Regional Development

Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

City of Colorado Springs

Meeting Minutes - Final

Downtown Review Board

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

9:00 AM

2880 International Cir., 2nd Floor, Hearing Room

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

8 -

Present:

Board Member Nolette, Board Member Kuosman, Board Member Coats,

Board Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas,

Board Member Sokol and Board Member Luciano

1 - Board Member Hensler

Absent:

2. Changes to Agenda/Postponements

3. Communications

Ryan Tefertiller - Urban Planning Manager

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, said although the Downtown

Review Board had not met since November and had seen few major

applications, staff had remained busy with administrative reviews and

smaller permits. Mr. Tefertiller informed the board that the 2025 DRB

Annual Report had been circulated after the February meeting was

canceled and invited board members to reach out with any questions. He

also provided an update on the Palmer High School project, informing the

board that their recommendation from November would move forward to

City Council on March 10, following a favorable recommendation from the

Planning Commission. Mr. Tefertiller mentioned that staff did not expect

items ready for the April 7th meeting but advised keeping the date

reserved in case the Palmer development plan or other applications

progressed. He also reiterated ongoing work on updates to the Downtown

Form-Based Code, explaining that staff planned to align that update with

the newly refreshed Elevate Downtown Plan and that further public

engagement and board review would occur in the coming months.

4. Approval of Minutes

DRB 2304

4.A.

Minutes for the November 4, 2025, Downtown Review Board Meeting.

Presenter:

Bobby Mikulas, Downtown Review Board Acting Chair

Attachments: DRB_Minutes_11.4.25 Draft

Motion by Board Member Mikulas, seconded by Board Member Friesema,

to approve the November 4, 2025, Downtown Review Board Meeting.

The motion passed by a vote of 6-0-2-1.

6 -

Aye:

Board Member Kuosman, Board Member Coats, Board Member Lord,

Board Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas and Board Member

Sokol

1 - Board Member Hensler

Absent:

Abstain:

2 - Board Member Nolette and Board Member Luciano

5. Consent Calendar

6. Items Called Off Consent Calendar

7. Unfinished Business

8. New Business

Elevate Downtown Plan

8.A.

NPLN-26-00 The Elevate Downtown Plan, an update to the 2016 Experience

Downtown Plan.

NPLN 26-0001.

(Legislative)

Council District 3

Presenter:

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, City Planning Department

Kevin Walker, Planning Director, City Planning Department

Attachments: Elevate Downtown Plan CPC Staff Report 040826

2026-ElevateDowntownPlan-PublicDraft-Reduced

Elevate Downtown Staff Presentation CPC 040826

2026-Final Downtown Plan Presentation

DRB_Minutes_3.3.26 Draft

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, presented the Elevate

Downtown Plan, which is an update to the 2016 Experience Downtown

Plan. Mr. Tefertiller said the plan had been in development for about a year

and represented extensive collaboration between City Planning staff, the

Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Downtown Partnership, and

consultant team MIG. Mr. Tefertiller said the Downtown Review Board

(DRB) was being asked to make a recommendation before the plan

proceeds to the Planning Commission and ultimately City Council. He

described the plan's two-volume structure: Volume 1, the formal Plan of

Development supporting the DDA's operations and use of tax- increment

financing, and Volume 2, a traditional land use and policy plan addressing

topics such as mobility, economic vitality, public realm, culture,

infrastructure, and utilities. Mr. Tefertiller highlighted the large-scale

community engagement effort, thousands of survey responses and

numerous events, and noted that the plan is consistent with the City’s

comprehensive plan and zoning code purpose statements.

Chelsea Gondeck, CEO of the Downtown Partnership, emphasized that

the plan reflects extensive stakeholder input and represents a roadmap for

downtown’s next chapter. She underscored that many residents and

business owners felt genuine ownership of the plan and its priorities. Chris

Lieber, NES, former chair of the DDA, expressed the DDA board’s strong

support, citing robust public engagement and the plan’s value in promoting

public-private partnerships and continued economic and physical growth.

Elly Schaefer, Senior Project Manager, MIG Inc., provided a detailed

overview of the plan, including its broad community engagement, updated

goals and vision, and significant new content from the prior plan. She

described major themes raised by the public, small business support,

safety and cleanliness, homelessness, mobility, arts and culture, density,

and the need for a downtown grocery store, and walked through highlights

of each chapter. These included updated building height analysis, catalytic

sites, mobility and trail integration, public-realm and urban design

strategies, cultural and creative economy initiatives, and infrastructure

considerations. Board members asked questions about building height

treatment, homelessness, pedestrian oriented streets, form-based code

sector adjustments, creek corridor activation, safety, housing diversity, and

potential boundary expansions. Ms. Gondeck and Mr. Tefertiller addressed

these questions, noting where items were incorporated into the plan and

here subsequent form-based code updates would tackle more specific

regulatory details.

After concluding public comment, which included no speakers in support or

opposition, Chair Lord expressed strong appreciation for the extensive

work by staff and partners, noting how far downtown has progressed since

earlier decades. Board member Friesema highlighted the plan’s ambition

and stated that its clear goals would give the Board greater leverage in

advocating for bold updates to the form-based code, emphasizing the

importance of aligning zoning tools with the vision. Board member Sokol

praised the plan’s breadth and offered several reflections, including the

need to consider sound mitigation along the I-25 corridor, the potential

expansion of parking-minimum exemptions beyond the core, and clarifying

language about the history of adjacent neighborhoods. Board member

Mikulas emphasized the value of embracing natural assets and noted that

unmatched access to nature goal would require consistent commitment.

Several members, including Chair Lord and Board member Friesema,

reiterated interest in evaluating future expansion of downtown boundaries

and ensuring predictable criteria for considering such adjustments. Board

members also discussed the opportunities and challenges along the creek

corridor, with Board member Mikulas raising safety concerns and the

importance of thoughtful trail-oriented design. Board member Sokol

acknowledged the plan’s progress and expressed support for continuing to

refine how the BID and DDA boundaries may evolve. Across the

discussion, members praised the community engagement process and the

integration of topics such as safety, homelessness, mobility, economic

vitality, and housing diversity. The Board collectively conveyed strong

confidence in the direction of the plan, appreciation for the presenters, and

enthusiasm for the next phase of implementing corresponding updates to

the form-based code.

Motion by Board Member Friesema, seconded by Board Member

Sokol, to recommend approval to City Council the Elevate Downtown

Plan.

The motion passed by a vote of 8-0-0-1.

8 -

Aye:

Board Member Nolette, Board Member Kuosman, Board Member

Coats, Board Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board Member

Mikulas, Board Member Sokol and Board Member Luciano

1 - Board Member Hensler

Absent:

9. Presentations

10. Adjourn