City Hall

107 N. Nevada Avenue

Colorado Springs, CO

80903

City of Colorado Springs

Meeting Minutes

City Council Work Session

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Monday, March 9, 2026

9:00 AM

Council Chambers

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Estimated agenda item times are provided for planning purposes and do not constitute

notice of a specific time for any item. Items may take more or less time than estimated.

City Council may amend the order of items.

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

President Crow-Iverson called the meeting to order at 9:04 AM.

9 - Councilmember Tom Bailey, President Lynette Crow-Iverson,

Councilmember Dave Donelson, Councilmember Kimberly Gold,

Councilmember Nancy Henjum, Councilmember Brandy Williams,

Councilmember David Leinweber, Councilmember Roland Rainey Jr., and

President Pro Tem Brian Risley

Present

Councilmember Williams attended the meeting virtually.

2. Changes to Agenda

There were no Changes to Agenda.

3. Regular Meeting Comments

There were no Regular Meeting Comments.

4. Review of Previous Meeting Minutes

26-106

City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes February 23, 2026

4.A.

Presenter:

Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk

Attachments:

2-23-26 City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes Final

The minutes of the February 23, 2026 Work Session were approved by

Consensus of City Council.

5. Executive Session

5A. Open

26-100

David Meray v. Christopher Laabs, Case No. 2025CV32838

5A.A.

Presenter:

Marc Smith, Acting City Attorney

Attachments:

26-100, 2026-03-09_Council_Memo

Rebecca Greenberg, Senior Attorney, City Attorney’s Office, stated with

the recommendation of the Civil Action Investigation Committee, the City

is requesting authorization to defend the officer.

President Crow-Iverson polled City Council regarding authorizing the

City to represent the officer. Consensus of City Council agreed.

5B. Closed

There was no Closed Executive Session.

6. Presentations for General Information

26-010

Public Finance Tools: Tax Increment and Special Districts

6.A.

Presenter:

Carolynne White, Brownstein

Attachments:

2026 - BHFS - Presentation to Colorado Springs City Council - TIF

and Special Districts(50589433.1) - USE THIS ONE (1)

Carolynne White, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, presented a

comprehensive overview on Urban Renewal Authorities (URA), Tax

Increment Financing (TIF), special districts, and metropolitan (metro)

districts. She went over public versus private perspectives, TIF types of

governmental entities, urban renewal in Colorado history,

purpose/philosophy of urban renewal, statutory authorization, blight, how

TIF works, “virtuous cycle” of TIF, sources of TIF, House Bill 15-1348,

authority versus area, policy issues, and the Colorado Springs URA.

She identified what a special or metro district is, powers/functions of

special districts, types of improvements authorized, governance,

financing, transparency, elections, mill levy caps, term caps, Colorado

Springs metro district process, key features of the City’s Special District

Policy, potential benefits, and potential drawbacks.

Councilmember Donelson asked if in 1958, when URA’s were enacted,

if TIFs were part of it. Ms. White stated they were not due to TIFs being

enacted in 1981 in order to create a financing source to undertake urban

renewal projects because the federal government was no longer

granting money to the state.

Councilmember Henjum asked if City Council should only consider

whether the URA project is eliminating slum and blight as review criteria

and not the benefits to the City. Ms. White stated jurisdictions often

combine urban renewal with other economic development tools due to

the positive outcomes, but the purpose is to eliminate slum and blight.

Councilmember Henjum asked if the amount of TIF is discretionary. Ms.

White stated it is not discretionary because there are factors in the

Assessor’s Manual Chapter 12 which tells them how to calculate base

and increment, but there are some areas for interpretation which results

in differences in valuation.

Councilmember Rainey asked if there are any tools available for

determining blight. Ms. White stated the list of conditions which

determine blight is in state statute, but blight is ultimately a legislative

determination by City Council based on the blight study. Councilmember

Bailey stated the URA Board will also make a recommendation to City

Council based on the findings from the blight study.

Councilmember Henjum asked if the URA designation for the City

Auditorium block has been used. Jariah Walker, Director, Colorado

Springs URA (CSURA) stated that particular URA does not have a sales

tax component from the City or the County, only a property tax

increment, and the City Auditorium is in their schedule of improvements

if the Hyatt hotel pays out all the predetermined improvements before

the expiration of the 25-year plan.

Councilmember Henjum asked how the “virtuous cycle” addressed

neighborhood concerns. Ms. White stated that because of the

requirement for a financial analysis of the urban renewal plan, they are

seeing smaller, more specific project plans with a private investor and a

known user which makes it easier to present the public benefits to the

neighborhood.

Councilmember Donelson asked if the "But For" test information is

presented to City Council for URA projects. Mr. Walker confirmed it is.

Councilmember Donelson asked if the lobby of a hotel could be

considered a public improvement. Ms. White stated there is no

requirement in state statute that TIF be used for public only

improvements it just has to be used to prevent or remedy blight.

Councilmember Henjum asked how the property for the Air Force

Academy Visitor’s Center could be designated as blight. Ms. White

stated she believes it was due to lack of infrastructure and they also had

permission from the property owner, which only requires one factor of

blight.

Councilmember Rainey asked if there is a ceiling for the amount of TIF

which can be utilized. Ms. White stated a jurisdiction cannot pledge

more TIF that what will be generated from the project in the plan area,

and a cap is generally agreed upon in the 25-year pledge agreement.

Councilmember Leinweber asked what the requirements are for the

District Board to be turned over to residents instead of the developers.

Ms. White stated metro districts are required to have elections every two

years which provide opportunities for electors to run for seats on the

board.

Councilmember Leinweber asked how a community can form a metro

district to provide infrastructure such as a library or community center.

Ms. White stated that it is not likely a community will come together to

form a new tax and if the existing community is already in a district, they

would need that district’s permission to form a new district.

Councilmember Henjum asked what part of a special district’s operation

and maintenance will become the City’s responsibility. Ms. White stated

internal streets will generally be the district’s responsibility and once

Home Owners Associations (HOAs) are formed, those fees will cover

functions such as snow removal.

Councilmember Donelson asked which mastered planned communities

maintain their own roads. Kevin Walker, Director, Planning Department,

stated the only one he is aware of is the Kissing Camels community

which is a gated community.

Councilmember Donelson asked how long after it is built the City takes

over the responsibility of maintaining a district’s infrastructure. Mr.

Walker stated it is generally after two years.

Councilmember Leinweber asked if the City is responsible for the

sunken road in Gold Crown Mesa. Mr. Walker stated if the maintenance

has already been accepted by the City, it would be.

Councilmember Henjum asked if the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR)

was the reason for the growth of special districts. Ms. White stated

TABOR is definitely a factor but not necessarily the cause.

Councilmember Henjum asked if the City could use metro districts to

address environmental stability, sustainability, critical infrastructure,

affordable housing, public spaces, etc. similar to what Fort Collins, CO

does. Ms. confirmed it could and explained the point-based system Fort

Collins adopted in 2021 which is a very strict policy.

Councilmember Leinweber requested additional information on tourism

improvement districts. Ms. White stated the Colorado Municipal League

(CML) would be a better resource for that question.

7. Staff and Appointee Reports

26-105

Agenda Planner Review

7.A.

Presenter:

Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk

Attachments:

Agenda Planner Review 3-9-26.pdf

Councilmember Williams requested staff to provide information as to

when the Southeast Strong Plan will be coming before Council.

8. Items for Introduction

26-070

A Resolution Amending Resolution 39-25 And Adopting Amendments

to the "City Of Colorado Springs Rules And Procedures Of City

Council" Effective March 24, 2026

8.A.

Presenter:

Michael Montgomery, Deputy City Council Administrator

Attachments:

2026 Rules and Procedures of City Council Resolution

Rules Council Presentation 3.9.2026

Rules and Procedures of City Council Clean 3.24.2026

Rules and Procedures of City Council Redline 3.24.2026

Michael Montgomery, Deputy City Council Administrator, presented the

Resolution amending Resolution 39-25 and adopting amendments to

the "City Of Colorado Springs Rules and Procedures of City Council"

Effective March 24, 2026. He gave an overview of the purpose of the

rewrite, previous City Council action, stakeholder process, proposed

amendments, and next steps.

Councilmember Henjum requested additional information regarding

Proclamations. Mr. Montgomery provided an overview of Recognitions

with applies to both Proclamations and Resolutions.

Councilmember Donelson requested an overview of all the proposed

changes. Mr. Montgomery identified all the proposed changes.

9. Items Under Study

There were no Items Under Study.

10. Councilmember Reports and Open Discussion

Councilmember Henjum stated she attended the opening of the Art

Space which is a downtown new affordable housing complex, the Youth

Documentary Academy (YDA) Shifting the Lens event at the University

of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS), she, Councilmember Leinweber,

and Councilmember Gold attended the Greater Resilience Information

Toolkit (GRIT) Conference presented by The Lyda Hill Institute for

Human Resilience at the Ent Center for the Arts on Friday, March 6,

2026 which was incredibly inspiring, she introduced Nga

Vương-Sandoval, Founding Executive Director of Refugees and

Immigrants United, at the Lunar New Year Celebration: The Year of the

Fire Horse at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum on Saturday,

March 7, 2026, she, Councilmember Rainey, Councilmember Donelson,

and Councilmember Bailey attended the annual Colorado Springs Police

Department Annual Awards ceremony, she attended the Pikes Peak

Housing Network’s State of Housing 2nd Annual Report event, and she

and Councilmember Gold toured Superior Connections which is a sober

living facility.

Councilmember Leinweber stated he attended the Military Affairs

Council (MAC) tour of Fort Carson and the Pikes Peak Housing

Network’s State of Housing 2nd Annual Report event.

Councilmember Gold stated all nine Councilmembers were featured in

the documentary presented at the Youth Documentary Academy (YDA)

Shifting the Lens event at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

(UCCS) and participated in a CSPD ride along last week.

Councilmember Rainey stated he attended the CSPD Annual Awards

ceremony, reminded everyone that on March 11, 2026, the Red Cross

Proclamation will be read at the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Headquarters located at 375 Printers Parkway, he stated he provided

opening remarks for the grand opening of a daycare center in District 6,

spoke at School District 11’s Gifted and Talented Leader’s Forum, was a

guest speaker at the National Security Space Institute, and identified

that on Saturday, March 14, 2026, there will be a Tuskegee Airmen

presentation at the World War II Aviation Museum.

11. Adjourn

There being no further business to come before City Council, Council

adjourned at 11:07 AM.

Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk