Manitou Springs meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Manitou Springs agendas: budget sessions, two ballot tax questions, $17,658 playground item

Manitou Springs City Council members spent much of the past two weeks in budget work sessions and were scheduled to take up two resolutions on November ballot tax measures, while the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was set to vote on $17,658.00 for playground mulch at Mabel Willie Playground. Agendas for all seven meetings in the past two weeks are on file, but minutes have not been published for any of them, so no votes, outcomes or final figures are confirmed here.

Council agendas paired budget talks with two ballot questions

At its Oct. 6 meeting at Memorial Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue, the council agenda listed Resolution No. 1926 urging a "Yes" vote on Ballot Issue 7A, a 0.333% sales tax in the Front Range Passenger Rail District for Colorado Connector passenger rail operations, and Resolution No. 2026 urging a "YES" vote on Ballot Issue 2A, a 4.03% excise tax increase generating $1.1 million. Resolution No. 1926 also appears on the Oct. 20 agenda.

Three council budget work sessions were listed, on Oct. 5, Oct. 8 and Oct. 10. The Oct. 5 agenda listed a single discussion item, "Budget Discussion and Direction," and stated that no decisions would be made; the Oct. 10 agenda likewise stated no decisions would be made. The Oct. 8 agenda listed a budget work session, a special session, and an executive session to determine positions and strategy regarding the MSURA agreement with Paragon Development.

Parks board: mulch funding and a mission statement

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met remotely on Oct. 5. Its agenda listed a vote on funding replacement of sand with playground mulch at Mabel Willie Playground at a cost of $17,658.00, and adoption of a new mission statement. Also listed were a GOCO Community Impact Grant discussion and a director's report covering shuffleboard court resurfacing and an equipment donation, an update on the Fields Park tennis/pickleball court resurfacing project, an "HCM Contract (10/6 City Council Meeting)" item, and a Tree Committee update. The agenda noted the Bill Bauers Open Space Environmental Impact Assessment was reported complete and that no draft minutes were available from the Sept. 7, 2026 regular meeting.

Two public hearings: hotel liquor license and artificial turf appeal

The Oct. 6 council agenda included a public hearing on a new lodging facility liquor license at 229 Manitou Avenue for The Ridge Hotel LLC, doing business as The Outrider Hotel, and a hearing on an appeal of Planning Commission decision VAR2609, a variance to allow artificial turf in a landscaped area at 306 Canon Avenue.

Consent calendar: design agreement and a reappointment

The Oct. 6 consent calendar listed a design development agreement with Hord Coplan Macht for Higginbotham Flats/Overlook Park, and reappointment of Barb Winter to the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee. The same agenda scheduled an executive session for legal counsel regarding Roy Chaney v. City of Manitou Springs, El Paso County District Court, 2025CV32803.

Planning and preservation boards

The City Planning Commission met Oct. 14 on MJR 2601, a major development plan for 123 Manitou Avenue, along with the 2027 budget and a recommendation on commissioner reappointments. The Historic Preservation Commission met Oct. 7 at 5:30 PM, hybrid at Memorial Hall or via Zoom, with approval of the Sept. 2, 2026 minutes, Ch. 17 revisions, 2027 commission goals, and task assignment for public outreach efforts and goals.

Coming up

• **City Council, Oct. 20:** contracts with Colorado Springs Utilities to relocate 17 power poles and 2 terminal power poles for the Ruxton Avenue Project; Resolution No. 2126 supporting a Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant for the Black Canyon Open Space Trail and Pedestrian Bridge; Resolution No. 1926 on Ballot Issue 7A; appointment of Andrew Nicholas to the Mobility and Parking Board; and discussion of budget adjustments and potential reductions.
• **Housing Advisory Board, Oct. 21:** a recommendation on an Affordable Housing Prioritization policy, a deed restriction framework for affordable housing developments, and an update on ADU Supportive Jurisdiction Certification.

Manitou Springs agendas: two ballot tax measures, a $17,658 playground vote and three budget sessions

Manitou Springs boards and the City Council met eight times between Sept. 30 and Oct. 10 to take up budget planning, 2027 grant materials, a playground surfacing purchase and two November ballot tax measures. Minutes have not been published for any of those meetings in the records supplied, so no outcomes are confirmed. What follows comes from the published agendas.

City Council, Oct. 6: two ballot resolutions, two hearings

The council's Oct. 6 agenda at Memorial Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue, listed two resolutions urging voters to support ballot measures dated Nov. 3, 2026. Resolution No. 1926 urged a "Yes" vote on Ballot Issue 7A, described as a 0.333% sales tax in the Front Range Passenger Rail District for Colorado Connector passenger rail operations. Resolution No. 2026 urged a "YES" vote on Ballot Issue 2A, described as a 4.03% excise tax increase generating $1.1 million.

Two public hearings were scheduled: a new lodging facility liquor license at 229 Manitou Avenue for The Ridge Hotel LLC, doing business as The Outrider Hotel, and an appeal of Planning Commission decision VAR2609, a variance to allow artificial turf in a landscaped area at 306 Canon Avenue.

The consent calendar included a design development agreement with Hord Coplan Macht for Higginbotham Flats/Overlook Park and the reappointment of Barb Winter to the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee. An executive session was scheduled for legal counsel regarding Roy Chaney v. City of Manitou Springs, El Paso County District Court, 2025CV32803.

Parks board, Oct. 5: $17,658 mulch vote

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met remotely Oct. 5 with a vote scheduled on funding replacement of sand with playground mulch at Mabel Willie Playground at a cost of $17,658.00, and on adopting a new mission statement. The agenda also listed a GOCO Community Impact Grant discussion and director's report items: shuffleboard court resurfacing and equipment donation, Fields Park tennis/pickleball court resurfacing, an HCM contract headed to the Oct. 6 City Council meeting, and a Tree Committee update. The agenda noted the Bill Bauers Open Space Environmental Impact Assessment was reported complete, and that no draft minutes were available from the Sept. 7, 2026 regular meeting.

Budget work sessions: Oct. 5, 8 and 10

The council held budget work sessions on Oct. 5, 8 and 10. The Oct. 5 session was scheduled for 9 a.m. in person at Memorial Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue, with a single discussion item, "Budget Discussion and Direction"; the agenda stated no decisions would be made. The Oct. 8 meeting included a budget work session and a special session, with an executive session to determine positions and strategy regarding the MSURA agreement with Paragon Development. The Oct. 10 work session agenda also stated no decisions would be made. No dollar figures appeared in the supplied agenda text for any of the three.

Arts board, Oct. 1: 2027 grant materials

The Manitou Arts, Culture, and Heritage Board met remotely Oct. 1 to review and approve revised materials for the 2027 grant season: the MACH frequently asked questions, the MACH guidelines and the grant application questions, all listed under Ralph Routon. The agenda also included a website update (Kinsey Watts), reports from city staff, the City Council liaison and the chair, and approval of the Aug. 27, 2026 meeting minutes.

Historic Preservation Commission, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7

The commission held a remote work session Sept. 30 on task assignments for public outreach efforts and goals; the agenda stated no decisions would be made. It also noted one regular and two alternate positions available on the commission. On Oct. 7 the commission was scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m., hybrid at Memorial Hall or via Zoom, to approve Sept. 2, 2026 minutes and take up Ch. 17 revisions, 2027 commission goals and the outreach task assignment.

Coming up

The City Planning Commission meets Oct. 14 to review MJR 2601, a major development plan for 123 Manitou Avenue, along with the 2027 budget and a recommendation on commissioner reappointments.