[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6558030,"mediaKeyId","3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2","parentId",3276874,"title","Residents urge wildlife protection, sustainability and better police follow‑up during public comment","audioSeconds",903,"startMs",3125000,"endMs",4028000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2&start=3125&end=4028","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2/thumbnail_3125000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6558030/Westminster/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Residents-urge-wildlife-protection-sustainability-and-better-police-followup-during-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558030-3f3114e9deb4c72026e55c73743cb7e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157482&Signature=nMplu73Cm5YF1bMTxPTdzAVeBorqtozqsb2BqGtbHrQAOPvEWqOt1u4ub3IJrljAqqG7fy8qHLs8aInTz~kbZDLtFfzfe6sEEJrW7PPxtTB5EXz4-D0ng5xqvt-mhqAW58E9QKkIzaDci52QLzjHjhTYb1X~8hJb18XAKrzcq-HeArKqE5vokNTbHY3kczCSwnOwJ09Fkg19X2cgJ0TdWdZIhCy933V1aHYhwSCcNQ0QvXLO5a5SQsefNSL9UR~szjycsBQNVX93TU5zpi1v-H4wxp04AEJRdgm6YcHzsQ8oixOpsIUvGkIoG0osUKquUpVo3xQFGipOyL7wzGUXPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Westminster City, CO","date","2025-05-13T02:10:13.197Z","article","Several residents used the May 12 public comment period to press the city on wildlife protection, sustainability practices, police responsiveness and park maintenance.

Burrowing owls and open space

Sherry Griffin told council that the city’s open space team and consultants had confirmed the presence of burrowing owls on the Woman Creek property. \"The burrowing owls are back on the Woman Creek property,\" Griffin said, and she urged the city to \"please continue to protect their habitat on the Woman Creek property.\" Griffin described meadowlarks and raptors she had observed locally and asked the council to keep existing social trails unimproved to encourage owls to return and flourish.

Sustainability and city projects

Karen Calabity criticized city projects she said are not financially or environmentally sustainable, naming the city’s planned water treatment plant site and a proposed municipal court building. She urged reuse over demolition at the Sheridan Green/Stratford Park site and recommended building to net‑zero energy standards and prioritizing reuse to lower embodied carbon from new construction.

Package theft and police response

Craig Russell reported finding a large number of undelivered and opened Amazon boxes in a private dumpster, which he believed were the result of porch thefts. He said a responding Westminster Police officer declined to treat the incident as a crime and expressed disappointment that the department appeared unlikely to follow up, despite video surveillance he said was available. \"It just didn't seem like he was gonna follow-up on it,\" Russell said.

Parks maintenance

Jim Fenimore and other speakers pressed the city to invest in routine park maintenance, saying weeds and poor upkeep are degrading some park areas. Fenimore said city staff met him onsite and that he urged prioritizing maintenance of existing parks before adding new ones.

Staff response and follow up

City Manager Jody Andrews told speakers that staff follow up on requests: \"If you do raise something where you require a follow-up, our staff will follow-up with each speaker that asks for that.\" Councilors also acknowledged the comments—Councilor Ireland urged consequences for theft and Councilor Carmelia thanked speakers for highlighting wildlife and other concerns.

Speakers at the meeting emphasized protecting habitat on the Woman Creek property, prioritizing reuse and low‑carbon strategies for city facilities, and ensuring police and maintenance follow‑up for neighborhood quality‑of‑life issues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Westminster City Council Meeting | May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment at the May 12 Westminster City Council meeting, residents asked the city to protect burrowing-owl habitat on Woman Creek property, criticized proposed projects as unsustainable, reported suspected porch‑package theft and questioned police follow‑up, and urged more park maintenance.","taxTitle","Westminster, Jefferson County, Colorado","taxId",2385,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6558034,"Votes at a glance: Council approves consent agenda, passes liquor‑code update on first reading; WEDA approves two IGAs",2680,2509000,5189000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2&start=2509&end=5189","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2/thumbnail_2509000.jpg","/articles/6558034/Westminster/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-approves-consent-agenda-passes-liquorcode-update-on-first-reading-WEDA-approves-two-IGAs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558034-039207213cebea53629877f41cac5e3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157482&Signature=glmw1H8G7Fvfw-uEfrNym4AzCsrsAfY5kr4I2jhYJ9RWOhc5rEjEh-La-TBKrA2k8n-2-Qb8s-CRHSyxzQp2DmUaq1wf0P~C2Zs2sUnVnGuG44llV1pZi4WyPsHCy4JvYTUoL-hJMF3KQB2hol5pBCB5yG7sIH15R-yXr4nBcSVYtzmNwxd62Hi71xQXBmrlXLnaudDn-wCzztHk40z2KqjLuV3tHYXKLUd7xfe-OvBQ89ij5GDuPNWpRbtM3msivX4vGfkkMgQRAk8TL-Cg~jEpVGTs7LaRQ2MX-fWDfxUUFHLbU2O8fxDukfZzXh4elzSGCXc8i3CHKo5IQoHOmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Westminster City Council and the Westminster Economic Development Authority (WEDA) recorded several formal actions on May 12, including approval of the consent agenda, first reading approval of a liquor‑code update, and WEDA authorization to execute two intergovernmental cooperation agreements related to urban renewal areas.

Minutes and consent

Council approved the minutes of April 28, 2025, on a motion by Councilor DeMott and second by the Mayor Pro Tem. The council then approved the consent agenda (items 8A through 8F) on a motion by Councilor DeMott, seconded by the Mayor Pro Tem; the motion passed on a 7‑0 roll call.

Liquor code update (Councilor's Bill 12)

Council passed Councilor's Bill 12 on first reading, which amends Westminster Municipal Code, Title 5, Chapter 14, updating the city's liquor license code. Councilor DeMott moved the bill on first reading and the Mayor Pro Tem seconded. The motion passed on a 7‑0 vote.

Westminster Economic Development Authority (WEDA) actions

At the WEDA meeting that followed the council session, board members authorized the executive director to execute two intergovernmental cooperation agreements between the City of Westminster and the Westminster Economic Development Authority to reimburse city costs associated with public improvements and contractual obligations in the North Huron and South Sheridan Urban Renewal Areas. The motion, moved by Board member DeMott and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem, passed on a 7‑0 vote.

What the votes mean

- Approval of the consent agenda moves forward six routine items that were bundled for single approval; details for each consent item are available in the public packet.
- Passage of Councilor's Bill 12 on first reading advances the liquor‑code amendments to a second reading and public hearing before becoming final ordinance(s).
- The WEDA intergovernmental cooperation agreements authorize the authority to reimburse costs the city has incurred for improvements in two urban renewal areas; execution of the agreements enables WEDA to proceed with reimbursements in the forms authorized by the agreements.

Recorded actions and tallies are summarized in the actions section below.","At its May 12 meeting Westminster City Council approved the consent agenda, passed Councilor's Bill 12 (liquor license code update) on first reading, and the Westminster Economic Development Authority authorized two intergovernmental cooperation agreements to reimburse city costs in two urban renewal areas. All recorded votes were unanimous 7‑0.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6558039,"Council reviews concept for two tandem homes at 70 Fourth Avenue; officials flag utility and access challenges",961,1120000,2081000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2&start=1120&end=2081","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276874-f5a7eee3daf253202644390a9870f7e2/thumbnail_1120000.jpg","/articles/6558039/Westminster/Jefferson-County/Colorado/Council-reviews-concept-for-two-tandem-homes-at-70-Fourth-Avenue-officials-flag-utility-and-access-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558039-0fbda6fcc16d4536c456606b292c3c3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157482&Signature=JmvK2H3Db6JX1US8P-OXFEaMt-NkCX75PDyLO1gB2QEmEVGQTW3OZkd2USTxAYDqjmeTMeuPnad6zuiChvS~9hwB6YE2sXjNHLaj-F3rPNAtvYmzQXJIvZCSAjfvm9DIN9jRd6TcJrBLOO8MG875frV06CfWuvdVQ5XzmYY4p4ZrwNZ30rcqmqKzQ1WUQwM~3-UVCyaHMvmDNWIBECHOhbG5MrbVQUOMHonXvJWJFO9zWNj8WY3eP~rR0Z7iG7LPrByEhUQrjTpJ6jw8D7NoSSI8WfWKq5W9~rj9jiGJ7dMd0mXptBCSJPCwFpk6Yq3GB6vwZoxBXKbSxzdF9lQOeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Westminster City Council reviewed a concept plan May 12 for two tandem homes proposed for a 0.37-acre, irregular parcel on the south side of 70 Fourth Avenue near Quitman Street.

The presentation, led by John McConnell, Planning Manager for the City of Westminster, described the item as a concept plan review rather than a hearing: \"This item is a concept plan review for the 70 Fourth and equipment tandem homes... its purpose is to allow city council to learn about a proposed project in its beginning stages and provide feedback to the applicant,\" McConnell said.

Why it matters: the site sits inside a Planned Unit Development adopted in 1981 that assumed multiunit buildings; the applicant seeks a Preliminary Development Plan (PDP) amendment to allow single‑family detached tandem homes. City staff and the applicant said the site has development constraints—an odd shape, steep downslope from 70 Fourth Avenue and limited existing access—that create challenges for sewer, water and emergency vehicle access.

City and applicant presentations

McConnell told council the property is zoned PUD and designated Mixed Use Neighborhood in the comprehensive plan. He noted that sewer and water mains currently are in 70 Fourth Avenue and that the site sits downslope: \"Sewer really needs to flow downhill. So, that's a challenge for this site,\" McConnell said. He also said the city wants the Quitman Street reservation extended southward to serve the broader vacant tract.

An applicant representative and the property owner outlined the proposal as two tandem homes—two single‑family units on one lot arranged like side‑by‑side detached houses. The owner said the configuration would allow family members to live adjacent to one another and described the concept as feasible with utility extensions and imported fill to address grade. The applicant noted prior pre‑application conversations with city staff about service extensions and said, \"we do think it's feasible.\" The project team included preliminary building elevations and a proposed private access drive.

Council questions and staff clarifications

Councilors pressed on history, utilities, costs and water use. Councilor Carmelio asked about the property’s history; McConnell said the PDP adopted in 1981 anticipated six‑plex apartment buildings, two of which were built, and that the remainder has been vacant for decades. Councilor DeMott asked about water demand relative to the comprehensive plan density; McConnell said the Mixed Use Neighborhood designation allows up to 18 dwelling units per acre and that the two proposed homes are well below that threshold.

Councilor Ireland asked who would pay for road and utility extensions; McConnell and the applicant both clarified that development‑related off‑site improvements and utility extensions are paid by the applicant: \"The applicant pays for all costs associated with their development, including off‑site costs,\" McConnell said. The applicant said it is too early to estimate exact costs but confirmed developers would bear the extension costs.

Outcome and next steps

Council provided nonbinding feedback and had no objections to the applicant continuing to work with staff on a formal application. No formal action, hearing, or vote was taken; staff said a PDP amendment and an official development plan (ODP) would be required if the applicant pursues the project.

Council and staff noted remaining technical issues—extension of Quitman Street, gravity sewer feasibility given the grade, and ensuring fire apparatus access—would need resolution in future application stages.

The applicant will continue coordination with city staff if they choose to move forward to the technical review stage; council comments were explicitly described as gratis and nonbinding.","At a May 12 pre-meeting, Westminster City Council reviewed a concept plan for two tandem homes at 70 Fourth Avenue near Quitman Street. Staff and the applicant said a Preliminary Development Plan amendment and utility/road extensions will be required; council offered nonbinding feedback and no formal action was taken.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents urge wildlife protection, sustainability and better police follow‑up during public comment

Votes at a glance: Council approves consent agenda, passes liquor‑code update on first reading; WEDA approves two IGAs

Council reviews concept for two tandem homes at 70 Fourth Avenue; officials flag utility and access challenges