OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting - August 5, 2026

Council Committees — Wednesday, August 5, 2026
BodyDenver, Colorado
SessionCouncil Committees
DateWednesday, August 5, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:24
Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Hey Denver.

0:01

It's time for this biweekly meeting of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of Denver City Council.

0:10

Join us for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee starting now.

0:27

My name is Flora Alvides.

0:28

I am the chair of the Transportation Infrastructure and Infrastructure Committee.

0:32

And I would like to start with council introductions to my rate.

0:36

Good afternoon.

0:37

Chris Hines, Denver's predicted.

0:39

Kevin Flynn, Southwestern District 2.

0:43

Great.

0:44

So this is only a briefing, not an action item.

0:47

So I think we're good to proceed with a quorum.

0:49

If our visitors from CASAR want to introduce themselves and take it away.

0:55

Great, wonderful.

0:56

My name is Tay Dunkley, and I'm with Katherine and I'm our manager of Zero Waste and Circular Economy.

1:02

And I'm Kelsey DeFrantia, Circular Economy Senior Administrator.

1:07

And we just wanted to thank you for the invitation to come present and provide an update on the Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance or ERCO as we'll refer to it.

1:18

Last time we were here talking to this committee about this policy.

1:24

It was a couple of our colleagues, and this was before the updated ordinance was adopted by city council.

1:32

So a lot has happened between September 15th when the final changes were adopted and today.

1:38

And so we are really happy to bring you all to speed on what has transpired.

1:48

And while we, CASER are providing this update today, we are not the only entities involved with implementing this ordinance.

1:57

There are actually eight different agencies involved, if not more, many of which are in the audience today and can't answer direct questions or on the line.

2:07

And we are just really excited about the opportunity that this policy brings to Denver.

2:12

This really expands access to services that have been a reality for residential customers for a really long time.

2:19

And this really expands recycling and composting across all sectors.

2:24

And I'd like to also make a special introduction of so CASER has recently hired a dedicated staff person to lead our components of Universal Recycling and Composting.

2:37

And Christy Turner is in the room.

2:39

She is our program manager for Universal Recycling and Composting.

2:42

So really excited to have her on board.

2:45

And with that, just wanted to run through the agenda for today.

2:50

We know you all know a lot about this ordinance.

2:53

We've been here before.

2:54

It's been in front of council a couple times.

2:57

And so we're gonna really give you just a brief background refresher on what the policy includes, provide some key milestones, talk about the different administrative foundations resources that we've been developing.

3:10

So basically, what's happened since September 15th of last year up until now, and then looking forward to September 1st and then beyond.

3:19

So we'll have hopefully plenty of time to answer questions as well.

3:23

And with that, I'm gonna hand it over to Kelsey.

3:27

So again, you have all been along through the ordinance updates, um, and so we'll do a very brief background.

3:36

Uh, just as a reminder, our Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Services, single family homes and small apartment buildings, up to seven units.

3:44

And so this ordinance is really meant to cover essentially everyone else.

3:50

About 20 to 25% of the waste is generated by our DOTI customers, and then you know, up to 80% is covered by this ordinance from multifamily residential buildings, non-residential buildings, food businesses, public permitted events, and public and permitted construction and demolition activities.

4:08

Um and so this ordinance is really about expanding access to uh waste aversion to recycling and composting and really implementing what was written by the community and passed by community members.

4:20

And we know that the opportunity that this creates for Denver is huge.

4:24

Um, for example, tens of thousands of multifamily residential um tenants, for example, will have access to recycling and composting.

4:32

The vast majority of our attendees at public permitted events will have access to recycle or compost.

4:39

Um, but we also know that this is a major transition and a big lift for both the city and the community.

4:45

Um, and so we've been working really hard to support that transition.

4:50

Because so many different entities are covered by this ordinance.

4:54

We have a number of different agencies, as Tay mentioned, involved in implementation.

5:00

Some of these entities have regular touch points with the city, and some have not regularly interacted with our city agencies.

5:07

And so you can see here are different implementing agencies, including licensing, Department of Public Health and Environment, Arts and Venues, Parks, Study, and Community Planning and Development.

5:19

Again, our colleagues are here today if you have any questions for those particular agencies.

5:24

And again, some of the entities have established touch points with these agencies, others have had more limited interaction.

5:31

And so since the ordinance updates were passed in September of last year, all of our agencies have been working together to figure out what effective implementation and enforcement really looks like.

5:44

So we formed working groups across all of these agencies to identify the existing touch points, coordinate our responsibilities, and really build in implementation into the existing city functions and processes wherever possible.

6:00

And we'll talk more about that as well.

6:04

So for our key milestones, we're not gonna spend too much time on this slide because I know it's very hard to read.

6:10

Hopefully, um you all have either had time to digest it before or we'll have time to look at it more in depth later.

6:18

But this is really showing you know the administrative foundations, the communications, the resources that we've been working on, both working on as many things as concurrently as possible, while also acknowledging that some tasks are dependent on the completion of other tasks.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Waste Management█████████████████████████████████████████████48%
Public Engagement████████████████████21%
Data Management███████████████16%
Procedural██████6%
Infrastructure And Engineering█████5%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Arts And Culture██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting - August 5, 2026

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the Denver City Council, chaired by Flor Alvidrez, met on August 5, 2026, at 1:30 PM. The main agenda item was a briefing on the Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance (URCO), followed by the approval of ten consent items related to various infrastructure and airport contracts.

Consent Calendar

  • 26-1066: Dedicated a City-owned parcel as Public Right-of-Way (Public Alley) in Council District 3.
  • 26-1075: Approved a contract with INTERLOCK CONSTRUCTION CORP. for $3,611,881.68 (NTP + 486 days) for the Eugene Field Branch Library Renovation, part of the 2017 Elevate Denver Bond Program, Council District 6.
  • 26-1076: Approved a contract with Mile High Delivery Partners Joint Venture for $135,000,000 (10 years) for Project Management Support Services on the North Terminal Expansion Program, Council District 11.
  • 26-1077: Approved a contract with BEUMER Lifecycle Management, LLC for $83,321,522.92 (5 years + 5-year option) for operations and maintenance of the Individual Carrier System at Denver International Airport, Council District 11.
  • 26-1078: Approved a contract with Lea & Elliott, Inc. for $30,000,000 (5 years + two 1-year options) for technical support for the Automated Guideway Transit System Revitalization Program, Council District 11.
  • 26-1132: Amended contract with Mythograph, Inc. adding $382,066 (new total $2,882,066) for public art at Denver International Airport, Council District 11.
  • 26-1133: Approved a Ground Service Equipment facilities lease between United Ground Express, Inc. and Denver International Airport for 3 years with two 1-year options, Council District 11.
  • 26-1134: Granted a revocable permit to Andrew and Elaine Oliver for an encroaching retaining wall at 50 and 80 South Bellaire Street and Bayaud Avenue, Council District 5.
  • 26-1135: Amended contract with Intermountain Electric, Inc. adding $100,000 (new total $500,000) for asset management and maintenance of public and fleet EV chargers, citywide. All consent items were approved by unanimous consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Brian Loma (Materials and Waste Diversion Advocate, Green Latinos Colorado) expressed support for the ordinance and emphasized the need for ongoing outreach and education. He noted that many property managers and businesses are unaware of the requirements, and criticized haulers for charging for labels and not fully participating. He encouraged council members to co-host community events with Green Latinos and city agencies to spread awareness. He also highlighted cost-saving opportunities and the importance of preventing contamination through access controls.

Discussion Items

  • Briefing on Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance (URCO): Tay Dunklee and Kelsie DeFrancia (Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency) presented an update on implementation since the ordinance was adopted on September 15, 2025. They outlined key milestones: rules and regulations developed from January to June 2026 with extensive stakeholder engagement (over 2,000 community contacts, 5 public sessions, 15 stakeholder meetings); technology build-out using existing platforms like Acela for licensing; and development of compliance resources (website, signage, checklists, hauler readiness list). They emphasized an education-first approach and noted that direct mailings to responsible parties have not yet gone out but are planned for late August. Multiple agencies (DDPHE, Arts & Venues, Parks, CPD, DOTI) are involved in implementation.
  • Councilmember Kevin Flynn: Raised concerns about restaurant awareness, citing a Colorado Restaurant Association survey showing many members unaware. He asked about outreach frequency and the issue of contamination charges from haulers. DeFrancia clarified that front-of-house sorting requires only recycling (not composting) to reduce contamination, and that haulers may accept more than the ordinance's minimum. Dunklee added that direct letters have not yet been sent.
  • Council President (likely Stacie Gilmore): Asked about coordination among agencies and how the public (including council offices) should route inquiries. Dunklee noted that 311 coordination is developing and that the universalrecycling@denvergov.org email is currently the best contact. She also highlighted upcoming resource fairs and continued website updates.
  • Councilmember Flor Alvidrez: Expressed concern about readiness for September 1, 2026, and asked about integration of URCO into restaurant licensing and inspections. Felicia Usui (DDPHE) confirmed that renewal applications will include URCO requirements, and inspectors will check compliance during routine food safety visits. A complaint system is set up via the Acela platform, going live the week of August 5.
  • Councilmember Alvidrez: Asked about funding. Jonathan Wachtel (CASER) stated that there is no dedicated funding stream; implementation is leveraging existing general funds. Revenue from fines/forfeitures will go to the general fund. He noted that a fund was created on first reading on August 3, but future budget discussions are needed. He emphasized learning from the first 6–12 months to identify pain points.
  • Councilmember Alvidrez: Asked about C&D requirements. Eric Browning (CPD) said the ordinance applies to all projects, including city capital projects, if they meet thresholds. Outreach includes newsletters and software development.
  • Councilmember Alvidrez: Asked about hauler outreach. DeFrancia stated that a hauler-specific session was held during rules development, and DOTI surveyed licensed haulers for URCO readiness. However, capacity is uncertain; an exemption process exists for inadequacy of hauling providers.
  • Councilmember Kevin Flynn: Asked about the fate of toilets from demolitions. Browning explained that they are often crushed and used as aggregate in road construction.
  • Councilmember Alvidrez: Asked about public education and signage. Dunklee noted that DOTI has existing educational materials, and the state's Extended Producer Responsibility law will also provide public education. Green Latinos is partnering on outreach.
  • Councilmember Amanda Sandoval (joined later): No specific questions.

Key Outcomes

  • No action taken on the briefing (it was informational only).
  • All ten consent items were approved by unanimous consent.
  • The committee received updates on URCO implementation and discussed readiness, outreach, funding, and enforcement. Council members expressed concerns about public awareness and hauler capacity, and encouraged continued communication and partnership with the city and community organizations.
  • Next steps: CASER will continue updating the website, send direct letters to responsible parties, host a resource fair later in August, and begin education-first enforcement on September 1, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Hey Denver. It's time for this biweekly meeting of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of Denver City Council. Join us for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee starting now. My name is Flora Alvides. I am the chair of the Transportation Infrastructure and Infrastructure Committee. And I would like to start with council introductions to my rate. Good afternoon. Chris Hines, Denver's predicted. Kevin Flynn, Southwestern District 2. Great. So this is only a briefing, not an action item. So I think we're good to proceed with a quorum. If our visitors from CASAR want to introduce themselves and take it away. Great, wonderful. My name is Tay Dunkley, and I'm with Katherine and I'm our manager of Zero Waste and Circular Economy. And I'm Kelsey DeFrantia, Circular Economy Senior Administrator. And we just wanted to thank you for the invitation to come present and provide an update on the Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance or ERCO as we'll refer to it. Last time we were here talking to this committee about this policy. It was a couple of our colleagues, and this was before the updated ordinance was adopted by city council. So a lot has happened between September 15th when the final changes were adopted and today. And so we are really happy to bring you all to speed on what has transpired. And while we, CASER are providing this update today, we are not the only entities involved with implementing this ordinance. There are actually eight different agencies involved, if not more, many of which are in the audience today and can't answer direct questions or on the line. And we are just really excited about the opportunity that this policy brings to Denver. This really expands access to services that have been a reality for residential customers for a really long time. And this really expands recycling and composting across all sectors. And I'd like to also make a special introduction of so CASER has recently hired a dedicated staff person to lead our components of Universal Recycling and Composting. And Christy Turner is in the room. She is our program manager for Universal Recycling and Composting. So really excited to have her on board. And with that, just wanted to run through the agenda for today. We know you all know a lot about this ordinance. We've been here before. It's been in front of council a couple times. And so we're gonna really give you just a brief background refresher on what the policy includes, provide some key milestones, talk about the different administrative foundations resources that we've been developing. So basically, what's happened since September 15th of last year up until now, and then looking forward to September 1st and then beyond. So we'll have hopefully plenty of time to answer questions as well. And with that, I'm gonna hand it over to Kelsey. So again, you have all been along through the ordinance updates, um, and so we'll do a very brief background. Uh, just as a reminder, our Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Services, single family homes and small apartment buildings, up to seven units. And so this ordinance is really meant to cover essentially everyone else. About 20 to 25% of the waste is generated by our DOTI customers, and then you know, up to 80% is covered by this ordinance from multifamily residential buildings, non-residential buildings, food businesses, public permitted events, and public and permitted construction and demolition activities. Um and so this ordinance is really about expanding access to uh waste aversion to recycling and composting and really implementing what was written by the community and passed by community members. And we know that the opportunity that this creates for Denver is huge. Um, for example, tens of thousands of multifamily residential um tenants, for example, will have access to recycling and composting. The vast majority of our attendees at public permitted events will have access to recycle or compost. Um, but we also know that this is a major transition and a big lift for both the city and the community. Um, and so we've been working really hard to support that transition. Because so many different entities are covered by this ordinance. We have a number of different agencies, as Tay mentioned, involved in implementation.

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