The Cañon City City Council voted unanimously Monday night to advance an ordinance that would allow powersports sales — motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and personal watercraft — in the Central Business District for the first time in decades, while also approving first readings of a second ordinance removing the city from fire district impact fee collection and adopting changes to the city’s municipal ethics commission on a 6-1 vote. The meeting ran more than four hours.
Powersports Sales Coming to Main Street
Council approved Ordinance 7, Series 2026, on first reading, opening Main Street between 1st and 9th Street to powersports sales as a Special Review Use. The vote was unanimous. The ordinance returns for a final vote at the May 18 meeting.
City Planner Patrick Mulready told council the Central Business District zone was established decades ago to limit automobile-oriented uses and preserve a walkable, pedestrian-focused downtown. Staff recommended denial. The Planning Commission disagreed, voting 5-1 to send an amended ordinance to council with seven operating conditions.
The petitioner is Greg DiRito, owner of DiRito’s Italian Restaurant at 231 Main St., who has operated downtown since 2001. Any business wanting to sell powersports equipment would still need to apply separately for a Special Review Use permit. City Attorney Kathryn Sellars clarified that council acted in a legislative capacity — giving it broad authority to modify the conditions.
Council spent considerable time reworking several of the Planning Commission’s seven conditions before approving the ordinance on first reading.
The fuel restriction — which would have required all stored vehicles to contain no fuel — was struck entirely. Council members Tim Dennehy and Fred Toney raised concerns that removing fuel from fuel-injected engines and carburetors causes mechanical damage, and that the fire district, as a referral agency, is better positioned to regulate fuel storage than the city.
Council also rejected a mandatory three-year Special Review Use review, a requirement no other SRU in the city carries. Sellars noted the existing code already allows revocation for cause following a public hearing. Council amended Condition 7 to read that SRU approval may be revoked for cause, striking the automatic review language.
The condition requiring vehicle deliveries through the alley was narrowed to cover only deliveries of vehicles — customers taking possession of purchased powersports equipment — not the routine commercial deliveries common on Main Street.
Mayor Pro Tem Amy Schmisseur asked Mulready to research whether UTVs should be added to the vehicle definition before the second reading, noting the current ordinance covers motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, and snowmobiles, but not side-by-sides, which are defined separately under state statute.
Public comment ran in support of the ordinance. DiRito told council he petitioned the change to broaden the diversity of businesses that could operate on Main Street, noting powersports uses coexisted with his restaurant without incident when Panzer Motorcycle operated across the street in the early 2000s. A 31-year Cañon City real estate professional who identified herself as DiRito’s sister said he had consistently brought downtown buildings up to code at his own expense. The DiRito family’s accountant since 1992, Lisa DiRito-Goff, urged council to weigh the intent and character of the petitioner. A local resident told council the original conditions were the most anti-business he had seen, arguing the fuel ban would damage engines and the three-year review would deter investment.
The lone dissenting vote at Planning Commission, Commissioner Suther, objected to modifying the CB zone on what he described as that scale.
City Exits Fire Impact Fee Collection
Council unanimously approved Ordinance 8, Series 2026, on first reading, repealing the city’s role in collecting fire protection and EMS impact fees on behalf of the Cañon City Area Fire Protection District. The ordinance returns for a second reading May 18.
City Administrator Ryan Stevens explained that the city currently collects the fire district’s impact fee at the permit counter and passes it through to applicants, creating the appearance that it is a city charge. The fire district has recently raised those fees considerably and plans further increases. Stevens recommended the city stop collecting the fee to remove continued public confusion about who is responsible.
Under the change, applicants will pay the fee directly to the fire district at the new fire station. Building Official Kathy Ulsh confirmed the district already handles similar fee collection for the county and is prepared to take over. Building permits will not advance until the fire district signs off that payment has been received.
A local resident who had requested to speak on the item told council this was the best action the city had taken, saying the city is routinely blamed on social media for fees that belong to the district.
Ethics Commission Restructured
Council approved Ordinance 6, Series 2026, on second reading 6-1, with Toney dissenting. The ordinance amends the city’s municipal ethics commission, expanding its membership from three to five members and revising the complaint process.
Schmisseur, who developed amendments with Sellars, explained the expansion was needed after the city attorney was removed as a voting member, dropping the board to two. The amendments add a preliminary complaint screening step before any matter proceeds to a full public hearing, address due process for the subject of any complaint, and now require members to have experience in law or investigations.
Toney moved to table the ordinance to the May 18 meeting, saying the changes had grown considerably from the original proposal. The motion failed for lack of a second.
9th Street Flooding Complaint
Rochelle Whitney, a Cañon City resident, told council a 12-inch pipe released water uncontrolled for approximately 45 minutes beginning around 3:30 a.m. on April 6 during the 9th Street construction project, flooding the yard and crawl space of property she and her sister, Katrina Shoemaker, own at the corner of 9th and Whipple.
Whitney said a structural engineer confirmed foundation damage. The property went without heating, cooling, and hot water for a month, and the sprinkler system was damaged. She estimated tens of thousands of dollars in losses. Avalanche Excavating, a contractor on the project, filed a claim with its insurance company about a week after the incident. Whitney said she and her sister also intend to file a claim with the city.
Whitney asked for records documenting how many gallons were released and the precise timing of the pipe break. Council directed her to submit a formal CORA request, with City Clerk Cindy Foster Owens to follow up the following day. Whitney said she would continue to appear before council until the matter is resolved.
Recognitions
Chief John Schick recognized Joe and Christy Keegan, owners of Christie’s on Main, for raising more than $3,300 for the police department’s K-9 unit through a recent fundraiser. Schick also recognized four Cañon City High School graduating senior wrestlers who won state titles this season: Ben Reich (heavyweight, 45-3), Piper Montoya (110-pound, 36-2), Eli Koontz (190-pound, 41-1), and Kate Dowdy (135-pound, 23-0).
Proclamations
Mayor Phil Lund presented seven proclamations. Billy Masson, a 5p- Society ambassador whose daughter has Cri du Chat Syndrome, gave a brief presentation before Lund proclaimed May as Cri du Chat Awareness Month and May 5 as Cri du Chat Awareness Day. The mayor also proclaimed May as Educator Appreciation Month, recognizing the Fremont RE-1 School District. Superintendent Adam Hartman thanked council on behalf of all district employees. Additional proclamations recognized Municipal Clerks Week (May 3-9), Correctional Officers and Employees Week (May 4-10), National Police Week (May 11-17), Provider Appreciation Day (May 8), and Public Service Recognition Week (May 4-8).
Council Announcements
Mayor Lund reported the Economic Development Committee met earlier in the day, where Economic Development Manager Rick Harrmann presented an overview of the city’s economic development ecosystem. A representative of the Fremont Economic Development Corporation also attended. The committee plans to reconvene in a month to identify stress points and opportunities for making city processes more efficient.
Council member Fred Toney, participating remotely, announced the Finance, Budget and Public Works Committee will meet Thursday, May 7, at 3:45 p.m., with updates from Public Works Director Leo Evans on capital projects and paid parking.
Schmisseur reported the Public Safety and Quality of Life Committee held an informal gathering with the Homelessness Coalition and Homelessness Solutions Working Group to discuss homelessness data, definitions, and potential signage encouraging residents to donate to organizations rather than to individuals. She said the police department’s new Certified Crime Response Program holds its first gathering Thursday, May 7, at the former parks building at Centennial Park. The third and final open house on plans for Centennial Park and the former Black Hills/Western Gateway property takes place the same day from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the same location. Schmisseur also announced the committee will change its meeting date and time; the current Wednesday schedule requires a hard stop at 4:59 p.m. due to another meeting in the space.
Council member Jeremy Reeves thanked the Blossom Festival committee for its work over the preceding weekend.
Consent Agenda
Council approved the consent agenda unanimously. Items included approval of minutes from the April 20 regular meeting and April 21 special meeting; award of Bid 60-26 for project and grant management of the John Griffin Reservoir Feasibility Study to River Science, not to exceed $52,100; and receipt and ratification of cash disbursements covering April 21 through May 4.
Stevens explained the River Science contract uses grant funds to study whether the John Griffin area could be converted into a reservoir, in partnership with the Recreation and Park District and the Sanitation District. Lund noted River Science principal Luke Javernick, who holds a doctorate in river science, has been involved in the project since its start.
Administrator’s Report
Stevens reported the city is dealing with historically low snowpack and will host a public drought Q&A meeting Tuesday, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. at Skyline Theater. He praised Water Superintendent Travis Payne and his team for their work managing the shortage.
Stevens said the city received a draft contract from the Royal Gorge Bridge vendor that day and is also looking at commissioning a 20-year capital plan for the structure. He asked council’s informal approval to engage engineering firm Benish — on the city’s approved vendor short list and familiar with the bridge through prior inspections — for approximately $80,000, without going through the standard three-bid process given the firm’s history with the bridge and a deadline of June 30. No council members objected.
Stevens also asked council’s informal approval to administratively retire police K-9 Radar, who has been diagnosed with a spinal condition that will prevent continued service, and to partner with a Texas nonprofit to rehome him. Formal ratification is set for the May 18 meeting. Council raised no objections.
Other Ordinances
Council approved Ordinance 3, Series 2026 — governing city parking operations, including hours tied to park closing times — unanimously on second reading. Council also approved Ordinance 5, Series 2026 — a 2025 budget amendment appropriating funds to cover expenses including health insurance costs that exceeded the original budget — unanimously on second reading.
The Search and Rescue presentation scheduled for the meeting was skipped; the team was not present.
Sarah McCullar was sworn in as District 3 council member before the meeting began. Mayor Lund adjourned the meeting at approximately 10:17 p.m.
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