OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Colorado Springs City Council Regular Meeting - March 10, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, March 10, 2026
BodyColorado Springs, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 5:24:23

Transcript — Verbatim
7:18

Good morning.

7:19

Welcome to the City of Colorado Springs City Council meeting for Tuesday, March tenth, twenty twenty-six.

7:29

Will the clerk please call the roll?

7:32

Councilmember Bailey.

7:34

Here.

7:34

Councilmember Crow Iverson.

7:36

Here.

7:37

Councilmember Donaldson.

7:38

Here.

7:38

Councilmember Gold.

7:40

Here I am.

7:40

Councilmember Henjam.

7:42

Present.

7:43

Councilmember Lion Weber.

7:44

Here.

7:45

Councilmember Rainey.

7:46

Here.

7:47

Council Member Risley.

7:48

Here.

7:49

Councilmember Williams.

7:50

Here.

7:51

All nine present.

7:55

Please join us for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

7:58

And today we are joined by Pastor Hartsock from the First Presbyterian Church.

8:15

Would you pray with me in Sovereign God?

8:19

I pray that you will give our city council forward.

9:19

Amen.

9:50

Wishing to address council.

9:52

Is there anyone who wishes to pull off an item from the consent calendar?

10:02

Seeing none, um, we need oh I have a motion from Councilman Risley and a second from Councilman Gold.

10:08

All in favor say aye.

10:11

All opposed.

10:14

Moving on to 5A recognitions.

10:18

Will the clerk please read item 5A into the record?

10:22

City Council appointments to boards, commissions, and committees.

10:25

So this morning we have a Pikes Peak Regional Building Department Licensing Committee.

10:33

Our council liaison, Brian Risley recommends a reappointment of Maria Miller to the R PPRBD licensed committee.

10:41

Councilman Risley, do you have any comments?

10:43

Uh no, other than just to thank Ms.

10:45

Miller for her service to the PPRBD and to our community.

10:48

Um it's always really important to have great volunteers, and she's been a uh perennial volunteer and supporter of um of this uh community and region.

10:57

So I want to thank her for that.

11:04

I have a motion from Councilman Linewimber and a second from Councilman Ray Rainey.

11:08

Um let's vote.

11:15

Motion passes nine to zero.

11:18

Moving on to Mayor's business.

11:19

Do we have mayor's business file?

11:21

Uh, just a bit of good news.

11:22

There was a recent article in the Denver Gazette about a study uh done that ranked cities based on the ease or difficulty in which people could uh navigate them.

11:32

Uh in other words, get from point A to point B.

11:34

Um just so happens at Colorado Springs, ranked number one in the nation.

11:41

Um that obviously does not happen overnight.

11:44

Um, two decades of PPRTA funding helps that um and commendations to the women and men delivering all those capital projects over over those years.

11:52

Um, deserve thanks for that.

11:54

So anyway, I just wanted to pass that good news on.

11:57

Thank you.

11:58

Moving on to item 9A.

12:00

Will the clerk please read item 9A into the record?

12:10

Ordinance number 2608, amending Section 110 camping on public property, prohibited and repealing section 11 camping and waste deposit within public stream, public stream repairing zone prohibited part one, general offenses of article six, offenses affecting property, and repealing section 404 camping restrictions of part four, offenses relating to persons, article nine, park offenses, chapter nine, public offenses of the code of the city of Colorado's rank 2001 is amended, pertaining to camp room regulation and providing penalties.

12:40

This is the second reading of the ordinance.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use and Zoning█████████████████████████████29%
Transportation Safety███████████████████19%
Homelessness████████████12%
Public Engagement████████8%
Community Engagement███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Education and Youth Programs██████6%
Procedural███3%
Personnel Matters███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Colorado Springs City Council Regular Meeting - March 10, 2026

The City Council met on March 10, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered a consent calendar, a camping ordinance, dissolution of the Citizens' Transportation Advisory Board, and three public hearing items related to Palmer High School. Councilmember Bailey resigned at the end of the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 5:14 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Ordinance No. 26-05 (Second Presentation): Amending utility rate-setting process. Finally passed.
  • Minutes of February 24, 2026: Approved.
  • Resolution (26-053): Amended Intergovernmental Agreement for Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management. Adopted.
  • Resolution (26-071): Acquisition of real property for Alternative Treatment Site – Austin Bluffs and Woodmen Project. Adopted.
  • Resolution (26-082): Setting a public hearing date for Colorado Springs Utilities’ March 2026 Rate Case. Adopted.
  • Resolution (26-083): Natural gas service boundary change for Sterling Ranch area. Adopted.
  • Resolution (26-084): Natural gas service boundary change for Sun Hills Subdivision. Adopted.
  • Ordinance (ZONE-25-0010): Rezone of 2.93 acres at Vincent Drive to MX-N/AF-O. Approved on first reading.
  • Ordinance (ZONE-25-0032): Rezone of 5.75 acres at Hunter Peak Trail to PK/AP-O. Approved on first reading.
  • Ordinance (ZONE-25-0033): Rezone of 4.48 acres at Spectrum Loop to PK/AF-O. Approved on first reading.
  • Ordinance (ZONE-25-0024): Rezone of 319.94 acres at Banning Lewis Ranch area to PDZ/AP-O/APZ-1. Approved on first reading.
  • Motion to approve consent calendar: Passed 9-0.

Recognitions

  • Appointment to Pikes Peak Regional Building Department Licensing Committee: Maria Miller reappointed. Motion passed 9-0.

Mayor's Business

  • Acting Chief of Staff Travis Easton announced that Colorado Springs ranked #1 in the nation in the Ease of Navigating Study, attributing it to two decades of PPRTA funding and capital projects.

Unfinished Business

  • Camping Ordinance (9A): Ordinance No. 26-08 amending camping regulations (prohibiting camping on public property, repealing previous sections). Presenters: Councilmember Donelson, Lieutenant Tepley, Sergeant Chaney, Prosecuting Attorney Vandenberg. Public comment: 8 speakers opposed, 1 supported. Councilmember Donelson stated the ordinance does not apply to RVs, does not authorize vehicle seizure, and is needed for safety and sanitation. Councilmember Henjum expressed concern it criminalizes sleeping in cars and noted lack of resources. Aimee Cox (Chief Housing Officer) detailed outreach efforts, including expansion of resource directory and diversion training. Councilmember Leinweber said it provides clear guidance for law enforcement. Motion by Donelson, seconded by Williams. Passed 7-2 (Gold and Henjum opposed).

New Business

  • Dissolution of Citizens' Transportation Advisory Board (10A): Ordinance repealing Ordinances 02-10 and 21-92. Councilmember Leinweber thanked past members; President Pro Tem Risley noted the board's loss of relevance under strong mayor. Councilmember Henjum read an email from a PhD dissenting, citing the need for expert advisory input. Gayle Sturdivant (Deputy Public Works Director) highlighted other volunteer opportunities. Motion by Donelson, seconded by Bailey. Passed 7-2 (Gold and Henjum opposed).

Public Hearing (11A, 11B, 11C)

All three items relate to Palmer High School redevelopment. Councilmember Risley recused due to firm involvement with District 11.

  • 11A – Zone Change to FBZ-T2A (8.27 acres): Ordinance No. 26-07. Staff presentation by Ryan Tefertiller; applicant presentation by Chris Lieber (NES), Superintendent Michael Gaal, and others. Public comment: 6 speakers in support (including Chamber & EDC, Downtown Partnership, students, principal), 8 in opposition (neighborhood association, business owners, residents). Council questions focused on traffic, safety, funding, and community engagement. Motion by Leinweber, seconded by Bailey. Passed 5-3-1 (Bailey, Crow-Iverson, Leinweber, Rainey, Williams aye; Donelson, Gold, Henjum no; Risley recused).

  • 11B – Vacation of Boulder Street (0.92 acres): Ordinance No. 26-06. Discussion tied to 11A. Staff recommended conditions of approval (public egress, collaboration on Platte Avenue improvements, reversion of ownership). Councilmember Henjum asked about parking and construction; learned geothermal drilling was underway. Motion by Leinweber, seconded by Bailey. Failed 4-4-1 (Bailey, Crow-Iverson, Leinweber, Rainey aye; Donelson, Gold, Henjum, Williams no; Risley recused).

  • 11C – Land Use Plan for Palmer High School: Motion by Bailey, seconded by Rainey. Passed 7-1-1 (Bailey, Crow-Iverson, Donelson, Henjum, Leinweber, Rainey, Williams aye; Gold no; Risley recused).

Citizen Discussion (Off-Agenda Items)

  • Pastor Paul Nelson spoke against the reprimand of Councilmember Gold.
  • Taylor Gray discussed war, data privacy, and requested a data protection task force.
  • Steve Lightfoot spoke about conspiracy theories.

Key Outcomes

  • Camping ordinance passed (7-2).
  • CTAB dissolved (7-2).
  • Palmer zone change approved (5-3-1).
  • Boulder Street vacation failed (4-4-1).
  • Palmer Land Use Plan approved (7-1-1).
  • Councilmember Bailey resigned effective immediately; President Crow-Iverson tore up the letter but city attorney confirmed resignation valid.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. Welcome to the City of Colorado Springs City Council meeting for Tuesday, March tenth, twenty twenty-six. Will the clerk please call the roll? Councilmember Bailey. Here. Councilmember Crow Iverson. Here. Councilmember Donaldson. Here. Councilmember Gold. Here I am. Councilmember Henjam. Present. Councilmember Lion Weber. Here. Councilmember Rainey. Here. Council Member Risley. Here. Councilmember Williams. Here. All nine present. Please join us for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. And today we are joined by Pastor Hartsock from the First Presbyterian Church. Would you pray with me in Sovereign God? I pray that you will give our city council forward. Amen. Wishing to address council. Is there anyone who wishes to pull off an item from the consent calendar? Seeing none, um, we need oh I have a motion from Councilman Risley and a second from Councilman Gold. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Moving on to 5A recognitions. Will the clerk please read item 5A into the record? City Council appointments to boards, commissions, and committees. So this morning we have a Pikes Peak Regional Building Department Licensing Committee. Our council liaison, Brian Risley recommends a reappointment of Maria Miller to the R PPRBD licensed committee. Councilman Risley, do you have any comments? Uh no, other than just to thank Ms. Miller for her service to the PPRBD and to our community. Um it's always really important to have great volunteers, and she's been a uh perennial volunteer and supporter of um of this uh community and region. So I want to thank her for that. I have a motion from Councilman Linewimber and a second from Councilman Ray Rainey. Um let's vote. Motion passes nine to zero. Moving on to Mayor's business. Do we have mayor's business file? Uh, just a bit of good news. There was a recent article in the Denver Gazette about a study uh done that ranked cities based on the ease or difficulty in which people could uh navigate them. Uh in other words, get from point A to point B.

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