Council member Rachel Holting, chair of Wheat Ridge’s new legislative committee, and staff legislative analyst Cole briefed the Planning Commission on the city’s 2025 legislative agenda and asked commissioners to provide feedback — especially on the community development section — by October so staff can incorporate those views before the 2026 session begins in January.

"This is a heavy lift committee," Council member Rachel Holting said, describing the committee’s purpose as identifying three to five bills of priority each session that have significant impact on Wheat Ridge and recommending positions to council. Holting said the group includes the mayor and two council members and that the agenda is intended to focus staff and elected officials on bills likely to affect local implementation of city policy.

Cole walked commissioners through the community development page of the agenda and the document format: a description of the subject area, a box of proposed legislation the city would support, and a box of legislation the city would oppose. He said the goal of soliciting input now is pragmatic: "So because things move so quickly, it'll be really difficult for us to have a back and forth and seek input from you during the session," Cole said, and requested feedback be routed to each commission’s staff liaison by October.

Commissioners asked how the city will use comments during the session and whether the committee would reach out again; Cole and Holting said the agenda will serve as the committee's "North Star" during the session and that the committee would return to boards and commissions if a significant local bill were introduced or if the city decided to sponsor legislation.

Holting and Cole summarized the committee’s 2025 actions: the city took positions on five bills last session (including opposition to the Colorado Voting Rights Act and support for construction-defects middle-market housing legislation) and provided testimony on selected bills. Holting said the city’s legislators who live in Wheat Ridge have welcomed the committee’s focused input and that close dialogue with those legislators has helped the city socialize local positions.

The committee asked commissioners to submit feedback — on the community development page or any portion of the agenda — to the staff liaison by October so council and staff can adopt an updated agenda before the January session.