Glenwood Springs City Council on Thursday approved a downtown mixed-use project at 210 Eighth St., directed staff to prepare possible charter updates for a future ballot, and voted to continue the city’s employee housing assistance program. 

Council trims charter changes

The council’s longest discussion focused on what, if anything, should move forward from the city’s charter commission.

Former City Attorney Charlie Wilman, who served on the commission, said the group reviewed the charter section by section and focused on updates that would modernize the document and make it more internally consistent. One of the clearest areas for revision, he said, was procurement. 

“We took each section of the charter … and we looked at each section individually,” Wilman told council. “We talked about the wording, and we came up with a consensus … to modernize it and to make it internally consistent.” 

The commission also discussed broader governance questions, including whether the city should elect its mayor directly, move municipal elections from spring to November and revisit how vacant council seats are filled. But council members showed little appetite Thursday for taking on those larger issues right away. 

Councilor Steve Smith argued the city should also consider changing how council vacancies are handled so voters could fill seats sooner.

“Going a year seems like an opportunity to honor people’s chance to pick their representatives,” Smith said. “I think it’s worth the extra trouble.” 

Others said adding that issue would complicate a narrower package that otherwise had broad support.

“I would hate to muddy the waters,” Councilor Sumner Schachter said. 

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Mayor Pro Tem Erin Zalinski said she was comfortable with the current system because any appointment is still made by an elected body.

“I would argue that by an elected council selecting somebody to fill that role, you are still provided an elected representation because the body is what’s making that decision,” she said. 

Smith’s effort to add the vacancy issue failed 5-2. Ray Schmahl and Smith voted yes, while David Townsley, Zalinski, Mayor Marco Dehm, Mitchell Weimer and Schachter voted no. 

Council then unanimously approved the narrower motion directing staff to prepare wording for a procurement update and to consolidate technical cleanup items for a future election, which discussion indicated could be aimed at April 2027. Schachter framed the motion as getting “wording and changes subject to our feedback” for the procurement item and likewise trying to consolidate technical changes for the public. 

City Attorney Karl Hanlon said staff would try to make any ballot language clear and understandable.

“We’re just trying to make it as clear as possible what you’re voting on and why it makes sense when you read it,” Hanlon said. 

Downtown mixed-use project wins 6-1 approval

Council also approved a minor site and architectural plan for a 30,000-square-foot mixed-use building at 210 Eighth St., a vacant downtown parcel now occupied by the Bumble food truck. The project includes 24 apartments and two ground-floor commercial spaces. 

The project’s developer said the project would add housing and retail activity to the downtown core.

“This project will provide meaningful benefits to the Glenwood Springs community, most notably through the addition of 24 new apartment units,” the developer said. 

According to the applicant’s presentation, the building will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, bike and e-bike storage, ground-floor storefront space and five rent-restricted apartments. Parking drew some discussion, though the applicant said the downtown location and nearby public parking made the plan workable.

Most council members appeared supportive, describing the project as the kind of infill development the city has long said it wants downtown.

Council approved the project 6-1. Schmahl cast the lone no vote.

Council then unanimously approved a related encroachment for an awning extending into the public right of way. 

Employee housing assistance

Later in the meeting, council voted to continue the city’s employer-based rental assistance program after a one-year pilot. The program, created by the Workforce Housing Fund Advisory Board, is meant to help local employers retain workers while reducing rent burdens and commuting pressures for employees. Staff said six people currently participate and about $16,000 has been distributed so far.

“The purpose of the program is to reduce employee turnover at local businesses,” staff told council, “do things like minimize commute times, distance traveled to jobs in Glenwood.” 

Townsley questioned whether the city was effectively subsidizing businesses rather than workers.

“I’m looking at this as a business subsidy, more than as helping a person,” he said. “Why do we need to subsidize businesses?” 

Dehm supported keeping the program in place, calling it one of several tools the city can use to address housing strain.

“This is a great tool for the toolbox,” Dehm said. “If this helps us to avoid that, I will fund this any day.” 

The motion passed 5-2, with Townsley and Schmahl opposed and Zalinski, Dehm, Weimer, Schacter and Smith in favor.