Timnath Town Council Meeting 9/23/25

This meeting is available on the Town’s YouTube channel:

Key Points

• The Municipal Code will be updated to include Enforcement Authority and Penalties for Land Use Code Violations
• Timnath will get upgraded Signal Detection Systems
• There are two competing visions for a park in South Ladera

Consent Adjenda

An Executive Session was held at 5:00 p.m. on September 9, 2025 to confer with legal counsel regarding an action between the Town Development Authority and Timnath Lands, LLC. Minutes for this Special Town Council Meeting were approved.

Minutes for the Regular Town Council Meeting of September 9, 2025 were approved.

Council Updates/Announcements

• Councilmember Jenkins attended a tour of the new Larimer County adolescent behavioral treatment unit at Longview Campus. This new unit, due to open next month, will offer expanded services including walk-ins, long-term and emergency care for clients between the ages of 12 and 17. The Longview Acute Care facility is located at 2260 West Trilby Road and can be reached at 970-494-4200. Until now, those who needed care beyond 23 hours were forced to return home or transfer to Denver or Colorado Springs facilities.
• Pro-tem Mayor Wagner attended the Fall Festival held on September 13th and relayed that a great time was had by all. He extended kudos for everyone who worked so hard to put the festival together. He commented that he was amazed at how much work it takes to put up (and take down) such an event. Parking was reportedly difficult because of an estimated 8,000 attendees.
• Councilmember Laake will attend “Council Chat” next Tuesday, September 30th, at Timnath Beerworks at 5:00 p.m. She invited all residents to come say hello, bring questions or items for discussion.
• Councilmember Holt wanted to commend two citizen advisory groups that he has engaged with; he described The Main Street Board and Finance Committees as very enthusiastic and dedicated.
• Mayor Axmacher encouraged folks to attend the Friday night Timnath vs. Wellington Football game. The Timnath Cubs schedule is online.

Regular Business

1. The Resolution to Accept the Timnath Landing General Improvement District (GID) 2024 Audit by the Adams Group was Approved (5-0).

Bonnie Dennis, Accounting Manager for the Town’s Finance Department, reported the highlights of the 2024 Timnath Landing General Improvement District (GID), which is a separate entity from the Town, but is included in the Town’s 2024 audit. Eric Miller, CPA for the Adams Group, LLC, who conducted both the GID and the Town’s 2024 audits, was present via videoconferencing .

It was reported that the Net Position of the GID for 2024 was -$5,000,000 as a result of outstanding liability of the developer and Town advances. Miller reported that there were no problems with controls or processes used in reporting, nor were there any contradictions in numbers. The deficit is reportedly due to a combination of factors, including liability of the developer, Town advances, and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) as a result of issues with PERA and other associated employment benefit line items.

2. The Resolution to Accept the 2024 Audit of the Town of Timnath by the Adams Group was also Approved (5-0).

In addition to receiving a “clean” rating, the Finance Department was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, reflecting the attainment of the highest and most rigorous standard in local government financial reporting.

The 2024 Audit is available on the Timnath Website.

3. A Resolution Approving the Purchase and Installation of Signal Detection Equipment Passed (5-0).

Kim Koivuniemi, Senior Engineer, explained that the Town currently has 10 traffic signals that are becoming unreliable and are no longer serviceable, as parts are no longer available. Using advanced radar-video sensor fusion technology, Vantage Next equipment is already successfully deployed at Larimer County Road 5 (CR5) and Kechter Roads and is used by CDOT Region 4 (includes Larimer and Weld Counties), enhancing the communication and fluidity of systems along our shared corridors. This system will also advance the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) initiative.

Cost for equipment to MoboTrex, the only authorized Dealer in Colorado, is $257,867.50. Cost for installation by Lighthouse, the Town’s on-call traffic signal contractor, is $77,011.00.

4. First reading and Public Hearing for an Ordinance to amend the Timnath Landing Zoning Map (Amendment 1) was approved (5-0). A second neighborhood meeting was scheduled for October 14, 2025.

Senior Planner Chad Kemper, expressed the need to amend the Timnath Landing Zoning map, making minor adjustments to boundaries for consistency in zones and preventing any split-zoning. The pertinent areas are in the southeast quadrant of the land that is bound by Buss Grove to the north, Timnath Parkway on the west, and Harmony Road to the south. The map showing the affected boundaries can be found here. The amendment will not affect allowable densities to any area.

5. First Reading to Amend the Municipal Code to Clarify Penalties for Land Use Code Violations, and set the second reading and public hearing for Tuesday, October 14, 2025 was approved (5-0).

Community Development Director Scott Robinson presented the proposal that would establish enforcement authority, penalties and fines for violations of the Land Use Code not previously included in the Municipal Code. The specific changes can be found here.

Public Hearings

A Resolution approving Ladera South Subdivision Preliminary Plat, filing 2, was approved (5-0).

Troy Jones, Planner for the Town of Timnath, described the 2nd filing as 179 acres including 9 lots, 4 tracts for future development, and 2 outlots to be used as open space, easements and access. The land is bound on the east by Larimer County Road 5 (CR5), on the south by Kechter Road, on the west by I-25 and by the Swets property and Ladera 3rd filing on the north. Jones recommends the approval of the Preliminary Plat with two conditions that need to be satisfied by the final plat review as follows:

1. In keeping with the Town requirements, open spaces/parks need to be appropriate to the “context and character” of the site and intensity of the proposed development. The Planning Department finds the current plan “lacking and insufficient.”
2. Town staff should be allowed to work with the owner/developer to address minor, non-substantive modifications to the final plat.

There are two parks included in the plat, with a small park on the north side and a larger, more formal park on the south end.

There have been two competing visions for the smaller north park and they remain unresolved:

Kirsten Starman, representative for Connell Resources, the owner of Ladera, described the park plan, which would include an 11-acre pond, a 10-foot-wide walking trail nearly a mile long, informational signs on native plant species, and benches and tables. This area would be re-established with native grasses, plants, wildflowers and shrubs. The owner/developer maintains that permanent structures would not be appropriate in this flood prone area. Their vision is in keeping with the natural propensity of the land. A larger, more formal park is planned for the southern portion of the land, to include parking, courts, gathering places, etc. The salient problem with the park plan appeared to be the timeframe for completion, since the land reserved for the southern park is still an active gravel pit and may take years to be vacated.

William Welch, Project Manager for Ladera, agreed that they want less development on this property and that the focus should remain on its natural beauty and habitat, which includes rookeries and migratory birds, is more conducive to passive recreation, and would be more resilient to the effects of flood in its natural state. He estimates the project would take 3-5 years to bring to fruition.

A great deal of discussion took place and, while the Preliminary Plat was approved (5-0), the majority of Council felt that the town needed to back up and look more closely at the issues and how the plan can be resolved by the Final Plat stage, strongly encouraging the Planning Department staff and Ladera Development to work together toward resolution.

According to Welch, they are under a time limit with expectations that the final plat will be approved by October 15th. Furthermore, discussions have been ongoing for 4 years without resolution.

Carolyn Steffl, Timnath Town Attorney reviewed various codes pertaining to parks and open spaces and discovered that the Land Use Code contains provisions to protect flood zones, agricultural properties, historical structures, etc. She offered to Council that there may be flexibility to approve as an Open Space, rather than a Community Park.

All supporting documentation, reports, maps and agreements can be found at: https://timnath.org/agendas-minutes/

Members Present: Robert Axmacher, Mayor; Luke Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem; Councilmember Bill Jenkins, Councilmember Jeramie Holt, Councilmember Lisa Laake

The next Town Council Meeting is scheduled for October 7, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

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From the website: Timnath is a home-rule municipality and a Council/Town Manager form of government. The Town Council sets the policy and the Town Manager directs the daily operations of the Town. Timnath’s Town Council consists of five members – four Council members that are all at-large, that is they are not elected based on council districts. In addition, the Mayor is also elected at-large. Council terms are four years and staggered.

*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.