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Residents tell council ATVs, gunshots and poor lighting are raising safety concerns; code enforcement process questioned
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment to urge the city to address ATVs and mini‑bike activity, nighttime gunshots and dark streets; commenters also criticized inconsistent code‑enforcement notices and fines. Council and staff said they would follow up with police, infrastructure staff and code enforcement.
Several residents used the public‑comment period to describe traffic and public‑safety problems in Commerce City neighborhoods and to ask the council for more aggressive responses.
Jackie Valdoz said large trucks and off‑road vehicles — ATVs, mini‑bikes and go‑karts — have been repeatedly driving through residential streets and performing dangerous maneuvers. Valdoz described a recent incident in which a driver on an ATV “was doing donuts in the middle of 60 Eighth and Albion” and later crashed; she said police responded quickly in that instance but urged sustained enforcement, better street lighting and use of city drones for enforcement patrols. "We need those drones up in the air. We need assistance with the police department," Valdoz told the council.
Resident Keith Rogers described uneven code‑enforcement outcomes. He said neighbors sometimes receive multiple notices and fines for the same or overlapping issues and that vulnerable residents — including a woman with spine arthritis — need assistance rather than automatic fines. "I thought we had 10 days to come into compliance," Rogers said, urging the city to connect residents with resources to comply before assessing fines.
Both speakers praised timely police responses to gunshots in their neighborhoods and encouraged continued emphasis on rapid response and lighting improvements for nighttime safety.
Councilmembers and staff acknowledged the complaints and discussed next steps. Public works staff and the city manager said street‑lighting needs would be reviewed for targeted areas. Staff said police responded to the incidents described and that enforcement for ATVs and unlicensed vehicles is ongoing; the council also discussed recurring enforcement challenges tied to staffing, court outcomes and the city’s ability to require compliance versus imposing fines.
City staff said the code‑enforcement process includes a knock‑and‑talk procedure to attempt in‑person contact before paperwork is left and that notice language includes contact information for residents who need additional time to comply. Councilmembers asked staff to evaluate notice timing, methods of communication and options to help residents — including contacting contractors for remediation work when appropriate — before fines escalate.
No formal council action was taken at the meeting on these specific complaints; council directed staff to follow up and to return with options to address lighting, enforcement presence and code‑enforcement communications.
