TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026

EYES ON ARVADA

A nonpartisan read on what your city council actually did this week.

LEAD STORY

Arvada adopts golf course code of conduct; mayor returns cancer free

The Arvada City Council met on April 7, 2026, and approved three formal items unanimously: acceptance of donations to the Majestic View Nature Center, an amendment to a maintenance agreement with Jefferson County Public Library for the Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail Head at Stanley Lake, and a new code of conduct for the city's golf course facilities. The council also approved first reading of a budget appropriation ordinance for fiscal year 2026, with a public hearing set for April 21. Mayor Lauren Simpson returned to the dais after a cancer-related absence and announced she is cancer free following successful tumor removal surgery.

Public comment covered a range of issues including concerns about water rate disparities for multifamily housing complexes, support for the city's pending Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CASSAP), a question about contaminated land at 51st and Marshall, and ongoing concerns about unsafe e-bike riding by minors. Council members discussed the Jefferson County comprehensive master plan and its potential impacts on traffic along the McIntyre corridor in West Arvada.

During council committee reports, several informal topics surfaced without votes: a request for staff to research stronger ordinance language around minors and e-bikes (with apparent broad council support), questions about whether Arvada's zoning code adequately addresses data center setbacks near mixed-use residential areas, and updates on the city audit process, the Oldtown street sealing project, and Stage 1 drought water restrictions. An informal meeting continued after adjournment.

THE MOTION

R26-026: Resolution authorizing acceptance of donations made to the Majestic View Nature Center in 2025

YES · 7 Simpson · Moorman · Ambrose · Lovisone · Fifer · Davis · Griffith

Formally accepts charitable donations made to the Majestic View Nature Center in 2025, valued in part by over 2,200 volunteer hours worth nearly $86,000.

“What prevents them from closing the trail head? ... I feel like there's no control to keep that open. I mean, there was a big splash about this trail head. And so if we transfer everything over to them, which it's their property, I get it, but it's also almost a million dollars of taxpayer money.”

— Bob Fifer

WORKSHOP · E-BIKE SAFETY FOR MINORS

Council broadly supports directing staff to research stronger ordinance options; no vote taken

THE OPTIONS · AT A GLANCE

OPTION 1 Status quo — existing ordinance N/A

Current rules apply but are seen as inadequate; parents reportedly disregard enforcement and fines.

OPTION 2 Strengthen ordinance with higher fines and parental accountability Fifer's proposal; broadly supported by Moorman and Simpson Cost TBD

Fifer asked staff to research and draft a proposed ordinance that increases minimum fines and holds parents legally responsible for minor children riding e-bikes unsafely, drawing on Aurora's approach.

“Arvada still does get a say in kind of how that property is utilized and we'll still work with Jefferson County to make sure the trail remains open.”

— Janelle Strickler (City Attorney), City attorney clarified that the original IGA—not just the amendment—still requires both parties to cooperate on development, construction, maintenance, and preservation of the trail, partially addressing Fifer's concern.

WORKSHOP · DATA CENTER ZONING AND SUSTAINABILITY RULES

Fifer raised potential zoning gap near mixed-use residential; staff acknowledged but no formal direction taken

THE OPTIONS · AT A GLANCE

OPTION 1 Review and potentially update zoning code Fifer raised; no other council members explicitly endorsed or opposed Cost TBD

Fifer noted the current 300-foot setback requirement from residential zones may not cover mixed-use zones that include residential uses, and suggested adding sustainability requirements such as water recycling and rooftop solar for data centers.

“The golf is operating as a business. Let's just be clear about that. And they can make the rules.”

— Bob Fifer, Fifer pushed back on public commenter Mike Rollick's due-process argument by distinguishing the golf course—a pay-to-use enterprise fund—from a free public park.

WHIP COUNT

Where each member landed

Reach out — they answer to constituents.

	VOTE	E-BIKE SAFETY FOR MINORS POSITION
Lauren Simpson Mayor 720-961-3779	Yes	Expressed personal concern as a parent; supportive of seeing a proposal, though noted council cannot provide singular direction.
Randy Moorman Mayor Pro Tem · District 1 720-772-6651	Yes	Echoed support; said the problem is city-wide and he sees it in his own neighborhood.
Shawna Ambrose Councilmember · District 2 970-425-3060	Yes	—
Rebecka Lovisone Councilmember · District 3 720-898-7000	Yes	—
Bob Fifer Councilmember · District 4 303-929-4278	Yes	Wants a proposed ordinance drafted with higher fines and parental accountability; cited firsthand observation of unsafe behavior.
Sharon Davis Councilmember · At-Large 720-450-4825	Yes	—
Michael Griffith Councilmember · At-Large 720-898-7000	Yes	—

MORE QUOTES

“Staff does not deserve to suffer the abuse just because it happens to be a government facility. Behave and there won't be an issue.”

— Lauren Simpson

Mayor Simpson summarized council's rationale for supporting the golf course code of conduct before the vote.

“The doctors were successful. We have removed the tumors. They are gone. I'm at a very low risk of recurrence. It's never zero, but I have about the best prognosis possible, and I'm very excited to say that in layman's terms, I am cancer free.”

— Lauren Simpson

Mayor Simpson, returning after a medical absence, shared news of successful cancer treatment with the council and community.

“We do not use the amount of water that a standard resident would use for a single family home on a per person basis—we use on average almost half of what they would use. So to charge us the higher rates that businesses would have to pay just because we are a larger complex and have one water bill seems unfair.”

— Debbie Bacon

Resident of a multifamily HOA asked the city to review and equalize water rates for multifamily housing, which she said are currently tiered at commercial rates.

WHAT'S NEXT

On the calendar

A public hearing on the FY2026 supplemental budget appropriation (CB26-015) is scheduled for April 21, 2026. The Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CASSAP), which drew strong public support at this meeting, has not yet been formally voted on and will likely appear on a future agenda. Additionally, the city is under a Stage 1 drought declaration with mandatory water restrictions taking effect April 15, 2026—a topic that intersected with public comment on multifamily water rates and council discussion of splash pads and irrigation practices.

WORTH WATCHING

Bob Fifer

Fifer voted yes on the Stanley Lake Library trail head maintenance amendment (R26-027) after raising significant concerns that transferring maintenance to JCPL left the city without control to prevent closure of a facility built with nearly $875,000 in public funds. He accepted the city attorney's assurance that cooperation obligations remain in the IGA, but his concern about historical precedent (citing Wolf Park on non-city land) was not fully resolved before the vote.

FROM THE EDITOR

Remaining Questions

• What is the current status and timeline for formal council action on the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CASSAP)? Public commenters advocated for it but no vote or workshop discussion occurred—is this imminent or still months away? • Has the city-owned property at 51st and Marshall actually been remediated for dieldrin contamination? Mayor Simpson said it had been, but public commenter Mike Rollick's CORA request returned no relevant emails between the city and CDPHE. A records follow-up is warranted. • What exactly does the remaining IGA language require of Jefferson County Public Library for the Stanley Lake trail head? Council member Fifer's Wolf Park analogy raises a legitimate question about whether cooperative language in past agreements has actually been enforced. • The multifamily water rate complaint from Debbie Bacon touches on a broader equity question—how does Arvada's tiered water rate structure affect lower-income renters in HOA communities versus single-family homeowners? This could be worth a deeper look given the Stage 1 drought restrictions now in effect. • Council member Lovisone mentioned the Oldtown street sealing project and a potential BID strategic reinvestment plan are in early discussions with business owners—what is the scope and estimated cost of this work, and who is paying for it?

— RW

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EYES ON ARVADA · TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026

Independent, AI-assisted civic journalism. Not affiliated with the City of Arvada.

April 07: Arvada adopts golf course code of conduct; mayor returns cancer free