Colorado Springs City Council Regular Meeting and Public Hearings - October 27, 2026

The Colorado Springs City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Avenue. All nine council members were present. The meeting included consent calendar approvals, community recognitions, a budget-related furlough appropriation, the Banning Lewis Ranch Metro District No. 5 separation, the Meadows Park Community Center disposal, a public hearing on the Lowell Commons rezoning/land use plan modification, and the one-hour citizen discussion period.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was approved as a whole on a motion by Councilmember Risley, seconded by Councilmember Casey. No items were pulled.
• Second-reading items included: Ordinance 26-57 (rezoning 23.37 acres at 0 East Platte Avenue near Wooten Road to Light Industrial); Ordinance 26-59 (rezoning 3.8 acres at 1907 South Murray Boulevard to Mixed-Use Neighborhood-Scale); Ordinance 26-60 (rezoning 4.88 acres near Tamlin Road and North Marksheffel Road to Public Facilities); and Ordinance 26-62 (vacating about 2.42 acres of Kettle Creek Road right-of-way at 2060 Old Ranch Road).
• First-presentation consent items included the September 17 and October 13 meeting minutes, the 2027 Pikes Peak Regional Building Department budget, a YMCA ground lease renewal resolution, 2027 operating plan and budget resolutions for multiple Business Improvement Districts, City Clerk general business license fees, and land use plan establishment items for Wagner Equipment and Creekbend Subdivision.
• A councilmember thanked a citizen who emailed about small errors in the meeting minutes; the City Clerk corrected them and redistributed the minutes.

Recognitions and Proclamations

• Community Recognition - CJ Moore: Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson honored longtime volunteer CJ Moore with a proclamation recognizing her time, talent, and treasure. Several speakers, including Wendell, Barbara Winter, and councilmembers, praised Moore's service on numerous boards and her community leadership. Moore thanked the Council and said Colorado Springs is her home.
• Police Appreciation Month: Councilmember Donaldson sponsored a resolution recognizing October 2026 as Police Appreciation Month. Tim Lee spoke about his 'See a Cop, Thank a Cop' billboard program; Chief Vasquez thanked the Council and community for supporting officers. The resolution passed 9-0.
• Veterans Small Business Week and Veterans Week: Councilmember Rainey sponsored a resolution recognizing November 9-13, 2026 as National Veterans Small Business Week and November 1-12 as Veterans Week. Speakers highlighted veteran-owned business support, the November 7 Veterans Day Parade, and Colorado Springs being named the number one city to start a small business. The resolution passed 9-0.
• Fire Board of Appeals Appointment: Council approved an appointment to the Fire Board of Appeals. Outgoing chair Mike Riggs was recognized for roughly six years of service.

Mayor's Business / Administration Report

• The administration reported that Colorado Springs welcomed the Colorado Stampede; the Colorado Springs Airport was named the eighth-best small airport in the U.S. by USA Today; and the city received the 2026 Department of the Air Force Community Partnerships Award for the stormwater intergovernmental agreement with the Air Force Academy. The administration also promoted the Veterans Day Parade and announced the completion celebration for the 2C paving season on October 28 at Stanton Street and Cragmore Road.

Unfinished Business

• Ordinance 26-61 - November 25, 2026 Furlough Day Elimination: Council approved a supplemental appropriation to multiple funds to eliminate the scheduled November 25, 2026 furlough day. Councilmember Risley voted no, explaining that he appreciated staff but did not believe a budget amendment was necessary; he noted one small department indicated it could cover the roughly $300,000 cost from its fund balance. The motion passed 8-1.

New Business: Banning Lewis Ranch Metropolitan District No. 5

• Council considered two linked resolutions: Resolution 10A amending the consolidated service plan for Banning Lewis Ranch Metropolitan Districts Nos. 1-4 and 7, and Resolution 10B approving a separate service plan for Banning Lewis Ranch Metropolitan District No. 5.
• Staff explained that Metro District No. 5 is a gated, age-restricted 55+ community with about 585 homes on approximately 129 acres. The agenda lists the service area as approximately 159 acres, while the staff presentation said 129 acres. The district is residential only, has private roads, and would be capped at roughly $10 million in already issued debt under the proposed plan. Maximum mill levies would convert to the 2022 model service plan levels. A bond opinion letter stated the separation would not adversely affect either district.
• Councilmembers praised the district's thorough process. Resolution 10A passed 9-0. Resolution 10B passed 9-0.

New Business: Meadows Park Community Center Disposal

• Staff reported that the updated resolution authorizes disposal of the former Meadows Park Community Center through the community benefit process, with proceeds benefiting the Stratton Meadows neighborhood and community input on their use. Staff said Harrison School District 2's superintendent had updated her earlier concerns and was supportive. A community meeting drew about 40-50 attendees, and proposed buyer John Rogers of CRE Holdings answered questions.
• Public comment: Zuri Horwitz opposed the sale, calling it a 'fire sale' of a premium property, criticizing the lack of real public comment, and saying no community benefit agreement guarantees services. She argued the $775,000 sale price and for-profit child care would not serve the neighborhood and that the city was investing in police instead of the community center.
• Council positions: Councilmember Williams said three respondents submitted RFPs and CRE Holdings was selected as the best partner; he noted the neighborhood solutions team would remain engaged. Councilmember Henjam said the city faces a $300 million park capital backlog and limited taxpayer willingness to fund community centers, but the proceeds and deed restriction would benefit the neighborhood. Councilmember Lineweber cited a $52.2 million annual park system gap. Councilmember Donaldson said he would vote yes but remained uncomfortable, comparing the closure to the Rockrimmon Library closure. Council President Crow-Iverson expressed concern that the process felt rushed and that the neighborhood differs from higher-income areas. Councilmember Risley questioned the transparency of the RFP process, said only one response seemed viable, and suggested a nonprofit such as the YMCA or United Way might have been better suited. Staff noted the YMCA and United Way were not interested in the property.
• The resolution passed. The vote was announced as 8-1, but a councilmember then asked the clerk to reverse their recorded vote from yes to no due to a display error; the final certified tally is not stated in the transcript.

Public Hearing: Lowell Commons Rezoning and Land Use Plan Modification

• The hearing concerned Ordinance 26-58, a request to rezone 1.20 acres at 202, 251, and 252 East Las Animas Street from PDZ (15 dwelling units per acre, 60-foot height) to PDZ (184 dwelling units per acre, 950 square feet of commercial, 65-foot height), and the associated major modification to the Lowell Neighborhood Land Use Plan.
• Staff said the Lowell neighborhood was originally planned as a walkable, mixed-use urban neighborhood; the proposed project would provide infill housing on vacant lots. The proposed building would be about five to six stories, with up to 220 units, mostly small studios and one-bedrooms, and one parking space per unit. The applicant stated the project is aimed at workforce housing around 80-110% AMI. El Paso County has a documented housing deficit of 13,815 homes, according to the 2025 report cited. Planning Commission recommended approval by a 5-4 vote. Approximately 250 postcards were mailed to nearby property owners on four occasions.
• Supporting public comment: Jill Gabler of Pikes Peak Housing Network supported the workforce housing and cited downtown vacancy falling from 28% to 11.2% year over year. Amanda DeMarco of the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado said the Bristol Urban Renewal Area plan contemplated this development and that predictability matters for investment. Craig Compton of the Downtown Partnership said the project would add housing near jobs and support downtown businesses.
• Opposing public comment: Chris Sukosh, a Poet Lofts resident, said he was not against development but objected to the density increase from 15 to 184 units per acre and questioned why the applicant appeared to pull standards from a different zoning district.
• Council discussion: Councilmembers asked about the small 950-square-foot commercial allowance, parking, unit sizes, and potential impacts on police drone and radio operations. A CSPD lieutenant said there were no current concerns about drone interference, and staff said fire and police would review radio transmission impacts at the development plan stage. The applicant also noted that police officers currently pay to park in the police garage, which he said contributes to street parking problems. Several councilmembers expressed support for the infill housing while noting parking would remain a key issue.
• Ordinance 26-58 passed 9-0. The land use plan modification passed 9-0.

Citizen Discussion (Items Not on Today's Agenda)

• Kate Kent urged Council to reject or postpone the administrative approval of 'Project Taurus' from the April lame-duck session and to create enforceable low-frequency noise standards for data centers. Councilmember Donaldson said the April timing creates bad optics and that the planning department reports to the mayor, not Council.
• Lillian and Riley Endicott spoke about the death of their daughter/sister Kathy Endicott, which they believe was a hidden homicide. They asked for the case to be transferred to an outside agency, for 'Kathy's Law' legislation, and for replacement of LETAC with independent police oversight. Councilmember Rainey offered to connect them with staff.
• Carrie Hebble, representing Broadmoor and Cheyenne Mountain area residents, raised concerns about the Penrose Water Supply Project, saying residents were not meaningfully involved before the project was reportedly 90% planned and that the city needs independent oversight of CSU. A CSU finance official responded that the project is on hold while community questions are answered.
• Caleb Miller said the budget shortfall that closed the community center no longer exists, criticized police funding and lack of accountability, and called for replacing LETAC and changing the Project Taurus timeline.
• One citizen made unrelated statements about Stephen King, John Lennon, and other topics during the citizen discussion period.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved as a whole.
• Police Appreciation Month resolution approved 9-0.
• Veterans Small Business Week and Veterans Week resolution approved 9-0.
• Fire Board of Appeals appointment approved 9-0.
• Furlough day elimination supplemental appropriation approved 8-1.
• Banning Lewis Ranch Metro District No. 5 separation resolutions approved 9-0 and 9-0.
• Meadows Park Community Center disposal resolution passed; the announced tally was 8-1, with a vote-correction request afterward.
• Lowell Commons rezoning and land use plan modification both approved 9-0.