Denver Governance Committee Meeting - February 17, 2026: Permitting Tool Contract and State Legislative Briefing

On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the Denver City Council Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee met to consider an action item on a new permitting technology contract and a briefing on state legislative matters. The committee approved the contract for a guided intake and plan review tool to proceed to full council, and discussed multiple bills including the Home Act (HB 1001), transit investment areas, data privacy, and surveillance legislation.

Action Item: Permitting Tool Contract

• The committee heard a presentation from Robert Peak (Denver Permitting Office) and Anna Weber (Technology Services) on a proposed contract with Comply AI (d.b.a. SIV Check) for a digital platform that automates pre-checks on permit applications. The total contract is $4.6 million for three modules over five years, but only Module 1 (intake review for all permit types) is currently funded at $1.05 million using a combination of grant and capital funds. Modules 2 and 3 (code compliance for single-family and small commercial) are contingent on success and future funding.
• The tool aims to reduce the average 1.6 intake review cycles (currently 38% of applications accepted on first round) to near 80% first-round acceptance, and cut staff review time from 10 minutes per application by at least half. The city averages 1,000 permit applications per month. Other cities using similar tools report up to 70% reduction in reviewer time and 99% alignment with reviewers.
• Committee members asked about digital-only submission (paper no longer accepted), user profiles (no profiles stored), and the importance of including Module 2 for single-family projects. The presenters confirmed that Module 1 already covers single-family and duplex projects, and they will prioritize checklist requirements for those.

State Legislative Briefing

• The committee reviewed multiple bills tracked by the city's lobbying team (Policy Matters) and agency experts. Official city positions require agreement among the mayor's office, agencies, and council. Many bills are in early stages with positions still being formed.
• HB 1001 (Home Act): Originally known as YIGBY, this bill requires local governments to allow residential development on properties owned by certain nonprofits, school districts, housing authorities, etc. The city is in an "amend" position, seeking clarifications on definitions, property size, and preemption issues. Concerns about preempting local land use authority were raised. Council members noted the bill is broader than last year, potentially including many 501(c)(3) organizations.
• HB 1065 (Transit Investment Area Act): Creates tax increment financing for transit areas. City is in an "amend" position with six specific amendments, including limiting parking funding and requiring transit-supportive zoning.
• HB 1037 (Ban Government Purchase of Personal Data): Prohibits law enforcement and other agencies from buying personal data from third parties. The committee is split (5 oppose, 5 amend, 1 other) with concerns that it would cripple investigative tools like LeadsOnline used for catalytic converter and scrap metal enforcement (both city ordinances). DPD reported that these tools were used in nearly 20% of all 2025 arrests and 50% of investigative cases. Council members noted difficulty in amending the bill to preserve critical functions.
• SB 70 (PEEPS Act) and SB 71 (SAFE Act): Both regulate surveillance technologies. SB 70 targets license plate readers, requiring warrants and limiting data retention to 4 days (currently 30 days in Denver). SB 71 is broader. Feedback from agencies is still pending; committee will receive requests for input this week.
• HB 1005 (Worker Protection Collective Bargaining): 11 council members support this bill (amends Labor Peace Act). The mayor's office is monitoring; council will communicate support separately as a body, not as an official city position.
• SB 42 (Revenue Classification TABOR): Under review, no recommendation yet.
• SB 72 (Vision Zero Penalties): Supported by DOTI but raises concerns about increased penalties. Council is split, no consensus yet.
• Budget Update: The state Joint Budget Committee is through supplemental process; major focus on Medicaid provider rate cuts and county centralization of human services. The city successfully advocated to table HICPUF's regionalization plan in favor of a county-driven approach, and also tabled cost shifts for the guardianship assistance program.

Key Outcomes

• Action Item Approved: The committee moved to approve the permitting tool contract (motion by Councilmember Cash, second by Council President Sandoval) for full council consideration scheduled for February 23, 2026. No roll call was taken; the item will proceed to the full council.
• Legislative Positions: The committee took no final votes on bill positions. Council members are asked to update their preferences in the online tracker, especially on HB 1037 (data privacy) where the committee is split. The next governance committee meeting is March 17, 2026, by which time some bills will have advanced.
• Next Steps for HB 1001 and HB 1065: The city will pursue amendments as outlined by Community Planning and Development. For HB 1037, the mayor's office will continue discussions with agencies to see if an amendable path exists, but challenges are significant.
• Surveillance Bills (SB 70, SB 71): Agency feedback will be gathered this week and shared with council for formal input.