Denver City Council Meeting: June 22, 2026

The Denver City Council met on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 3:30 PM, with 12 members present (Flynn absent). The meeting featured a major debate on Bill 26-0328, which revises municipal criminal penalties, multiple public hearings on zoning and landmark designations, and adoption of two Pride-related proclamations. The meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes of June 15, 2026 (26-0929) were approved.
• Block Vote (Resolutions and Bills): A motion to adopt 48 resolutions and one bill on final consideration en bloc was approved 12-0. Items included:
  • Loans for affordable housing: $4.75 million to Green Valley Vistas Owner, LLC for 156 income-restricted apartments at 30-80% AMI (26-0743); amendments to loan agreements for Archdiocesan Housing (26-0744) and 18th and Penn Building I, LLC (26-0745).
  • Multiple on-call maintenance contracts (HVAC, plumbing, fencing, glass, roofing, painting, low-voltage electrical, etc.) each for $750,000 with a 7/31/2029 end date (26-0778 through 26-0802).
  • Lease agreements: Denver Rescue Mission for men’s shelter at $30/year (26-0803); Urban Alchemy for non-congregate shelter at $30/year (26-0804).
  • Appointments to Denver Convention Center Hotel Authority: Derek Longwell (26-0772) and Kate Barton (26-0773).
  • Community correction services amendment with RRK Enterprises (+$1.62M, new total $12.97M) (26-0774).
  • Amendatory agreement with Second Chance Center Inc. for mental health services (26-0850).
  • Design services for Richard T. Castro building renovations with OZ Architecture (26-0769).
  • Dedicating public alleys (26-0760, 26-0771) and correcting a previous alley dedication (26-0851).
  • Equipment rental: Big Truck Rental, LLC for $4M (26-0775).
  • Grant from CDOT for pedestrian safety improvements on Quebec St and E 4th Ave ($1,047,556) (26-0805).
  • Amendments to Denver International Airport purchase orders: plumbing (26-0806), tires (26-0807), passenger bridge components (26-0808).
  • A bill authorizing $3 million rescission from General Fund Contingency to Liability Claims Fund (26-0758) placed on final consideration.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment: A recess was held from approximately 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM to allow a general public comment session. No details on speakers were provided in the minutes or transcript.
• Public Hearing – 26-0392 (Rezone 5101-5115 N Milwaukee St, Elyria Swansea): Brent Luchene (representing the applicant) and Jesse Parris spoke in favor. No opposition speakers. Staff report by Liz Weigel (CPD) recommended approval.
• Public Hearing – 26-0742 (Landmark designation for 2100 California St and 2101 Welton St – Federal Garages): Jesse Parris and John Deffenbaugh (Historic Denver) spoke in favor. Staff report by Becca Dierschow (CPD) recommended approval.
• Public Hearing – 26-0620 (Landmark designation for 2329 N Gaylord St – Webb House): Jesse Parris and John Deffenbaugh spoke in favor. The property owners, Wellington Webb and Wilma Webb, also addressed council. Staff report by Abigail Christman (CPD) recommended approval.

Discussion Items

Bill 26-0328 – Municipal Criminal Penalties Update

This bill revises chapters 1, 34, and 38 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code to align with the Colorado Supreme Court’s Camp v. Westminster decision and reduce penalties for certain municipal-only offenses. It was introduced by the Health and Safety Committee and had been postponed from June 1, 2026.

Sponsor Position: Councilmembers Lewis, Parady, and Gonzales-Gutierrez (co-sponsors) argued the bill is necessary to comply with state law and to avoid excessive penalties for low-level offenses such as off-leash dogs or unvaccinated pets. They noted that the bulk of changes are already being implemented in courts and that a working group will continue studying outstanding issues.

Opposition: Councilmembers Watson and Sawyer expressed concerns that the bill goes beyond Camp requirements, potentially weakening accountability for quality-of-life crimes. Councilmember Hinds echoed constituents’ worries about downtown revitalization and public safety. Councilmember Watson highlighted that the bill’s initial version reduced penalties for offenses not covered by Camp (e.g., flourishing weapons, threats), which were later amended back to higher levels.

Amendments: Seven amendments were offered by Councilmember Lewis and adopted:

1. Added a “whereas” clause clarifying legislative intent for class five offenses.
2. Corrected drafting errors (striking wrong language, fixing section references, correcting typographical errors).
3. Altered effective dates: sections 1-23 become effective 60 days after publication, section 24 (working group) immediately; working group report due date moved from January 31, 2027 to March 31, 2027.
4. Made “unlawful display or flourishing of weapons” a class 2 offense (300 days, $999 fine) rather than class 4 (10 days, $300 fine).
5. Made “firearms prohibited in city-owned or leased buildings where posted” a class 2 offense.
6. Revised penalties for violation of a protection order: default class 3 (120 days, $750 fine); aggravated circumstances (prior conviction, domestic violence, stalking, intimate relationship) elevate to class 2. Added direction for the working group to assess this section.
7. Made “threats” a class 3 offense and directed the working group to assess threats, including harm to pets.

Vote on passage for publication: After amendments, the bill was ordered published as amended by a vote of 10-2 (Sawyer and Watson against). A courtesy public hearing is scheduled for June 29, 2026; final vote will occur later.

Proclamations

• 26-0932 – Recognizing 52nd Anniversary of Denver PRIDE: Adopted 12-0. Speakers highlighted the importance of LGBTQIA+ rights, the economic impact of Pride (>$25 million, 555,000 attendees), and the need to protect transgender Coloradans. Kim Silvaggio (Center on Colfax) and Nadine Bridges (One Colorado) accepted.
• 26-0934 – Honoring Black Pride Colorado: Adopted 11-0 (Sawyer absent). Councilmembers Lewis and Watson spoke about the centrality of Black queer leadership. Dr. Tara J (founder) accepted via video.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 26-0328 was ordered published as amended (10-2). A working group will be created to further study specific provisions. The courtesy public hearing is set for June 29, 2026.
• Zoning Change (Elyria Swansea): Council Bill 26-0392 passed final consideration (9-0), allowing a duplex on a currently vacant lot.
• Landmark Designations:
  • Federal Garages (26-0742) passed (9-0), preserving historic bus garages.
  • Webb House (26-0620) passed (9-0), preserving the home of former Mayor Wellington Webb and Representative Wilma Webb.
• Proclamations for Pride Month and Black Pride Colorado were adopted.
• All consent agenda items (resolutions and bills on final consideration) were approved en bloc (12-0).
• Future meetings announced: June 29 courtesy hearing on 26-0328; July 27 required hearings for zoning changes 26-0776 and 26-0777.

This summary is based on official minutes and verbatim transcript. The date of the meeting is confirmed as June 22, 2026.