Longmont City Council – Study Session – April 30, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypn0bclGAeg
Video Description:
Longmont City Council – Study Session – April 30, 2024

 

9:24
Hello, everyone. I’m beginning to recognize your faces. Welcome. I would now like to call the April 30 2024, long month City Council study session to order. You can view this meeting it’s going to be live streamed at the city’s YouTube channel, also at Longmont public media.org forward slash watch. Or on Comcast channels eight or eight ad. Can we start with the roll call please?

9:55
Absolutely. Mayor Peck

9:56
present

9:57
councilmember Crist Mayor Pro Tem EDA. Well faring. Councilmember Martin. Councilmember McCoy. Councilmember Rodriguez. Councilmember Yarbro. Mayor, you have a quorum.

10:07
Thank you. Let’s stand for the pledge.

10:13
allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

10:31
Anyone wishing to speak at first call public invited to be heard will need to add his or her name to the list outside the council chambers. Only those on the list will be invited to speak at the first call public invited to be heard. And each speaker speaker is limited to three minutes, we would like your name and address. Do we have any? I’m sorry? Do we have any direction from council to direct city staff to add motion items to a future agenda? Council member Martin. Thank you,

11:06
Mayor Peck. Yes, I had the city clerk receipt sent to all the other council members the draft of a resolution that was given to me by a group of peace activists that we’ve been hearing from recently. And I would like to move that we put on our agenda for the next regular session, some time to debate and consider that resolution to be passed by the Lamont City Council. next regular session

11:47
twice a second for that. Counselor, McCoy.

11:51
Oh, this is not related to that. Okay,

11:54
then let’s wait. So do I have a second? Signal? Second, that motion dies for the lack of a second? Counselor McCoy.

12:05
Thank you. I would like to ask city staff to bring back some information regarding rent control on apartment complexes, 18 units or greater. I’d like to have a kind of an idea of

12:24
oops, I got this right in front of my notes. Kind of an idea of of what we really need in the community. In regards to

12:38
the upper limit of our high density. We have some folks that came to a meeting the other day at coffee with counsel. And they got me thinking that we probably need to have that conversation because we they indicated that there were you know, they had some sort of information indicating that there was a lot of apartments that are are not being rented for some reason. And, you know, I’d like to have some sort of idea about why why that is and look at at that. Is there a need for those larger units? Or are we maxed out on that is my concern, and I just want to make sure that we we look at that and every in the last three years, I ran in 2021 2022 and 2023. And older county organizations that deal with housing have had this the issue around rent control as a item that they wanted to opinions on, and I’d like to see if that’s something that we need here in Longmont.

13:50
So I’m assuming that’s a motion. Sorry.

13:54
Sorry, folks, I was mainly trying to explain to you so

13:59
the motion then is to have a discussion around rent control with some research done by staff. So are you do you want this on a study session?

14:10
That would be fine.

14:11
Okay, so your motion is? Do you have a particular study session?

14:15
No, it can be sometime in July.

14:18
Okay. Councils discretion. Okay, so the motion is to direct staff to put on a study session agenda, a discussion about rent control. Do we have a second so I don’t hear a second to the motion dies for the lack of a second. However, this might be a good discussion to have at a pre session with with just Council.

14:42
We are bringing there is a motion from the council to bring the inclusionary housing back and compare those two and I think in terms of numbers, we can include that and Oh, thank you.

14:57
Thank you. Okay, The Council crust.

15:01
Actually, that’s exactly what I was gonna suggest was that we include it with inclusionary housing discussion.

15:07
Perfect. Seeing no one else in the queue to add items to future agendas, we are now at public invited to be heard. So remember, when I call your name, you have three minutes, and you can give your name and address please. The first one on our list is Mary Goodman.

15:40
Mary, can you turn on your microphone, please?

15:46
There you go. It’s good to see you.

15:47
You can pull it down too if it’s too high. Paid.

15:54
What I want to talk about, you know, our our taxes are too high. You know, as far as our rental, you’re just talking about that. A lot of us cannot afford rent on apartments.

16:08
So Mary, I think this is a good discussion, but can you give us your address, please? Oh,

16:14
I’m sorry. 7859. Diagonal highway. Thank you. But the other thing I want to talk about is when was asked herself, how far we come with challenges in society. My question is, where are we heading with that? As 2030 is mentioned several times, as far back as 2014. There is an unclassified document that did state the whole US intelligence put out a study called global trends called 2030. There is a description of eight black swan scenarios that could alter the course of global civilization by or before 2030 Something like a geometric superstorm. Are we prepared for that? If not, go talk to your President Biden. And his puppet master Obama asked for the peace taught for next week. Please ask them where all these children are. Where Hamas kidnapped every child, not just Jewish, but Palestine, Iranian, and every child in the nation. Ask them that. Ask them stop caring Iranian children. It’s not just the US or Israel. It’s an Iran. So why are we protesting on things that shouldn’t be protested? If these students and people want to protest on things, go over there and see if they come back. That’s all I gotta say.

18:12
Thank you, Mary.

18:15
She killed the law. I’m sorry.

18:20
No, I just called she.

18:36
She killed the well tonight in Francis Street. Mayor, Members of Council I’m here today with the books promised to you by launch. As you know, watch along on housing recently kicked off our book club by reading escaping the housing trap. It’s written by Charles Marone and Daniel heritages of the strong towns organization, and nationally known organization focusing on the long term fiscal sustainability of American cities. Even if you missed our first meeting, that’s okay. Our first meeting was just getting people the information that they needed to get the most out of reading the book, a recording is available on Longman Public Media’s YouTube channel. That meeting had a great presentation from the Curator of History at the Longmont Museum, about the development history of Broomfield our second meeting is May 20 at 6:30pm at Longmont public media where we’ll be discussing part one of the book. Part one is about the financialization of housing and explains how housing got so expensive in the first place. Members of the public can get a copy of the book from the Walmart public library or wherever books are sold. Members of Council I have a copy for you. I inherited I checked with our intrepid city clerk who assured me that this does not count as a gift because the value of the book is less than $75. Also amendment 41 of the Colorado constitution specifically says that books do not count as gifts to sign up for the book club go to launch Longmont. housing.org people who sign up for the book club will get emails throughout the month with interesting information relevant to part one of the book.

19:52
Thank you, Shaquille. It’s very kind of you

20:03
Thank you

20:14
Thank you. You had a minute left on your Scott Dunn

20:26
Thank you, Mayor Peck members Council. My name is Scott Dunn 59 At Blue Mountain circle Longmont. I’m an attorney and represent modern west to the owner of a mixed use and pointed zone property South Roger roads. North Nelson and east of the airport is our understanding on the agenda of the city council stunt study session next week maybe a discussion with council unreason, communications was seen city staff and the FAA relate to the airport, excuse me on land use in the area. Last summer, our client was moving to the planning process for a concept plan amendment to permit a mixed use mixed income. I

20:58
need to interrupt if you’re talking about a pending quasi judicial matter. Those are not allowed during I’m

21:04
not talking about I’m not talking about the application. Okay. I’m not talking about the application

21:11
sure sounded like it.

21:12
I’ve just seen the context where we well. While we’re kind of already received a determination, there has been the FAA progress and was halted in June of last year when a letter was sent from the FAA to the city. What I’m sorry?

21:27
How is that not about the application?

21:32
My eye, I’m flexible, I was deliberately trying to just throw the context of why I was here. And my, my understanding was there was going to be staff to get some input from the city on communications between the FAA and the city related to land use in the airport. I was trying to just express our thought on the general view of the FAA, getting involved in the wider land use determinations by the city council now. Yes, it could we are we all have an application that’s in this area. But I’m not specifically talking about our application. I was specifically going to address the the matter of the FAA interfering, in our opinion with the City Council’s decision on land use in an area of the city, I presume that was a legislative matter that because it was going to come before the city at a communication and I thought we would weigh in on our thoughts on it. Because the guy

22:35
I’m sorry, I’m sorry to interrupt. But wouldn’t it be more appropriate to wait until we actually got that communicate?

22:41
I was trying to be here next week to better I just thought I was I was trying to, because we haven’t seen the communication either. Obviously, we want it to just, but we have somewhat of a thought on it. But we

22:53
don’t know what you’re talking about. So I think your thought on what the staff actually gives to us? Because we haven’t had it. No, no,

23:01
no, yeah, no, that’s fine. I don’t I don’t know what they’re gonna give it to him, either. I was just giving because we’d have our own perspective, because we have been sharing some things. So and that’s fine. I believe me. I mean, it’s not our intention in any way. We understand that it is some point of threading a needle, because we’re not trying to do that in any manner. But it is when you’re getting into discussion about land use in a wider area and the FAA a pining on that there must be some forum where we’re allowed to express our opinion.

23:29
And there would be but but from my perspective, and I don’t know, maybe it’s counsel could weigh in on it. Perhaps we should wait until Council gets that communication. So we know exactly what you’re talking about.

23:44
Mayor and Council, if I could suggest I believe we will be coming forth with an agenda item. Maybe you and I could have a discussion before then try to establish the right line.

23:52
I would love to read the I know that’s fine, because we’re not trying to step on any toes or goatee. We just we were having a meeting tonight. I said I thought I’d show up and try to put my two cents in. So we’ll be back here next week and I’ll talk to the city attorney between now and then. Thank you. Thank

24:09
you, Scott. Thank you Scott. Doe Kelly.

24:27
Can you hear me? Okay. Hi, I’m Joe Kelly. And

24:32
I live on barberry drive here in Longmont and on this final April day As I gazed out my window to see the dandelions scattered everywhere knowing that they are bees first forage foods in the spring, I wanted to ask what has happened to know not me, especially now that all of our city’s residents large and small, are being captured inside of a wireless mesh network. It would be interesting to know how our policy readers do or do not fare in these new circumstances. Secondly, in my dreams last night, certain ladies of this council headed up by Joan, surprise me with a gift bag. I think it was my birthday. But anyway, the gift bag seemed to be bottomless, and I didn’t have time to fully explore what was in it before I woke, but there seem to be many layers of wherever it was including documents, possibly scripts from the menu, public comments I’ve given and much, much more an entire rabbit hole of paper and experiences. But the feeling in the dream was overwhelming goodwill and appreciation and gratitude from both sides. So I’m here to express my gratitude for this process of coming to speak for the past four years in advocacy, of safe technology and against wireless EMF and for coming out of my comfort zone to figure out how to drop the many gems of knowledge, wisdom, and experience on this subject into the ears of my city council, past and present. And by doing so, fingers crossed, better educate everyone. So a heartfelt thank you, and especially to the ladies in my dream now, the following from April of 23 and the public response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the FCC. A total of 636 public comments were submitted that referenced EMS or electromagnetic sensitivity and asked the commission to protect all EMS people from undesired and harmful RF exposure. There’s more. A year back the US population was 332 point 4 million. These are the US numbers of the EMS population by percent who can’t work 2.1 6 million has severe symptoms 4.9 9 million have moderate symptoms. 16 point 6 million have mild symptoms 99 point 7 million or 30% of the US population. So in Longmont with approximately 100,000 residents by extrapolation, you get 650 People who can’t work 1500 with severe symptoms 6000 with moderate symptoms 30,000 people with mild symptoms and that’s 30% Shocking, isn’t it? And it’s not going away. Not until we all wake up to this and stop the wireless insanity. 3g My mouth is dry.

27:32
Thank you Joe. Jordan pets person.

27:41
I hope I said that right person, Jordan person. Good evening, members of the council Mayor pack my name is Jordan person. I’m located at 640 Buchanan lane. I just wanted to primarily say Thank you and hello again. I came and spoke in January very briefly in regards to marijuana hospitality licenses. My goal is to apply for a permanent licensed premises with sales hospitality license. My goal is to open a cannabis spa, the primary use of cannabis using topicals there will not be any retail sales of cannabis it will be primarily the sales model will be through the services themselves. So I just wanted to say thank you for having this study session tonight and for looking into whether or not you want to have this type of license in the city of Longmont. And I think that this would be an asset to your community. So thank you.

28:35
Thank you, Jordan, Beverly Clarsach.

28:47
Beverly Claridge 1760 Sunlight drive Longmont Good evening, Honorable Mayor pack and members of the council. People were generally sympathetic to Israelis after the horrific massacre they suffered on October last year. But very quickly, even before Israelis were able to fight back and self defense, people turn their attention to the plight of the Palestinians, as if Israelis had only suffered one day, and we’re now fine. But almost seven months after October 7. Israelis continue to suffer in their very tiny country. The killings and abductions have touched everyone. Some 250,000 is Israelis have been displaced. Those who are kidnapped and returned will be traumatized for a long time. Maybe the rest of their lives. Nine year old Emily hand was returned in November. She came back then and pale and could not speak. Just whisper Can you imagine? What Israeli Holocaust survivors are feeling, seeing the same kind of slaughter they previously experienced happening again, families of those still held hostage in Gaza. Wait every day not knowing when or if their loved ones will return, or what torture they’re experiencing in captivity. Emboldened by the barbaric, October 7 Attack Hamas Darius, as well as terrorists in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and now Iran are attacking Israelis with missiles and rockets. Israelis are still attacked in their own streets, stabbings, shootings, car ramming, and explosive devices hundreds of attacks since October 8, as well as many attempted attacks. The latest attack was on a school bus full of Israeli children, about 134 Hamas hostages remain in Gaza, many of whom are reported dead. Only one euro Keefer B bus is still in Gaza. His family doesn’t even know if he’s alive. It’s unfortunate that very little of what Israelis are experiencing is reported in American or our news media. What would happen? What would have happened is if Israel had not fought back in self defense on October 7, it would have been a genocide to rival that of the Holocaust. The suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis is all due to the actions of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, other terrorist groups as well as Palestinian citizens who participated in the massacre of October 7. Thank you Everly.

31:55
Lamp Whitaker.

32:15
Mayor and council My name is Lance wicker

32:18
landscape a little microphone a

32:22
little organized here. Their look good. My name is last week here 1750 Collier Street businesses and have long mouth for 43 years now. Y’all probably sick and tired to see me. I started the cannabis hospitality thing over a year ago and Bud see all the work that Don has put in and I would like to thank her especially for all the her hard work. Today is National Preparation Day. I am not prepared today. Today is also national breath. Military but stay I ain’t calm that national hairstyles Appreciation Day. No comment. No single day adopt a shelter pet day. I have to cry on this one. My dog’s got liver disease and I adopted him over 15 years ago. Nashville bubble tea day. Raisins day, oatmeal cookie day. So combine those raisins and oatmeal cookies hands down have multi national honesty day. Good luck finding any of that nowadays. And national Bugs Bunny day. That’s all folks. Have a good day.

34:05
Thank you Lance, Steve ALTSCHULER.

34:15
tough act to follow. Steve Altshuller 1555 Taylor drive. You kind of resolved a lot of this already. But since I was going to speak on this, I’d like to still go ahead and do that. I’d like to know why anti semitism is so widely tolerated in the United States as seen by all of these colleges. I don’t know why anybody pays to have their child go to any of these colleges. We look back around to that. Two years and three months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, we have spent almost $250 billion of our taxpayer money for military arms from Ukraine. And the day after that Last $95 billion was approved. Biden poach 10 new rules writing money and more weapons to Ukraine? Well, my question is, is how does he know that was gonna last another 10 years, unless they plan on it. Maybe he is called for a ceasefire between the Ukraine and Russia. Israel was attacked seven months ago with 1200 million civilians. Some people complain that Israel’s retaliation is too strong. But what we’re finding is that same thing that happened in Vietnam, the people who were fighting, don’t wear uniforms, the IDF has a uniform. So Hamas knows who they’re going after. And they go after civilians anyway, intentionally, but the IDF anybody can be carrying a weapon and be a danger to them. And they drop pamphlets, and they try to warn people, the civilians to get out of town, they do everything humanly possible to keep from having civilian casualties. But the terrorists uses civilians as shields. So my question is, so many people are trying to get Israel to stop fighting. And there’s an expression that having Israel stop fighting while the terrorists are still around, is like putting out three quarters of a fire. It doesn’t do any good. But again, back to the anti semitism. They’re trying to get the Jews to stop fighting with the tourists started the fight. There’s like 1000 misses a year, they get fired into Israel, fortunately get stopped by round dome. But every day in Israel, there’s some danger. And the tourists don’t plan on stopping and going in circles. I apologize. I just had a thought. When you listen to the they’re not all school students. A lot of them were outside people invading the schools, their chant chanting both Israel and death to America. I don’t understand how in the world we can allow that in our country. It’s like if someone knocks on your door with them doing see I’m coming to you. Oh, sure. Coming in, let me make you dinner. It’s ridiculous. And I don’t know if I have any time left because there’s no clock up there anymore. You don’t

37:21
thank you. Seeing no one else on the list. I will close. Public invited first call. We are now on our special reports and presentations. The first one is going to be a proclamation. This is a proclamation designating the month of May as archaeological and historic preservation month in Longmont, Colorado, whereas historic preservation is an effective tool for revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride, encouraging economic growth and maintaining community character while enhancing livability. And whereas our archaeological and historic preservation is relevant for communities across the nation, both urban and rural, and for Americans of all ages, all walks of life and all backgrounds. And whereas it is important to celebrate the role of history and archaeology in our lives, and the contributions made by dedicated individuals in helping to preserve the tangible aspects of heritage that has shaped us as a people. And whereas the Historic Preservation Commission supports archaeological and historic preservation month in Longmont for May 2024. Now therefore, I Joan Peck Mayor by virtue of the authority vested me and the City Council of the City of Longmont, do hereby proclaim the month of May as archaeological and historic preservation month, in Longmont, Colorado. We have Jennifer Hewitt

38:56
and our advisory board.

38:58
Thank you Mayor Peck. Jennifer Hewitt Apperson planning development services with me this evening representing the historic preservation commission for the city of Longmont are Suzanne Sibley and Doug

39:08
Barner. Great, thank you Do you want a picture with us with this? Yeah wash my hair

39:32
center Yeah, right under the logo Yeah.

39:59
Thanks for listening I will find the velcro no worries. Okay for me 123 Thank you very much

40:24
miles here

40:44
and we have another proclamation. It’s a proclamation designating may 5 through the 11th 2024 as international compost Awareness Week, in Longmont, Colorado. Whereas the city of Longmont is committed to reducing landfill waste and diverting organic waste through composting, as specified in the city’s zero West resolute Zero Waste resolution and sustainability plan. And whereas composting is an effective form of waste reduction, and since organic materials make up approximately 30% in the materials going to landfills composting is one of the primary methods communities use to reach waste diversion goals. And whereas composting returns organic resources to the soil promotes water conservation during extreme drought or flooding conditions, reduces water consumption stores carbon in soils reducing climate impact, and it’s a proven method of decreasing erosion and dependence on chemical fertilizers. And whereas composting creates jobs and infrastructure for cities and states who implement composting programs. And these communities through their local governments, highway departments, soil conservation services, and public works professionals have significantly significantly positively impacted clean water, soil climate change and landfill diversion by using compost for public works projects, and whereas the compost Research and Education Foundation, along with countries around the world have declared the first full week of made to be the annual International compost Awareness Week, and this year’s thing compost. Nature’s Climate Champion highlights the role compost plays in fighting climate change by decreasing methane, helping climate change mitigation, reducing fertilizer inputs, increasing resilience and creating healthier soil which produces healthier food. Now therefore, I Joan Peck Mayor by virtue of the authority rested and vested in me and the City Council of the City of Longmont do hereby proclaim the week of May 5 through the 11th 2024 as international compost Awareness Week in Longmont and invite all citizens in the community to learn about and share the benefits of composting and healthy soil practices now and year round. Perfect. And here is Naomi Kirtland.

43:21
Mr. Peck and council members I am honored to be here today on behalf of sustainable resilient Longmont and our zero waste action team to receive this proclamation in recognition of international compost Awareness Week. Our zero days team has helped promote composting signups supported local policy work like last year’s universal recycling ordinance, and educate residents about composting and waste diversion at City festivals, which we’re looking forward to again this year starting this coming Saturday at Cinco Demayo. We are grateful to live in a community that cares about composting and waste diversion and to have a city council that is addressing our zero waste goals through policy. Tonight’s proclamation is another community initiative that highlights the many benefits of composting and demonstrates our shared commitment to the use of composting to achieve our city’s Zero Waste goals. International compost Awareness Week is the perfect time to focus on developing regional composting solutions that will truly serve our needs and help us meet our waste diversion goals. When Commissioner Saltzman visited city council earlier this month, we were thrilled to see support for the development of a regional facility from our mayor and our council members, directing city staff to work with Boulder County on this initiative. We’re also encouraged to see the positive reception of the composting resolution presented last week from the sustainability advisory board. This is almost composting month and then composting just a week next week. Sustainable isn’t Longmont supports the development of a publicly owned regional facility that can process all organic waste elimination alone wasteful trip to and from Salzburg, while also providing the opportunity for us to create better systems for waste processing that could probably handle a range of compostable materials focused on the public good rather than commercial profits. We have been advocating for regional composting infrastructure for many years now. And we urge Council and staff to seize this opportunity to swiftly move forward in partnership with Boulder County and advance a publicly owned regional composting facility as quickly as possible. Thank you so much for this proclamation and for your commitment to diverting organic waste and improving our composting here in Longmont. Thank you,

45:49
we we are definitely going to take a picture yes please.

45:53
And share is going to come out for the for our team to

46:13
do you downloaded this way this time? Yeah. No. Yeah. That’s like get centered underneath a logo. Yeah. Okay. 123. Thank you very much.

47:01
So now we’re on to our agenda study session items. The first one is the 2023 library Annual Report.

47:15
Hi, good evening, Mayor Peck and members of council. I’m John Solomon. For those of you don’t know me, I’m the library director for the Longmont Public Library. And I am simply here to introduce Jamie Couric, one of our library advisory board members who is going to present the 2023 Public Library annual report. Thank you.

47:32
And we don’t have the monitors. We have one working

47:37
are these working?

47:39
Yeah, let me bring this up. That one works and then you should have some copies of the slideshow. Sorry. Yeah.

47:56
Thank you, for all said, yes. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to present to you tonight a snapshot of the Longmont libraries past year. It was a good year. And my hope is that imagine from all of these numbers and statistics is a window into how 1000s of Longmont residents spend their time what they pay attention to pursue and prize. It’s a window into a highly utilized highly valued community resource, a real gem in the city’s crown. First, I want to discuss community engagement in 2023. And library use what is engagement? We are talking about the very small, hard to read numbers, but large in reality numbers and interactions with the public what is happening within the libraries wellness as well as without programming extremely popular among adults and youth hearing. That includes storytimes crafts author talks, a royal variety of offerings, many of which have been at capacity in the past year. These are human interactions. They provide an education opportunities for relationship building, and to just pick a couple of chairs out of this basket 4600 adult program attendees

49:41
and 21,275 attendees at Children’s and teens programs in 2023. All programs are made possible through funding from the Friends of the Library, which is a group of volunteers who put in hundreds of hours every A week to raise money for programs as well as either as benefits for the library. In 2023, the Friends of the Library contributed $44,000, almost $45,000, towards programming and other benefits, adult services, we’ll just go clockwise adult services that 22,000 Number, almost 23,000. Those are interactions with the reference desk with library staff at the information camera assistants in the computer lab, so really anytime anyone had a question that was not a directional awareness, the restroom sort of thing that that counts. And that 22,000 number on the bottom is how many sessions a patron was using computers in the lab. The Children’s and teams services also almost 20,000 interactions at the reference desk, requests for assistance, opportunities to interact with staff. These are high numbers. The program attendance for children and teens in particular, is is quite high. It is not unique attendees, many of these families, these young people come to programs multiple times a week. Every week, they’re the return patrons of library services. circulation and kind of gone down there for a minute. But these are the materials that have been checked out borrowed from the library. Or I’m sorry. 79,000, reference and information assistance. I’m just going to ask for clarification. That’s just its interactions. Okay. It’s not materials yet. My apologies. I’m going to go to the next slide. Here, we’re going to get into physical and digital materials checkouts when we go back one second. So outreach services. This is distinct from community engagement, and that does our connections with the public outside of the library’s walls. So it’s at events, such as the many city festivals and street fairs. As well as events held by the library outreach events, specifically, and those total patrons reached 13,000. Those are interactions with those individuals. And 29 tours included of the Walmart library. amount of physical materials, checkouts, all right, look at the screen instead. It’s a little bit easier to read. So we have almost 1 million materials checked out. That is not just physical books. It’s also electronic material materials, digital downloads, you can see almost half of the digital downloads right there. And that also includes use of electronic databases. We have over 100,000 card holders, I believe that still a bit higher the number of residents in 2023 More than 5000 records were issued. 68,458 holds retrieve those are items that patrons requested in advance and they are set aside. So it’s not just browsing, it’s not an impulse selection. It is something intentionally requested and retrieved and I’m looking to see if there was one Oh, and then we also circulated over 1000 Wi Fi hotspots, and Chromebooks so the library is a resource for providing technological resources as well. And as well as the library of things, which is an increasingly popular collection also funded by the Friends of the Longmont Library. You can take out tools you can take out. yard games, you can take out GoPro camera, pretty much all these things that may be pretty inaccessible or unaffordable to the average person and you don’t need it for more than a short while you can download completely free of charge from the library. And as you can see, they are quite popular. Some of the board games, they have a really innovative way of tracking numbers, little board game pieces, they, they check the games out and wait. So that’s always fascinating to me that you can get a board game and have all the pieces from our Public Library. State Park pass backpacks are also pretty innovative and the discovery passes. I don’t know how widely the discovery passes are, but they’re essentially passes to go to a whole host of local museums, galleries, other family friendly environments where the tickets for admission, could be, you know, 20 $30 I’m thinking of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. 1400 of those passes were reserved through our library that is like more than 100 Cass’s pronouns all year long, saving residents a lot of money. And one person who had their daughter’s birthday party at one of these museums and was able to check out enough free passes to bring the child and a couple of friends from school. And that was definitely something that that family wouldn’t have been able to do. Otherwise. We’ll just see where I am. What was the circulation number, I have on my notes that circulation of all of these materials, we served in the library more than 80,000 people, which is almost the whole population of the city.

57:23
marketing and online engagement and 2023 so this is still engagement, but it is more going out into the digital space and bringing people in to the library. The library sends newsletters, emails, maintains a at least one social media account and various numbers to are very impressive for not only the limited staff at the library, but also the ever growing population of Longmont itself. Our open rate on the emails is 55%. Which doesn’t sound like the most impressive number except that industry standard for an open rate on emails for similar organizations is 43. Similar with click rate industry standard is a 2% click rate that is I send you an email and you click on something interesting to go to a website or something else. And the library’s click through rate has been 4% in 2023. And the number of new subscribers to the newsletter a total of just over 4000 subscribers just in the past, is it just in 2023 or it’s

59:04
a little confusing. That’s the total number. It’s the

59:07
total number for 2023 when added 573 new subscribers the library’s website which is part of the city’s website, the homepage ranked number three and page views for the entire site showing considerable engagement and use.

59:36
Think I have to look closer here, it is really hard to see. Aside from my humble age and accessing personal accounts, some of the highest or most frequently visited pages include the library calendar, the discovery s page and getting a library card. As far as social media is concerned for the Facebook account long that my students really liked when library went fine free. These are the top five posts of 2023 years post about going find free, a post about heading to city parks, solicitations of donations for prom boutique, which happens annually. And the peeps contest winners have been into the library around Easter time saying this diorama is of peeps acting out the various books that children and other artists enjoy. And then Pride Month events also received a fair amount of engagement through Facebook.

1:01:11
So these are the just the overview of statistics, you have printouts of the full annual report in front of you. This is the only community space where everything is free. It’s one of the only indoor spaces where anyone can spend time without being expected to spend money. And it’s through the dedication of staff and volunteers that these achievements have been possible. This reports a celebration of all that hard work. And I thank you

1:01:48
we don’t get many applauses in here. So that was yes, we do love our library. Thank you very much. And welcome to the staff. Thank you. Do we have any questions or comments from Council? Yes. Councillor Rodriguez? No. Fairy. Thank you. So

1:02:12
thank you, Mayor. So I did I stayed on as the council liaison to the to the library board. And so I heard this, I saw this report earlier. And it is really amazing. The what is all accomplished with little means as far as staff capacity, in space, and, and even circulation materials. I mean, there’s a lot of hidden costs that include the going digital, so people who are acquiring digital books and media, you know, that all costs money. So maybe we don’t necessarily see them on the shelves. But that is in incurring cost. So and I you know, I didn’t prep you ahead of time to come back with numbers. But I’m really, you know, approximately, you know, as we’re advancing to the digital age, and more people are wanting to access these materials out of the comfort of their own home without having to necessarily walk in the library about how much of our budget is or the library budget is impacted? Or, you know, maybe how much How popular is that becoming? As far as digital materials goes? So there’s a two fold question in there.

1:03:22
Yeah, thank you for the question. It’s, I mean, you’re correct, right, the digital materials are increasingly popular. And with the current budget, we have we allot as much as we can without diminishing our physical collection, which is still very popular. Currently, between when I’ve been here last year, and then this year, we spend close to $100,000, just on digital materials alone.

1:03:52
Okay. And then, you know, I’m looking at it was on slide three, I believe, with a little snippet about the Friends of the Library, their contribution. So really they pay under percent of our library programs and looking at neighboring cities is a typical that their programs run on a donation.

1:04:16
No, that is not typical. This is unique to this to Longmont Public Library, most public libraries. Programming is considered as just as essential as collections. Yes. So unfortunately, we’re in that position where we rely on the friends they’re fabulous. But yes, we 100% of all that programming without it. Probably no summer reading program and no events during throughout the year.

1:04:40
Yeah, and I think something that I’ve seen lately that’s been a big benefit to especially folks who don’t have the means don’t have the cars or maybe babysitters or with the kids because the parents are working it are the engagement, the outreach to parks, like call your park and and having those programming You know, back in the day when my kids were little, that didn’t exist, you’re much smaller community then. But having those types of opportunities and getting creative and how we’re how you all are reaching the public is also something, you know, I wanted to highlight and make sure that our community knows, and realize that you all are I mean, I think we could call it out, when we put this initiative on the ballot to have expand library wasn’t necessarily just to have, you know, create a fancy library. But it was really, in order for us to be able to adequately fund the services that people would become so accustomed, we’ve become accustomed to this. But we’ve been able to kind of work in magic, and I really saw that being on the board, is how your fewer people are doing a lot of work with little, little staff, little means I mean, the performing miracle work, and I appreciate that. But I also I also get concerned of burnout, and you know, really with a lot of talented and very enthusiastic staff that I would hate to lose, because we’re pushing them to the limit. So that’s, you know, I appreciate that you all were willing to come out and, and share the report the findings, and really be able to educate our community in the services that you all that you all do, and the dedication of our Board Advisory Board. So thank you. They are not paid to do it, by the way. So it’s the love for the library. So yeah, and I guess, you know, what could some of the better years so if we did not have to rely on the friends to pay for services that could be put into the budget? What could we use that money that the friends so the, you know, the 45? And approximately 45,000?

1:06:51
Yeah, you know, that’s a great question. And, you know, with, with most other libraries that have supportive that have a friends group that raises money, typically, that would be for bigger events, like bringing in a major author or something that really appeals to the community. You know, if it’s not something you’re aware of bringing in somebody like that, you think about a major author can cost, you know, 10 $20,000, that would eat up our friends budget in a year, pretty much. So we can’t do that. But that’s, that’s really where you can benefit from a friends group and really bring in the community to some big events that I think no one would say they

1:07:27
don’t want you right. And it just enhances the experience for absolute residents and folks and kids that don’t necessarily are able to even leave Longmont so bringing that quality, correct programming here. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it. Thank you.

1:07:42
So hit, Councilor, Hidalgo faring comments made me think of a couple of things as well. And I was disappointed actually that the library ballot issue went down. Because we’re growing so fast, we’re getting so big. And she made a good point in that volunteers are incredible. But they’re not employed. They don’t have our specific hours. They don’t have to show up. So counting on them is it’s not a good managerial position to be in. So I’m hoping that we can do better with the library. But thank you so much, because I know that you’re probably all exhausted, you put in a lot of time, and effort, and you do a great job. Thank you very much appreciated.

1:08:37
Thank you,

1:08:38
Councillor Crist.

1:08:41
Well, thank you for the presentation. I just wanted to say that I think of a vibrant library is an essential service to the city. And we appreciate everything you do. Is there something more that the public or the council can do to help support the Friends of the Library so that you have more dollars available for programming and other services?

1:09:04
Thank you for the question. I think, you know, in part, it’s just what you said in couching the libraries in a central service. And I think that that is something that a lot of people still don’t realize, I think maybe the pandemic helped create a little bit more of a sense of libraries being essential when, you know, at least where I was at the time. That’s what people were craving, and they wait, where’s my library? And so we came out and we were there. And I think if people have a sense of the library is truly being as an essential service in think about what libraries provide to anybody. I mean, I would wager to guess that no one on this on this council got through their education without at least some point stepping in a library. So yes, it’s essential. And I think that’s the message and that’s what gets people to believe. Yeah,

1:09:51
it was one of the most painful things to have closed for a period of time as the library. So thank you for all that you do. Thank you

1:10:01
Thank you. Seeing no one else in the queue for questions. Thank you much

1:10:06
appreciate. Thank you. Well,

1:10:07
let’s take a five or 10 minute break. Well, I always say five but it goes over.

1:10:15
We’ll do we’ll say five. We’ll do it eight and a half.

1:19:12
are back in session for the liquor marijuana and other licensing code updates. And we had Don Quintana, our city clerk.

1:19:22
Good evening, Mayor Peck and members of council donking tonicity. Clerk. We are back to continue our presentation that we began on January 9, you asked us to bring back more information on marijuana hospitality licenses, a marijuana social equity program and on festival permits on the liquor side of licensing. So, first I want to introduce his great team that has worked together to bring this information forward. Tim Hall assistant city attorney has been a great adviser to us. This is Christina Marquez, she’s our licensing administrator. She she actually does this does all this work for our office. Okay, and then grant Penland planning director and then not here tonight is our GIS helper in planning, Justin Darsh, who’s helped us put together some great maps. So just want to thank everybody for all their help. I want to give you a heads up this is regulatory, heavy, topic. Lots and lots of details in the regulations. Well, our attempt here tonight is to give you regulatory light to help you make informed decisions, but not not trying to make you understand all the regulations or go that far whatsoever. So just wanted to share that with you. And then lastly, I wanted to explain that these licenses exist already in state statute. So we as a municipality can opt in to offer these in our city or not. So a marijuana hospitality exists in statute and then Longmont can decide whether we would like that one, that type of license here. So we will talk tonight about marijuana hospitality licenses. We’ll look at the marijuana social equity program. And then we’ll talk about the festival permits and we’re looking for direction do you want us to bring back some code changes or not? That’s that’s what we’re hoping to get to tonight. So we’ll go one by one. Marijuana hospital hospitality licenses. So these came into law in 2019. House Bill 1912 30 is a member of the public has shared that number with you many times. Marijuana hospitality license, of course, it’s illegal to consume marijuana in the state of Colorado in the in the public. So a hospitality license creates a place for people to consume, apply ingest marijuana legally. That’s what a marijuana hospitality license is. There are very few of these in the state, the city and county of Denver lead out licensed the first location when these were first approved. So you’ll see that we refer heavily to city and county of Denver because they’ve blazed the trail as it were. I’ll try not be too funny. But there are very few of these in existence and very few licenses currently approved. So I did a check today. Marijuana hospitality with sales, there’s three approved licenses in the state right now. And just marijuana hospitality without sales. There’s eight and three or four of those are obviously mobile by the punny names of their businesses. So there are three options at a marijuana hospitality license, a permanent licensed premises, meaning a brick and mortar location. Without sales whereby someone would bring their own consumer there, they still had any left they would take their own back home with them. Permanent licensed premises was sales. Think like a bar you go to you go there, you buy your beer, you drink your beer there and you cannot leave with it. Same concept, but only with marijuana. And then the third type is a mobile premises like a shuttle or bus. Most sales are allowed, but allows consumption on a tour bus or on a limo or those kinds of things. So those are the three different options within marijuana hospitality. Some of the cans and cans, they can operate from 7am to 2am. I’ve got giving you much more detail in your accounts communication, they could have an outdoor area. Of course, there’s a whole lot of regulation around that. They could serve sell coffee, tea and prepackaged foods. What they can’t do is allow anyone under 21 period, no alcohol or tobacco shall be consumed. Those two worlds shall not mix. cannot allow permanent permit disorderly conduct, and allow visible displays outside the premises. To name a few. There’s a whole lot more regs again, this is regulatory light. So tonight, we have focused on two options, the permanent licensed premises without sales and the permanent license press premises with sales, because those are the two options that members of the public have expressed an interest to you all. We have not heard any interest in a mobile so we have not spent time there. The permanent license premise without sales, a commercial entertainment facility with a bring your own model, no sales would fit under that license type. massage services with sales would fall under a permanent licensed premises with sales. So if we were to allow a permanent licensed hospitality, the question would be where the next question would be, where would we allow this? And so we have a gratuitous picture there of the I plan also in your handout look this exact same presentation they gave you in your handout. We have some tools already in our book to regulate where these could be located. First of all, we have land development code and the table of allowed uses. So title 15 already says that a commercial entertainment facility would be limited would be a permitted use in the table of allowed uses and the musc musc musc E and M er zoning areas, massage or personal service is allowed in those same zones just with the addition of mun so already the table of allowed uses provides us some guidance on where these might be located. Also the marijuana code under six dot 70 and the Longmont municipal code specifies that marijuana licensed businesses shall not be located within 200 feet of a residentially zoned area, nor within 1000 feet of a kindergarten through 12. School. We already have those those parameters in our code. So we wanted to show you illustrate what that might look like. And I’ll get there in just a second. The question we have for you if you want to implement marijuana, hospitality licenses, is our what we have? Are those restrictions enough? Or would you like to follow suit city and county of Denver, and add additional distance restrictions from preschools, licensed childcare facilities, licensed licensed drug and alcohol treatment facilities, city owned recreation centers or pools, and then other marijuana hospitality businesses of the same type. So we want to show you what that might look like. Because it’s hard to comprehend what does it what anytime and on. So on your desks, I gave you each two big maps. One is labeled in the top right corner map one. And the other in the top right corner says map three. So map one on the screen for those looking up at the screen is the map on the left. And this shows, again, this is just an illustration of what distance restrictions would do. This is the M UC and the m mu d zones only. So it’s not all of the zones. And we’ve already put in the 250 foot buffer, it’s kind of red. And then the dotted line is then inside that buffer. What is left inside that dotted black line that goes up and down the middle of our map there is what would be left where a business would be allowed without adding any additional restrictions. So

1:27:40
I’m done. For the public. We know that immune means mixed use, yes. But what do the C D E and NS mean? Do you know those? I

1:27:51
would call my friend grant Pentland. Here’s the table. Yeah, D is downtown. Okay. That’s the end of my knowledge.

1:27:59
See his corridor, and his neighborhood II is employment. And I forgot the last are ours regional, commercial. So, Richard. Thank you.

1:28:14
Thank you, grant. So on the left, again, the map shows what we have currently in our code, if you were to locate a marijuana hospitality business and follow the table of allowed uses and what we have with distance restrictions. Now, that might be what would be allowed in the musc. Mid map number three, the one on the right, that demonstrates all those green bubbles are one of those facilities that Denver has put a distance restriction from childcare, preschool, drug alcohol treatment, city pool or recreation center. So you can see that all that’s left is sort of down to the lower middle, sort of a little bottom sliver of the the downtown area and then a narrow sliver south of Ken Pratt and a slice down very south. So it eliminates you can see it eliminates the majority those distance restrictions if you imposed in terms of the musc in the mid would eliminate a whole lot of space down Main Street for sure. Man a pause for questions on these maps because it’s a lot to look at it took us a while to absorb as we got these maps

1:29:41
when you say M U N. So these can be in neighborhoods. What What exactly does that mean like in a residential block?

1:29:51
It would be in the mixed use neighborhood zone. So these are all mixed use zones. None of those are going to be straight residential neighborhoods, they’re all mixed use. So if you look at the comp plan, if we have the key Do you remember the the salmon colored? Pink? That’s up there? Oops, sorry. There’s very small areas. Yeah, the yellow is residential. Right and not allowed in the big the broad. If you’re looking at this big comp plan map, does that help? We didn’t we just focused on the musc and Mudie to show the illustration of how much would be eliminated if you added Denver’s restrictions in Longmont.

1:30:46
All right, Councilman, say

1:30:50
goodbye. Okay. Thank

1:30:51
you, Mr. Peck.

1:30:51
I just wanted to note that are the buffer zones that Denver has adopted specified in the state code that you can either set them or not? Or could we set them to something different?

1:31:05
We can be more restrictive than statute, we can’t be less restrictive. So Denver has chosen to be more restrictive. Do you want to add to that?

1:31:12
There are no setbacks in the state statutes.

1:31:15
Okay. So

1:31:16
they could they could be smaller, for example, if we wanted to have a place in the north court, or we could make them smaller enough that there could be one or two spots with

1:31:27
them. With the exception medical marijuana, the setbacks are entirely optional.

1:31:31
Yeah. And they could be 500. It could be 750. It could be, you know, you could we could identify what some of those points are. And maybe it’s a particular facility that maybe you don’t want to add a restriction to. So there’s a lot there’s a lot of detail in this map. But if we implemented all of those distance restrictions, that would basically knock out that corridor until you get down to second and main third main Yeah. Right. Lower downtown, correct. All right, then the next question would be what how would you get a license, where we would need to determine where how would you get the license. The process is they file with the state first, the state sends us an application, we would need a complete application. In your packet, I laid out some but not all of the extensive application requirements laid out in Longmont Municipal Code. Some of the things we require our business plan, odor control management, there’s extensive list of requirements for your application, we would meet them to pay some fees, of course. And in terms of fees, we recommend just following suit with city and county of Denver $1,000, one time application fee, and then a $2,000 annual license fee, then that would go to the marijuana licensing authority who here is our judge our municipal judge, and that application will be vetted as per normal, just like any other marijuana license application has been?

1:33:13
Done real quick can yes back back to the mall. I want to remind Council. If you look at childcare facilities, you know, one of the directions that council has given us is to look at allowing childcare facilities in mixed use areas. And so we do have direction from council to bring that back to you all. And so just know, just keep that in the back of your mind that as you’re looking at this. We’re also working on the motion to bring the child care component back, which there could be some inherent conflicts. And so I just wanted to jump in and remind you that’s coming to you,

1:33:54
especially when we think of the CIP project that we’re working with. Okay. Thanks for that reminder.

1:34:03
Thank you, Harold. When assuming they would go through the process and be licensed, so wanted to jump back to what about that cap? So we talked about that last time a little bit. We as you know, there is a cap on retail marijuana licenses set by council back when Longmont implemented or opened the door for retail marijuana stores. There’s a cap of four we have four licensees currently. And then our initial discussion in January, there was a general sense you all didn’t vote but a general sense maybe not to mess with that cap to leave the stores alone. And then perhaps to treat hospitality separately. So the way to do that would be to do one of two things. Exempt marijuana hospitality from the cap on retail licenses. Period, and let the market decide or exempt and then ask us to bring back information on a cap or put him to work on devising, how we might cap and give us some direction on what cap them what you might be interested in setting that at. So information on the cap. So just to recap, our questions for you, regarding marijuana hospitality are MIDI, would you like to add this license type? If we’re given direction tonight, then of course, we would go back and draft actual language, we have not done that yet. Because we don’t have enough direction to do that. draft that bring that back to probably a zero reading to make sure we captured your thoughts. And then once we cleared the zero reading, then go to a first reading and a second reading and public hearing. If past 10 days after publication that would become effective unless you set a different effective date in the ordinance. So that’s going to be the process. If you would like a marijuana license type would you like with sales without sales mobile? Where would you like these? Would you like additional zoning restrictions like Denver? Is there any additional criteria you’d like to add there in terms of application criteria, or any really cap or no cap and, and fees? We need some direction on fees. So we need just a little bit of direction? Lots of questions for you. And I can keep going or we can pause on these questions. Are. You want to pause? Okay.

1:36:36
Councillor Martin?

1:36:39
Yes, I would like to have more information for the zero reading on some of these things like, Do other municipalities have caps for these types of businesses, and it was never the only one? And would it be feasible to have a second cap that would include both types of hospitality so that the market could have, you know, whichever was more popular. But you know, the two people that have expressed business models to us already, I think they should have a chance to each do it. So I wouldn’t want the cap to be so low that only one of them would win.

1:37:33
Councillor McCoy?

1:37:35
Thank you, man. You’re correct. I tend to to agree with the the issue really cap. And then I also think that that probably the option one for hospital hospitality licensing, permitting license premises without sales. And I think that’s what that way we have some way of kind of having people take it with them when they’re done. There’s a bit of a concern there in regards to, you know, what they bring in, you know, seemed, we need to probably look at that to to about, you know, is it still before it’s there. Like sometimes people would talk about how they had in communities and states where they didn’t have sales for alcohol, you come in with the alcohol sealed in someone would open it for you. Then after that they would package it for you to leave in some way so that they could see that it was something that is is licensed in the state of Colorado and everything. So did you have a question about that? My mic. Okay. So that’s my, my general consensus. Thought about that. Right now, we’re not making these 1000 foot setbacks? Is that what

1:39:15
we do not we would need to add that have that direction to bring that back in your code.

1:39:20
I myself don’t think we probably need to I think we’re already being careful enough about how close we are to schools. It looks like there’s no way we either would end up clustering every opportunity in this situation to a very specific area of town or some other unforeseen aspects. So that’s that’s kind of where I’m coming from. I hope that they give you three at least, that’s helpful.

1:39:50
Thank you, Councilmember McCoy, Councillor Hidalgo. Karen. Thank you, Mary. Mary. I renamed you. Well, that was that was the other day. Go ahead. Thank you, Mayor. Okay. So in regard to the licensing types, you know, it sounded like there was interest in the with sales and without, you know, so I would be interested in pursuing those two without the mobile option that almost seems like a headache in and of itself anyways, so we don’t need that kind of party bus around. So and then the other one, the three, we’re all okay. These additional zoning restrictions, I think, for us to try to follow suit with Denver. Denver’s a completely different animal, they have other spaces that they could they have more spaces to work with? We don’t. So, you know, I, I think what we have in regard to being mindful of schools, you know, possibly daycares, you know, that. But I think we’re where we stand right now is fine. The application criteria was that, no, that’s not the fees. Remind me again, when we go back,

1:41:19
these is at the bottom of the list, but the criteria is the list of all the things a file with an application. Okay, some pizza, I

1:41:27
don’t have anything additional. To add to that to that piece. As far as the cap, you know, I think we should really look and kind of let the market decide, I think we’re coming into new territory. You know, I think that, you know, folks who, who do engage, whether it be you don’t be a massage or smoking, it’s, uh, you know, I don’t think that a lot of people who are not part of this, I mean, it really feels like a, you know, have some cousins who are, like, it’s a culture and, okay. And so I want to be mindful that the, that we are kind of honoring and kind of allowing people to where the interest lies to kind of direct that, you know, we can review that at a later time. But I don’t think we’re gonna get out of hand with having a bunch of facilities. I mean, we, you know, I think we can let the market decide that that component, you know, eventually I would kind of like to look at the fee structure in some other municipalities similar to, to us, you know, especially as we’re looking at equity being an issue, as far as who can, you know, small, a one person business, would they be able to handle a fee? You know, would that be make it unattainable? So, you know, what can we do with fees to make it more attainable to just small mom and pop businesses?

1:43:00
If I may, mayor and council? Yes, Marie Duggal faring in terms of fees Denver, of the 11 existing approved licenses, eight of those are in Denver. So it’s okay. That’s why we went after there, you know, far more fees. So really, other there aren’t tons of examples. antonito is one spot down on the state line, south. And then Thornton and Arvada each have, so we could look and see what they do what they do. And Denver has the bulk and they they Yeah, see,

1:43:34
and I just don’t think that we’re gonna get a large amount of people coming in to open up shops. That’s kind of what I’m getting at. So, you know, I feel like if we I would rather be able to make it attainable for smaller businesses to be able to open up as opposed to some big chains who have means and they could pay these types of fees. So you know, I kind of like to relook at that.

1:44:08
Council, yeah. Well, thank you, Mayor Peck. Are we looking at? I just want to clarify map number three is our map. This is Boise map number one. Number one, okay. Okay, I wanted that clarification. So, I guess my questions are, I agree with Mayor Pro Tem, about discarding number three as far as the option, the mobile premises. So I guess one of my questions is because of the locations are very limited. Will they all kind of be clumped together? You know, say for instance, I definitely want to cap out I’m not sure I’m sure we will discuss about what the cap should be. But I do feel like there should be a cap in since the locations are very limited, where they all be in that location. And then also thinking about, and maybe I’m misunderstanding but if the if we have without sales, say the massage therapists What if they wanted to provide those services out of their home or the adu that’s on their property? How would that work?

1:45:32
First, if I might Mayor Peck and Councilmember Yarborough so the the massage license type is with sales, by definition in statute. So statute has defined that license type already. So that would be with sales. Kind of period. That’s the way that one works. I don’t know the answer to the question about home based business, I’m going to turn to my friend grant. Does he know this answer?

1:46:06
Do you want it

1:46:09
generally would being in residential only district? We’d have to look at it in terms of the home based business itself. Generally something like that would be allowed if it wasn’t related to marijuana business. Under oath that answers your question,

1:46:24
even without sales, but

1:46:26
the setback to residential would automatically preclude in most residential homak.

1:46:32
Just wanted to make sure with that. Basically, that said, I just wanted to verify which map and then also home based businesses. And I definitely want to cap in wood. I think we also need to consider what if whatever is available as far as location, where would they be? Would they all be clumped together? You know, considering if we say four is the cap or three is to cap whatever? Would they all be in the same area? Because that may be the least expensive for them the lease, things like that. We need to consider I think thank

1:47:16
you Mayor packing, Councilmember Yarber, I think with if you implemented the additional distance restrictions shown in map three, that would probably tend to cluster them more. I’m just thinking logically, if we didn’t if we just stuck with the table of allowed uses, and our 250 foot from residential and and the setback from schools, that will leave you with a whole lot more space, as you can see in map one, which would theoretically spread things out on Omar, I think Tim’s going to add.

1:47:53
And so the Denver setbacks are just an option to give you an idea of what some other people are doing. You could also if you wanted to pinpoint that issue, make a setback from other hospitality businesses. Okay. But then it’s a race to the door to who gets licensed first, right. We’d have to figure out if we had two licenses pending at the same time in the same location. Okay, some complexity. But you could add just that setback if you’re interested. Thank you.

1:48:22
Councillor crest

1:48:28
may also still have some ordinance issues with smoking within town. Is that correct, Don?

1:48:35
Thank you, Councilmember. Chris. Yes, we, you asked a great question about how this interplays with the color to clean indoor act. Marijuana hospitality is explicitly exempted in the Clean Indoor act. But we do have a section in our municipal code where we would need to add an exemption for marijuana hospitality. I’m not the attorney but it seems like a pretty easy fix to add and marijuana hospitality. But we would need to also if given direction to add hospitality, we would add that fix in there and any others that might be needed.

1:49:10
But if it was outside the city limits, that wouldn’t be an issue. And

1:49:15
it would not be our jurisdiction to regulate outside. So five minutes. Okay.

1:49:20
And then, so I’m looking at slide. Well, on page number five Longmont municipal code, it says a commercial entertainment facilities permitted use only or in the MUCMUDMUE and mqr zoning areas. So and it is not permitted. Well, let’s see. So not in the yellow residential zoning. Correct. So is there also some limitation in terms of being close to dispensaries?

1:49:51
We could counsel could add a distance restriction to keep a buffer around dispensaries or around marijuana hospitality businesses or any marijuana related business, that would be an additional restriction. We need direction to add,

1:50:08
I guess they can’t be super close. I mean, like within walking distance or something, I saw a limitation of some. Sometimes there

1:50:17
isn’t one. Unless we unless counsel added one to be clear. Okay.

1:50:28
Then I haven’t had some. And we were, we were given a packet from one of our constituents about concern about marijuana use, particularly the younger ages. So I’m wondering if we’ve considered upping the age to 25. And I’m just gonna throw out the 20s. At age 26, the insurance rates go down for drivers. And it’s also the age where the military says they don’t think they can train you anymore. So obviously, the age of good decision making at 26. I’m just saying, maybe age 25 might be the way to go.

1:51:13
For some people.

1:51:16
I agree with caps. I don’t I’m a little perplexed by all the intricacies. Maybe it’s because we’ve had a lot of detail tonight. So I guess I want more time to study before I say bring back X, Y and Z. But I agree with camps. I think we need to be cognizant of wherever dispensaries are. And I think a lot of people are going to end up at the south lower downtown.

1:51:56
Okay, when I look at map three, which is our downtown area with all of the 1000 foot setbacks, I just want to think about what what do we want our downtown area from? I guess 21st to first. What do we want that to look like? Going forward? And I do think that we should Oh, could you remind me first of all, what are we our restrictions around schools? What is the setback?

1:52:33
1000 foot from a K 12 school?

1:52:35
Okay, I think we should keep that implemented. And also, I don’t think that they should be near liquor stores or? Well, I can’t say where you consume liquor because that could be everybody’s house. Restaurants, even your restaurants. Yeah, we can’t do that. But liquor stores definitely are bars. I do think we need caps. I have no idea what that would be. But I’m reading this. And when I look, go to the social equity page, it talks about the effects of decades of criminal enforcement of marijuana laws on communities of color. So in order to have social equity, I’m assuming this means that allowing people of color to have a hospitality. I didn’t quite understand what that meant.

1:53:43
Mayor pic, you are just ahead of me. But that’s okay. That’s the next section. Oh,

1:53:50
I read ahead. That’s a different set of questions. Okay, nevermind.

1:53:53
Part A ABMC

1:53:56
puts it on the back burner. So anyway, I guess that’s it, I just want to make sure that we have a vision of what we want our downtown area to look like we’ve been planning for a very long time. And that’s important. Also, I think that the cap letting the market decide. i With this council, I would like to start out with a cap and other councils will decide what they want to do or don’t want to do. But just to open it up to the market. I’m, I’m more conservative than just opening it up. Also, I would like to know, are there any risk factors or any increased unlawfulness with these hospitality places? Can we get some of that information from Denver or?

1:54:49
Absolutely.

1:54:50
And also along with that we could have an update on the police enforcement in our own city with what we’ve got has it? Is it a problem is it not a problem? As long as we’re doing this, let’s look at all of it.

1:55:07
I can’t imagine anybody with a must getting a massage would be that unlawful, but yes to two different businesses. Do you have what you need? Or is there something else we have not addressed?

1:55:25
Let me just share back what I think I’ve heard. Okay. I haven’t heard from councilmember Rodriguez, not to put you on the spot. And then I could, I would appreciate a few more details from councilmember Martin. But generally, I’ve heard so far. Generally, both types with and without generally interested in a cap, zoning restrictions. You’re kind of split. Some want them some don’t. So would need some clarity there. And we definitely have some questions to answer for you. In terms of fees, I don’t have a clear answer yet, either.

1:56:12
Yeah, if I can help you, Don, I think we had three council members specifically mentioned caps. Yep. Yeah. So not clear, clear for for caps. I also think that I heard three council members and it was vague on the zoning, but it was location being kind of a concern. Are we aggregating them? Are we doing this? But again, not for in terms of how we approach that. And so I think that’s kind of what we’re struggling with is what do we bring back?

1:56:49
And then the fees, what would you like to see?

1:56:58
Oh, counselor crest.

1:57:01
So on slide eight in the packet that we received, not in the not in the handout, it says overlapping premises of its hospitality business basics, overlapping premises, the licensed premises of a hospitality business cannot overlap with the license premise of a medical or retail marijuana store or liquor license premise must have a separate address separate entrances and exits, no door or hallway. And Windows, no windows on shared walls. It also says okay, so cannot be visible from outside of the licensed premise. And there’s sight obscuring wall fence hedge and other opaque or translucent barriers. So there are some site specific considerations, I guess.

1:57:51
I believe you’re referring to the packet of information from city that we included from city and county of Denver, the slide show the hospitality Meishan they rolled out when they rolled these licenses out. It’s very robust.

1:58:04
So you’re saying it includes more than we would have to include?

1:58:08
They’ve covered quite a bit of statute in their presentation. Let me just get to the page that you’re speaking of

1:58:13
Matt’s page eight

1:58:19
he, right. Generally, you can’t license have two licenses in one location. So no overlapping that’s just not what Paige was that council. Oh, and these aren’t numbered five? Eight,

1:58:34
it’s eight of 27. In the packets see,

1:58:39
first. Okay.

1:58:44
Yeah, these would be likely from statute the overlapping because you in in

1:58:52
that state statute?

1:58:53
Yes. I’m, I’m fairly sure Tim can confirm that. But as a general licensing protocol, you can’t overlap two different licenses in a premises. If you just it’s just not allowed in liquor or marijuana. So we would follow statute, whatever is outlined in statute would apply in Longmont. If we opted in to marijuana hospitality. We could add additional we could be more restrictive. So if in statute, they allowed an outdoor consumption area, Lama City Council could say we will not allow that we will be more restrictive. So that’s why I’ve tried to not take you into the regulatory weeds can I resist? I’m sorry.

1:59:38
Well, I’m glad I found it because it explains more. Yes, exactly how close it could be with some of these other these

1:59:45
are definitions, lots of rules around an outdoor consumption area. That’s, I think I said that when I when I read past that there’s lots of rules around everything. What we need to get is some basics and then we can Hold on that in when we come back. Okay. Thanks, Tom. Thank you. Good, great questions.

2:00:08
Councillor Rodriguez?

2:00:12
Thank you, Mr. Pack. I’ll go very quickly. Add Image license type. Yes. Which of the three or all the with and without, I’m not a fan of the mobile license. I think that we have not seen a whole lot of problems anecdotally, without seeing the public safety report, as far as our current distance restrictions are concerning dispensaries, so I’d rather see them be consistent across the board. As far as the license types and dispensaries are concerned. I don’t think additional application criteria necessary necessary mixed on the cap. I’d like to see probably a little bit more information on that before I decide one way or another. I lean towards a cap early on, but something but a cap that would be not overly restrictive. And then fees idea of the question, what are our current application and licensing fees for our dispensaries?

2:01:16
Our our annual renewal fee for dispensaries is $15,000 Every year, and their initial application fee was I want to say 15,000 as well.

2:01:28
So therefore, write me you city and county of Denver’s application and licensing fee are much more accessible to a potential small business owner than a dispensary. So I would be amenable to being consistent with the city and county of Denver cities.

2:01:51
I agree with that. Councillor Martin?

2:01:58
Taking your pack? I’m not sure what Don, you would really like to hear from me. But I have something that I don’t think anybody else has mentioned, we talked about zoning, I think we have allowed uses for things like beauty parlors, which seem a lot more, don’t we have more allowed uses for that, like you can have one in a neighborhood. And this seems a lot like that. Or at least like an ordinary massage parlor. And I don’t know what the lat you know, the allowed uses are for that, but where you go to get something for your health seems much more like that than someplace where you would go to consume liquor or, or something like that. I mean, this is supposed to be a health oriented thing. So and I generally favor having harmless businesses B have a lot of allowed uses. You know, a lot of a lot of allowed uses in zones. So I would like to maybe relax the cap on on at least that business model and possibly both. Because you know, it’s no more dangerous to bring your stash into a parlor and then leave with it than it is to go into a friend’s house and then leave with whatever you brought in that you didn’t use. So these seemed like businesses that that could could be neighborhood businesses, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

2:03:54
All right, may I just clarify what I think I heard you say councilmember Martin sure that you would be interested in adding marijuana hospitality license type types one and two. Yes. And probably no additional zoning restrictions. Oh,

2:04:11
yeah, maybe not. I think we should at least look at it and you know, see how many people come to public invited to be heard with pitchforks? Because I you know, I think it’s like having a beauty parlor parlor on the block out of somebody operated out of somebody’s house.

2:04:30
And in terms of a cap councilmember Martin,

2:04:33
I don’t really see any these are such small businesses that I don’t see any reason for a cap but I I think what we’re doing is fearing unintended consequences. So I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to a cap if that was what my colleagues on council felt was a pro Aubrey, but I don’t feel strongly about it.

2:05:03
And just in terms of the fees, were you comfortable with Denver’s fees, Denver

2:05:06
speeds are certainly much better than ours. And, you know, maybe maybe even even lower, you know, again, go look at mom and pop businesses like beauty parlors, right? What are what are what are their licensing fees like?

2:05:29
Very good. I think, Harold, what’s your count, but I believe that we have four for everybody agrees to

2:05:39
five. Something on caps. Bring it back. I think we still have assuming three with location concerns for with no location concerns. I think councilmember McCoy. I’m not sure on your position on that. Location concerns I heard brought up by councilmember Yarborough in terms of density. Councilmember Crist and Mayor Peck. Is that correct? And so councilmember McCoy, I’m not sure where you were on the location piece.

2:06:14
I think councilmember McCoy said was not interested in restrictions. Okay. Actually, he that was

2:06:23
just so I want to address number two, though, which Councillor Martin? I’m sorry. Was that it? Yeah.

2:06:39
Without sales? I’m sorry. Um, Counselor. Number one. Is that what you were referring to the beauty parlor?

2:06:58
Oils when you use them?

2:07:00
I understand. Yeah, I understand what it is. My problem. My concern, it isn’t a problem is that this license is not only for massage parlors in beauty sales, it is allowing consumption of marijuana within a permanent licensed premises. It could be consumption of marijuana, not through massage or something. The license would allow consumption of marijuana on the premises. So would that be? So I guess my concern is let’s don’t look at it that this would only be a license for massage parlors? It is it isn’t Am I correct in that? It could be correct. Yeah. So we’re only looking at the people in the in, in the audience here. But if we have this license, and okay, it, it doesn’t mean it’s only going to people be people who want massage parlors that are going to come in and use it. So

2:08:14
I agree. And I was just gonna say Mayor pack. That was one of the things.

2:08:18
One of the things

2:08:20
in the council Gump was that long run is a very creative entrepreneurial town. I can’t even imagine what people might come up with. So that’s why we recommended the table of allowed uses as Yeah, use that definition. And I can’t imagine what people might think of

2:08:36
I just didn’t want it to go out. You know, over the virtual people that are listening that this is licenses for massage parlors using cannabis. It is for anything where you can consume like cannabis on the premises.

2:08:54
So, Mayor, Tim Hall assistant city attorney, just one quick clarification, if a license has elected to go down the spa route, yeah. Then Then there are set of rules under the state license the state MVD and they wouldn’t be able to they have to kind of pick a lane. Either you’re going to do the spa and have a consumption area for the spa that is just the lotions and the spa services or you’re going to have a marijuana hospitality and sales business that is right consumption

2:09:24
right just this license is for both okay wouldn’t

2:09:27
be kind of both happening in the same All right my understanding unless the state changes Thank

2:09:32
you. I didn’t I didn’t mean to make this a huge discussion but I did didn’t i so i the options I approve went into but not the Mogul.

2:09:46
Counselor McCoy

2:09:49
thing Thank you Mayor pack. City Manager Herald. My my feelings were that if we had so many restrictions were I see in the in map three here, that we would have such pocketed areas that we would, I think we would end up with unintended consequences of where this is all located and everything. And so I feel that that’s I hope that helps clarify and clarify to make sure I was there. And then and then just as far as I want the first two, done in regards to license type, I don’t think the mobile sales are any good. And then I’m not totally sold on it. I mean, against the cap. I just don’t think that we, maybe we have to figure out what that is. And as far as the the price of entry. You know, I think what Denver has is a good starter place. You know, and again, we have no idea if it’s going to be massage parlors, that sort of thing. And that’s why I use the example of how some people would bring in their liquor, you know, sealed, that the, the waiter or waitress would unseal it. And then then if we repackaged it, then that person could come back with that repackaged I mean item, if I suppose but I don’t know that that that’s does any good. I think they just need to be able to use it at home, I just don’t know how popular is going to me. It could be very popular. Could just be that there’s a cultural part of this, that this is a at home sort of activity, for the most part, except for maybe, maybe massage parlor sort of situations. It’s still up in the air, how popular it will be for, for the overall public to jump into. They might just who cares?

2:11:59
So let’s move on. If you have everything you need to the social equity,

2:12:03
I do their pack and councilmembers. I’ve got four of you. I did Itali. Four of you saying no on additional distance restrictions. And we will include information on the questions that we got from you. Yes, on while you’re kind of split on the cap, there’s three yeses, three could go either way and one no. So we will bring back some options on that is what I think we should do. And you’re all okay, at least four of you okay with the fees. So I think we’ve got our options One and Two to move forward. And we’ll move on to social equity. Thank you

2:12:47
all right. So a social equity program would help us further define who would be eligible for a marijuana license, business marijuana business license if implemented in Longmont. These have been implemented by the state of Colorado, and by this city and county of Denver, of course, the trailblazers. Their goal is to increase diversity in the number of marijuana business owner licenses. So as you mentioned, bear with me, it actually is encouraging municipalities to implement a social equity program, and it is because the decades of criminal enforcement of marijuana laws on communities of color. So a social equity program would create equity in the who is able to obtain licenses. As you noted the dispensaries when those came online is not a lot of diversity in the ownership of dispensaries. Right. So the social equity programs were created by the state city and county of Denver followed suit. We have been borrowed why recreate the wheel and looked at the City and County of Denver’s social equity program. What you might do with a social equity program is reserve a certain license type. For applicants that qualify as social equity applicants, for example, a marijuana hospitality license. You might reduce or waive fees, you might do both. If you reduce fees Denver, Denver waives the one time application fee and just collects the annual license fee from social equity applicants. You could mix that up however you wanted to this would be long month program. If we followed city and county of Denver criteria in terms of what who would be a social equity applicant, this is their criteria. You must be a Colorado resident and you meet one of these criteria reside in an opportunity zone or disproportionate impacted area for 15 years between 1980 and 2010. Or at BT the applicant or their immediate family was arrested, convicted or suffered so Will asset forfeiture due to marijuana offense or applicants household income did not exceed 50% of state median income, as measured by the number of people who reside in the applicant’s household. So either by impact or by income qualify on the second point. And then the third criteria point is that social equity applicants own at least 51% of the license. And where there are multiple owners that 51% of those would be social equity applicants so that it’s a social equity owned license, if that makes sense. That’s how city and county of Denver does that. So really, we’re just looking for some guidance. Are you interested in this? When we a few months ago attended a meeting with the MVD, they were super excited that Longmont was on. And their first question was, Donna, you guys going to do a social equity program? So they, they’re interested in it. But the question is, are you all? So to review our questions? Would you like to see a social equity program? Would you like us to use the same qualification criteria that I just outlined that Denver uses? How would you like to apply that? Would you like to restrict a license type? reduce fees, waive fees? How would you like that to look?

2:16:27
Counselor mine.

2:16:29
Thank you, Mr. Peck. I think we should do a social equity program. I think that both the income qualification or the impact qualification are good ideas. Although I think the impact qualification would be hard to administer. And so maybe we shouldn’t take on something like that. And then, the other thing is, maybe you can refresh my memory. What do we do about licensing delivery operators, for you know, people who who can deliver prescription cannabis to people at home? Didn’t we have to do that a few years ago? What do we do about that? Do we have a cause? That is an obvious place for a social equity program, did we?

2:17:27
We have not had a social equity program, Councilmember Martin. So if we implemented one, we could certainly add marijuana delivery, we only allow medical marijuana delivery under current code, so it would be a licensed type to add. Yeah.

2:17:43
Just to add to that, tomorrow. Assistant City Attorney just added that we did bring that question to you, you decided not to license transmitted delivery inside of the city, but to allow delivery by by

2:17:55
people license. I remember that now. Yes. Licensing. There was something weird about that. And maybe we should. While we’re on this subject, we should we should allow residents to become licensed medical delivery. Because I think that’s kind of an important thing. And like, I know, I got a lot of letters of complaint

2:18:21
by people who were, you know,

2:18:23
I can buy from a dispensary in Denver. But I can’t buy from a dispensary in Longmont. What’s with that? Because they didn’t have the right kind of delivery agreements. So I guess I should suggest that we should reopen that consideration as long as we’re on the subject. Yes,

2:18:44
it can make one clarification to an earlier comment about the social equity license. Yeah. So the state statute actually lays out what qualifies you to be a social equity applicant, socially. So those criteria are in the state statute themselves. So we recreating the wheel. And the state also will verify those those those factors when they’re licensing,

2:19:05
well, then it’s easier to administer because the state does it for us, but that’s a good thing. Then that removes my objection, but I still think that we should, we should do it. The other thing is, well, it’s not a quota system. Right, but we need to look at the size that our cap should be these are smaller businesses than the dispensaries and because you know, we can if we if our cap is too small, we could lock even more than social equity, you know, beneficiary out because people got used up all the cap first. So I I’m in favor of of doing social equity program, but I Um, I think that our cap should be maybe proportionate to the expected revenue, base of the business. inversely proportional, right? If it’s a really small business than the cap should be higher.

2:20:22
Okay, that’s all I got.

2:20:23
Any other comments? I think we should do the social equity program. You did?

2:20:40
There you go, Rodriguez. Thank

2:20:43
you, Mr. Peck. So I’m for adding a social equity program, generally using the same qualifications as Denver. I do, I would not want to restricted exclusively the licenses to to those who qualify, but I would waive the application fee like them. Because I think it’s more about the ability to access the market. And I think that is more of the impediment than just exclusively making the licenses available only to those participants.

2:21:20
Councillor Yo, bro? Thank you, man. Thank you. I agree with Councillor Rodriguez, because I was going to ask about that restriction as well. I don’t think we should have the restriction I do agree with. Definitely need a social equity program for sure. I do agree with waiving the application fee and saying what the qualifications? I don’t think we should have any restrictions.

2:21:48
Counselor Hidalgo.

2:21:50
Thank you. Yes. So

2:21:52
I do agree that we should add an equity program social equity program. And then in looking at what Denver does, you’d like to see aligning, rather than as you said earlier, recreating the wheel? I think what they’ve listed as some is pretty good. Yeah, I did. I had highlighted that restricting the applicants to social equity or applicants to social equity applicants only. And I do disagree with that. I feel like we’re becoming exclusive when we only allow for that. So if we have a fair mix. And, and yes, applicants who do I think that’s even better than looking at reducing all the fees? I still think I don’t know. 1000. To me, but gets its perspective prospective. So but yeah, so using people who do qualify to waive the application fee. I agree with that. Thank you.

2:22:55
Councillor Crist.

2:22:57
Just to clarify, is this the criteria for Denver? The exactly the same as for the state of Colorado? Does the state have additional qualifications?

2:23:15
It might come back to that in a minute. Okay.

2:23:18
I think yes, we should have a social equity program. So then we’ll get back to number two, and agree that we should have it open not restricted to social equity applicants and waive application fees. I’m interested to know. Do we have any opportunity for business loans for applicants?

2:23:48
I’m sorry, we’re discussing.

2:23:51
Is there any opportunity for business loans for social equity applicants more or any applicants actually?

2:24:01
I believe you’ll get a comment in

2:24:08
a study session session

2:24:21
Okay, I agree social equity program, use Dendrix qualifications, no restrictions waive the application fee.

2:24:32
We’re on a roll. Thank you. We’re learning you’re picking council members.

2:24:38
Councillor McCoy.

2:24:39
Ditto.

2:24:44
Okay. I think we’ll keep going well, can’t Well or did you find an answer yet? You can come back. If you want a

2:24:52
couple quick answers. I can tell you that the state statute does suggest that so social equity licenses will be eligible for For certain incentives through the Department of Revenue. And also I think Denver might have an additional requirement for social equity licenses, that they own, that they’re licensed for longer. Till 2027. And so I don’t think that’s in the state statute. Otherwise this.

2:25:20
Thank you. We’re moving on.

2:25:25
Are you comfortable? Thank you so much. We’re in the homestretch. I think this last one will be easier. So festival permits, these are on the liquor side of regulations. So festival from permits became a thing in 2023. In the legislative session, these are permits that allow currently licensed liquor licensees to hold a festival and collaborate to make sales at the festival, if that makes sense. So it allows certain liquor licensed businesses to hold a festival and alcohol and alcohol sales can be made by any participating licensees. So statute defines which license types are eligible to participate, it’s quite a good list. And then they would apply to have a festival, they could be up for up to 72 hours in length and duration, they could apply for up to nine festival permits per calendar year, and participate in up to 52 festivals per calendar year. So when you think of those numbers, if you do those, that multiplication, that’s a lot of opportunity for festivals, and collaborating and selling alcohol. What’s different about these is special event permits have long existed in liquor code, they’ve existed as a fundraising mechanism for nonprofits. But licensed liquor licensed businesses have not been able to take their alcohol or take their ability to sell off the side of their business. This is a new, this allows them to take their license and and go to a festival location and and sell there. So it’s a new opportunity for licensed liquor licensed businesses. Where could a festival take place literally anywhere that’s a viable public or private property, they’d have to demonstrate they have permission in possession to use the property, it’d be part of the application. What would this again is opt in. So this already exists in statute, it Longmont could opt into this permit type in and we will get in on the licensing side of it. So what if we don’t opt in? They can still apply for them, they’re just going to apply to the state. And in fact, that’s what’s happening now. There are festival permits in currently in Longmont. Now, if you’ve been to the boulder farmers market lately, granted, it’s county property, but it’s in Longmont. There are alcohol sales happening at the farmers market. And it’s because of a festival permit. So st Vrain cidery, for example, has a festival permit to sell at the farmers market. They have to give 30 days notice they apply to the state have to give us 30 days notice and we can object if we think there’s a history of violations, or that this would create a violation of city code or, or liquor code. But the state vets those applications, they make the decisions. Ours is recommendation. So they’re collecting the fee. They’re handling the application, they’re reading it. And we can chime in if we like if we opted in the review of those applications would go to our local licensing authority, we could implement criteria and regulations if we desired. Again, we could be more restrictive if we wanted. We would have the ability to place conditions on a festival permit to ensure public health, safety and welfare. And the llama Police Department would be involved in that application review. So as it is now they aren’t they wouldn’t be actively involved. How we handle those currently is we would review those and and get a sense for you know, have everybody kind of glanced at it real quickly. But there wouldn’t be wouldn’t go before the authority for a full vetting. If that makes sense. Our local licensing authority or municipal judge would not does not currently decide whether or not those are issued. So we recommended the criteria. In keeping with everything else we do in liquor licensing, we use state forms, we try not to create more forms more paperwork for the sake of paperwork. And we would follow the requirements listed on that form in terms of what they’ve got to give us with their application. Fees according to Lamont municipal code are set by the local licensing authority. So we’re not asking you if you’d like to set fees, the authority would set fees. And really we looked at the city of Aurora as criteria because it was pretty straightforward is the look Asians suitable is the record reputation and character of the applicant acceptable? And would the permit not be injurious to the public welfare would kind of be the criteria the authority looks at when reviewing the application. So really our question is, would you like to opt in? If you did, we would bring that back. If you didn’t, it would continue to operate under statute, and we’d let that be met people continue to, you know, apply through the state. So that’s our next question, but much lighter than the past. Yeah,

2:30:31
I think this is an up and down by our counsel, counselor Rodriguez. Thank

2:30:38
you, Mayor Peck just real quick.

2:30:41
When like, say,

2:30:43
we have the downtown concert series, there’s multiple vendors. Are they operating under a state license at that point, or

2:30:52
can’t be your back and Councilmember Rodriguez liquor is real murky. Let me just say that, but generally, the downtown festival that has various vendors, that’s a that’s a special event permit pulled by a nonprofit, one entity making the sale and benefiting financially from the sale. And they’re working with all those other vendors as the business operator. So

2:31:18
it’s technically the nonprofit is the person selling even though there’s different vendors,

2:31:24
right, how they operationally handle the sales is up to them?

2:31:28
Because that seems like an interesting loophole.

2:31:31
So the difference with the festival permit is all the licensees collaborate, and they can each sell they can each vent, at at the license location. Okay. Interesting, because different Yes.

2:31:45
Either way, we’re not gaining anything by allowing the state to operate this. I believe bringing more into our control is in the best interest, as well as also not losing out on set fees, even if that’s just purely to recoup administrative costs. I don’t know but so anyway, I would definitely be for opting in. Anyone else? Okay, um, go ahead. Councillor Yarborough.

2:32:18
Thanks for your pick, I was just gonna say I believe we should opt in as well. It makes it easier on those nonprofits who put on those festivals and things like that. If someone wants to come in and set up and sale the alcohol, then that the nonprofit really doesn’t have to worry about that because they have their own people and they have tips regulating all those things. And so I think it would be better if we opt in.

2:32:48
If I might clarify their pet councilmember Yarborough, it really wouldn’t impact the nonprofits. That’s a totally different permit type that the nonprofits can pull. This is a festival specific to the licensees. Yes. Yeah. Different bucket

2:33:07
because they left handed as a foundation.

2:33:09
Yes. I’ve got three yeses. I I think I heard councilmember Martin says councilmember McCoy. Councilmember. Chris.

2:33:19
I’m not in favor of putting more work on staff. This is a lot of work. And but, yes, we might as well go for it.

2:33:33
Thank you so much for sticking with us through this regulatory conversation. We will be back with some ordinances.

2:33:43
Thank you for putting up with all of our crazy discussions.

2:33:47
We appreciate it. Thank you. Ah

2:33:52
All right now we’re at Sandy cedar 2024 legislative bills.

2:34:00
Okay. Hello, Mayor and council Sandy cedar assistant city manager. This is the last legislative updated session because it it ends next week. So yeah, exactly. So we have three bills for your consideration today. But first one is House Bill 1434, which is concerning an expansion to the affordable housing tax credits. So you may have heard of these before. These are litex low income tax credits. And so they’re really used extensively in trying to help provide affordable housing this increases what’s going to be available and since affordable housing is a critical part of the council work plan Staff recommends that you support 1434

2:34:41
Councillor McCoy,

2:34:43
do you need a motion? Okay, I move house bill 2024 Dash 1434

2:34:52
Moved by Councillor McCoy sing by Councillor Martin to support 1434 Let’s vote Was there any discussion? Seeing none, let’s vote

2:35:11
Oh, okay.

2:35:17
Can we do these by voice vote to save? You’ve done? All those in favor? Raise your hand or say aye. Aye. All those opposed? That passes unanimously on to the next. Thank you, Mayor. The

2:35:29
next bill is House Bill 2414 49 concerning measures to improve sustainability services for the Department of Public Health and updating the Pollution Prevention Act of 1992. So this really this bill is trying to enhance the circular economy, particularly around recycling and composting, some of those pieces that I think we all find to be important. You know, I think we’ve heard a lot about it even just this month, about the importance of that there is there does include fees for disposal does include some increased fees for trash disposal, but those fees would go towards programming, for recycling and trying to assist with the kind of other side of that of that coin. So because the bill bolsters the city’s initiative for zero waste doesn’t adversely impact the current operations staff recommends that Council supports House Bill 2414 49.

2:36:16
Thank you. Can I have a motion? I move that we

2:36:18
support House Bill 2024 1449. Second,

2:36:23
it’s been Moved by Councillor Hidalgo fairing seconded by Councillor Crist. All those in favor? Raise your hand. Aye. Aye. All those opposed? That passes unanimously.

2:36:32
Thank you, Mayor. The last one. This is kind of a tough one. Because this is House Bill 24 1460 concerning measures to strengthen responses to law enforcement misconduct. So I want to be really clear here there is nobody in law enforcement that believes that police misconduct is okay. And as far as I know, there’s no police department that does not investigate misconduct. In fact, most communities, I would say Longmont was one of the ones on the forefront that also has a resident advisory board that reviews some of these cases as well. What this bill does is it takes it like several steps forward, and basically says that not only if a police officer or somebody that is post certified witnesses misconduct, but if they’ve heard about it from somebody else, that these things need to be investigated. So my gosh, there’s a lot of conversation around that that’s not a substantiated investigation. That’s not the kind of stuff that we think those public safety officers need to be held personally liable for, which is what 1460 would do. So you know, like I said, just just to be clear, it’s not that we condone any kind of misconduct, but hearsay seems to be not the right place to invest to invest our investigation dollars. So because of that staff recommends that council opposes House Bill 24 1460.

2:37:51
Thank you, Councillor McCoy.

2:37:53
Thank you, Mr. Peck. Before being on council, I was on the police Standards Board. And I just want to stress that now we have police officers with body cameras. We have that in place. We were the forefront of that. I really think that we have to assume best intent until proven differently. And I don’t think hearsay is probably the best way of approaching this. I think maybe this is concerning to maybe smaller districts not some that have all the the funding that we have here. So I will be against it. And so can I make a motion please do

2:38:30
that House

2:38:31
Bill 2024 Dash 1460 oppose it.

2:38:37
Remember Moved by Councillor McCoy and seconded by Councillor Martin, to oppose 1460. All those all those in favor? Raise your hand. All those opposed? Well posed. That passes.

2:38:56
Thank you so much. Mayor Peck. As I mentioned, the state legislature is set to adjourn Cindi die on May 8. So this will be our last legislative update in about a month or so Colorado Municipal League usually puts out kind of the municipal laws adopted I will certainly forward that your way once I see it. Great.

2:39:11
Thank you so much. Thank you. We will now mayor and council comments. Do we have any comments from councillors? Just one, okay. Councillor Yarborough?

2:39:24
Thank you, Mayor. I just want to say thank you for whoever left me that book last Tuesday. So I can learn Japanese and not look crazy when I go over to Japan. I don’t know who left it but thank you and I really appreciate it.

2:39:41
Oh, yes and don’t let’s don’t forget Cinco Demayo. This Saturday at Roseville Park. See city manager likes

2:39:53
to call its Mayor Council.

2:39:54
Thank you city attorney. No comments mayor. Thanks Second, it’s been moved to by Councillor McCoy seconded by Councillor Chris to adjourn. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? We are adjourned.