City Council Meeting Recap

Jan. 19, 2021

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State Highway 7 Planning and Environmental Linkage Study - update presentation
The State Highway 7 (SH 7) Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study will develop preliminary design plans to allow municipalities, counties, and developers to rapidly invest in, and pursue funding for recommended transportation improvements along a 25-mile corridor from Boulder to Brighton. This presentation provided City Council with an update on the overall project scope. Council indicated support for the City’s participation in the planning coalition.
 
COVID-19 Recovery and Sustainment Update
Trends are showing COVID numbers decreasing, but health officials are continuing to stress the importance of mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing.
 
Boulder County 5-Star Program Update
Boulder County is submitting an application to the State to allow businesses who meet more stringent COVID safety measures to operate at greater customer capacity. Letters of support have been secured. An interest form for Lafayette businesses is available on the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce website.  The program will rely on a third-party administrator, 75 volunteer inspectors, and the formation of working group committees. Weekly administrative committee meeting will be open to the public. Mayor Pro Tem Walton is serving on the committee.
 
 
Approval 7-0 on first reading: Ordinance No. 02, Series 2021 – budget carryforward
Following State law, municipalities typically amend their budget at the beginning of the year with carryforwards from the prior year, and towards the end of the year when most of the year’s activities have materialized. This current budget amendment involves carrying forward project expenses from the 2020 budget that did not occur, largely due to intentional conservative spending and financial prudence during the economic uncertainty of theCOVID-19 pandemic. Council approved the following: $6,426,054 carryforwards and $257,000 in additional new modifications.
 
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-09 - Establishing the 2021 residential permit allocations and
modifying non-exempt residential annual allocation schedules
The City’s residential growth management program limits the number of dwelling units allowed to be constructed between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2025, to 1,200 non-exempt units. Each year, City Council updates the number of available permits for the given year and anticipated permits for the following year. The 2021 allowed permitting level has been approved at the following amounts: 685 permits for 2021, 50 permanently affordable units for 2021, and 130 permits for 2022.
 
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-16 - Authorizing the Fifth Amendment to the Economic Development and Real Property Exchange Agreement Pertaining to the Lafayette City Center Subdivision
City Council approved an amendment to the Economic Development and Real Property Exchange Agreement with the Lafayette City Center Subdivision adjacent to City Hall. This action will defer payment of, and the accrual of interest on, deferred building permit fees for one year, until January 1, 2022, in exchange for the developer’s agreement to cease using the name “The Miller” or “Miller” in connection with the development on or before January 1, 2022. An additional consideration for this amendment is the current economic conditions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic that have resulted in a lag in leasing and financial performance of the project which is anticipated to recover in the third and fourth quarter of 2021.
 
Approved 7-0: Consent agenda
Item J) Contract for the Recreation Center roof replacement was pulled for verification that Class 4 high impact shingles will be used. This item was also approved 7-0.
 
Approved 6-1: Council appointments
Lafayette Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee
Approved the appointment of David LoVullo (full member) and Jeff Koppel (alternate member). These positions will expire in January 2024. All positions on this committee are now filled.
 
City Administrator report
Library Director Melissa Hisel will fill in as Acting Deputy City Administrator while Deputy City Administrator Kady Doelling is on maternity leave.
 
Council reports
Councilor Mangat: Thank you to the Youth Advisory Commission for putting on another great MLK event.
 
Councilor Behanna: MLK event was phenomenal, the Lafayette Youth Advisory Commission did a great job. Senior social event opportunities (email olderadults@lafayetteco.gov or call 303-665-905 to register for programs); Identity Theft Protection workshop on Jan 26 @ 1:30pm; Diabetes Self-Management Tuesdays Jan. 21-March 4 @ 1pm; Rainbow Elders Tea Time - second Thursdays @ 4pm;  Be sure to use the Ride Free Lafayette bus service ridefreelafayette.com!
 
Councilor Wong: State funded small business relief fund is available through Boulder County for up to $7,000 at www.bouldercounty.org/news/state-funded-small-business-covid-19-grant-relief-program-to-start-in-2021/.  BVSD is back in session.
 
Councilor Barnes: Library is gearing up to open on Jan. 26. Curbside pickup will still be available. LCAC is interviewing board candidates. Can’t say enough about the MLK event, it was a very emotional presentation. Great to see the youth energy in our community.
 
Mayor Pro Tem Walton: Huge shout-out to the youth for the MLK event. Thanks to Flatirons Church and Centaurus High School for the use of their parking lots. Councilor Mangat gave a moving speech. Attended DOLA’s Mobile Home Park Oversight training with Councilor Briggs. Will be providing information on the complaint resolution component and additional features of the program.  
 
Councilor Briggs: Take advantage of assistance for evictions at www.CEDproject.org – the Eviction Defense Project.
 
Mayor Harkins: Council indicated support for the Community Choice Energy Bill. Also asked Councilors to support the State’s greenhouse gas roadmap initiative that is coming up. Participated on a ‘Future of the Dial’ conversation with the Governor’s staff which may reassign control to local jurisdictions. Asked City Administrator Sprague and Police Chief Bashor for an update on the Waneka Marketplace homeless encampment: This is a heartbreaking, complex, and difficult situation. The property management company has responded well to clean-up of trash and furniture. Also working with individual businesses. Reports of very aggressive panhandlers, so will step up presence of police officers to ensure safety. This will be a slow process as we work in a compassionate manner with all involved. 

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