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Residents press Northglenn leaders to push HB 26‑1285 to block certain placements near schools
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Summary
Residents voiced strong concerns about state mental‑health transitional living facilities they say have placed forensic populations near schools. Council and city staff reiterated support for state legislation (HB 26‑1285) and described behind‑the‑scenes work with legislators and state partners.
During the public‑comment period on March 9, multiple residents urged Northglenn elected officials to press state lawmakers to advance House Bill 26‑1285, a bill they say would restrict placement of certain convicted offenders in or near school zones and other sensitive sites.
Melissa Ryan, a Ward 3 resident, asked residents to contact specific state representatives and attend a committee hearing set for March 18 to ensure the bill advances. She said the measure would help prevent registered offenders from living near schools, day cares, senior centers and youth facilities. Rebecca Robinson Utis, who also spoke during public comment, described a state‑operated mental‑health transitional facility sited near Stuckey Elementary and urged passage of the bill, asserting a need to separate forensic populations from civil mental‑health care.
Mayor Meredith Leidy and other councilmembers responded to public concerns, saying the city has been working with legislators and state partners for roughly two years to address placement and safety issues and that staff have been pursuing multiple avenues, including legislative sponsorship outside the city’s immediate delegation. The mayor thanked residents for raising concerns and said the city will continue advocacy and engagement with state officials.
City Attorney Corey Hoffman cautioned that some local legal remedies (for example, an attempt to file a municipal cease‑and‑desist against a state facility) risk litigation and referenced prior Colorado case law constraining municipal authority; he said such litigation could be unsuccessful and costly. Council emphasized an interest in legislation and coordinated state engagement rather than litigation as the primary path forward.
What’s next: Council and staff will continue to work with state legislators and interested stakeholders to support HB 26‑1285 and to pursue other non‑litigation avenues to address local safety concerns; residents were urged to contact representatives and attend upcoming hearings.
