Agenda Date: 09/02/2025
Subject:
Title
Ordinance 14-2025: An ordinance on second reading referring a ballot question, regarding a citizen-initiated proposed charter change, to the registered electors at a regular, coordinated election to be held on November 4, 2025
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Colleen L. Norton, City Clerk |
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Presentations: |
Reid Betzing, City Attorney |
PURPOSE:
To refer a ballot question to the registered electors at the upcoming November 4, 2025, regular, coordinated election as the result of a successful citizen-initiated petition.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
As the result of citizen-initiated petition to add a section to the city’s charter, the following question will be added to the November 4, 2025 ballot:
“Shall Section 65.5. Preservation of Neighborhood Land Use Restrictions, be added to clarify the intent of the citizens to preserve single-family residential land use and ensure that current and future owners of property in certain residential zoning districts may rely on restrictions on land uses that protect their properties. Accordingly, land uses of properties presently permitted under the Littleton Unified Land Use Code (ULUC) within zoning districts Small Lot Residential (SLR), Medium Lot Residential (MLR), Large Lot Residential (LLR), and Acreage Residential (ACR) are limited to uses specified therein as of January 1, 2025. Furthermore, any action by Council to initiate any comprehensive rezoning and official zoning map amendments, including text changes, shall first require notification to all affected property owners by First Class mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. Nothing herein shall prohibit or prevent a property owner from seeking rezoning of the owner’s property.”
Pursuant to C.R.S. § 31-2-210(3) “…if the petition is sufficient, the governing body shall set a ballot title for the proposed amendment at its next meeting.”
BACKGROUND:
In May, the city clerk’s office received notice of intent to circulate a petition focusing on an amendment to the city charter (adding Sec. 65.5) regarding preservation of neighborhood land use restrictions pertaining to land uses currently specified in the ULUC as of January 1, 2025, and expanded notification requirements.
On May 13, the clerk certified a final version of the petition to be circulated and notified the petitioner committee that, based on the number of qualified electors registered in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties on the date of their submission of intent to circulate, the number of valid signatures from City of Littleton registered electors necessary for the petition to be deemed sufficient was 1,827.
On July 16, 2025, 77 petition sections containing 2,368 signatures were submitted to the clerk’s office. Between July 28 and August 1, the clerk’s office verified signatures, confirming those signing were registered electors of the city and were registered as such on or before the date of signature at the address noted on the petition, that all components of each signer’s signature block was complete, and that signatures were not duplicates. On Thursday, July 31, the review was completed, and 2,173 signatures were found to be valid, thereby deeming the petition sufficient. On July 31, the clerk’s office issued a Statement of Sufficiency.
Prior Actions or Discussions
This ordinance passed on first reading on August 19, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The city shares the financial burden of running coordinated elections with three (3) jurisdictions: Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties. The estimated total the city may be responsible for is estimated at $15.5K and may fluctuate depending on the number of questions submitted by the city to appear on the ballot, as well as the number of candidates.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends council set the ballot title as set forth in the ordinance and included on the circulated petition to be included on the ballot for the regular, coordinated election on November 4, 2025.
ALTERNATIVES:
As this is a proposed charter amendment as the result of a successful citizen-initiated petition, no alternatives exist other than presenting the item to the registered electors of the City of Littleton, as all charter changes require a vote of the registered electors.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Ordinance 14-2025 on second reading referring a ballot question, regarding a citizen-initiated proposed charter change, to the registered electors at a regular, coordinated election to be held on November 4, 2025.