OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Colorado Springs City Council Work Session - February 9, 2026

City Council — Monday, February 9, 2026
BodyColorado Springs, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, February 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:20:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

With what Alex is trying and city horticulture is trying to promote in the city of what we can grow in this region.

0:07

When I first moved to Colorado Springs, I was at Phelan's Nursery, and the guy there told me this is the hardest place you'll ever garden.

0:15

And I thought maybe he was the encouraging welcoming committee.

0:19

But it is a challenging place to walk to garden.

0:24

And as a lifelong gardener, when I moved here, I first got involved with the horticulture arts society because I had no idea how you garden here.

0:32

And when you drive around our community, you see a lot of people failing with it.

0:36

And it's because they're trying to do what they did in other areas of the country, and it doesn't work here.

0:42

And I think Alex and his team have been a phenomenal evangelist for that exact thing, and we're trying to replicate that and educate within the community as well.

0:53

This is an aerial view of the demonstration garden.

0:56

You can see the city greenhouses just to the south, and this is Mesa Road that were along.

1:03

This was taken in the wintertime, so it doesn't look super appealing.

1:06

And I know there's been talk about developing a botanic garden in Colorado Springs.

1:11

And if you Google Botanic Garden Colorado Springs, we actually come up.

1:16

I would not call us a botanic garden.

1:18

We're the closest thing Colorado Springs has to it, though, because we're only a few acres.

1:22

Botanic gardens are generally much larger, but we follow many of the principles that a botanic garden would.

1:43

We have a vegetable garden and paths throughout with shade gardens.

1:49

We're in the process of developing a crevice and native garden again to try and demonstrate that educational aspect and very much following what city horticulture is trying to do throughout the community.

2:02

The heritage gardens, a little bit more formal.

2:05

Again, this is an aerial view taken in the winter time.

2:08

This is just south of the old Van Brigle building and north of the beautifully renovated Duck Lake area.

2:16

City horticulture did a phenomenal job developing that and giving it a nice continuity into the heritage garden with the plantings that have been done there.

2:25

We've also seen greatly increased activity since the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail was paved in that area, as well as the duck lake work is done.

2:35

We get much more flow through our gardens now.

2:39

What you see kind of in the middle of that circle is an American elm that I think kind of cool.

2:45

We believe this was planted in the night early 1900s as part of the original development that General Palmer did in Monument Valley Park.

2:52

And it is on the historic trees for Colorado Springs.

2:55

Well, we have a question from or comment from Councilman Hingum.

3:02

I think they're doing some things with the pads, and I actually don't have to do that.

3:05

Okay, because I have four people signed up.

3:07

I think there's something happening with the pads.

3:10

They rebooted the server, which knocked me offline and all you guys offline, so they're re-logging everybody back in.

3:16

Okay, Lynn, I'm sorry about that.

3:17

I just that's quite names come up, and we frequently have questions, so we'll just hold them to the end.

3:24

Okay.

3:24

Thank you.

3:25

And don't hesitate to jump in, please.

3:27

We love questions.

3:28

Um, this elm tree actually has been adopted by Save a Tree to do the um Karen and loving of it.

3:37

Um it's a very important area, and if you drive by the gardens, many times you will see a lot of activities taking place under that tree.

3:44

Um we have arbors and a gazebo in this area that was uh welding was done by Pikes Peak State College.

3:51

We're trying to highlight these things because we want to show not only some of the collaboration and partnership we have with city horticulture, but with many groups throughout the city.

4:02

Um you can see in that square area as well, there was a sculpture that we had done by Larry Tarofranca called the Lorelei that was put in place in honor and respect and remembrance adjacent to the Van Briggle building of the famous Lorelei Vase.

4:19

So we're trying to really carry a lot of history throughout this area as well.

4:26

Lastly, the Pineedum.

4:27

This was uh a newer area.

4:29

I shouldn't say newer because it actually was planted back in the time of the development of Monument Valley Park, but um newer to us maintaining it than in 1975.

4:42

Um the city asked us to work with Colorado College to also maintain this area.

4:48

Um it's a smaller area, it's less cultivated, it's more trees, but has some striking specimens as in this uh lace bark pine picture that you see here.

5:00

And here are some pictures just to show some of the beauty in the gardens.

5:04

The iron gates you can see there are what I talked about that was developed in our children's garden with concrete couch and our volunteers, the Lorelized statue you can see there under the Arbor.

5:18

So what do we do?

5:20

Really, three key areas.

5:22

We can our efforts can be broken down into garden development design and enhancement, maintenance, and education.

5:31

These are a few of the larger projects that we have done in the development design and enhancement area.

5:38

And I'm not going to go into each one unless somebody has questions around them.

5:42

We are constantly surveying the gardens for what additional work would be fitting to the gardens, appealing to the community.

5:52

And I think that some of the work we're doing here, especially with our latest project in the native and crevice garden, again is very consistent with what City Horticultural is doing in trying to promote the use of natives in our area.

6:06

A lot of people have a perception that natives are kind of ugly fields that aren't very attractive, and they can really be very beautiful, and we're trying to get the community to see that.

6:17

And the other key thing for our area is also these are low water.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation██████████████████████22%
Economic Development████████████████16%
Affordable Housing████████████████16%
Land Use and Zoning███████████████15%
Community Engagement████████8%
Homelessness████████8%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Public Engagement███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Colorado Springs City Council Work Session - February 9, 2026

This work session covered presentations from the Horticulture Arts Society and City Horticulture on community gardens and native plant initiatives, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's 2025 annual review, the 2026 Annual Action Plan for federal block grants, service plan amendments for Bradley Heights Metro Districts, debt issuance for Tuscany Plaza Metro District, and disposal of surplus city properties to Project Tree and Project Manitou. Council members also provided reports on community events and collaboration.

Horticulture Arts Society & City Horticulture Presentation

  • Lynn, representing the Horticulture Arts Society, presented on the society's demonstration garden, heritage garden, and pinetum in Monument Valley Park. She highlighted partnerships with city horticulture, volunteer engagement (170 regular volunteers), and a plant sale that provides 85% of the society's income. The society views itself as an extension of city resources, with an estimated $250,000 annual value of work invested in the gardens.
  • Alex Kirchet, City Horticulturist, reported on city horticulture's transition from annuals to native plants: reducing annuals from 60,000 to 15,000, growing 15,000 natives and 3,000 shrubs in 2025. He noted a cost of $2.87 to produce a one-gallon plant versus $20 wholesale. A plant fundraiser raised $24,000, and an outdoor classroom was built. Kirchet emphasized collaboration with the Colorado Native Plant Society and Colorado Springs Utilities for a program to convert 200-250 acres of turf to gardens, focusing on the southeast part of the city.
  • Council members expressed strong support, praising the partnership's financial impact and aesthetic benefits. Councilman Lineweber highlighted the history of bluegrass conversion, noting 100 acres of turf conversion and 40 projects since 2012. Acting Parks Director Kim King and Parks Maintenance Manager Eric Becker also spoke to the evolution of water-wise practices.

Pikes Peak Regional Building Department 2025 Annual Review

  • Greg Dingrando, Public Information Officer, presented construction statistics for the Pikes Peak region. Key points: 2,811 single-family homes permitted (down 1% from 2024); 398 new commercial projects (up 31%); apartment units permitted more than tripled to 2,744 (up 227%); 4,175 apartment units completed (up 10%). Total estimated valuation for all construction was $3.7 billion (up 8%).
  • Notable commercial projects: American Furniture Warehouse ($45M), giraffe exhibit at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo ($25M), five new hotels (650 rooms), El Pomar Conference Center ($19M), Broadcom AI lab ($11.5M).
  • Dingrando noted that re-roof permits dropped 34% due to no major hailstorm since 2023. The department maintains the lowest fees in Colorado and offers same-day inspections.
  • Councilman Lineweber raised concerns about balancing residential and commercial growth, particularly near the airport. Planning Director Kevin Walker offered to provide mapping of growth patterns. Councilman Rainey inquired about job creation data; Economic Development Manager Shauna Lippert agreed to follow up.

2026 Annual Action Plan for Federal Block Grant Funds

  • Amy Cox, Chief Housing and Homelessness Response Officer, and Barb Van Hoy introduced the plan for approximately $5 million in HUD funds (CDBG, HOME, ESG). The plan allocates 57% to housing, 14% to supportive services/homelessness response, 13% to public facilities, and 16% to planning/administration.
  • Key outcomes: 90 homes rehabilitated, 6 homes added (part of 133 units from two developments), 13 households receiving rental assistance, 3,000 people assisted with housing stability services, 2,000 people benefiting from public facility improvements.
  • Councilman Donaldson asked about comparison to previous years; Van Hoy confirmed funding levels are identical to 2024 and 2025. Councilman Lineweber questioned whether the rental assistance is sufficient given the 8,000 homeless estimate; Cox acknowledged it is not enough alone but is part of a broader strategy. Councilman Donaldson also asked for practical examples of how funds are used, which Van Hoy provided.
  • The plan was approved by the Community Development Advisory Committee and will come to council for a vote in two weeks.

Bradley Heights Metro Districts Service Plan Amendment

  • Alison Stocker, Senior Planner, presented a limited second amendment to the service plans for Bradley Heights Metro Districts 1, 2, and 3. The amendment adds language to Exhibit D allowing the district to maintain parks, open space, and trails, in addition to previously added alley maintenance. No changes to mill levy or fees. The item was recommended for consent.

Tuscany Plaza Metro District Debt Issuance

  • Drew Fox, Planner 2, introduced a request for a debt issuance of $4,225,243 to reimburse developer Izzy LLC for public infrastructure installed in the Tuscany Plaza commercial development. The district's maximum allowable debt is $6 million. The district has not issued debt since its creation in 2009. Councilman Rainey clarified that the issuance covers already-completed improvements, not future work by American Furniture Warehouse. The item was recommended for consent.

Disposal of Surplus City Property: Project Tree

  • Troy Stover, Director of Peak Innovation Park Development, presented a resolution to sell 13 acres to Project Tree, a family-owned food manufacturing and distribution company. First phase: 45,000 sq ft facility, $12M capital investment. Purchase price at fair market value. Closing scheduled for July 2026. Recommended for consent.

Disposal of Surplus City Property: Project Manitou

  • Troy Stover presented a resolution to sell 50 acres to Project Manitou, identified as Coca-Cola, for a major bottling manufacturing facility. Total capital investment $475M, building size 500,000 sq ft. Closing anticipated end of February 2026, construction start March 2026. Recommended for consent on February 10, 2026.

Council Member Reports

  • Councilman Rainey: Announced March as Red Cross Month; Red Cross Executive Director Phil Martinez to present on February 23. Also noted activation of Space Force Northern Command at Peterson Space Force Base.
  • Councilman Gold: Invited to a town hall on the Southeast Strong Community Plan on February 12.
  • Councilman Lineweber: Reported on wildfire mitigation progress: over $3.5M spent since 2021, with $1M planned for 2026 projects including Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Ponderosa Heights, and Gold Stage Road.
  • Councilmember Nancy (likely Council President): Recapped a meeting of 40 providers and stakeholders on homelessness on February 6, focusing on safe parking as a top priority. The Rescue Mission offers 90 parking spaces but prefers indoor shelter. No other official safe parking sites exist in the city.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar items: Bradley Heights Metro Districts amendment, Tuscany Plaza Metro District debt issuance, Project Tree and Project Manitou property disposals all moved to consent for upcoming regular sessions.
  • The 2026 Annual Action Plan will be brought back for a vote in two weeks.
  • Planning Department to provide mapping of commercial and residential growth patterns for council consideration.
  • Economic Development to provide job creation numbers related to commercial projects.

Meeting Transcript

With what Alex is trying and city horticulture is trying to promote in the city of what we can grow in this region. When I first moved to Colorado Springs, I was at Phelan's Nursery, and the guy there told me this is the hardest place you'll ever garden. And I thought maybe he was the encouraging welcoming committee. But it is a challenging place to walk to garden. And as a lifelong gardener, when I moved here, I first got involved with the horticulture arts society because I had no idea how you garden here. And when you drive around our community, you see a lot of people failing with it. And it's because they're trying to do what they did in other areas of the country, and it doesn't work here. And I think Alex and his team have been a phenomenal evangelist for that exact thing, and we're trying to replicate that and educate within the community as well. This is an aerial view of the demonstration garden. You can see the city greenhouses just to the south, and this is Mesa Road that were along. This was taken in the wintertime, so it doesn't look super appealing. And I know there's been talk about developing a botanic garden in Colorado Springs. And if you Google Botanic Garden Colorado Springs, we actually come up. I would not call us a botanic garden. We're the closest thing Colorado Springs has to it, though, because we're only a few acres. Botanic gardens are generally much larger, but we follow many of the principles that a botanic garden would. We have a vegetable garden and paths throughout with shade gardens. We're in the process of developing a crevice and native garden again to try and demonstrate that educational aspect and very much following what city horticulture is trying to do throughout the community. The heritage gardens, a little bit more formal. Again, this is an aerial view taken in the winter time. This is just south of the old Van Brigle building and north of the beautifully renovated Duck Lake area. City horticulture did a phenomenal job developing that and giving it a nice continuity into the heritage garden with the plantings that have been done there. We've also seen greatly increased activity since the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail was paved in that area, as well as the duck lake work is done. We get much more flow through our gardens now. What you see kind of in the middle of that circle is an American elm that I think kind of cool. We believe this was planted in the night early 1900s as part of the original development that General Palmer did in Monument Valley Park. And it is on the historic trees for Colorado Springs. Well, we have a question from or comment from Councilman Hingum. I think they're doing some things with the pads, and I actually don't have to do that. Okay, because I have four people signed up. I think there's something happening with the pads. They rebooted the server, which knocked me offline and all you guys offline, so they're re-logging everybody back in. Okay, Lynn, I'm sorry about that. I just that's quite names come up, and we frequently have questions, so we'll just hold them to the end. Okay. Thank you. And don't hesitate to jump in, please. We love questions. Um, this elm tree actually has been adopted by Save a Tree to do the um Karen and loving of it. Um it's a very important area, and if you drive by the gardens, many times you will see a lot of activities taking place under that tree. Um we have arbors and a gazebo in this area that was uh welding was done by Pikes Peak State College. We're trying to highlight these things because we want to show not only some of the collaboration and partnership we have with city horticulture, but with many groups throughout the city. Um you can see in that square area as well, there was a sculpture that we had done by Larry Tarofranca called the Lorelei that was put in place in honor and respect and remembrance adjacent to the Van Briggle building of the famous Lorelei Vase. So we're trying to really carry a lot of history throughout this area as well. Lastly, the Pineedum. This was uh a newer area. I shouldn't say newer because it actually was planted back in the time of the development of Monument Valley Park, but um newer to us maintaining it than in 1975. Um the city asked us to work with Colorado College to also maintain this area. Um it's a smaller area, it's less cultivated, it's more trees, but has some striking specimens as in this uh lace bark pine picture that you see here. And here are some pictures just to show some of the beauty in the gardens.

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