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Timnath council sets hearings on code changes and approves April 7 mail‑ballot election
Summary
The council scheduled public hearings for two code‑amendment ordinances (aligning municipal criminal penalties with state law and a housekeeping code cleanup) for Feb. 10 and unanimously adopted an ordinance authorizing a mail‑ballot election for April 7, 2026.
The Timnath Town Council on Jan. 27 set Feb. 10, 2026, as the public‑hearing date for two ordinance items and approved a separate ordinance authorizing a mail‑ballot municipal election on April 7, 2026.
Town Attorney Steffel outlined Ordinance No. 2, Series 2026, a first reading to amend the municipal code so municipal penalties for criminal violations do not exceed penalties for identical state offenses following Colorado Supreme Court decisions in People v. Camp and People v. Simons. Steffel said the cases found municipal penalties could be preempted when they exceed penalties for equivalent state crimes and recommended aligning the town code to state sentencing statutes and limits.
Steffel also presented Ordinance No. 3, Series 2026, a cleanup package to reflect current town practice and state law changes. The cleanup includes adopting the town website as the official posting place for notices (with town center as a backup), updating the town center address, renaming the NoCo Humane Society where necessary, removing provisions tied to a completed Old Town sewer project, and making targeted clarifications to golf‑cart allowances and interactions with bicycle lanes to comply with state statute.
Both ordinances were approved on first reading and set for full public hearings on Feb. 10, 2026.
On the election item, Steffel said Ordinance No. 1, Series 2026 designates the election as a mail‑ballot election and names the town clerk as the designated election official. He noted nominating petitions were due Jan. 26 and that Feb. 2 is the deadline for a write‑in candidate affidavit. The council unanimously adopted the mail‑ballot ordinance.
Next steps: the town clerk will finalize ballot language and administer the mail‑ballot process leading to the April 7 election; ordinances 2 and 3 return for a public hearing and second reading on Feb. 10.
