The purpose of this study session is to discuss the role of the Board of Adjustment (BOA) and the potential merits and timing of transferring their duties to the Planning Commission.

Jeffco Public School Board President Michelle Applegate will provide an overview of the district’s current priorities, student performance outcomes, fiscal challenges, and potential revenue-generation strategies being evaluated for future ballot consideration. Key themes highlighted in the presentation will include: • The district’s strategic vision and priority areas focused on students, staff, operations, and community partnerships. • Recent academic and operational results, such as increases in graduation rates, career and technical education participation, and early literacy performance. • Ongoing financial pressures, including rising personnel costs, declining enrollment, and the expiration of pandemic relief funding. • A review of the broader school funding landscape, including the structure of state and local revenue sources and Jeffco’s position relative to other Front Range districts. • Potential mill levy override and bond options the district may pursue, along with the anticipated timeline for community engagement and Board of Education action leading up to the November 2026 election. This study session will allow Council to receive a high-level briefing on Jeffco’s current conditions and long-term planning efforts, and to discuss how the district’s initiatives align with and impact the Wheat Ridge community.

The owner of the property at 3338 Depew Street is requesting approval of a zone change from Residential-Three (R-3) to Residential-One C (R-1C). The zone change will result in zoning that encourages investment in the site and will enable the existing land use to become more conforming with the zoning.

The City continues to face significant capital infrastructure needs, including but not limited to transportation improvements, parks and recreation facilities, public facilities, and deferred maintenance across multiple asset categories. Current revenues are insufficient to fund the scale of investment required to address these needs within existing timelines. Given these funding challenges, Council will hold a Capital Improvement and Financial Feasibility Planning Workshop on April 11th to evaluate the political and economic viability of specific revenue tools. This staff memorandum summarizes the importance of robust engagement processes and past efforts by the City to conduct scientific voter polling and other community engagement strategies to measure residents' priorities, willingness to support a ballot measure, and preferences regarding project scope.

City Council requested that the Parks & Recreation Department provide a study session presentation regarding the urban tree canopy in Wheat Ridge. Specifically, Council expressed interest in understanding the current condition of the city’s tree canopy and the strategies the City is using to protect, maintain, and expand it.