Regional Development

Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

City of Colorado Springs

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Planning Commission

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

9:00 AM

2880 International Cir., 2nd Floor, Hearing Room

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

8 -

Present:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

2. Changes to Agenda/Postponements

3. Communications

Kenneth Casey - Planning Commission Chair

Kenneth Casey, Planning Commission Chair, said Commissioners

Sipilovic has moved out of Colorado Springs and he has resigned from the

Commission, and thanked him for his service.

Kevin Walker - Planning Director

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, thanked Commissioner Sipilovic for his

service and wished him good luck. He said there will be a replacement

after City Council’s first meeting in January.

Mr. Walker wished a happy holiday season and invited the Commissioners

to the Department Party.

Mr. Walker said all Planning items for the last City Council meeting were on

consent, and none were pulled off.

4. Approval of the Minutes

CPC 2716

4.A.

Minutes for the September 10, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting.

Presenter:

Kenneth Casey, City Planning Commission Chair

Attachments: CPC_Minutes_9.10.25 Draft

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Vice Chair Hensler, to

approve the Minutes for the September 10, 2025, Planning Commission

Meeting.

The motion passed by a vote of 6-0-2-0.

6 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Robbins, Chair

Casey, Commissioner Clements and Commissioner Gigiano

2 - Commissioner Slattery and Commissioner Willoughby

Abstain:

CPC 2719

4.B.

Minutes for the October 8, 2025, City Planning Commission meeting.

Presenter:

Kenneth Casey, City Planning Commission Chair

Attachments: CPC_Minutes_10.8.25 Draft

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Vice Chair Hensler, to

approve the Minutes for the October 8, 2025, City Planning Commission

meeting.

The motion passed by a vote of 7-0-1-0.

7 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements and

Commissioner Gigiano

1 - Commissioner Willoughby

Abstain:

CPC 2721

4.C.

Minutes for the November 12, 2025, City Planning Commission meeting.

Presenter:

Kenneth Casey, City Planning Commission Chair

Attachments: CPC_Minutes_11.12.25 Draft

Motion by Vice Chair Hensler, seconded by Commissioner Clements, that

this Minutes be accepted Approve the Minutes for the November 12,

2025, City Planning Commission meeting.

The motion passed by a vote of 3-0-5-0.

3 - Vice Chair Hensler, Chair Casey and Commissioner Clements

Aye:

5 -

Abstain:

Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery, Commissioner Robbins,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

5. Consent Calendar

Motion by Commissioner Robbins that this be accepted 5. Consent

Calendar for items 5.A and 5.B.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

Exotic Cropz LLC - Conditional Use

5.A.

CUDP-25-00 A Conditional Use to allow a retail marijuana cultivation facility in the

21 MX-M (Mixed Use Medium Scale) zone district consisting of 1.89

acres located at 1785 North Academy Boulevard.

(Quasi-Judicial)

Located in Council District 5

Presenter:

Molly O’Brien, Planner II, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Staff Report - Exotic Crops LLC_Final

Attachment 1 - Land Use Statement

Attachment 2 - Project Statement

Attachment 3 - Floor Plan

Staff Presentation - CUDP-25-0021

7.5.601 CONDITIONAL USE

Odyssey at North Weber

5.B.

URAP-25-00 Odyssey at North Weber Urban Renewal Plan.

(Legislative)

Located in Council District 5

Presenter:

Tamara Baxter, Planning Supervisor, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Staff Report_Odyssey at North Weber_TPB

Attachment 1 - Draft Urban Renewal Plan

Attachment 2 - Existing Conditions Survey

Attachment 3 - El Paso County Impact Report Draft_7-28-2025

Odyssey at North Weber presentation

6. Items Called Off Consent Calendar

Rules and Procedures

CPC 2722

5.C.

A Resolution Adopting the Rules And Procedures of the Planning

Commission of the City Of Colorado Springs, effective January 13,

2026

Presenter:

Trevor Gloss, Senior Attorney, City Attorney’s Office

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: 2026 Planning Commission Rules and Procedures Resolution

CPC Rules_12.17.2025

Rules and Procedures of City Council 03.25

Signed Resolution 01-26.pdf

Motion by Vice Chair Hensler, seconded by Commissioner Clements,

to Recommend approval to City Council of the Rule and Procedures

of the Planning Commission for the City of Colorado Springs pursuant

to City Charter 9-10 and City Code 1.2.903, as amended, and Part 5 of

the Rules and Procedures of City Council, as may be amended.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

7. Unfinished Business

8. New Business

Colorado Springs Temple Appeal

8.A.

APPL-25-00 An Appeal of the administrative approval for the Colorado Springs

Temple Development Plan consisting of 18.6 acres located at the

southwest corner of Flying Horse Club Drive and Barossa Valley

Road.

(Legislative)

Located in Council District 2

Presenter:

Tamara Baxter, Planning Supervisor, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Colorado Springs Temple Appeal_Staff Report_TPB

Attachment 1 - Neighborhood Meetings Notes

Attachment 2 - Public Comments

Attachment 3 - Applicant Responses to Publc Comments

Attachment 4 - Approved Development Plan

Attachment 5 - Development Plan Project Statement

Attachment 6 - Appeal Application

COS Temple Appeal Presentation_TPB

7.5.415 APPEALS

Chair Casey disclosed his role as the current Vice President of the Flying

Horse Homeowners Association Board of Directors. Chair Casey said he

has lived there since 2012 and was aware the land was intended for

religious use but has purposely avoided developer meetings to remain

impartial. Chair Casey said the HOA does not take public positions on

developments, and homeowner opinions vary widely. Chair Casey said he

does not know the appellant nor the applicant and only recognized two

names from the public comments submitted. Chair Casey said the

applicant states they met with Flying Horse leadership, and clarified that it

was not the HOA, but probably the developer of the neighborhood.

Tamara Baxter, Planning Supervisor, presented the appeal of an

administrative decision on November 6th, for the 18.61 acres property

located in Flying Horse, currently zoned Mixed-Use Neighborhood Scale

with United States Air Force Academy Overlay, with a proposed land use

as a religious institution. City Council approved the Flying Horse Master

Plan in October 2003, and the property was originally identified for office

and residential use at a density of 10 units per acre. In 2012, part of the site

was rezoned to OC, which transitioned to MXN in the 2023 citywide

rezoning, and religious institutions became a permitted use in both zoning

districts.

Ms. Baxter said although the appellant lives over 1,000 feet from the site,

they submitted comments during the review process, qualifying them to

appeal. The appellant raised concerns about architectural features

exceeding height limits and the lack of visual mitigation conditions. Ms.

Baxter said there is a specific exemption for religious structures, allowing

spires or towers to exceed height limits if their largest horizontal

cross-section is no more than 5% of the primary structure’s footprint. In this

case, the footprint is 33,000 square feet, permitting a spire up to 1,600

feet. The proposed steeple reaches 140.5 feet, where 45 feet would be

allowed, making the steeple 95 feet taller than the standard. Standard

notices were sent, and two neighborhood meetings were held in May and

August. Public comments focused on traffic, steeple height, compatibility,

and landscaping. Agency review was conducted, including USAFA, and

their comments were addressed. The proposal is compliant with PlanCOS

and met the review criteria.

Vice Chair Hensler asked if the 5% of 33,000 square feet was also meant

to be in square feet. Ms. Baxter said they are linear feet.

Appellant’s Presentation

Michael Kuhn, Attorney representing the property owner Jennifer Kuhn,

said the appeal concerns whether the proposed temple spire complies with

UDC which requires spires exceeding height limits to be designed or

screened to minimize visibility from nearby residential areas. He said the

appellant does not oppose the temple use or disputes the spire’s

compliance with footprint requirements, but the lack of any condition

ensuring the spire’s visibility is minimized. Mr. Kuhn said planning staff

failed to analyze or apply the relevant UDC section during approval. He

said the records show no internal discussion of the visibility requirement,

and post-approval justifications, such as lighting direction, future tree

growth, tapered design, and promises of matte finishes, were not part of

the original review and are unenforceable.

Mr. Kuhn said the code uses the word “shall” which means a binding

requirement, not optional. He said the spire has a reflective gold finish with

no conditions imposed to reduce visibility. He said the spire’s height of

140.5 feet, its color, and the 24-hour illumination maximize visibility, directly

violating the code’s intent. Mr. Kuhn said the spire’s height can be

compared to landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and airport control

towers. He said other religious spires in the city are significantly shorter

and not adjacent to residential areas. Mr. Kuhn said neutral design

standards do not constitute a substantial burden to religion and mentioned

a legal case where religious institutions accepted reduced spire heights.

He said the interpretation of the 5% footprint rule might refer to horizontal

area, not height.

Applicant’s Presentation

Caroline White, representing the applicant, said staff’s approval of the

temple project fully complies with city code, and showed the temple’s

location relative to major landmarks, including I-25, the Air Force Academy,

and the future Powers Boulevard, emphasizing that the spire is positioned

on the west side of the building, facing away from nearby homes. She said

the site was designated for religious use as early as 2012 and that this will

be the fourth temple in Colorado, serving the southern region and reducing

travel burdens for church members. Ms. White said the official development

plan includes detailed elevations and material specifications, not just the

public-facing rendering, opposed to what was suggested by the appellant.

Ms. White said staff’s analysis of the UDC is that the steeple does not

exceed the height limits allowed in the applicable table and therefore the

design/screening requirement does not apply. She said the code only

mandates screening for features that exceed both the zone height limit and

the table’s exception criteria, which the temple spire does not. Ms. White

said the church voluntarily incorporated design elements to reduce visibility:

a smaller building footprint, use of matte materials, including glass fiber

reinforced concrete and a matte finish for the steeple, and a tapered spire

design, which are documented in the official development plan. She said

screening would result in impractical and unattractive architectural

outcomes, and that no precedent exists for requiring such measures on

compliant religious structures.

Ms. White said the appeal lacks legal basis, as the modifications

requested are not supported by the Unified Development Code (UDC),

since the appellant failed to prove any error in the approval. She presented

renderings from multiple neighborhood viewpoints, including the appellant’s

residence, showing the temple’s limited visual impact. Ms. White said the

approved development plan includes substantial landscaping to further

reduce visibility and enhance neighborhood integration. She said the

project complies fully with the UDC, reflects thoughtful design, and supports

religious expression.

Public Comments

Dave Phillips, Flying Horse resident, said he lives directly across from the

temple site. He said it is a beautiful structure; however, most neighbors are

not members of the church. He said he is concerned about the temple’s

impact on the residential character of the area and mitigation measures

should be implemented. Mr. Phillips said he suggests increasing

evergreen tree coverage to provide year-round screening, as deciduous

trees lose leaves for half the year. He said lighting restrictions at night

might be needed to preserve the quiet residential atmosphere.

Nathan Wood, Flying Horse resident for over six years, spoke in opposition

and said he is also a member of the church. He said, contrary to the

appellant’s comment that the spire lacks religious purpose, spires

symbolically direct attention toward heaven and foster religious

contemplation, and represent a symbol of faith, strength and security. He

said he volunteers at the Denver Temple, and that the approval of the

Colorado Springs temple would greatly improve his and his wife's ability to

participate in religious ordinances more frequently and conveniently.

Mike Law, Flying Horse resident for over 12 years, spoke in opposition and

said religious spires, such as those at the Air Force Academy and Saint

Mary’s Cathedral, are similar in height and are inspiring symbols of faith.

He said they are important in religious expression and have value of

looking toward heaven and a higher power. He said the church has been

considerate of neighbors and has responsibly addressed their concerns.

Jon Harvey, ecclesiastical leader, spoke in opposition and said he

appreciates the appellant not being opposed to the temple, of which the

structure is well-designed, and appropriately scaled, and points them to

guide. He said it brings balance, peace and beauty to the community.

Creed Spillane, owner and operator of Quantum Residential Group and

real estate broker with long-standing ties to the Flying Horse community,

spoke in opposition and said Planning staff have been very professional.

He said the temple’s announcement has already positively impacted

property values and buyer interest. He said, based on similar outcomes in

other areas, the temple will be a valuable addition to the community.

Jodi Ellsworth, Flying Horse resident, spoke in opposition and said she

wondered what screening the steeple would entail, and she worries it could

lead to unattractive or artificial solutions. She said the temple is a beautiful

piece.

Ed Ellsworth, Flying Horse resident and commercial real estate developer,

spoke in opposition and said the proposed temple spire can be compared

to iconic structures like Saint Mary’s Cathedral and hotel brands, that show

a proportional and recognizable design. He said temples of the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traditionally include prominent spires and

the church has ensured architectural appropriateness. He said the temple

will be a beautiful and fitting addition to the community.

Steven Wells, Flying Horse resident, spoke in opposition and said the

church spent a lot of time addressing all requirements and he looks forward

to having it built in the neighborhood.

Jeff Johnson, Flying Horse resident, spoke in opposition and said he looks

forward to having this temple that will provide the members of the church

the opportunity to worship. He said it would be useful and appealing to the

community.

Kevin Woodward, Flying Horse resident, spoke in opposition and said he

serves at the Denver Temple, where there were initial concerns during its

approval process decades ago but were resolved, with the temple

ultimately benefiting its community. He said the current design of the temple

is very appropriate.

Catherine Bullock, Colorado Springs resident, spoke in opposition of the

appeal and said the temples have a big spiritual significance in her faith,

comparing them to sacred biblical structures. She said she drives an hour

weekly to worship in Littleton and was moved to tears when the Colorado

Springs temple was announced, which will be just minutes from her home.

She said there is a symbolic importance of temple architecture, including

spires that point heavenward, and said the temple’s height was already

reduced to respect neighborhood character. She said temples are

peaceful, inclusive spaces that promote moral values and unity. Ms. Bullock

said nearby structures like Topgolf have taller, unscreened features. She

said the temple shows design integrity and will embrace architectural and

religious diversity.

Airrion Willis, Colorado Springs resident, spoke in opposition of the appeal

and said the temple is of spiritual importance to his family, especially his

children. He said they feel joy and peace when seeing temple spires and

are preparing to participate in religious ordinances. He said the temple

brings comfort and beauty to the community, regardless of location.

Michael McDowell, Flying Horse resident, spoke in opposition to the

appeal and said he lives uphill from the appellant and won’t be able to see

the temple from his home. He said he is excited about the project that will

greatly reduce his and his wife’s travel time to worship. He said temples

are peaceful, beautifully landscaped spaces open to the community and

with a big symbolic value of the steeple to look upward.

Wayne Williams, former Flying Horse representative and City Council

member, spoke in opposition to the appeal and said he was part of the

body that helped approve the current code and the height screening

provision was intended for mechanical equipment like HVAC units, not

architectural features like spires. He said the UDC table explicitly allows

religious spires to exceed height limits without requiring screening, and

doing so would be absurd and contrary to the code’s intent. Mr. Williams

said staff’s approval was correct.

Shelly Edgin, 12-year resident of Flying Horse, spoke in opposition to the

appeal and said there is a spiritual and symbolic importance of the

temple’s steeple, being central to the building’s identity and purpose. She

said she has attended neighborhood meetings and reviewed the design,

which is of thoughtful architecture and in alignment with religious values.

Ms. Edgin said temples are sacred spaces for reflection and

covenant-making, not used for regular services, with a positive impact on

youth, who gain moral strength and character through temple participation.

She said the project has value to families and the broader community.

Appellant’s Rebuttal

Mr. Kuhn said he disagrees with the interpretation that design and

screening requirements only apply when a spire exceeds the exception

limits in the UDC table, as it would be illogical and inconsistent with the

code’s intent. He said even if the spire meets the table’s criteria, its

approval without visibility mitigation, given its 140.5-foot height in a

residential area, is erroneous. He said he never advocated for boxing in

the spire but emphasized that design measures like limiting nighttime

illumination or specifying non-reflective finishes could have minimized

visibility. Mr. Kuhn said there is a lack of specific conditions in the approval

and noted that comparisons to other spires are flawed due to differences in

location and regulatory context. He said the spire will be certainly visible

from the appellant’s property, contrary to what the rendering showed.

Applicant’s Rebuttal

Ms. White said the architectural review for the temple was conducted by

Classic Homes, the original developer, not the HOA. She said the steeple

complies with the UDC height table and does not exceed the allowed

maximum, making the design and screening requirements cited in the

appeal inapplicable. Ms. White said the code clearly states such

requirements only apply when a feature exceeds the height permitted in the

table, not the zone’s base height. She said, despite this, the church

proactively incorporated design elements to reduce visibility, including

slender spire architecture and matte materials. She said the Planning

Director’s approval was consistent with the code and should be upheld.

City Staff Comments

Sara Brewen, City Attorney’s Office, said the design and screening

requirements in the UDC apply when building features exceed the

maximum height allowed in the zone district, not just when they exceed the

table’s exceptions. She said interpreting the code otherwise would render

the section meaningless; therefore, the steeple should be subject to design

or screening to minimize visibility from adjacent residential areas.

Mr. Walker said Planning staff thoroughly reviewed the temple proposal,

including the height, location, and design of the steeple. He said the

steeple’s placement on the western side of the site and its impact on

nearby residential areas were carefully considered. Mr. Walker said federal

regulations and religious land use protections were considered, and that

the review appropriately balanced community impact with religious

expression.

Commissioners’ Questions

Commissioner Slattery said the Commission’s role is evaluating the

appeal based on code and facts. Commissioner Slattery said the site is

zoned for religious use and has been master planned accordingly for over

a decade. Commissioner Slattery said the spire appears to comply with

UDC requirements, including the 5% footprint rule, and is designed with

setbacks. Commissioner Slattery asked for documentation related to

lighting and materials, especially the matte finish of the spire within the

development plan and asked about the photometric plan, whether any

lighting is proposed above ground level, particularly on the spire itself. Ms.

White said the proposed lighting plan for directing lights upwards towards

the steeple is significantly reduced compared to how most temples are

normally lit. She said that information is not in the photometric plan

because the City requires information about lighting escaping from the

property.

Commissioner Willoughby asked if the lighting is compliant with the code

section that states light can go upward only if it is reflected down by a

canopy or similar structure. Daniel Sexton, Planning Manager for the Land

Use Review Division, said the development plan includes lighting details

starting on sheet 30, showing all proposed site lighting, including fixtures

attached to the structure. He said staff evaluated potential glare and

shielding requirements and all lighting was reviewed for compliance with

UDC parameters.

Commissioner Cecil asked if the applicant would be able to show a

comparison of how the lighting is regularly placed for other temples versus

this one. Ms. White said she does not have a comparison but would be

able to show how this temple would look at night.

Vice Chair Hensler said a neighboring resident had concerns regarding

the lighting schedule and the current plan indicates the spire would be

illuminated 24 hours a day. Vice Chair asked whether the applicant had

considered adjusting the lighting hours or intensity, particularly after 10:00

PM., providing a compromise with the neighbors’ concerns. Ms. White said

the image of the temple at night would show that the lighting has already

been significantly reduced.

Chair Casey asked about the dimensions of the base of the spire. Ms.

White said it tapers down from 18 feet at the bottom to three inches at the

slenderest part.

Chair Casey asked if there was a line of sight done from the whole

neighborhood or just specific points. Ms. White said just specific points,

with the intention to show how it would look like from the closest properties,

and the address provided by the appellant.

She said there was a comment about the topography locating the temple at

a higher ground and making it visible, however, it is the opposite.

Vice Chair Hensler asked if there is any excavation plan or will the temple

be built at grade. Ms. White said sheet six of the development plan

illustrates that Barossa Drive is located at the east side of the site, with an

approximate six-foot drop to the temple site. She said this elevation

difference will remain unchanged; however, the site is not leveled from

north to south, so some grading and filling will be applied to balance it in

that direction. She said the topography continues to slope downward

toward the west.

Commissioner Cecil asked if the rendering presented complies with the

section mentioned by Commissioner Willoughby. Ms. White said yes.

Ms. White said it is the intention of the applicant to use a matte finish on the

steeple, even though it might not be mentioned in the development plan.

Chair Casey asked why no off-site impact analysis was provided regarding

the spire. Ms. Baxter said pages eight and nine of the staff report show the

discussion about the height exemption and screening with landscape.

Chair Casey said during the appellant’s statement it was mentioned that

the development plan was approved without any visibility mitigation

conditions; however, the City Attorney’s Office has indicated it would be

applicable. Ms. Baxter said it would be up to the Planning Commission to

determine if they want any modification to the development plan for further

visual screening. She said she looked at the application based on the code

and determined the development plan met the criteria.

Commissioner Slattery asked if the applicant’s statement in a response

letter to public comment about using a matte finish would be enough to

uphold them to that. Ms. Brewen said the item in question is the appeal and

whether it meets the criteria, so any information not formally provided by the

City would not be binding.

Chair Casey said staff presented optional motions, one of them being to

modify it. Mr. Sexton said the Commission could uphold the approval of the

original application and request additional conditions.

Commissioner Slattery said her preference would be to have something in

writing about the finish of the steeple and she believes the lighting and

material components are compliant. Commissioner Slattery said she would

be happy to make a motion with modifications.

Commissioner Robbins said a screening of something of that height is

unreasonable. Commissioner Robbins said the lighting scenario is not

appropriate for the neighborhood and would be in violation of the code.

Commissioner Robbins said faith should come from the heart, not from a

man-made building. Commissioner Robbins said some temples that were

mentioned as examples are not located in residential areas.

Vice Chair Hensler said if screening was required for this type of structure,

their purpose might become ineffective. Vice Chair Hensler said the

steeple might seem tall, but it does meet the 5% height exception, not

being abnormally large compared to other temples where their spires are

around 70% the height of the building. Vice Chair Hensler said she would

be in support of the denial of the appeal.

Commissioner Willoughby said the UDC mentions design or screening,

and she thinks the steeple was designed to minimize the impacts, and it is

appropriate and architecturally proportionate. Commissioner Willoughby

said she would be in support of the motion that captures the finish in the

development plan.

Commissioner Cecil said she agrees with Commissioner Willoughby that

this has been designed rather than screened, which mitigates a lot of the

issues. Commissioner Cecil said she would also like to add a condition

about the top tier of the steeple not being lit to prevent intrusion into the

neighborhood. Commissioner Cecil said she recommends staff discuss

potentially clarifying this section in the code.

Chair Casey said they have heard from different Attorneys and

interpretations vary, therefore, he cannot reach the determination that the

approval of the application is contrary to the expressed language in the

code, as stated by the appellant. Chair Casey said he is in favor of the

conditions for the development plan.

Commissioner Gigiano said she agrees with Commissioner Robbins

about the lighting being problematic and not compatible with the

neighborhood.

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Commissioner Slattery,

to Deny the Appeal and modify the administrative decision, based

upon the finding that the appellant has not substantiated that the

appeal satisfies the review criteria outlined in City Code (UDC)

Section 7.5.415.A.2, with revisions to the development plan that the

facade material of the steeple shall be a non-reflective matte finish

and the top tier not be illuminated with the exception of that required

from FAA regulations.

The motion passed by a vote of 7-1-0-0.

7 -

Aye:

No:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements and

Commissioner Willoughby

1 - Commissioner Gigiano

School District 11 Palmer High School Expansion

ZONE-25-00 An Ordinance to amend the zoning map of the City of Colorado

Springs pertaining to approximately 8.27 acres located within the two

blocks bound by North Nevada Avenue, East St. Vrain Street, North

Weber Street, and East Platte Avenue from R-1 6/R-5/OR

(Single-Family - Medium, Multi-family High, and Office Residential) to

FBZ-T2A (Form-Based Zone - Transition Sector 2A). (1st Reading

and setting the public hearing date for March 10, 2026).

(Quasi-Judicial)

Related Files: ZONE-25-0026, SUBD-25-0076, LUPL-25-0012

Located in Council District 3

Presenter:

Ryan Tefertiller, Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Palmer HS CPC Staff Report 121025

Zone Ord_ZONE_25-0026

Attachment 1 - Palmer HS Project Statement

Attachment 2 - Palmer HS Zone Change Legal Description

Attachment 3 - Palmer HS Zone Change Exhibit

Attachment 4a - Boulder ROW Vacation Legal

Attachment 4b - Boulder ROW Vacation Plat

Attachment 5 - Palmer HS Land Use Plan

Attachment 6 - Zoning Map

Attachment 7 - Consolidated Stakeholder Input Palmer HS project

121525

Attachment 8 - Palmer HS Stakeholder Responses

Attachment 9 - Palmer HS Steering Committee

Attachment 10 - Palmer HS April 2025 Traffic Study

Attachment 11 – Palmer HS Traffic Study Update

7.5.704 ZONING MAP AMENDMENT (REZONING)

Palmer HS Presentation Deck CPC 121025

Applicant Presentation - Palmer High School Transformation

DRB_Minutes_11.4.25 Draft

Commissioner Hensler said she has connections to the item and the applicant.

She said her firm is working with D11 on a separate project and it does not

impact her ability to make a fair and impartial decision on the Palmer High

School application. Commissioner Hensler said she sits on the Downtown

Partnership Board of Directors, an organization that has seen presentations on

the Palmer High School proposal and has had a high level of discussion around

the project over the last few months. She said those presentations and

conversations have not constituted information beyond what has been publicly

available, nor does she feel that any of the engagements or presentations equal

an ex parte communication and that she can render an impartial and fair

decision based on the information that's being presented to me today.

Commissioner Hensler said she is also the City Planning Commission

representation liaison to the Downtown Review Board, a body that oversees the

Downtown Form Based Code and weighed in on this issue on November. 4th,

2025. Commissioner Hensler said while it rendered a decision on the item in

November, that decision does not necessarily carry forward as her decision

today. Commissioner Hensler said she will be making her decisions on these

items based on the application and the presentation that I see today.

Commissioner Slattery said her employer does business with School District

11 but is not associated in any way with the Palmer project and she sits on the

Downtown Partnership Board as a new member. Commissioner Slattery said

they have not taken a vote on this item and has only seen publicly available

information and feels that she can be fair and impartial and make decisions

based on the information at the hearing presented today.

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, presented the application for the

Palmer Highschool Redevelopment project. The site is located on the northeast

edge of downtown and covers roughly two square blocks bound by Nevada,

Platte, Weber and St. Vrain and it is just over eight acres in size. Mr. Tefertiller

said the project includes three applications: a zone change, right-of- away

vacation and a land use plan. He said the applications were submitted in order

to support the proposed renovation and significant improvements to the existing

Palmer High School campus. A key element of the project is the closure of

Boulder Street between Nevada and Weber, which would create a consolidated

campus and allow future phase improvements to span the two blocks and

those would likely include the creation of a new track and field and recreational

facility on the site.

Mr. Tefertiller said it is noteworthy to remind the Commission of the unique

situation in that this is a public school project, and public schools are granted

significant authority by the State of Colorado to advance the educational needs

and purposes of the State of Colorado's youth. He said building permits are

reviewed by Regional Building, but they do so as a State certified reviewer on

behalf of the State. He said the zoning office, which is an arm of the Planning

Department does not review building permits for public school projects.

However, the project includes a right-of-away vacation, which is City controlled

land so the School District needs full approval and support from the City,

specifically from City Council whose is the entity that has the authority to vacate

public right-of-away for the proposed project The District has worked closely

with City staff to forward the necessary entitlement applications. He said there

has been significant stakeholder involvement for this project and there has been

formal public notice on three occasions at time of submittal, prior to the

Downtown Review board meeting and prior to the Planning Commission

hearing. Around two dozen emails and letters both in support and opposition

were received. Other emails were forwarded to the Planning Commission as

well. The e-mails and communications from individuals, property owners,

residents, business owners in the area as well as several communications

from form organizations, including the Downtown Partnership, Historic Uptown

Neighborhood Association, Colorado Springs Chamber, EDC and the YMCA.

Mr. Tefertiller said in addition to the standard public notice process, the project

included several other opportunities for public participation. A steering

committee was created made up of a wide range of stakeholder groups,

numerous public open houses held at the school throughout 2025 to allow

stakeholders, interested residents, property owners to learn about the project

and influence the design and improvements that are being proposed. Meetings

were held with student groups, alumni groups, faculty and businesses. The

project was heard at the Downtown Review Board last month. Mr. Tefertiller

highlighted a few of the key issues that were raised and discussed by

stakeholders and in many events were incorporated into the project. Palmer

High School, previously known as Colorado Springs High School, is the longest

standing high school or educational institution in the city of Colorado Springs at

almost 150 years old. He said there is a very active and notable alumni

association that participated significantly in the process of developing the

project, while honoring the school's traditions.

Mr. Tefertiller said there was significant stakeholder input on the proposed

vacation of east Boulder Street, a minor arterial, which is a community asset

that people use for transportation purposes. The proposed vacation allows for

consolidate campus allowing students to have the full 8.5 plus acres to utilize

without having to cross a busy public street. The project includes a land use

plan illustrates the removal of four structures along the south side of Saint Vrain.

Stakeholder input was heard regarding the value of that historic district. District

11 and Palmer High School have promised to be incorporated and integrated

with Downtown Colorado Springs and utilize downtown businesses for job

training, internships and other types of partnerships to integrate the students

into the heart of the Downtown Urban Community. City agency review was

done, and the vast majority of the comments and technical modifications have

been resolved. Mr. Tefertiller said the majority of the discussions taking place

are with Traffic Engineering and Public Works regarding the vacation of Boulder

street. Traffic studies were done with the temporary closures of Boulder street

and largely the impacts were modest and acceptable and did not create any

failures of the intersections. He spoke on the three conditions of approval

regarding the district to coordinate with the City regarding elements related to

the Boulder vacation. He said the plan does comply with PlanCOS. Mr.

Tefertiller shared slides on the zone change, Boulder vacation, land use plan

and the application review criteria.

Commissioner Questions

Chair Casey asked if the vacation right-of-way, if approved would take place

during which phase. Mr. Tefertiller said if approved it would become effective

immediately.

Applicant’s Presentation

Chris Lieber, NES, representing the project team, presented the application for

the Palmer High School Project. Mr. Lieber said the project has been shaped

by the community for the community and they have had community meetings,

focus groups and outreach events. He said they have presented to the

Downtown Review Board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Mr.

Lieber invited Jessica Wise to talk about the vision of the project.

Jessica Wise, Executive Director of Engagement for School District 11,

presented on behalf of the school district. Ms. Wise said the original discussion

was regarding air conditioning. The current building was dedicated in 1940 and

as such does not have air conditioning. The third floor is uninhabitable due to

the extreme heat in the summer. She said the discussion pivoted quickly

because it is not a facilities issue and Palmer High School is not a typical high

school; it is a civic institution and the heart of Colorado Springs.

Ms. Wise presented slides to show original structure and the vision of the

school for today and future needs. She said they have had conversations of the

last year and a half of how they can educate students safely and successfully

having a modern downtown high school. They identified six guiding priorities

that consist of academic excellence and IB (I belong) philosophy, community

engagement, arts and cultural enrichment, athletics, health and well-being,

preservation of history and tradition and a healthy and high-performance

building. Ms. Wise said District 11 is funding the project with 100 million dollars

in the form of a COP and not through taxpayers. Ms. Wise highlighted in detail

the guiding priorities with student safety being their highest priority. She said

student safety is their imperative and importantly prioritizing safety does not

mean disengaging from downtown, it means engaging it differently. Ms. Wise

spoke in detail about the plan for the area to be a modern learning space to

include internships, working with businesses and organizations who can

support student learning.

Doug Abernethy, Principal, RTA Architects spoke about the Master Plan and

provided slides for context. The Master Plan showed the various phases for the

project and future buildings. He said the master plan still gives the ability for

pedestrian access across the campus and for bike circulation. Mr. Abernethy

said there are three key components, the Courtyard Heart project to include the

bell that the students ring for their freshman year and when they graduate.

Second, the connected campus with Boulder street and third, the multipurpose

field. He said there will be an entrance on Weber street.

Chris Lieber, NES spoke on the applications for the project, the Land Use Plan,

Re-zone and the Vacation of the Boulder street right-of-way. He said they will

be submitted a Re-plat for the property to clean up the historic land use

entitlement issues. Mr. Lieber said there were various reviews looking at the

existing Master Plans in the community. Key considerations were student and

pedestrian safety, traffic studies, parking, zoning compatibility, emergency

access, St. Vrain properties and detours during construction. Mr. Lieber

presented phases 1A, 1B and Phase 2 of the Land Use Plan. He said phase 1A

is currently economic the building and is already under construction. Phase 1B

could begin as early as 2028 or 2029 and the phase 2 timeline is not yet

determined and depends on additional funding. He showed the existing and

phased parking usages. He said today there are approximately 80 staff

members and there are 62 student passes issued and the anticipating parking

needs are about 250 spaces. He said there are additional parking spaces in the

surrounding churches and adjacent properties owners.

Mr. Lieber said the Historic Uptown Neighborhood has raised concerns about

the four buildings that were acquired recently by the district, specifically for this

project. They are located on the north end of the lot and sit just inside of the

boundaries and the Weber street and Wahsatch avenue residential district. He

said the properties are not located within a Historic Overlay District, this is

important to note as properties within the City that fall within an overlay district

are subject to the Historic Preservation Committee Authority. He said the

District has a right to relocate or remove the homes and they completed a

historic evaluation and inventory to understand the history of the buildings. The

footprint underneath the units is needed to fulfil the proposed Master Plan.

Mr. Lieber spoke on the Re-zone of the application. He said the proposed

re-zone is for an FBZ-T2A which will facilitate the design flexibility and creativity

necessary to achieve a comprehensive renovation and consolidation of the

Palmer Highschool campus. He said the FBZ zone has extensive requirements

which require appropriate building facades, streetscapes and pedestrian

improvements. Mr. Lieber spoke on the right-of-way vacation. He said the City

has consistently said yes to interrupt the grid system for three different

purposes, parks, hospitals and education. He said the early city builders saw

the value of connected campuses for Penrose Colorado College, Memorial

Hospital, School for the Deaf and Blind and prioritize those land uses over the

grid system. Mr. Lieber provided slides on other high school campuses ranging

in 24 to 50 acres. He said there have been considerations and

recommendations for traffic and the surrounding intersections continued to

function at acceptable levels of service. He said closing Boulder street and

having a connected campus would result in improved pedestrian safety. Mr.

Lieber said conversations have been had about the possibility of providing

pedestrian access through the center of the site and the district has provided a

letter of intent to the City that clearly identifies their intent to engage in that.

Mr. Lieber spoke on the review criteria for the right-of-way. He said the criteria

states that the right-of -way is no longer needed for public transportation

purposes. The traffic studies clearly indicate that the one block segment a

boulder is not necessary or requirement for vehicular circulation and they were

able to maintain acceptable level of service at intersections. He said student

safety is needed and a connected campus. He said District 11 provided a letter

of intent to follow the conditions of the approval. He said if in the future the

school is no longer there or in function, there would be an attempt to transfer the

right-of-way back to the City.

Public Comments

MJ Benenati, Director of Government Affairs, Chamber and EDC, spoke in

support of the project. Mr. Benenati said at the Chamber, they do not endorse

specific development projects, but they do speak often on the merits of

development and the merits of having a strong Downtown, which begins with

high quality education outcomes and the physical spaces that they can all be

proud of representing our city. He said the future workforce are the students at

Palmer High, D11 and all of the districts. If they do not invest in them, they will

not be ready for the careers of the future here in our own home region. He said

they must prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow and that starts with

high-quality learning facilities. This project meets the requirements for the

changes per the code and will leave a positive impact in the community for

decades. Mr. Benenati said they strongly recommend that the project moves

forward.

Austin Wilson, Director of Economic Development, Downtown Partnership and

Downtown Development Authority spoke in support of the project. He said the

partnership strongly supports the proposed development plan, including the

zone change and vacation of East Boulder between Newark and data and

Weber. The redevelopment of the historic Palmer High School building

represents a catalytic opportunity for downtown primarily to enhance the quality

of education and student life at Palmer High School, also serving to enhance

downtown appeal to future residents, improve infrastructure, enhance

streetscapes in both for safety. He said a recent Newmark study showed the

community strengths and shortcomings and the findings of the study highlighted

the need to better educate and train the students of Colorado Springs for 21st

Century workforce. The vacation of east Boulder Street between Nevada and

Weber significantly enhances on campus security and the safety for students.

The traffic study highlighted by NES analyze both existing traffic volumes and

forecasted 2030, volumes and found at the redistribution of traffic created by

this vacation does not cause significant queueing and would allow all signalized

intersections in the area to maintain acceptable levels of service. Mr. Wilson

said the partnership believes that the development plan is complementary to the

surrounding uses, and the neighborhood considers the existing historic

buildings and conditions while still creating modern, world class academic

center. The plan also enhances the public pedestrian experience with the

coordinated streetscape plan and upgrades to the pedestrian realm. The

development plan will enhance Downtown's appeal to young professionals and

families as they continue to invest in and build out our residential portfolio and

provide other catalytic opportunities at adjacent sites in areas and you need to

further investment in Downtown. He said they strongly endorse the development

plan and welcome investment in Downtown's educational resources and built

environment.

Daniel Way, resident of the Middle Shooks Run Neighborhood, spoke in support

of the project. Mr. Way said he supports the investment in Palmer High School,

and the plan will strengthen downtown and his neighborhood. He said the100

million-dollar investment will modernize Palmer High School regardless of

today's outcome. He said if Boulder street is vacated, to include an enforceable

condition requiring a permanent, non-exclusive public pedestrian easement or

equivalent instrument through the campus. He said the condition supports the

intent of the UDC and preserves the integrity of the Downtown pedestrian

network and the long-term public interest. Mr. Way said that Boulder street is

still needed for public transportation as it is a part of the downtown grid network.

He said the historic block rhythm has guided 150 years of downtown

development, and it is foundational to urban legibility and vitality. Comparable

institutions in the same urban contexts show that unified campuses public and

public connectivity are not contradictory. He said Colorado College preserves

public walkways through their campus. North Middle School maintains public

access across its grounds. Even Weidner field at City Gate retained pedestrian

movement through vacated right-of-way. Mr. Way said the local presidents

demonstrate the community share value of maintaining pedestrian access

within significant institutional civic projects. He said the only element of Palmer's

proposal that requires full right of way vacation is to build a 400-meter practice

track. He said Palmer already has access to the regulation track at Garry Berry

Stadium and they plan to retain Erbs field. Mr. Way said all this can be

achieved with a public pedestrian only Boulder street. Finally, the elevate

downtown plan identifies Boulder Street as an activity street intended to

enhance the petition experience a mid-block pedestrian easement is fully align

with the designation and with the mobility placemaking and connectivity goals of

the downtown master plan.

Celeste Martin, a resident of the area, spoke in support of the project. Ms.

Martin said she supports the closure due to traffic, student safety, carpool lane

limitations, and security in the event of an emergency. She said the future of

Palmer Highschool has a unique IB program, dedicated staff and faculty and the

facility should reflect dedication and vision for the future. She said they have a

unique opportunity to elevate the campus and provide space to accommodate a

growing population. Combining the properties will give the campus a presence

in the community. Ms. Martin said this will provide new opportunities both for the

school and the community to host gatherings and events as well as provide

flexibility to adapt to future needs. The long-term benefits to the closure of the

section of Boulder street will serve the school, the students and community very

well.

Dennis Moore, Lead Security at Palmer High School, spoke in support of the

project. Mr. Moore said he has been at Palmer Highschool for 20 years. He

said closing Boulder street would definitely benefit his job, his team, the school

and the students. He said it is very unsafe traveling on foot Downtown, and they

have roughly 1200-1500 kids out and about all day. Mr. Moore has seen

students and teachers get hit and if Boulder went away that would help with

safety and security.

Eva Tappitake, Sophomore and Vice-president of Student Council at Palmer

Highschool spoke in support of the project. Ms. Tappitake said she is a student

athlete and runs varsity track and cross country. She said closing Boulder

street opens up many possibilities to improve the athletic facilities as Palmer

does not have a standard track and field. She said the track and field team has

to commute to Garry Berry Stadium as well as track, lacrosse, soccer and the

softball team are not able to practice on the Palmer campus, and they have to

travel to UCCS. She said other D11 students do not need to travel and have

facilities on campus. She said Palmer Highschool has a long legacy of athletic

and academic success and closing Boulder street would provide a great

opportunity to give Palmer the new athletic facilities that future students.

Willa Kalmanowitz, Sophomore and Treasurer of the Student Council and

Editor of the school newspaper at Palmer Highschool spoke in support of the

project. Ms. Kalmanowitz said she is in support of the closure of Boulder street

as it will make the school safer for the students. She said because they are

downtown, safety should be a higher priority than other schools in residential

areas due to the many extra risks. She said they have four times the number of

lockdowns as other high schools simply due to the location. She said due to

the separation of the buildings their safety is worse than other schools. Ms.

Kalmanowitz said closing Boulder street will make prioritizing safety easier and

more efficient as it is easier and faster to lock down the connected building

rather than multiple buildings. She said having multiple buildings adds additional

pressure on administration and security when a situation requires their

assistance. She said students might get stuck in the gym or miss class as

they cannot leave the building if there is a security matter outside. She said

being Downtown, they should embrace their location, but also make sure the

school is not interrupted or distrusted as the two should be able to coexist

without sacrificing education inconvenience for students.

Brooklyn Barnett, Sophomore and Student Council representative at Palmer

High School, spoke in support of the project. Ms. Barnett said she is in support

of closing Boulder street due to pedestrian safety. She said there are many

risks while walking out of the gym and crossing the streets, drivers are often not

cognizant to the students crossing the roads and have come close to hitting

students. She said there is often unhoused population lining the path students

take to get to class. Ms. Barnett said by connecting the athletic facilities, it would

make it easier to monitor students leaving campus. She said walking out to the

gym takes time out of class, and bringing the athletic facilities up to the main

building and closing Boulder street would take less time out of learning.

Avani Stack, Junior, Varsity Softball Captain and Student Council member at

Palmer Highschool spoke in support of the project. Ms. Stack said she is in

support of the Boulder street closure as having a closed campus opens more

opportunities for community. She said because the campus is so spread out,

most of the students are too focused on being able to get from point A to Point

B in a timely manner. She said with a closed campus, students can focus more

on the people around them. Closing Boulder street opens up a large area that

can be used for multiple different community activities such as sports spaces,

potential outdoor learning environments, social spots for lunch or free periods.

It will benefit the average student and the athletes and bring them closer

together. The sports community can focus less on navigating to different parts

of the City and feel at home in Palmer's own sports facilities.

Judy Owsley, President of the CHSH partner Alumni Association, spoke in

support. Ms. Owsley said she has been involved in the Palmer renovation

projects since very early in the process. She said she was impressed with the

systematic and thorough way that the design team dedicated a full year to

collecting vast amounts of information from alumni, students, parents, staff of

the school, neighboring business owners and any citizen who was interested.

She said the leaders of the design team spoke at the meetings of the alumni

association, showed plans, explained the process and answered questions.

Ms. Owsley said the most concern for the alumni is the preservation of the

historical character of the school. It has been a fixture in Colorado Springs for

150 years. She said the design team has made sure that the most cherished

pieces of their history will be maintained. One potentially positive aspect is that

the campus will become safer as students will no longer need to cross two

busy streets to get to the gym and the small practice field that has a square

track. Palmer will have a full-size track and field for practice gym classes and

the full range of sporting events. Ms. Owsley said they are located right in the

heart of the Colorado Springs Downtown community, and the updated Palmer

High School will enhance the Downtown Master Plan, and the students will

continue to benefit.

Krista Burke, Principal at Palmer Highschool spoke in support of the project.

Ms. Burke said Palmer High School is an IB world school where the community

of lifelong learners who thrive, cultivate opportunities and diverse perspectives

through applied innovative learning in the heart of Downtown Colorado Springs.

She said she supports the right-of-way vacation at Boulder street and the Land

Use Plan. She the decision is far more than a facilities change. It is a critical

investment in student safety, campus cohesion in the long-term success of

Palmer Highschool. Ms. Burke said safety must always come first and

hundreds of students currently walk over a city block and two busy streets to

get to their PE, health classes, assemblies and athletic practices outside of

school hours. She said closing Boulder street would eliminate some concerns

for safety, giving them a secure unified campus where learning can happen

without the constant concern of navigating active traffic. She said connecting

two of the City blocks will allow them to reimagine how the campus can serve

students by creating outdoor learning areas, collaborative spaces and

environments that support the kind of increase based hands-on learning that

defines the IB experience. Ms. Burke said those spaces will help students think

creatively, work together and engage more deeply with their education. A unified

campus will strengthen the school culture when students can move freely and

safely between buildings, they feel more connected to each other to their

academics, to their teachers and the programs that make up our unique. She

said clubs, athletics, arts and academic teams will be able to have easier

access to shared resources, encouraging collaboration and inclusivity across

the school. They emphasize global perspectives, interdisciplinary learning and

community engagement. A connected campus gives them the flexibility to host

exhibitions service projects and events that reflect these values. It also

enhances their ability to partner with organizations throughout Downtown

Colorado Springs. The closer of Boulder street will allow them to create a safer,

more collaborative and more innovative learning environment that aligns with

who they are and who they aspire to be.

Written public comments were distributed to the Commissioner from Mike

McMiernan as he was unable to stay for the duration of the meeting.

Ron Elstun, a graduate from Palmer High School in 1970, spoke in support of

the project. Mr. Elstun said he is in favor of the Boulder street closure and

would like to see a new track be added. He said several family members went

to Palmer Highschool that would benefit from the remodel.

Mariah Osborn, a resident of the area, spoke in opposition to the project. Ms.

Osborn said she is a former teacher and parent of a high schooler and is

opposition of phases 1B and 2. She said the project team says that this

renovation prioritizes investing in education, however the renovations do not fully

meet that goal. Ms. Osborn said she strongly supports evidence-based

investment and educational improvements at Palmer and believes the campus

changes are at the expense of public streets and historic homes. None of the

changes will invest evidence-based improvements as students face education

by increasing teacher salaries, student support educational materials, family

engagement, mental health resources or decreasing poverty. She said the

project team has not involved the concerns of neighbors or nearby businesses

outside of the minimum required radius. Three national registered historic

homes on St. Vrain are in the Weber-Wasatch Historic District and are slated

for demolition in December 2025. She said D11 spent millions purchasing the

homes after threatening the owners with eminent domain and they forced out

tenants whose leases had terminated during the holidays without relocation

support when there is a housing shortage and volatile economy. Ms. Osborn

said she is asking for the board to hold until an independently funded

preservation alternatives report and mitigation plan are completed and made

public and stakeholders have had a chance to review and respond. She said

the traffic study that D11 privately funded is a major conflict of interest. She said

Boulder street was built and maintained by taxpayers and asked how the

taxpayers will be compensated for the handover Boulder street to D11. Ms.

Osborn said it is a main thoroughfare for emergency responses, and they have

been pushed into the neighborhood. This has resulted in her quality of sleep,

safety and daily living being affected. She asked for an independent traffic and

emergency access study to be done to include the Memorial Central’s

Emergency response teams and taxpayers’ involvement.

Cheryl Brown, President of the Historic Uptown Neighborhood, spoke in

opposition of the project. Ms. Brown said the re-zone is not necessary as all

schools in Colorado Springs are residential. State law exempts schools from

local zoning requirements so there is no need to change the zoning. She said

the district could keep the site residential without altering the plans and

maintaining residential zoning is more compatible with the adjacent residential

neighborhood. Ms. Brown said this could set a precedent for future commercial

encroachment, putting pressure on the National Register Historic District

neighborhood over time. She said the vacation of Boulder street is an important

public east-west corridor between the neighborhoods and provides safer, more

predictable traffic flow. Platte Avenue is less suitable for drivers turning left on

Nevada, forcing them to use un-signalized intersections. Ms. Brown said they

must weigh in on how many students will benefit from a proposed practice track

against how many citizens rely on the roadway every single day. The number of

daily commuters, emergency vehicles, neighborhood residents and local

businesses affected by this close or far exceeds the number of individuals who

would use a practice track. Ms. Brown said D11 wants to destroy the houses

near Palmer as D11 is not in the business of rental homes, but District 2 is. She

said D2 has homes that house 10-20 people and destroying the homes takes

away the opportunity to offer affordable housing for their teachers.

Jeff Hodges, a resident of the area, spoke in opposition to the project. Mr.

Hodges said the non-signalized intersection has experienced two traffic

fatalities in the last three years and numerous major accidents. He said the two

intersections east are also non signalized and urged a professional non-biased

traffic study be done before increasing the stress on the vulnerable

intersections. He said student safety is important, but the safety of the entire

neighborhood needs to be examined. He said the closure of Boulder is primarily

for athletic facilities and adds extreme of stress on intersections that are already

experiencing traffic fatalities and major accidents.

Tim Scanlon, a City resident, previously worked in the City's comprehensive

plan division a historian, spoke in opposition to the project. Mr. Scanlon said

both his children graduated from Palmer and he fully supports phase 1A and

Palmer Highschool has embarked on an ambitious effort to transform an aging

and increasingly obsolete facility into something that is a model for learning for

the next 50 years and beyond. He said he is unhappy with phase 1B, specifically

Boulder street and the elimination of three residences in the National Registered

Historic District. Mr. Scanlon said the National Register is America's official list

of historic places determined to worthy of preservation. He said the

Weber-Wasatch listed in August 1985 remains uniquely significant as it is the

best intact, middle-class residential neighborhood in the City as noted is the

uniformity of scale density and placement, which gives the district the visual

cohesiveness. He said removing these buildings opens a wide gap in the

southern boundary and the potential effects of form base owning on

Weber-Wasatch we should encourage re-investment of the historic districts,

not the development or clearance. He said the school district owns this building

and they will ultimately decide their fate. Mr. Scanlon said his second concern

in the street vacation of Boulder. He said use of the space as an athletic track

which is a dramatic change in access and appearance, narrowing general

municipal use to educational use. He said phase 1A is intended to rehab

Palmer for another 50-75 years but asked what happens after that as

right-of-way vacation is permanent. Mr. Scanlon said Boulder is essential and

he opposes the vacation or Boulder could close and retain the right-of-way or an

interim use agreement between the City and the school district could be

negotiated.

Applicant’s Rebuttal

Mr. Lieber said he addressed several of the items during the presentation;

however, he emphasized that the traffic studies were done by FHU and

thoroughly reviewed by City Engineering. He said there were many

conversations with City staff to evaluate quality and integrity of the intersections.

Mr. Lieber said the school district and has provided a letter of intent that will

ultimately become an IGA and will identify the method and means by which if the

school district should not need the right-of-way in the future there would be an

avenue for that right of way to be restored. He said from a safety perspective,

there are shared values around being able to provide pedestrian access and

that form of transportation through the corridor could be accommodated while

still maintaining public safety. Mr. Lieber said the evaluation of the buildings in

the Weber-Wasatch area has indicated, independently, none of the buildings

and structures on their own would qualify for the National Historic Registry that

the value is overall in the Weber-Wasatch district. He said the reason for the

removal of the homes goes well beyond the suggestion of it just to support the

practice track.

Commissioners’ Comments

Chair Casey thanked the public and the students for making comments on the

item. Chair Casey said the City Attorney’s office had comments.

Sara Brewen, City Attorney’s office, said there is clarification needed regarding

what can legally be included in the IGA. She said there has been a proposal to

include a reverter clause and that is not legally possible. She said with an IGA,

they could agree to allow the district to use the property for a particular period of

time. Once a vacation is approved, it becomes private property. Therefore, it

becomes the property of the district in the IGA is not the vehicle through which

they can agree to give back the property. Ms. Brewen said an IGA would not be

able to include a requirement that could gift it back or sell it back to the City.

She said they can recommend conditions to City Council on the vacation that

are legally permissible.

Chair Casey said there can be conservation easements where property is

allowed to be used for something else and if no longer has that use it is allowed

to come back and asked if that was applicable in this instance. Ms. Brewen

said no, a conservation easement would have to be addressed separately and

in this case is the application is to vacate the street, which means the City

would relinquish its ownership of the right-of-away and it would become private

property of District 11.

Commissioner Slattery asked if condition 3 of the proposed motions would not

hold up as a valid condition should probably not be considered by the board to

put into our motion. Ms. Brewen said it cannot be a part of an IGA, the IGA

agreement cannot contain that term. Ms. Brewen said language could be used

in the IGA granting authorization to use the property for specific period of time,

however, because there is a real estate interest that is being passed through

the approval of the vacation making it private property, they cannot force district

11 through an IGA agreement to give it back to the City. Commissioner Slattery

asked if an IGA could enforce public pedestrian or bicycle access through a

property where the right-of-way vacation has been granted. Ms. Brewen said

yes, there could be an agreement between the parties to create a public egress,

but that would be over private property.

Chair Casey asked if it would be similar to a utility easement for pedestrians.

Ms. Brewen said it operates similarly.

Commissioner Cecil asked why a skyway or aerial walkway was not considered

as it might make it easier to secure and address the traffic concerns. Mr.

Abernethy said they did look at an overhead pedestrian condition over the top of

the right-of-away, however as the program evolved and the feedback from the

community, it became apparent that there are other multiple uses that need to

be addressed on the consolidated campus. He said by elevating the walkway a

lot of cities have started to go away from those because having less

pedestrians on the streetscape erodes public safety. He said there is about

60,000 feet of programs that are going to be executed in phase 2. There is an

instructional need for the closure of Boulder for phase 2 which will have 1100

students moving back and forth between phase 1 and phase 2 building. He said

one of the concepts that is used in urban planning and the design of the school

is called crime prevention through environmental design. This establishes

perimeters of security in the building where the first perimeters is the block itself

and then pedestrian access. He said the way the building is designed, they have

the ability to compartmentalize the building down. Commissioner Cecil said she

has been in other cities with a mega block, creating new defense ability

concerns when it comes to a lockdown situation and the ability for the whole

campus to be shut down and asked if someone could speak to the emergency

response. Mr. Abernethy said they worked with district security and first

responders about access through the courtyard and the vacated right-of- away

to provide access for both fire and first responders on the campus.

Commissioner Cecil asked how they will be able to drive up to the area. Mr.

Abernethy said there is a protocol in place that the district works with first

responders both internally with their security team and externally with the Fire

Department and the Police to respond to events on campus.

Commissioner Willoughby asked if they could speak on the recommendations

of the traffic study. Lyle DeVries, Principal, Felsburg, Holt and Ullevig (FHU),

said there is a change to the patterns that would increase some of the turning

movements at the Platte and Nevada intersection. He said Platte avenue could

function with the reduced number of travel lanes if that intersection were to

remain signalized. He said if there was still an interest in making it a

roundabout, that would put some constraints on Platte avenue travel lanes.

Commissioner Slattery asked about the parking needs from the athletic facilities

coming on site and are they for practice, competition and community members

at the location. Commissioner asked what the vision is for Erbs field.

Commissioner Slattery asked about public access, pedestrian and bicycle if it

will remain on campus and how that would function as a cohesive pedestrian

friendly, cohabitation. Mr. Lieber said the majority of the onsite parking today

occurs on the north end of the site. He said with phase 1A the existing parking

largely remains as it is now. He said phase 1B would relocate a significant

amount of the parking to the north. Mr. Lieber spoke on the slides pertaining to

parking. He said in phase 2, the athletic facility would come online and there is

a significant amount of available space within a two-block radius. He said there

is intent to enter into agreements that would allow for additional parking in

surrounding churches and businesses. He said they spoke with City parking

enterprise, and their suggestion was to look at this from an incremental

approach. Mr. Lieber suggested if it would make sense for this part of

downtown to invest in public parking garage. Their response was perhaps

someday, but they are nowhere near that kind of demand. He said they are

maximizing their parking with phase 1B.

Commissioner Slattery asked if the demand from the education institution would

be more on weekdays and Saturdays and if that is factored into the parking

assessment. Mr. Lieber said yes. He said that the district has been clear that

there is no intent for the multi-use field and track to replace Garry Berry and it

will not be built with extensive stands.

Commissioner Cecil asked Mr. Lieber to explain whether or not the district has

an obligation to provide secures parking facilities to students or for their staff.

Mr. Lieber said he would defer to the district, but they do a permit parking

program to ensure specific spaces for students, teachers and staff.

Chair Casey asked if the current parking areas have security, cameras or

lighting. Dennis Moore, security lead at Palmer Highschool said yes, there are

camera in the parking lots and they are monitored 24/7. Chair Casey asked if

that is a requirement from District 11. Mr. Moore said it is not a requirement.

Commissioner Slattery said they need to address Erbs field and the future of

pedestrian and bicycle access. Mr. Abernethy said there a couple of

components that are being displaced through the master plan. He said public

access across the property would be signed appropriately in order for

pedestrians to go through or use the property. He said when schools are not in

session, before after school and in the summertime, there would be easy

access through that. The district would maintain that property but would be

access and appropriate signage for them to circulate through the property and

pedestrian and bike.

Commissioner Slattery asked how that would work while school is in session.

Mr. Abernethy that is where some nuances would need to be worked out.

Chair Casey asked if they envision gates. Mr. Abernethy said if they go into

lockdown they envision a vehicular barrier so that only first responders that

were getting onto the property. He said in the event of a full lockdown they

would need gates on the site at the full build secure the whole campus,

however, that it is down the road on phase 2 and is not contemplated until

additional funding is available. Chair Casey said if there is a lot of pedestrian

access, people are going to stop, and how do they envision the security

protocols to work. Mr. Abernethy said security protocols go into place for the

district's security where they sweep the building, go into lockdown, identify the

threat and the security team would clear the pedestrians and lock the building

down.

Ms. Wise said regarding Erbs field, if the plan gets to the phase where they are

discussing a baseball diamond on the property, it would be the very last part of

the plan, secondly, it would not be for daily activities. She said the gym and

track are used most often by students traveling all day throughout the day.

Every student has a period of health classes, PE classes and other random

classes down at Erbs field, that traffic would move up to the connected

campus. A potential baseball diamond would be for a very limited number

students and only for after-school activities. Ms. Wise said they are still in

discussions about pedestrian access.

Commissioner Willoughby asked about the Historic Preservation component

saying that the houses are not listed specifically on the historic register,

however the Weber-Wasatch Historic District is on the register and asked if the

Planning Department could explain the nuance of that. Mr. Tefertiller said there

are multiple levels of historic recognition at the State and Federal level and

individual properties, structures, even pieces of infrastructure can be individually

recognized on the Federal or State Register as historic elements. He said these

three homes as individual structures have not been registered on either the

State or Federal register. They are a part of the Weber-Wasatch Historic

District which is comprised of a couple of hundred homes and around 10

blocks. He said the homes in that geographic area together represent a point in

time, type of architecture, certain level of maintenance and preservation that

together as a district have been included on the National Register. Mr. Tefertiller

said it is separate from the City of Colorado Springs, Historic Preservation

overlay, which is a zoning designation that is applied to neighborhoods,

specifically the Old North End Neighborhood as well as to individual properties.

He said anything with the Historic Preservation Overlay has an additional level of

process, requirements and standards to demolish a building, build additions, or

significantly modify a building. If there is a Historic Preservation Overlay, it

requires a public hearing at the historic Preservation Board where they evaluate

that request based on a wide range of its criteria and standards.

Commissioner Cecil asked for an explanation on how the leases for those

homes were terminated. Ms. Wise said the information being discussed is on

the Palmer home renovation website and said the district acquired the homes in

April and June of 2025 and had a very clear conversation with the tenants of

those buildings that they would allow them to see out the rest of their leases.

She said most of the leases will expire on December 31st and they have a few

that may extend past that time. She said they have not received any negative

responses to the termination of the leases. Ms. Wise corrected a statement

made by Ms. Osborne that the district does not have a scheduled demolition

date of the homes and in fact, a report states that they are still in conversation

to see what the potential options for the homes, or a relocation process.

Commissioner Cecil asked if they mean physically relocating someone. Ms.

Wise said no, they mean the whole home. She said the district has been very

transparent that they are not interested in making any profit from the homes and

whomever is interested may have these homes for a dollar to move them to

another part of the neighborhood. Commissioner Cecil said affordability is

crucial and downtown is only getting more expensive.

Commissioner Hensler asked if funding does not occur for some of the future

phases, does the vacation of Nevada go by the wayside and would they revisit

the idea of a bridge or other use. Todd Frisbie, City Traffic Engineering said

they did receive a traffic study, reviewed it and worked with the applicant on the

contents of the study, and they were satisfied with it. Commissioner Hensler

asked about the impacts on traffic from eliminating kids from Platte going down

to Erbs field. Mr. Frisbie said one of the critical intersections for safety is Platte

and Wasatch and some drivers are not paying attention and if they can remove

some of the daily need of students or any pedestrian having to cross at that

intersection, they can reduce your risk and have improved safety.

Commissioner Hensler said if Boulder Street vacation is not approved then

what does that do to the plan and how does it effect the future phases. Brandon

Comfort, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer said he will not

obligate their board of education and how they will spend funding, however, they

will be providing adequate funding to fund phase 1B when it becomes available.

He said phase 2 will require the will of the voters.

Mr. Tefertiller said he and City Attorney Sara Brewen were reviewing condition 3

on the right-of-way vacation. He said an IGA is not absolutely certain and the

conditions of approval are intentionally to discuss an agreement between the

City and the School District. He said they are negotiating and working through a

letter of intent to understand the details in the agreement. He said the intent is

to have an agreement in place where the District agrees to offer what used to

be Bolder right-of-away back to the City if Palmer no longer exists in the future.

Mr. Tefertiller said condition number three is still applicable.

Commissioner Cecil said one of the public speakers mentions that many of the

schools are in residential zones and suggested that the zoning change was not

necessary and asked if this could be explained. Mr. Tefertiller said the

comment was made that no other High schools or Middle schools in the City

use anything other than residential zone districts and that is false. He said a

number of schools are A zone, agricultural zone and there are others that are in

commercial or industrial zone districts. He said when they began discussions

with the School District, it became obvious that a zone change was necessary

and that is because they hope to submit a subdivision plat to create one lot for

the entire campus as one platted lot cannot have multiple zone districts. He said

there are a range of considerations and use what uses are allowed in the zone

districts, the development standards like setbacks, building height and lot

coverage. The development standards associated with the transition sector of

the form-based codes are quite reasonable and support what the school is

trying to do as far as their density, height and scale. They also have standards

for public space, frontage design, etcetera that create an interesting and

pedestrian-friendly environment. The district and staff agree that the form-based

zone was the appropriate zone district for the property.

Chair Casey said there was a public comment whether that would invite or

allow for commercial use or if the school wanted to use it for other uses and

asked if there are other uses by right in the zone. Mr. Tefertiller said form-based

on is intentionally a mixed-use zone and the form-based zone allows a wide

range of commercial, civic, entertainment, residential office uses all within the

zone. He said 75-100 years from now, should the school district sell the

property, it would still have the form-based zone, and a range of uses could

occupy the buildings or establish new buildings on the site, according to the

form-based zone. He said this is an urban environment and they are looking as

a transition into the adjacent residential areas. Mr. Tefertiller said phase 2 of the

plan calls for an athletic recreation type building on the north part of the site and

there has been dialogue with service providers like the YMCA or other

recreational entities that may be co-located on the site within the same buildings

there together. He said there could be other uses on the 8.2 acres that are not

just for D11 Palmer, there could be a partnership with other non-district users.

Commissioner Slattery asked if the PPA, RTA funded Platte Avenue

improvements been scheduled and asked if that was a fair condition of approval

to put on the district if their plan is to move forward with a track and field and

make safety happen earlier. Mr. Frisbee said Platt Avenue project is a10 year

program and they should start to see construction in 2030 or 2031.

Commissioner Slattery asked if the application was approved today, would the

design phase for 2030 adjust to incorporate the Boulder street closure and

would it be detrimental to the success of Platte Avenue’s reconstruction. Mr.

Frisbee said the Boulder street close would not change their plan. The program

is funded pay as you go. Commissioner Slattery said given what they have

heard today about intentions on schedule and the completion of the track and

field portion 1B being completed prior to the Platte Avenue reconstruction, would

the design phase incorporate other solutions for interim detours. Mr. Frisbee

said they do not know what the conditions will be like in the future, but they

would address the need for detours at the time of construction.

Chair Casey asked if it is possible that condition number two might not be

feasible. Mr. Frisbee said that it is possible.

Commissioner Hensler said requesting collaboration is an unenforceable

condition and in their experience, they should not be making decisions about

items in front of them based on things that are proposed and undefined in the

future. Mr. Tefertiller said the condition is intentionally vague and does not apply

only to the Boulder right-of-way between Weber and Nevada. He said there

may be other pieces of District owned property in the area of the Platte

improvement project that could be beneficial to the City's project.

Commissioner Slattery said it is a condition of approval on the vacation right

away and it is requesting public egress during construction.

Chair Casey said the language for condition number two is different that then

other motions.

Commissioner Hensler said their purview is to focus on Boulder street and

does it meet the criteria.

Commissioner Willoughby asked if “collaborate” is language that can hold up

because “collaborate” is a vague term. Ms. Brewen said for the purposes of an

IGA, the City can enter into an agreement to collaborate, but “collaborate” is

subjective.

Commissioner Slattery said regarding the zone change and form-base zone,

she finds it to be compatible and is in support of the zone change. She said it

offers an urban style that will enhance and connect Palmer High School and the

academic campus to the urban environment. Commissioner Slattery said

regarding the right-of-way, pedestrian safety, creating a cohesive campus

community asset and taking vehicular traffic outside of the campus will

outweigh people discovering new routes of traffic. Commissioner Slattery said

the language on the conditions of approval where the agreement between the

City and D11 shall require D11 to allow public egress over the property if the

space is not used for construction or permanent school district activities does

not feel like the right language. Commissioner Slattery said allowing access for

other people to enter into a school district campus is not safe. Commissioner

Slattery proposed changing the conditions of approval to allow public access

when classes are not in session or where it is compatible with student safety.

Commissioner Slattery said the requests for PPA/RTA egress do not make

sense with the timelines and proposed to strike the condition. Commissioner

Slattery said she is ok with leaving in the ownership of the right-of-way in

condition number three. Commissioner Slattery said the land use plan is good.

Commissioner Hensler said significant change comes with significant

discomfort and said she cannot get over the discomfort she feel when she sees

teens with undeveloped prefrontal cortex walking the streets downtown to get to

their classes at Erbs field in contrast to closing one small section of one street

that will greatly increase safety security and educational accessibility for those

very same students. Commissioner Hensler said the team has shown a lot of

ingenuity and innovation trying to get this done. She said for a Downtown Urban

Campus, the form-based zoning really applies and makes the most sense and

unifying all the lots. Commissioner Hensler said she is not in favor of allowing

pedestrian access to a school campus in an era where school shootings and

violence continue to occur in our country. Commissioner Hensler said it makes

the most sense to close the campus to allow for the vacation and allow the

campus to be closed and to enhance security through that. Commissioner

Hensler said she is not concerned about condition number three and is ok with

leaving it as written and is in favor of the land use plan as shown.

Commissioner Gigiano said she agrees with the other Commissioners about

pedestrian access and said that there are safety concerns on both sides but

making it a closed campus is safer without pedestrian access.

Commissioner Robbins said he agrees and there should not be access to the

public and closing Boulder will make safety easier to handle and this is a great

thing for the City of Colorado Springs.

Commissioner Cecil said she agrees and unifying the parcels makes total

sense to change this form-based and my opinion rather than leaving it

residential to deal with all the setback issues. Commissioner Cecil said she is

a bit hesitant about the vacation, but she does like the land use plan.

Commissioner Cecil said she enjoys diversity and configurations of streets, and

it feel like this promotes the sort of variation of what PlanCOS envisions,

however, it can cause trouble as each of the prior commentors brought up.

Commissioner Cecil said there is not another way to achieve the size of track

without approving the vacation and overall, the land use plan makes a lot of

sense. Commissioner Cecil said she will be voting in favor and striking out the

second recommended condition.

Commissioner Willoughby said she is in favor of what the other commissioners

have said and is not concerned about going to form-based code and inviting

commercial establishments as the school has been around 150 years.

Commissioner Willoughby said regarding the Historic Preservation it is always

a bummer to see historic houses go away but does not think it is compromising

the integrity of that historic district. Commissioner Willoughby said she is in

favor of the comments from Commissioner Slattery said regarding pedestrian

access.

Commissioner Slattery said that integration of school and community is so

important and saying that nobody can use it any point would be detrimental and

there should be an agreement about hours of usage and would like to think that

it is the intention of the district to allow community access because it is best

thing for the community and the district. Commissioner Slattery asked the

Commissioners if they would like see an agreement between the City and the

School District to allow public access and does that need to be a condition of

the right-of-way vacation approval.

Chair Casey said the applications for the zone change, land use plan and public

vacation right-of-way criteria are all met. Chair Casey said he agrees with

Commissioner Slattery.

Commissioner Robbins said he does not agree with the public access of the

space after hours and should not be accessed for homeless to camp out

overnight as it is a campus for the students and families.

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Commissioner Slattery,

to Recommend approval to City Council the Zoning Map Amendment

of 8.27 acres for the two blocks bound by N. Nevada Ave, E. St. Vrain

St., N. Weber St., and E. Platte Ave. from R-1 6/R-5/OR (Single-Family -

Medium, Multi-family High, and Office Residential) to FBZ-T2A

(Form-Based Zone - Transition Sector 2A) based on the findings that

the change of zone criteria in Section 7.5.704.D. of City Code are met.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

8.C.

SUBD-25-00 An Ordinance vacating a portion of the public right-of-way known as

East Boulder Street consisting of approximately 0.92 acres located

between N. Nevada Ave. and N. Weber St. (1st Reading only to set

the public hearing date for March 10, 2026).

(Quasi-Judicial)

Related Files: ZONE-25-0026, SUBD-25-0076, LUPL-25-0012

Located in Council District 3

Presenter:

Ryan Tefertiller, Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: ORD_VacationROW_East Boulder Street

7.5.522 VACATION PLAT

Exhibit A - Boulder ROW Vacation Legal

Exhibit B - Boulder ROW Vacation Plat

Motion by Commissioner Slattery, seconded by Commissioner Cecil,

to Recommend approval to City Council the vacation of public

right-of-way known as East Boulder Street consisting of

approximately 0.92 acres located between N. Nevada Ave. and N.

Weber St. based on the findings that the vacation criteria in Section

7.5.522.C.5.b. of City Code are met provided the following Conditions

of Approval are applied:

Conditions of Approval:

1. An agreement between the City of Colorado Springs and School

District 11 shall be entered into that requires School District 11 to

allow public pedestrian and non-vehicular access over the property

during off-school hours where the school safety is not compromised.

2. An agreement between the City of Colorado Springs and School

District 11 shall be entered into that requires School District 11 to

return ownership to the City of Colorado Springs, should the district

choose to dispose of the property.

The motion passed by a vote of 7-1-0-0.

7 -

Aye:

No:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements, Commissioner Gigiano and

Commissioner Willoughby

1 - Commissioner Robbins

8.D.

LUPL-25-001 Establishment of the District 11 Palmer High School Land Use Plan

for proposed civic uses consisting of 8.27 acres located on the two

blocks bound by N. Nevada Ave, E. St. Vrain St., N. Weber St., and

E. Platte Ave.

(Quasi-Judicial)

Located in Council District 3

Presenter:

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: 7.5.514 LAND USE PLAN

Motion by Commissioner Slattery, seconded by Commissioner Cecil,

to Recommend approval to City Council the Palmer High School Land

Use Plan consisting of 8.27 acres for the two blocks bound by N.

Nevada Ave, E. St. Vrain St., N. Weber St., and E. Platte Ave. based on

the findings that the land use plan criteria in Section 7.5.514.C.3. of

City Code are met.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

Moreno and Cascade Urban Renewal Plan

8.E.

URAP-25-00 Moreno and Cascade Urban Renewal Plan.

(Legislative)

Located in Council District 3

Presenter:

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Moreno and Cascade UR District CPC Staff Report rbt

Attachment 1 - Moreno and Cascade Urban Renewal Plan

Attachment 2 - Moreno and Cascade URA Existing Conditions Survey

Attachment 3 - Moreno and Cascade El Paso County Impact Report

Draft - 7-21-2025

Moreno and Cascade UR Plan Presentation Deck CPC 121025

Commissioner Cecil disclosed she is member and treasurer of the

neighborhood association where this item is taking place, however, she

has not been part of any negotiation related to affordable housing within the

neighborhood and she has no financial interest in this matter.

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, presented the proposal to create

an urban renewal plan covering approximately 1.7 acres on the southwest

edge of downtown, between Cascade Avenue and Sahwatch Street. The

district includes one large parcel on the north side and five smaller parcels

on the south, along with significant public rights-of-way, including Moreno,

part of Cascade, and alleys. He said the purpose of creating the district is

to document blight and enable the use of tax increment financing (TIF) for

future redevelopment. Mr. Tefertiller said public notice was handled by the

Urban Renewal Authority per state statute, and planning staff also informed

the Mill Street Neighborhood Association president about the hearing. He

said the Planning Commission’s task is to determine whether the proposal

aligns with PlanCOS, particularly chapters on unique places and vibrant

neighborhoods, and how it complies with their strategies and goals.

Commissioners’ Questions

Commissioner Cecil asked about the negotiations for affordability. Jeriah

Walker, Executive Director, Urban Renewal Authority, said Phase 2 of the

plan includes an attainable housing component, projected at 77 to 115

units, which are planned for the four contiguous properties south of Marino.

He said the hotel is the driver of the TIF for that component and the

development agreement will include an allocated portion of TIF to support

the attainability aspect of the plan. Mr. Walker said Mill Street presented

this proposal during the URA hearing, where it ultimately received approval.

Commissioner Cecil asked if it will be attainable or affordable, and if it will

be below 80% AMI. Mr. Walker said it will be attainable, between 80 -

100% AMI.

Chair Casey asked Mr. Walker to elaborate on parcels two through six. Mr.

Walker said attainable housing component was a later addition to the plan

but strongly supported by his board to extend the project beyond the hotel

phase. He said all taxing entities have approved the pledge, ensuring the

77 to 115 units will be attainable rather than market rate, with a possibility

of a for-sale component through partnerships with organizations like

Habitat for Humanity to promote affordable homeownership. Mr. Walker

said the neighborhood has expressed strong support for this density and

affordability approach. He said restricting TIF funds exclusively to

attainable housing provides long-term protection for the area, which gave

stakeholders confidence in approving the plan.

Chair Casey asked if parcels two through five already have a residential or

office space on them. Mr. Walker said that is correct.

Chair Casey asked what the status on the parcel between parcels five and

six is. Mr. Walker said that parcel is not owned by the developer.

Chair Casey asked if parcels two through six would be attainable. Jeffrey

Finn, Senior Vice President, Norwood Development Group, said the team

is exploring various formats for attainable housing, including medium to

higher-density solutions for the contiguous parcels, such as two- to

three-unit configurations. He said one option could involve a Habitat for

Humanity model, which sometimes includes attached units for sale;

however, they do not currently own the adjacent properties and have no

plans to acquire them at this time.

Commissioner Cecil said the project has a high potential to create a

walkable, vibrant area like what initially attracted her to Colorado Springs.

Commissioner Cecil said the hotel could serve not only tourism but also

extended stays and business visitors. Commissioner Cecil thanked the

developer’s engagement with the neighborhood, noting the community’s

commitment to affordability and collaborative dialogue. Commissioner

Cecil said the board’s role is advisory and the current application only

addresses the Urban Renewal Area designation, however, she would like

to see that future TIF and development agreements include clear

affordability requirements. Commissioner Cecil said maintaining public

engagement and ensuring that residents’ voices continue to be heard as

the project advances is important.

Vice Chair Hensler said she appreciates the attention given to the area,

which she is very familiar with from years of working nearby. Vice Chair

Hensler said she is concerned about the potential loss of existing

affordable homes if they are replaced with less affordable options, which

could be an issue that may arise later. Vice Chair Hensler said the

neighborhood is well-suited for urban renewal, including the hotel project

and the Urban Renewal Area designation. Vice Chair Hensler said the

proposal represents a positive step and she will be in support.

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Vice Chair Hensler, to

recommend to City Council the approval of the Moreno and Cascade

Urban Renewal Plan based on the finding that the Plan is consistent

with PlanCOS, the City's Comprehensive Plan.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

Sign Ordinance

8.F.

CODE-25-00 An Ordinance amending Chapter 7 (the “Unified Development Code”

or “UDC”) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, as

amended, as related to Signs.

(Legislative)

Related Files: CODE-25-0005

Located in All Council Districts

Presenter:

Kurt Schmitt, Program Administrator II, City Planning Department

Daniel Sexton, Land Use Review/Development Review Enterprises

Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments:

Chapter 7_Draft Sign Ordinance

Staff Report_Sign Ordinance CODE-25-0005_KS_final

Chapter 7_Current Sign Regulations

HBA letter

7.5.702 AMENDMENT TO UDC TEXT

CITY COUNCIL - CODE-25-0005 _final

Kurt Schmitt, Program Administrator II, said the slide deck has not changed

since it was presented as an informational item during the November

meeting and he will entertain any questions.

Commissioner Cecil said they thoroughly discussed this at the Desing

Review Enterprise meeting last month, where some Home Builders

Associations were in attendance, and have now provided a letter of

support. Commissioner Cecil said she got all her questions answered in

that meeting.

Chair Casey asked if billboards would be included in this amendment. Mr.

Schmitt said that it is an area that is not being updated, the only changes

are removing the exemptions because they did not reflect the premise

signs for that section, and that in 2023 the zones had to be updated when

the UDC was updated.

Motion by Commissioner Cecil, seconded by Commissioner

Willoughby, to Recommend approval to City Council the adoption of

an Ordinance amending Chapter 7 (Unified Development Code) of the

Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, as amended, as related to

Signs.

The motion passed unanimously.

8 -

Aye:

Vice Chair Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner Slattery,

Commissioner Robbins, Chair Casey, Commissioner Clements,

Commissioner Gigiano and Commissioner Willoughby

9. Presentations

10. Adjourn