Greeley City Council Work Session - October 28, 2025

The Greeley City Council held a work session on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers at City Center South, 1001 11th Avenue, Greeley, with hybrid Zoom participation. All seven councilmembers were present: Tommy Butler, Deb DeBoutez, Dale Hall (Mayor Pro Tem), Brett Payton, Johnny Olson, Melissa McDonald, and Mayor John Gates. Council received reports, discussed the Urban Forest Strategic Plan and affordable housing code amendments, and then voted unanimously to enter executive session. The open meeting adjourned at 6:49 p.m.; the executive session ran from 6:54 to 8:30 p.m.

Reports from Mayor and Councilmembers

• Councilmember DeBoutez attended the employee 5K and noted that over 200 employees participated in costumes; she thanked Human Resources for organizing the event.
• Councilmember Butler attended the Weld Community Foundation Luncheon and reminded residents of 'Council in the Community' on November 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the downtown recreation center.
• Mayor Pro Tem Hall attended the second annual Freedom Fest benefiting High Plains Honor Flight, which provides veterans trips to Washington, DC memorials at no cost.

Discussion: City of Greeley Urban Forest Strategic Plan

• Director of Culture, Parks, and Recreation Diana Frick introduced the item at 6:03 p.m., describing it as months of collaboration among forestry, parks, community development, water, and sewer teams. She recognized Forestry Manager Shiloh Hatcher, forestry staff, Parks Manager Eric Bloomer, and Deputy Director Jill Krantz. Greeley has been recognized as a Tree City USA for over 30 years.
• Dana Karcher, project developer and urban/community forestry specialist (the minutes identify the firm as Davie Resource Group; the transcript says Davey Company), presented the plan, Greeley's first comprehensive urban forest assessment since 2009. The tree canopy grew to 8.2%, an average increase of less than 2% over 14 years, and approximately one-twelfth of Greeley is shaded by trees.
• Community engagement included two large community meetings translated into Spanish, focus/strategic groups, a community survey, and public plan review. Over 90% of survey respondents said having trees in neighborhoods is important, and most residents expressed a desire for a cooler Greeley with more shade.
• The plan addresses challenges including drought, extreme storms, pests and diseases, and the emerald ash borer threat; 10% of public trees are ash trees.
• Mr. Hatcher said the plan is a 20-year roadmap and baseline. In 2025, the city began maintaining parkway trees on behalf of homeowners, increasing the forestry workload by 62% with the addition of approximately 8,000 trees. The Share the Shade program planted 470 trees in 2025 (260 in fall and 210 in spring). Greeley hosts national arborist education workshops and is one of the few, sometimes the only, testing sites for arborist certification.
• Councilmember DeBoutez raised concerns about tree loss in older and rental-heavy neighborhoods and suggested exploring a landscape code requiring a tree per property. Councilmember Butler asked about tree removals along 10th Street; Mr. Hatcher said those were hazardous or dead trees, not emerald ash borer, though Greeley's ash trees are in poor condition. Butler also advocated planting more trees around downtown to address heat islands during redevelopment.
• Mayor Gates commended Mr. Hatcher's expertise, and council gave consensus to move forward with the plan.

Discussion: Development Code Text Amendment for Affordable Housing

• Planning Supervisor Caleb Jackson introduced the item at 6:41 p.m., with Housing Director Deb Callies present.
• 'Affordable' was defined as housing costing no more than 30% of a household's income, for rental or ownership, based on HUD rent charts or city sales price policy, often formalized through deed restrictions.
• Mr. Jackson outlined two reasons for the code amendments: compliance with Proposition 123 (the city opted in to access affordable housing funds, requiring a fast-track review process) and support for the recently adopted Housing for All Strategic Plan by incentivizing affordable housing development.
• The fast-track review process would commit staff and applicants to a 90-day review for affordable housing projects, with extensions allowed for public hearings or meetings and for applicants needing more time to address city comments.
• Proposed relaxed standards include reduced park land dedication when affordable housing is located near an existing park (within a half-mile walk without crossing highways) and fewer on-site amenity requirements when development is near public amenities such as recreation centers. Areas not served by an accessible park would still require park dedication or cash in lieu paid into a city park fund.
• Councilmember DeBoutez asked about older neighborhoods like Arlington that lack parks; Mr. Jackson explained the cash-in-lieu mechanism. Councilmember Butler called the standards common-sense and said they would help infill affordable housing projects 'pencil out.'
• Council supported staff proceeding with development of an ordinance based on the presented framework.

Executive Session

• Councilmember Melissa McDonald moved, Councilmember Johnny Olson seconded, and the motion passed 7-0 at 6:48 p.m. to enter executive session under C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(b) and Greeley Municipal Code Section 2-151(a)(2) to receive legal advice regarding personnel matters.
• The executive session began at 6:54 p.m. in the Executive Room and was electronically recorded. All councilmembers were present, along with City Attorney Stacey Aurzada and Human Resources Director Martha Lanaghen. The recorder was turned off during the confidential attorney-client privileged conversation. The session concluded at 8:30 p.m., and the recording will be retained for 90 days per the city's records retention policy and Colorado Open Meetings Law.

Key Outcomes

• Council gave consensus to endorse the Urban Forest Strategic Plan and continue with implementation.
• Council directed staff to proceed with drafting an ordinance for the affordable housing Development Code text amendment, including the 90-day fast-track review process and relaxed development standards.
• The executive session motion passed 7-0; the open meeting adjourned at 6:49 p.m., and the executive session was held from 6:54 to 8:30 p.m.
• No scheduling items or other events were reported, and there was no further business.