Denver City Council Regular Session - March 2, 2026

On Monday, March 2, 2026, the Denver City Council held a regular session starting at 3:30 PM (recessed and reconvened for public hearings). Twelve of thirteen council members were present (Councilmember Parady absent). The meeting included a proclamation, postponements of two resolutions, final passage of a law enforcement identification ordinance, and two public hearings—a required rezoning for West 32nd Avenue and a courtesy hearing on the Southwest Area Plan. The meeting adjourned at 6:49 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of February 23, 2026 were approved without correction.
• Proclamation 26-0224 (Adelante Latina Day) was adopted unanimously (12–0), declaring March 5, 2026 as Adelante Latina Day in Denver.
• En bloc approval of 17 resolutions and one bill (26-0128, financial reporting) passed 12–0. Key items included:
  • 26-0145: Amendatory agreement for affordable housing at 1625 & 1675 S Birch St.
  • 26-0146–0148: HUD grants for HOME, Emergency Solutions, and HOPWA programs ($2.38M, $580,396, $4.06M respectively).
  • 26-0119: Second amendatory agreement with Base Tactical Disaster Recovery for FEMA administration (adds $728,750).
  • 26-0152: CDBG grant of $6,585,718.
  • 26-0134: Site investigation at Denver Fire Training Center.
  • 26-0135: Digitization of Rocky Mountain News collection ($500,000 added).
  • 26-0136: Kanopy video streaming contract amendment ($960,090 added).
  • 26-0121: Mississippi Ave Vision Zero Safety Project ($2.94M contract).
  • 26-0137: Purchase of two wastewater vans ($645,272).
  • 26-0140: Plat approval for Central Park Filing No. 63.
  • 26-0141: Purchase of a robotic system truck ($543,888).
  • 26-0142: Amendatory agreement with Denver Botanic Gardens for Solar Garden Project.
  • 26-0149: Roof maintenance at Denver International Airport ($5M, 5 years).
  • 26-0150: Street dedication for West 38th Avenue.
  • 26-0159: CDOT grant for Alameda Ave & Dayton St safety improvements ($2.765M).
  • 26-0175: Street dedication for West 10th and 11th Avenues.
• Bills for introduction (26-0151, 26-0153, 26-0154, 26-0139, 26-0138) were ordered published.

Public Comments & Testimony

Required hearing – Rezoning 26-0026 (West 32nd Avenue):

• Eric Rymarz (West Highland Neighborhood Association) spoke in support, emphasizing the need to protect the retail corridor and small businesses. He cited recent closures and argued the DO-8 overlay would prevent loss of commercial anchors.
• Bill Hare (resident, West Highland) also supported, noting the rezoning is a preemptive measure to preserve the retail character.
• Jesse Parris (Black Star Action Movement) opposed, arguing the rezoning ignores gentrification and fails to address affordability for longtime residents.
• Alejandra Castaneda (District 1 resident) opposed, contending the rezoning stunts housing growth and uses a narrow definition of community; she questioned why the area cannot accommodate five-story buildings like nearby Tennyson.

Courtesy hearing – Southwest Area Plan 26-0103:

• Rebecca Greek (Overland resident, advisory committee) spoke in favor, praising engagement and urging protection against data centers.
• Diego Olivan (Westwood youth representative) supported, highlighting youth involvement and the plan's reflection of community voices.
• Maya Velasco (Westwood resident) supported, but expressed concern about a proposed gas station on Morrison Road contradicting the plan’s goals.
• Renee Martinez-Stone (Denver Housing Authority) supported, emphasizing affordable housing and anti-displacement efforts.
• Jesse Parris opposed, criticizing the plan for not addressing gentrification and lacking a NEST study.

Discussion Items

• Postponements: Councilmember Lewis called out Resolution 26-0105 (ComplyAI contract) and Resolution 26-0158 (RTD grant) for one-week postponements to March 9, 2026, to gather more information.
• Police Identification Ordinance (26-0125): Councilmembers Lewis and Alvidrez, co-sponsors, described the bill as a minimal transparency measure requiring law enforcement to display identification. Multiple council members spoke in favor, noting it enhances public trust and accountability, especially given recent masked federal enforcement actions. The bill passed 12–0.
• West 32nd Avenue Rezoning (26-0026): Council President Sandoval, sponsor, explained the effort to preserve the commercial character of Highland Square. Councilmember Romero Campbell supported, noting the long community process. The bill passed 9–0 (four absent).
• Southwest Area Plan (26-0103): Staff presented the plan covering five neighborhoods (Westwood, Ruby Hill, Marley, Athmar Park, Overland). Councilmembers Alvidrez, Torres, Flynn, and Kashmann expressed support, highlighting inclusive engagement, housing provisions, and the need to address data centers. The bill passed 10–0 (three absent).

Key Outcomes

• Law enforcement identification ordinance (26-0125) adopted, requiring officers to display visible identification.
• West 32nd Avenue rezoning (26-0026) approved, changing zoning to U-MX-3 and U-MS-3 with Design Overlay 8 to preserve commercial uses.
• Southwest Area Plan (26-0103) adopted as a supplement to Comprehensive Plan 2040, guiding growth and development in southwest Denver.
• Two resolutions (26-0105 and 26-0158) postponed to March 9, 2026.
• Consent agenda and other items passed en bloc with unanimous support (12–0) on all votes.
• Council announcements included upcoming community events and acknowledgments.