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Record of Proceedings

Lafayette City Council Meeting - June 16, 2026: Cemetery Updates, Proclamations, and Airport Legal Updates

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, June 16, 2026
BodyLafayette, Colorado
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, June 16, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:35:06

Transcript — Verbatim
4:35

And we'll begin with Pledge of Allegiance.

4:59

Mayor Tati of Eggman.

5:00

Here.

5:01

Mayor Pro Tem Barnes.

5:02

Good evening.

5:03

Counselor Bullier.

5:04

Good evening.

5:04

Counselor Friedland.

5:06

Here.

5:06

Counselor Gallegas.

5:07

Good evening.

5:08

Counselor Gianola.

5:09

Here.

5:10

Counselor Jensen.

5:11

Here.

5:11

Mayor, we have a quorum.

5:14

Thank you so much.

5:16

Tonight's first order of business, of course, is public input.

5:20

However, council, I will ask, just uh try to get general consensus.

5:26

Is would it be okay with you all if there's any opposition, obviously we won't.

5:29

But is there any chance uh the cemetery subcommittee could have maybe five minutes up front just to give a quick update and then we'll go to public input.

5:38

Right.

5:39

Seeing no opposition, uh, we'll give a quick update up front.

5:43

And actually, I was gonna say I go first, but I feel like I always go first when we talk about this.

5:47

So let me hand it off to uh Councillor Bullier.

5:50

Sure.

5:50

Thank you, Mayor.

5:51

Um happy Tuesday, everybody.

5:52

Thank you so much for coming.

5:54

Um just to the brief update.

5:55

So last Wednesday, June 10th, uh, we were privileged as a city to host uh community listening session and dialogue.

6:03

Uh so thank you to many of the folks in this room uh and nearly a hundred others who came out for that dialogue.

6:08

So we as a city harvested dozens of questions and concerns uh that that staff are diligently working on to answer in advance of the next cemetery-focused meeting on June 29th.

6:19

So at the Lafayette Library, 6 to 8 p.m.

6:22

on June 29th, we will have the second meeting uh focused on the cemetery, and so we're looking forward to providing as many answers as is feasible at that time uh in order to sort of take the next step in this process uh with you.

6:35

And Mayor, I'll turn back to you on the resolution.

6:37

But that's my update.

6:38

Amazing.

6:38

Yes, thank you so much, counselor.

6:40

Uh so I will echo the sentiments of Councillor Polier just thank you.

6:43

Thank you for the June 10th meeting.

6:44

Uh it was a meeting that was set to be informal.

6:47

It was it was built and kind of formatted so it didn't feel like this.

6:51

It didn't feel like a public input where you're just speaking to to council, and we're not being able to speak to you.

6:56

It was meant to be a listening session and a dialogue, and we wanted your voice to be heard.

7:00

We we truly, truly appreciate it.

7:02

Um that was kind of the point.

7:06

So we want to hear from you, want to keep hearing from you.

7:08

The one thing I will say is we we had a lot of people come out and sign up for the one-on-ones.

7:13

We want to make sure we keep encouraging you to sign up with one-on-ones.

7:16

If you were a plot owner, if you own know anyone who's a plot owner, please have them reach out to the city.

7:20

Uh the meetings that have already gone on through uh staff through the city and through the plot owners have gone really well.

7:27

We're really hoping to talk to as many people as we can that own plots.

7:30

So if you are a plot owner or if you know a plot owner, please have them reach out to the city.

7:34

Two other things that I will say, and the biggest one for me is misinformation is a very real thing I have learned over the past month.

7:42

Uh specifically when it comes to this issue.

7:44

Uh, there's been a lot of misinformation, and the only reason I'm touching on this is because over the last week I have received many emails and many calls of people that are telling me about information that they have received, and it almost always goes back to social media.

7:57

Uh but I just want to make a few things really, really clear.

8:00

First and foremost, resolution 2026-13 came to us on May 5th.

8:05

And unanimously, the council voted not to pass that resolution.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████21%
Historic Preservation████████████████16%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Cemetery Management█████████9%
Pending Litigation█████████9%
Transportation Safety██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Procedural████4%
Arts And Culture███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Lafayette City Council Meeting - June 16, 2026

The City Council of Lafayette, Colorado, met on June 16, 2026, at 6:30 PM. The meeting began with a cemetery subcommittee update, followed by public input on the cemetery and water billing issues. The council then approved a consent agenda, adopted three proclamations, received presentations on the Arapahoe Center Theater rehabilitation, sustainability department updates, and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport legal matters, and passed the first reading of an ordinance adjusting fees for public right-of-way work. The council also appointed a new planning commissioner.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the May 19, 2026, City Council meeting minutes, May 26, 2026, City Council Workshop Summary, first reading of Ordinance 12 (building code adoption), a lease renewal agreement for 201 North Public, and two contracts for water/wastewater facility maintenance services. All items passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alan Garcia: Argued that cemetery plots grant rights of internment and transfer, and that the city could face legal and financial liabilities if it sold plots after declaring the cemetery full in 1999. Urged inclusion of plot owners on committees.
  • Frank Archuleta: Criticized staff for not releasing the full SWCA ground-penetrating radar report to council or the public. Stated the cemetery is not full, and called for allowing coffin burials, abolishing the moratorium, and ending the mental abuse and hardship on senior plot owners. Claimed staff withheld information from council.
  • Art Ortega: Expressed support for plot owners' rights to bury loved ones, noting his family's long history at the cemetery.
  • Gary Posey: Questioned why the cemetery is managed by a contractor rather than the city, and raised concerns about water billing issues.
  • Danelle Dondelinger: Thanked the council for the June 10 listening session and requested a spousal amendment allowing burial of a spouse already interred.
  • Michael Watson: Apologized for past intensity, argued that the probability of hitting unknown graves during burials is not 100%, and called for direct dialogue and transparency regarding the FAA and SWCA reports.
  • Vicky Ewand: Reported receiving a water disconnection notice despite paying via electronic transfer, and noted a pattern of late mail delivery causing billing issues. Suggested reviewing the city's disconnection code.
  • Kathy Erickson: Expressed concerns about cemetery maintenance, sacred ground, and called for individual grave checks to prove occupancy before restricting burials.
  • Haruka Watson: Presented a map of the cemetery showing 15 open plots in one section, offering to map the entire cemetery.
  • Aaron Eckoth: Supported the dialogue and continued advocacy for plot owners.

Discussion Items

  • Cemetery Subcommittee Update: Councilor Bullier reported on the June 10 listening session (attended by nearly 100 people) and announced the next cemetery-focused meeting on June 29 at the Lafayette Library, 6-8 PM. Mayor Tapia Vega clarified that Resolution 2026-13 did not pass, and no council action on the cemetery would occur until after the June 29 meeting. Encouraged plot owners to schedule one-on-one meetings with the city.
  • Arapahoe Center Theater Rehabilitation Update: Rachel (staff) and Heather Vasquez Johnson (architect) presented the latest design. After community feedback, the addition will be placed on the west side (Gough Street) rather than the rear, preserving the historic Simpson Street entrance. The addition will be ADA-compliant with a gentle ramp, include a modular performance space, and use natural wood siding and a metal roof. The historic structure will receive repairs, including the porch column and stained glass windows. The project will go to the Historic Preservation Commission in July for a certificate of appropriateness. No action required.
  • Sustainability Department Update: Director Lizzie provided an overview of 2026 accomplishments, including new bike racks, Earth Month events (3,000+ engagements, 28,000 lbs hard-to-recycle materials collected), and the Growing Shade tree program (80 trees, 30 shrubs in a disadvantaged block). Upcoming projects include an urban tree canopy inventory, bike infrastructure improvements, a pollinator district designation, and a community resilience survey. Staff also introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, which will shift recycling costs to manufacturers and may provide reimbursement for EV trucks, outreach, and education. Council discussed potential long-term sustainability goals and integration of the climate action plan across departments.
  • Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Legal Updates: Deputy City Attorney Aaron Poe presented two legal matters.
    • Lafayette's petition for court review of an FAA flight path change (Letter to Airmen, Nov 10, 2025) is in the DC Circuit. The city hired special counsel (estimated cost $120,000-$170,000) and briefs are due July 17. An executive session will be scheduled to discuss costs and outcomes.
    • The Town of Superior and Boulder County's case against Jefferson County (airport operator) regarding touch-and-go operations was dismissed at trial, but the lead issue was remanded. Superior and Boulder County have petitioned the Colorado Supreme Court; Lafayette, Louisville, and Broomfield are joining a brief supporting review (due June 18). The outcome could clarify state court authority over airport nuisances.
  • Ordinance 13 – Fees for Sidewalk and Street Improvements (First Reading): Staff presented a new fee structure based on scope and duration of work, replacing a flat fee. Fees will range from a base of $82 to per-unit charges (e.g., $0.55/linear foot of water pipe) and weekly charges for traffic control. The ordinance is tied to the new GovBuilt permitting software. Passed first reading unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Cemetery: No action taken; next public meeting is June 29. Staff will continue one-on-one meetings with plot owners.
  • Proclamations: Adopted unanimously: America 250/Colorado 150, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Pollinator Week (June 22-28).
  • Planning Commission Appointment: Joe Schoenbeck was appointed to the planning commission for a term ending November 30, 2027, by a unanimous vote.
  • Ordinance 13 (Fees): Approved on first reading; second reading and public hearing scheduled for July 7.
  • Airport Litigation: Council will hold an executive session on the FAA petition. The city will join the amicus brief in the Superior case.
  • Sustainability: Council requested a workshop on long-term sustainability goals and integration of city plans.
  • RTD Route 228: Council directed staff to draft a letter of concern regarding the proposed closure of RTD Route 228, which serves Lafayette.
  • Water Billing: The city manager acknowledged billing issues and will review the disconnection process.

Meeting Transcript

And we'll begin with Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Tati of Eggman. Here. Mayor Pro Tem Barnes. Good evening. Counselor Bullier. Good evening. Counselor Friedland. Here. Counselor Gallegas. Good evening. Counselor Gianola. Here. Counselor Jensen. Here. Mayor, we have a quorum. Thank you so much. Tonight's first order of business, of course, is public input. However, council, I will ask, just uh try to get general consensus. Is would it be okay with you all if there's any opposition, obviously we won't. But is there any chance uh the cemetery subcommittee could have maybe five minutes up front just to give a quick update and then we'll go to public input. Right. Seeing no opposition, uh, we'll give a quick update up front. And actually, I was gonna say I go first, but I feel like I always go first when we talk about this. So let me hand it off to uh Councillor Bullier. Sure. Thank you, Mayor. Um happy Tuesday, everybody. Thank you so much for coming. Um just to the brief update. So last Wednesday, June 10th, uh, we were privileged as a city to host uh community listening session and dialogue. Uh so thank you to many of the folks in this room uh and nearly a hundred others who came out for that dialogue. So we as a city harvested dozens of questions and concerns uh that that staff are diligently working on to answer in advance of the next cemetery-focused meeting on June 29th. So at the Lafayette Library, 6 to 8 p.m. on June 29th, we will have the second meeting uh focused on the cemetery, and so we're looking forward to providing as many answers as is feasible at that time uh in order to sort of take the next step in this process uh with you. And Mayor, I'll turn back to you on the resolution. But that's my update. Amazing. Yes, thank you so much, counselor. Uh so I will echo the sentiments of Councillor Polier just thank you. Thank you for the June 10th meeting. Uh it was a meeting that was set to be informal. It was it was built and kind of formatted so it didn't feel like this. It didn't feel like a public input where you're just speaking to to council, and we're not being able to speak to you. It was meant to be a listening session and a dialogue, and we wanted your voice to be heard. We we truly, truly appreciate it. Um that was kind of the point. So we want to hear from you, want to keep hearing from you. The one thing I will say is we we had a lot of people come out and sign up for the one-on-ones. We want to make sure we keep encouraging you to sign up with one-on-ones.

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