Grand Junction City Council Workshop – December 15, 2025

The Grand Junction City Council held a workshop on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Fire Department Training Room, 625 Ute Avenue, and live-streamed via GoToWebinar. Mayor Cody Kennedy and Councilmembers Robert Ballard, Scott Beilfuss, Laurel Lutz, Jason Nguyen, Anna Stout, and Ben Van Dyke were present. City Manager Mike Bennett, Interim City Attorney Jeremiah Boies, and other staff attended. The workshop covered a Colorado Mesa University football stadium concept, Museums of Western Colorado sustainability planning, and the parks impact fee.

Colorado Mesa University Football Stadium Update

• CMU President John Marshall presented a revised concept for expanding the Lincoln Park Sports Complex for collegiate football that preserves the historic Lincoln Park Barn and integrates it into the facility rather than demolishing it.
• CMU is seeking a long-term lease from the city for the barn and the new facility footprint, would make millions of dollars in capital improvements at its own expense, and is exploring renovations to the west grandstands, tower upgrades, and branding.
• The track would remain intact, and CMU said it has worked with District 51 and JUCO to preserve existing partnerships.
• Under the concept, CMU would have exclusive use of the barn for football-related purposes; current community uses of the barn are expected to move to the new community recreation center. CMU expressed willingness to collaborate on occasional special events, but no ongoing public rental access was proposed.
• Councilmembers generally supported the revised concept and praised CMU’s responsiveness to community feedback about the barn. Councilmember Scott Beilfuss voiced concern about losing public access to the barn and asked for maximum community access, while other members noted the barn would be mostly vacant after recreation uses relocate.
• Council asked staff to compile a list of the barn’s historic and rental uses and comparable spaces at the recreation center to communicate the impact to the public.
• No formal action was taken; council consensus was for city and CMU staff to continue working toward an agreement based on the new concept.

Museums of Western Colorado

• Executive Director Sheena Hayden presented an update on the Museums of Western Colorado, which operates Dinosaur Journey, the Museum of the West, and Cross Orchards Historic Site.
• The museum is exploring a unified campus to consolidate operations, improve visitor experience, and increase long-term financial sustainability. A feasibility study funded by the Downtown Development Authority is underway for the Grand Junction campus, including the CD Smith Building and the Whitman Building, which has structural and foundation issues.
• Hayden reported that 2025 visitation had already exceeded 2024 totals by the end of November; 4,370 student visits were recorded in 2025, including 3,100 Mesa County students compared to 1,300 in 2024. The museum also reported more than 1,000 military families served, 786 library memberships used, and $13,000 raised for free student visits in 2026.
• An in-house economic impact estimate based on a visitor survey from May to November estimated 3,300 hotel stays and $2.6 million in tourism impact. Councilmember Anna Stout questioned the methodology and suggested contacting Visit Grand Junction or a CMU economist for a third-party review.
• Councilmembers expressed strong support for the museum and a desire to keep it in Grand Junction. Councilmember Laurel Lutz asked that Whitman Park be included in future feasibility analysis; Hayden said that could be considered after the structural study. City Manager Bennett noted staff think it would be productive to consider that option, but no commitment was made.
• The museum will hold a State of the Museum address and community roundtable on January 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

Parks Impact Fee Discussion

• Community Development Director Tamra Allen introduced TischlerBise consultants Jule Herlands and Carson Bise, who presented options for revising the parks impact fee after requests from the Housing and Building Association of Western Colorado. The HBA also asked the city not to collect the scheduled fee increase until a thorough review was completed.
• The adopted 2025 fee study set the maximum supportable parks land cost at approximately $147,513 per acre. TischlerBise presented three alternative calculations:
• Option 1: Remove downtown parcels from the land-sale sample, resulting in about $116,000 per acre.
• Option 2: Remove central city parcels, resulting in about $114,000 per acre.
• Option 3: Remove the three highest and three lowest land-sale outliers, resulting in about $108,000 per acre.
• The parks impact fee is composed of parkland acquisition, park improvements, and open space components. Staff explained that the previous fee was artificially low and that the maximum supportable fee is designed to maintain the current level of service as new development grows, not to generate a surplus.
• Councilmember Jason Nguyen supported Option 3 as the most methodologically defensible, and a general council consensus formed around Option 3. Councilmember Ben Van Dyke suggested the council could adopt less than 100% of the fee, but no specific percentage was selected.
• Interim City Attorney Jeremiah Boies said the council may adopt less than the maximum defensible fee if it makes a clear, documented policy decision. City Manager Bennett recommended Option 3 and did not recommend an emergency ordinance.
• Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance adopting Option 3 for first reading at the January 7, 2026, regular council meeting. The minutes list the fee increase as scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, but the context indicates the reference is to January 1, 2026.

Council Communication and Future Workshop Topics

• Councilmembers discussed a McDonald’s letter of support regarding a proposed code amendment for a drive-through site at 2658 Tracie Lane; staff have scheduled a meeting with the applicant.
• Councilmember Anna Stout reported Colorado Municipal League Executive Board updates.
• The Grand Junction Housing Authority requested a new interview process to fill a vacancy rather than appointing an alternate, ideally seeking a candidate with a financial background. Councilmembers Lutz and Van Dyke will conduct interviews; previous alternates will remain under consideration.
• Councilmember Stout requested a future workshop on the boards and commissions appointment process to make it more transparent.
• Councilmember Beilfuss requested a workshop with the Mesa County Collaboration for the Unhoused; City Manager Bennett noted timing must account for a planned joint city-county workshop in January and staff workload.

Key Outcomes

• CMU: Council supported continuing negotiations based on the barn-preserving concept, with a future lease or agreement to return for council approval.
• Museums: No formal action was taken; council expressed support and encouraged continued feasibility and community engagement.
• Parks impact fee: Council consensus was to move forward with Option 3 and to place an ordinance on first reading January 7, 2026.
• The workshop adjourned at 8:40 p.m.