The Lafayette City Council met on April 21, 2026, at 12:15 PM. The meeting included public input, approval of a consent agenda, three proclamations, and a lengthy public hearing and deliberation on a special use review for a proposed self-storage facility at 685 Aspen Ridge Drive. The council also approved the 22nd interim agreement for the Northern Integrated Supply Project and addressed other business.
The public hearing began at 6:13 PM. The application by 1784 Holdings LLC proposed a three-story, approximately 90,000-square-foot self-storage building with a caretaker dwelling unit on Lot 10, Block 1, Black Diamond Subdivision (zoned M1 Industrial). The proposal required special use review because self-storage is a special use in M1. Site plan and architectural review were also required.
Staff and Applicant Presentations:
Public Testimony (over 10 speakers, all opposed): Residents of Anna's Farm and nearby areas provided testimony against the project, focusing on the five special use criteria:
Applicant Response: The applicant reiterated that the project meets all code requirements and has been reduced in size (by 26,000 sq ft) in response to feedback. They defended the design and mitigation measures. They stated willingness to work with staff on additional conditions.
Council Deliberation: Council discussed each of the five special use review criteria at length:
Council then discussed the site plan and architectural review criteria, and considered conditions from staff and planning commission. They debated a condition to reduce visual impact to the west. After extensive discussion, a motion was made to approve the resolution with: staff conditions (4), planning commission conditions (except the restriction on mechanical equipment height above 35 feet, which was removed), and an additional condition: "Staff shall work with the applicant to harmonize the massing and placement of the facility through available architectural changes, site design, and screening opportunities in order to reduce the visual impact to the adjacent residential development to the west."
Vote: The motion passed 5-2, with Councilors Bullier and Gianola voting no. (Councilors Jensen, Tapia Vega, Mayor Pro Tem Barnes, Fridland, Gallegos voted yes.)
Council meeting for April twenty first, twenty twenty-six to order, we'll begin with a pledge of allegiance. Could we please get a roll call clerk back? Mayor Tapia Vega? Here. Mayor Pro Tim Barn. Councillor Bullier. Here. Counselor Friedland. Here. Councillor Gallegos. Good evening. Counselor Gianola. Here. Counselor Jensen. Mayor we have a plan. Thank you so much. And from my understanding, uh, Mayor Pro Tem is a few minutes away. He'll be a little late, but he will be joining us tonight. We will begin as with every meeting with uh public input. Uh before I do, I understand there is a public hearing tonight, and I just want to make it clear and differentiate between the two public input and the public hearing. Uh, if you want to be on the record for the public hearing, please fill out one of these forms and just check the public hearing box that will happen later on in the meeting. Uh, for now, unless our city attorney wanted to jump in on that at all. Just for the public's benefit, if you do want your comments to be considered for the public hearing itself on the special use review, you do need to speak during the public portion public hearing portion at the meeting, not during public input. While council will listen to everyone's comments during public input. If you do choose to speak about the public hearing matter, those will not be part of the record and cannot be considered by council this evening. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. If you can't be here in person, you can also call in. That phone number is on our website. Um when you do come up, just state your name and address for the record. And then finally, um, you will have five minutes to speak. Uh you don't have to guess how long you have left. There's a little red clock on your left on that podium, and you can just see how much time you have left. Just out of respect to everyone and making sure that we are respectful with everyone. I will give everyone exactly five minutes. That just allows everyone to have the exact same amount of time. Uh so with that, we will begin. And tonight we'll begin with Patrick Murphy. Good evening, counsel. Sorry to read this, but I don't want to leave anything out. My name is Patrick Murphy. I'm 74 years old and a semi-retired botanist, planted ecologist that's done field work for 45 years up and down the Rocky Mountains and to summer in Alaska. I'm here to try to get a slight modification of the Lafayette Open Space Guidance Procedure regarding weeds. I currently have four volunteer projects that include weed control. The Senitas Valley Trail on Boulder Open Space, Deanne Armstrong Pocket Park under Boulder Parks and Recreation, Riverside Cemetery in North Denver, as well as weed control and other vegetation consultation with the Lafayette Thorn Nature Center. And notice that some of the weeds sourced there was from the adjacent Coal Creek Trail, especially between Public Road and 287. The primary weeds that I was concerned with were Scotch Thistle and Musk Thistle, which are both tall, thorny biennials. These weeds can be three to six feet tall or taller when they flower. Other lesser weeds like Teasel and Knapp Reed were also observed. I contacted Lafayette Open Space and met with Holly Gordon and got all signed up on February 24th this year.