OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Denver City Council Regular Meeting – June 15, 2026

City CouncilMonday, June 15, 2026
BodyDenver, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:18:47
Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Hey Denver, it's time for the weekly general session of your Denver City Council.

0:10

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

0:24

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted in Spanish.

0:26

Sam or Jasmine, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

0:35

Yes, of course.

0:35

Thank you for having us.

0:36

Hello, everyone.

0:38

My name is Sam Guzmán.

0:40

Joining you virtually through Zoom.

0:42

And along with my colleague Jasmine, we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

0:48

Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

1:26

Muchas gracias, and thank you very much.

1:30

Thank you very much.

1:33

Good afternoon, and welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, June 15th, 2026.

1:38

My name is Alyssa Ferrera.

1:40

I am your council secretary.

1:56

First, we have the Pledge of Allegiance, land acknowledgement, and establishment of quorum to attend to before the floor is opened up for nominations.

2:04

Council members, please join Council Member Flynn in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:26

Council members, please join Council Member Flynn as they lead us in Denver City Council land acknowledgement.

2:35

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples.

3:06

We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous peoples.

3:19

May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities, and recognize the current and future contributions of indigenous communities in Denver.

3:37

Roll call.

3:52

Alvidus.

3:55

Gonzalez Cutieris.

3:56

Here.

3:56

Heinz?

3:57

Here.

3:59

Lewis.

4:00

Present.

4:02

Romero Campbell.

4:05

Sawyer.

4:06

Here.

4:07

Torres.

4:09

Watson.

4:10

Here.

4:13

Ten members present.

4:14

Council has a quorum.

4:15

The floor is now open for nominations.

4:17

Council Member Sawyer.

4:19

I nominate Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez to serve as acting President Pro Tem.

4:31

Madam Secretary, we need it up on our screens.

4:34

Yeah, sorry.

4:36

No technical difficulty.

4:37

Yep, you're all good.

4:41

It has been moved and seconded.

4:51

Roll call.

4:52

Council members Gilmore.

4:54

Aye.

4:56

Parody.

4:58

Aye.

5:00

Alvides.

5:02

Hi.

5:06

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

5:07

Hi.

5:08

Heinz?

5:09

Hi.

5:09

Cashman.

5:10

Hi.

4:57

Lewis.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Miscellaneous█████████████████████████████████33%
Procedural███████████████████████████████31%
Land Use Zoning███████████████15%
Economic Development██████████10%
Community Engagement██████6%
Affordable Housing████4%
Public Safety1%
Summary of Proceedings

Denver City Council Regular Meeting – June 15, 2026

The Denver City Council convened its regular meeting on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 3:30 PM, with Acting Council Pro-Tem Gonzales-Gutierrez presiding. Ten council members were present (Alvidrez, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Hinds, Kashmann, Lewis, Parady, Sawyer, Watson), and three were absent (Romero Campbell, Torres, Sandoval). The meeting included the adoption of two proclamations, introduction and passage of several bills and resolutions, and a public hearing on a zoning change for a property in Washington Virginia Vale. The meeting adjourned at 5:49 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of June 8, 2026 approved without objection.
  • Proclamation 26-0834 (Celebrating Colfax Mayfair’s Long-Standing Businesses) adopted unanimously (10-0).
  • Proclamation 26-0846 (Recognizing June 19, 2026 as Juneteenth, Freedom Day) adopted 9-0 (Councilmember Sawyer absent).
  • Resolution 26-0746 – Loan agreement with Kappa Housing, Inc. ($1,050,000; 60-year covenant for 30 income-restricted senior units at 30-50% AMI) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0748 – Master Purchase Order with Colorado Petroleum Services, LLC ($3,500,000 for automotive grease/lubricants) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0756 – Amendment to Master Purchase Order with Joe Johnson Equipment LLC (additional $4,500,000 for street sweepers) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0757 – Lease agreement with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless ($30 for integrated health services) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0759 – Temporary Construction License with Denver Health and Hospital Authority ($100) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0726 – Appointment of Kane Hamilton to Board of Transportation and Infrastructure adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0727 – Reappointment of Aylene McCallum to Board of Transportation and Infrastructure adopted en bloc.
  • Resolutions 26-0728 through 26-0735 – Appointments to Old South Gaylord Business Improvement District, Denver Civil Service Commission, and Denver LGBTQ Commission (8 appointments) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0747 – Agreement with High Line Canal Conservancy for improvements to Green Valley Ranch segment adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0749 – Contract with NINE dot ARTS Corp. ($1,000,000 for public art process) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0737 – Revocable permit to Denver Union Station Met District No.1 for encroachments at 1550 Wewatta Street adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0738 – Contract with Keene Concrete, Inc. ($3,424,371 for sidewalk replacement) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0739 – Contract with HDR Engineering, Inc. ($964,000 for Welton Street Corridor assessment) adopted en bloc.
  • Resolution 26-0740 – Revocable permit to Clifford Lee Beem and Kristi Conway Beem for encroachment at 661 N. Williams Street adopted en bloc.
  • Bill 26-0686 – Ordinance amending lobbyist regulation (Chapter 2, Article XIII) placed on final consideration and passed en bloc.
  • Bill 26-0704 – Intergovernmental Agreement with Park Creek Metropolitan District ($50,000 for real estate workflow support) placed on final consideration and passed en bloc.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public Hearing on Bill 26-0608 (Zoning Change for 831 S. Monaco Pkwy): One speaker, Jesse Paris (representing multiple organizations), spoke in favor of the rezoning. He requested guarantees regarding affordability levels (30-60% AMI), a traffic study, and a community benefits agreement. No opposition speakers. Staff report presented by Fran Peñafiel of Community Planning and Development.

Discussion Items

  • Council Announcements: Councilmember Hinds reported 28 traffic deaths in Denver so far in 2026 (up from 25 two weeks prior), expressing concern about reaching Vision Zero targets. Councilmember Sawyer welcomed colleagues back to the newly renovated chambers, thanking staff. Councilmember Alvidrez announced the launch of the South Broadway General Improvement District. Councilmember Watson introduced an intern and promoted Juneteenth parade. Councilmember Lewis highlighted Pride events and Black Pride.
  • Proclamation 26-0834 – Colfax Mayfair Businesses: Several council members spoke in support of the long-standing businesses (30-115 years in operation) and their importance to the corridor, particularly during BRT construction. Business owners accepted the proclamation and expressed gratitude.
  • Proclamation 26-0846 – Juneteenth: Councilmembers Watson and Lewis delivered remarks on the historical significance and ongoing fight for civil rights, including voting rights. Norman Harris of the Denver Juneteenth Committee accepted the proclamation.
  • Resolution 26-0746 (Kappa Housing loan): Councilmember Lewis commented that the loan reimburses construction costs for senior housing in District 8, noting some property management challenges but emphasizing the need for affordable housing.
  • Bill 26-0704 (Park Creek Metro District IGA): Councilmember Lewis explained that the agreement will provide staffing support to facilitate transfer of streets from the metro district to the city, enabling needed maintenance in Northfield and Central Park.
  • Bill 26-0686 (Lobbyist regulation): Councilmember Lewis and Acting Pro-Tem Gonzales-Gutierrez praised the bill for increasing transparency and aligning with state standards, thanking the Clerk and Recorder’s office for their work.
  • Bill 26-0758 (Liability claims fund transfer): Councilmember Lewis noted that year-to-date settlements total $3,867,000, requiring a $3,000,000 rescission from General Fund Contingency. Councilmember Parady added concerns about the Independent Monitor’s office being excluded from disciplinary process changes, linking that to large settlements.
  • Bill 26-0741 (Southwest area rezoning): Councilmember Alvidrez introduced an amendment to remove I-A (industrial) zoning from certain properties in District 7, citing community concerns about gas stations near rivers and historical harm from industrial uses in low-income communities. The amendment passed unanimously, and the bill was ordered published as amended.
  • Bill 26-0608 Public Hearing: Staff presented the rezoning request for 831 S. Monaco Pkwy from S-MX-3A to S-MU-3, noting it would enable combining with an adjacent SMU-3 parcel to create a 75-unit affordable housing project (30-60% AMI). The site is 7,050 sq. ft., currently a single-unit house. No written comments were received. Councilmember Kashmann expressed support, noting no community objections.

Key Outcomes

  • Acting President Pro-Tem Elected: Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez elected 10-0.
  • Proclamations Adopted: 26-0834 (Colfax Mayfair businesses) adopted 10-0; 26-0846 (Juneteenth) adopted 9-0.
  • Consent Agenda Approved: All resolutions and bills on final consideration (listed above) adopted en bloc 10-0.
  • Bill 26-0741 Amended and Ordered Published: Amendment to remove I-A zones passed 10-0; bill ordered published as amended 10-0.
  • Bill 26-0608 Passed: Rezoning of 831 S. Monaco Pkwy approved 8-0 (Councilmembers Gilmore and Parady absent for vote).
  • Future Meetings Announced: Public hearings on June 22, 2026 (landmark designations for 2100 California/2101 Welton and 2329 N. Gaylord) and July 13, 2026 (rezoning for multiple properties in southwest neighborhoods and for 4625 N. Milwaukee Street). Protests against Bills 26-0741 and 26-0712 must be filed by noon on July 6, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Hey Denver, it's time for the weekly general session of your Denver City Council. Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted in Spanish. Sam or Jasmine, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices? Yes, of course. Thank you for having us. Hello, everyone. My name is Sam Guzmán. Joining you virtually through Zoom. And along with my colleague Jasmine, we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish. Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation. Muchas gracias, and thank you very much. Thank you very much. Good afternoon, and welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, June 15th, 2026. My name is Alyssa Ferrera. I am your council secretary. First, we have the Pledge of Allegiance, land acknowledgement, and establishment of quorum to attend to before the floor is opened up for nominations. Council members, please join Council Member Flynn in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members, please join Council Member Flynn as they lead us in Denver City Council land acknowledgement. The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities, and recognize the current and future contributions of indigenous communities in Denver. Roll call. Alvidus. Gonzalez Cutieris. Here. Heinz? Here. Lewis. Present. Romero Campbell. Sawyer. Here. Torres. Watson. Here. Ten members present. Council has a quorum. The floor is now open for nominations. Council Member Sawyer. I nominate Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez to serve as acting President Pro Tem. Madam Secretary, we need it up on our screens. Yeah, sorry. No technical difficulty. Yep, you're all good. It has been moved and seconded. Roll call. Council members Gilmore. Aye. Parody.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com