Poverty Law Project in March.

    Council Member Ayala (Ward 2) spoke of addressing homelessness in terms of band-aid solutions vs. real long-term solutions, such as permanent housing. She argued that we can’t place responsibility for this complex problem solely on the police.

    Instead of blaming individuals, Ayala explained, the city must address systemic root causes that include low wages and high rents. She also noted that there is room for much more community aid as well.

    Council Member Sandgren (Ward 2) reported on her attending the Thornton Fire Department Survivor’s event and of a Chamber of Commerce event at Satire Brewing.

    Sandgren explained her opposition to using the Margaret Carpenter Rec Center as a warming center for the homeless during cold weather, expressing concerns that the building would be left a mess for staff who work the following morning, but she shared no reports or evidence of that concern being accurate.

    Sandgren indicated addressing homelessness in Thornton was the responsibility of Adams County, not the city.

    Sandgren also noted that it was National Clam Chowder Day.

    Council Member Russell discussed attending a Black History Month event at the governor’s mansion. He echoed Sandgren’s appreciation of the business networking event (1:26).

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow talked about the consent calendar, which often doesn’t get discussed. She highlighted the order of business change to move the public hearing portion of meetings to earlier in the meeting before audience participation.

    Bigelow also emphasized the city’s work for non-profits in or contributing to our city. She reads the list of the organizations the city will be supporting (see the 2/18 planning session replay post).

    Mayor Kulmann apologized for attending remotely while ill.

    Kulmann commented that the Environmental Sustainability Task Force is accepting applications for Ward 3 with a March 6 deadline and named regular city employment positions that were also currently open.

    Two reports were given at the meeting: the Business of Thornton Advisory Commission (BTAC) Annual report and the monthly budget update.

    Council Member Martinez asked for clarification on the differences in roles between the BTAC and the Chamber of Commerce. The speakers are not consistently in front of the microphone for this portion, so their responses are only partially audible.

    Martinez said that the growth in the Chamber of Commerce is good and might be better supported by BTAC in the future if there are distinct plans for how the BTAC can help the Chamber.

    The city Finance Director Kim Newhart gave the monthly budget update (1:44). License and permit revenue did not decrease as much as projected due in large part to the roofing permits after the hail storm. Sales tax revenue was $3 million less than projections but a 3.7% growth compared to 2023.

    The consent calendar was passed unanimously.

    There were no public hearings for this meeting.

    The final item was the financial incentive agreement with Kentro Group (KRF 470, LLC) for the development at Quebec and 144th south of E-470 (Ward 3).

    The incentive from the city is $15 million dollars with an anticipated sales tax revenue of $60 million in sales and use tax to the city over 10 years. The city’s priority is to keep businesses within the city borders.

    The council unanimously voted to approve the incentive agreement.

  • Thornton Meetings for the Week of March 3, 2025

    Check the calendar page for the latest updates, locations, and video meeting links where available.

    The documents page provides agendas where available.

    Tuesday, March 4, 2025

    • Council Planning Session, 5:45 – 6:45pm

    Wednesday, March 5, 2025

    • Planning Commission Meeting, 6 – 10pm

    Thursday, March 6, 2025

    • TAF (Thornton Assistance Fund) Meeting, 3:30 – 6:30pm
    • TASHCO Juneteenth Subcommittee Zoom Meeting, 6 – 7pm
    • Community Meeting – Hosted by Ward, 6 – 7:30pm

    Saturday, March 8, 2025

    • NLC (National League of Cities) Congressional City Conference-Executive Education and Pre-Conference Activities, all day

    Sunday, March 9, 2025

    • NLC Congressional City Conference-Executive Education and Pre-Conference Activities, all day

    Note: On March 10 – March 12, Thornton will send a delegation to the National League of Cities Congressional Conference in Washington, DC.

    3/4 Council Planning Session meeting agenda

    HTML Agenda & Full PDF Meeting Packet

    Briefings

    • Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council Board of Directors Interviews
    • Review of the March 25, 2025 Special Election
    • Strategic Planning Conference Follow-up
    • Washington DC Federal Lobbying Meeting Planning

    Other Discussion

    • Legislative Discussion
    • Boards and Committee Reports

    a. DRCOG Board of Directors Meeting

    b. Mile High Flood District Board Meeting

    c. CML Policy Committee Meeting

    d. Smart Commute Board Meeting

    e. NATA Board Meeting

    f. AC-REP Development Council

    Executive Session

    • To discuss fiber optics issues including the agreement between Ting Fiber LLC and Thornton and to provide an update on discussions with Google.

  • Thornton Meetings for the Week of February 24, 2025

    Check the calendar page for the latest updates, locations, and video meeting links where available.

    The documents page provides agendas where available.

    Monday, February 24, 2025

    • iWatch Neighborhood Meeting, 6:30 – 8pm

    Tuesday, February 25, 2025

    • Adams County Public Assistance, 8:30 – 11:30am
    • Council Update, 5:45 – 6:45pm
    • Council Meeting, 7 – 9pm

    Wednesday, February 26, 2025

    • Community Resource Network Meeting
    • Wed, Feb 26 2025, 10am – 12pm

    Thursday, February 27, 2025

    • TAF (Thornton Assistance Fund) Meeting, 3:30 – 6:30pm

    Saturday, March 1, 2024

    • TASHCO Retreat, 8am – 2pm

    City Council 2/25 Agenda Highlights

    Update Session – PDF Packet

    • State legislative update
    • Development Code Update – Review of Draft Article 2 (Development Review Procedures

    Council Meeting – PDF Packet

    • Resolutions: Recognizing City’s 2024 Employees and Teams of the Year, Declaring March 3, 2025 World Hearing Day, and Recognizing March 2025 as Women’s History Month
    • Reports from the Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission Annual Report and the Monthly Financial Report for Dec. 2024
    • Numerous items on the consent calendar
    • Public Hearing? No details listed in the PDF packet downloaded on 2/20
    • Resolution approving an incentive agreement to developer KRF 470 LLC (owned by the Kentro Group) for planned development at Quebec & 144th mixed use project
      • 50% sales and use tax sharing incentive (excluding Open Space taxes) not to exceed $15 million.
      • “The City shall pay to the Developer an Economic Development Incentive by reimbursement of a portion of Eligible Sales and Use Taxes collected through construction of an operations of the businesses in the Project during the Term of this Agreement.”
        • Initial Term: 10 years. But if $15 million is not given to developer in that time, the term will be extended until that amount is reached or 5 more years.

  • 2/18 Planning Session Replay

    The PDF packet for the session is available here. The video replay is available here. Click on the agenda item in the right-hand menu to go to that part of the video.

    Future Public Hearings Related to 2/18 Session

    • March 18, 2025 Planning Commission public hearing for Articles 1, 2, 8, 10, and 12 of the city’s development code
    • April 8, 2025 City Council public hearing for those same articles.

    Session Summary

    1st Agenda Item: 2025 Non-Profit Event Sponsorship Requests

    In exchange for sponsoring a non-profit entity’s fundraising event (e.g., dinners, galas), the city’s name/logo will be recognized in the event materials and the event host will provide the city with a limited number of gratis tickets to the event to allow council members or other city representatives to attend.

    13 requests have been received as of 2/11/2025.

    The council will decide whether to sponsor events.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow recounts discussion from last year about the city sponsoring only one event for groups that have multiple events and then purchasing tickets for any other events from that group.

    Bigelow notes that the city has not been able to fill tables they’ve been provided as sponsors in the past. She says that purchasing tickets would allow city staff to attend and avoid having Thornton tables sitting with empty chairs. There is no discussion on that point.

    The council selected which event to sponsor among the multiple submissions from single organizations and plans to purchase tickets for the other events.

    2nd Agenda Item: Repealing and Replacing C.D. No. 2022-009 Regarding the City’s Regional and Subregional Transportation Priorities

    CDOT and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) are updating long-term plans, so now is a good time for the city to reconsider its priorities for regional projects in which it is involved.

    Council will vote on the update in the next council meeting.

    3rd Agenda Item: Review of Development Code Update Draft – Articles 10 (Subdivision Standards) and 12 (Noncomforities)

    The purpose of Article 10 includes the promotion of orderly growth.

    Material from current Article 10 is being moved to other articles, such as transportation and accessibility standards.

    Major changes include requiring detached sidewalks on all public and private local streets (currently they are required only on collector and arterial streets).

    Homebuilders expressed concern over costs and maintenance of xeriscape strip between road and sidewalk.

    Council Member Unrein is not in favor of requiring local street sidewalks.

    The street and neighborhood where Unrein lives has attached sidewalks.

    Council Member Ayala notes that maintenance is an issue as is evident in older neighborhoods; however, it is important to have detached sidewalks on streets leading to parks and schools for child safety.

    Council Member Martinez asks who is responsible for maintenance of the strip. Staff answers that it will be HOAs or metro districts (except for rare instances without HOAs/districts).

    Martinez acknowledges costs and maintenance concerns, but there is value in requiring detached sidewalks in parks and school streets. It would be good to encourage families to walk

    Two council members say that the code should require schools to be responsible for the sidewalks and strip maintenance on their property (36:25). (Audio/video quality makes it unclear who is talking on those points.)

    Martinez asks for clarification on city vs. school district enforcement, including what the city can require schools do with their property.

    There is some cross-talk about school responsibility for sidewalks and question about whether the city has asked schools to put in sidewalks (40:30 in the replay video).

    New standards are being proposed for for green court configuration for 1-4 unit dwellings, max number of units either 16 or 24 with limits on the length of the court.

    New standards are also being proposed for motor court: motor courts limited to 25% of a subdivision and a limit of 6 dwellings per motor court, but homebuilders requested 8 units with guest parking. Council agrees to 8 with no discussion.

    Changes to Article 12 Nonconformities are mostly to revise for plain English phrasing.

    Next steps include March 18, 2025 Planning Commission public hearing for Articles 1, 2, 8, 10, and 12 and a City Council public hearing for those same articles on April 8, 2025.

    4th Agenda Item: Natural Medicine Uses (Psilocybin)

    Staff provides a recap on the state’s regulatory framework (Prop 122).

    Current city code can regulate one of the four places where psilocybin use and production is allowed under state law: medical facilities (psilocybin healing centers). The city does not yet have code to regulate cultivation, manufacturing, or testing facilities. Staff recommends ordinance to address these uses.

    Questions from a council member that raise concerns about how medical facilities use (1:01). Staff says that state law does not allow cities to prohibit use as provided under state law. Thornton can do time, place, manner regulations.

    Staff says according to research, effects of psilocybin last 3-5 hours and regulations prohibit the user from leaving before effects have worn off as well as require a plan for safe transportation after the session.

    A council member notes that all marijuana facilities in Thornton have been broken into, some multiple times (1:02:15). Staff reports that state law limits amount of product on premises.

    A council member compares psilocybin dosing to edible marijuana dosing (1:03:40).

    Staff reports that other municipalities are imposing limited hours of operation restrictions, requiring distances between facilities, and forbidding location in residential zones.

    Council is drawing on marijuana comparisons, but it is unclear how comparable the recreational marijuana sector is to the therapeutic psilocybin sector.

    Council wants staff to draft a list of most restrictive options for the ordinance.

    5th Agenda Item: Sex Offender Residency Restrictions

    Staff gives a presentation on options for the city to address sex offender residency ordinance.

    State law does not address residency restrictions. Municipalities can set their own restrictions.

    Residency restrictions have not been shown to reduce recidivism.

    Areas for the council to consider:

    • Which sex offenders to regulate (e.g., age, type of offense)
    • Distance restrictions (e.g., residence distance to schools, parks, etc.)
    • Household groups (number of sex offenders in a single household group)

    There is a question about the different types of sex offenders. The police representative explains that those are described in state law.

    Council Member Martinez asks for citations to support the presentation’s claim that sex offenders have higher recidivism rates than other offenders given that the council received communication from a resident that cites sources to counter that claim.

    City staff representative pushes back on the idea of providing citations given how much information they are communicating to council (1:33:40).

    Council Member Ayala expresses a concern that policies do not concentrate sex offenders into certain neighborhoods.

    A state residential facility planned for Northglenn was canceled due to public pressure. Ayala notes that people in some neighborhoods don’t have the time and resources to mount such a campaign to oppose proposals for their neighborhood.

    Council Member Acunto lists recidivism statistics, but he does not respond directly to questions raised in the citizen communication Martinez referenced.

    Martinez asks the police representative what regulations would be most helpful. Representative describes sexually violent predators as a priority focus. Acunto did not address different types of sex offenders.

    According to the police representative, the majority of reported Thornton sex crimes are committed by those who are known to their victims. From a safety perspective for new regulations, he says that the focus is best on sexually violent predators.

    Several local municipalities have a focus on sexually violent predators for their ordinances.

    Council expresses consensus to draft an ordinance focused on sexually violent offenders within 1000 feet of areas to be determined.

    Council requests a map to show distances showing current vs. proposed restrictions.

    Council expresses consensus to move ahead with a draft and public hearing for a free-standing ordinance.

    Discussion Items

    Council Member Sandgren: Thursday night pickleball at Carpenter is overloaded. Could this be expanded? When will the council be lobbying? June date yet to be set.

    Council Member Ayala: Considering March resolutions (women’s history, child abuse awareness). Could we do World Hearing Day for last Feb. meeting of the council? Could we get an update on the hot team and the work they’ve been doing to assist unhoused along with a breakdown of partnership with the county.

    Staff: April planning session will discuss the unhoused support resources.

    Council Member Martinez: Also asked for reports on usage of Margaret Carpenter Rec Center as warming center. Deputy Fire Chief reports on number of individuals served.

    Martinez also mentions an email from constituent regarding lack of youth sports football practice fields. Could the Carpenter fields be opened for youth sports?

    Sandgren mentions a long, contentious history with that league that should be discussed.

    Bigelow move public hearings up in the council meetings first after comments and before any other agenda items. Bigelow invites input from the council. Sandgren suggests moving it up even before comments. Martinez voices agreement as does Unrein. Consensus reached to put that as an action item for the agenda for the next meeting.