Fruita City Council Minutes 1 August 25, 2026
FRUITA CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
AUGUST 25, 2026
6:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The workshop of the Fruita City Council was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Matthew Breman.
City Council members in attendance were Aaron Hancey, Jeannine Purser, Rich Parris, Amy Miller,
Todd Kumro and Jared Prochnow.
City Staff in attendance included City Manager Shannon Vassen, Assistant City Manager Dan Caris,
Management Analyst Kaydee Lucero, Planning Director Henry Hemphill and City Planner Joey
Morris.
AGENDA ITEMS
- BEE CITY PRESENTATION (6:30 – 7:00 P.M.)
Management Analyst Kaydee Lucero introduced CMU interns Jordan Jennings and Kayla Bauer, who
researched the benefits of Fruita becoming a Bee City. Bauer explained that Bee City USA promotes
pollinator-friendly practices that support healthier ecosystems, agriculture and community
engagement. Jennings highlighted the benefits of replacing invasive plants with pollinator-friendly
species, including improved water conservation, soil and air quality, crop yields and reduced lawn
maintenance costs.
Jennings outlined Bee City requirements, including establishing a pollinator committee, reducing
pesticide use, incorporating pollinator-friendly practices and hosting public awareness events. Bauer
noted that Fruita already supports many of these practices and encouraged the City to become Mesa
County’s first Bee City. The Parks Department could serve as the committee and is already meeting
many technical requirements.
Becoming a Bee City would require a $200 annual fee and City Council adoption of a resolution
committing to pollinator habitat, pesticide reduction and public outreach.
Jennings proposed the following:
• Systematically replacing turf grass spaces with native grasses and flowers in highly visible and
well-trafficked downtown spaces in small sections (Buffalo grass and Blue Gamma Grass are
two excellent options for starter grasses).
• Utilize signage to educate the public about how to effectively xeriscape.
• Replace the south turf grass lawn of the old Fruita Middle School with native grasses to make
it an escape from the urban environment.
Councilor Kumro asked how the City could prevent invasive bee species from becoming established.
Bauer explained that strengthening native bee populations can help them defend their territory, while
Jennings recommended contacting the Palisade Insectary if invasive species are suspected. He and
Bauer also suggested pollinator awareness events to educate the public and local beekeepers.
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Councilor Purser suggested using existing community events, such as the Farmers Market and
Thursday Night Concerts, for education and questioned whether Fruita needs to formally join Bee City
USA since it already meets about 40% of the requirements. Bauer and Jennings emphasized that Bee
City USA provides resources and helps ensure long-term commitment to pollinator conservation.
Management Analyst Kaydee Lucero suggested that the Livability Commission or Parks and
Recreation Commission take responsibility for the Bee City USA application and $200 fee and offered
to present the program those boards. Councilor Purser suggested sharing responsibilities between the
boards, with Lucero noting that the Arts and Culture Board could potentially build bee boxes.
2. WATER SUPPLY AND STRATEGIC GROWTH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGY (7:00 – 8:18 P.M.)
City Planner Joey Morris presented the agenda item with the purpose of collecting feedback from City
Council. He reviewed the items in the Council packet that included:
• Strategic Growth and potential draft Water Survey
• Community Engagement flyer locations map
• Draft flyer
• Posters for Fruita Fall Festival
• Excerpts from state statute C.R.S. Section 31-23-206 (1.5)
Morris explained that there is a state mandate that municipalities adopt a Water Supply Element and
Strategic Growth Element as part of their Master (Comprehensive) Plan to estimate current and
projected future water supplies and develop a Water Conservation Policy through a land use analysis.
Morris added that the state does not require that the City conduct community engagement, but staff
feels that because it affects Fruita’s Comprehensive Plan – Fruita in Motion – it is important to engage
the community. He noted that he received some last-minute changes to the survey from the Fruita
Planning Commission which were illustrated on a handout that he provided to Council members.
Morris explained that poster boards for Fruita Fall Festival will be made available to the public at one
of the Farmers Markest in addition to being available at Fruita Fall Festival.
Morris asked the City Council for feedback from the Council. Mayor Breman asked for clarification
on what Morris was asking. Morris responded that on the flyer, there is a QR code and the idea is to
put questions into an online survey system.
Councilor Prochnow asked Morris whether he was trying to guide respondents’ answers to questions
in the Strategic Growth and Water Draft Survey Plan and referred to Question #1 under “Strategic
Growth.” Morris explained that that there is an infill question for which the state statute directs
municipalities to come up with policies to discourage sprawl and identify “Job Centers” that could be
appropriate for infill development. The four Job Centers that Morris identified are as follows:
• In the downtown core
• In the Kokopelli Business Park
• Along Highway 6 & 50
• Along Greenway Drive
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• Other _________________
Morris stated that he would like to better understand which jobs would be appropriate for growth.
Councilor Prochnow reiterated his question concerning whether staff has some sort of guided
conversation with applicants that will help influence those decisions because some of them seem
relatively nebulous. Assistant City Manager Dan Caris wondered if there is a way for the City to have
an exhibit that illustrates GIS coordinates.
Mayor Breman asked whether the State of Colorado is providing any funding for the Water Supply and
Strategic Growth Element. Morris explained that on August 4, 2026 the City Council approved a
Resolution on the Consent Agenda allowing the City to seek a grant and staff hopes to hire a consultant
to assist with the preparation and review of the Water Supply and Strategic Growth Comprehensive
Plan Elements. Mayor Breman pointed out that it is still an unfunded mandate from the state.
Morris stated that as long as the City submits a draft of a Water Supply Element and Strategic Growth
Element by December 31, 2026, the state will consider the City of Fruita “Compliance in Progress”
and noted that as far as he is aware, most communities in the state are on the same track of not meeting
the deadline. Morris added that his goal is to have the survey completed in September of 2026.
The Council discussed the questions in the survey and what implementation will look like after the
Water Supply Element and Strategic Growth Element is adopted.
Morris added that he is under the impression that Ute Water is on top of it with their long-range
planning and he envisions that the City of Fruita’s goal is to support them in their efforts. When he
spoke to the Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVIC), they expressed that their main concern is with
their structures (canals) and getting water to headgates. Following that, GVIC wants the City to take
on more responsibility.
There was discussion held concerning long-term planning, the usage of water and how part of the intent
of the Water Supply and Strategic Growth Element is try to advocate for putting the City in a better
position for more water usage in the future. Morris said he thinks it would be demonstrated that the
City of Fruita doesn’t have enough water and needs more because the data supports that.
Councilor Miller expressed concern about Question #6 (under Water) in the Draft Survey and
Councilor Prochnow suggested that staff insert a link to the City’s water policies for the question in
the survey concerning what thoughts residents have about those policies or adding a question about
what the City is currently doing well or not doing well. Morris explained that the City doesn’t currently
have many “water policies.” Mayor Breman thought it would be better starting off with what the City
is trying to accomplish as opposed to leading with questions.
Caris stated that questions that come to his mind include whether the City should continue to dedicate
water shares to an HOA that cannot actually take care of their own system or whether the City has a
bigger role to play in that. He noted that most of the complaints the City receives are from HOAs that
have inferior storage or an inability to maintain their pump systems. He explained that the City doesn’t
have an irrigation pump system (except for City parks); it relies on gravity flow. Caris suggested that
the City become a little more outcome-oriented with some of the survey questions to quell some of the
concerns.
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Councilor Prochnow asked whether that wasn’t an example of the City’s water policies and whether
the City has not needed the policies in the past and that is why Fruita is delinquent in creating them.
He added that it was a little shocking to him to hear that the City doesn’t really have many or any water
policies at all.
Caris explained that while the City has no formal water policies, it requires one water share per
irrigatable acre and maintains irrigation infrastructure in the right-of-way, with property owners
responsible for lines beyond the tap. The City rents water shares to residents, uses Ute Water shares to
supplement its system, and charges tap fees and monthly fees. The City also has infrastructure
installation specifications but no conservation policies aimed at ideological standards and does not
study upstream users to determine water sufficiency, given the Grand Valley’s lack of storage.
Caris pointed out that there are a handful of commercial sites that have elected to use domestic water
for irrigation because the irrigation water is unavailable to them. He added that in the coming years,
that practice is likely going to be financially punitive for both residential and commercial uses.
Mayor Breman asked whether the City should start by developing a Water Policy for the City.
Councilor Parrish suggested putting that on hold while the Council and staff are looking at growth and
the current status of the importance of water. Mayor Breman agreed with that but said he thinks the
City should first determine what the desired deliverable outcome is to be before figuring out the tools.
Councilor Prochnow asked staff to research water policies in similarly-sized municipalities. Mayor
Breman noted the issue had not been part of strategic planning or prior Council discussions. Councilor
Purser questioned whether the matter was an unfunded state mandate, while Mayor Breman noted that
about 50 counties have sued the State. Councilor Miller said the information could inform the City’s
future Comprehensive Plan update, and Morris hoped it would lead to further discussion. Councilor
Miller emphasized that the survey’s framing will be important, as its tone suggests increased regulation
and oversight.
Morris noted that the Council had expressed concerns about the survey’s Question #6 and asked if
there were any others that gave the Council pause.
Councilor Kumro stated that he was working at the Farmers Market the coming weekend and asked if
he and the other Council member working the booth that day could ask the public some of the less
concerning questions in the survey. Mayor Breman stated that if the Council’s goal is to ultimately
develop a policy, they need a statistical analysis first. Councilor Kumro clarified that he was trying to
get a feeling about what people might think about the survey. Mayor Breman referred to Question #1
under Strategic Growth about higher density development and said it is oddly specific. Morris stated
that the survey isn’t necessarily completely driven by the state because the current Comprehensive Plan
already lists the four high density areas in Fruita.
The Council discussed how the survey is confusing because it concerns two separate topics: strategic
growth and water. Morris stated that he was attempting to avoid “survey fatigue.” Councilor Purser
said it seemed to her that the questions under Strategic Growth were repetitive of the questions that
were in the Housing Needs Assessment and therefore, the City already has some of that same
information. She noted that the Council hasn’t fully analyzed the results of the Assessment yet.
Morris explained that the City could do just the water survey and get rid of all the strategic growth
questions in it and utilize the information the City already has from the Housing Needs Assessment.
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Mayor Breman stated that he was more comfortable with only focusing the survey on water usage
along with communication to the public concerning why the City is gathering the information.
Morris reviewed the text contained in the state statute for the Strategic Growth Element that states that
the City has to assess the general feasibility of the development or redevelopment of undeveloped sites
(including agricultural land that is located within the City’s current growth boundary) and that are not
adjacent to developed land to discourage sprawl and considers what it’s going to cost the City to get
infrastructure there.
Morris noted that the statute speaks to sites for residential land use based on existing and needed
infrastructure, transportation capacity, access to public transit and public facilities and services to serve
such sites. He said he thinks it’s a good policy for the City to have shade structures for bus stops (for
example), which would be a good way to meet the state’s requirements.
Mayor Breman said he thinks what he was hearing from City Council was that the Council would like
to come up with some sort of water policy to get a better understanding and part of that would be
community outreach, which that section of the survey would do for the City. He asked if the City has
enough other information to fulfill the state mandate without putting it on a survey and he thinks the
Council is hopeful that the answer is yes, although he wasn’t sure if that was accurate. He wondered if
there are other methods to get that information. Morris said he thinks the City can make the statement
that it has all that information.
Councilor Prochnow noted that he thinks it’s really important to at some point to discuss transportation
specifically, although he didn’t think it has to be included in the survey.
Morris stated that he questions whether the Strategic Growth Element policy discourages sprawl but
many Council members pointed out that there is a policy for that contained in the Land Use Code and
Comprehensive Plan.
Councilor Hancey asked whether the City has an end goal for the Water Element of the state mandate
and whether it was that the Council just wants to understand what people’s thoughts are about it.
Councilor Prochnow suggested that a survey question could be whether people think the City should
support citizens in water conservation because he thinks the City would get some pretty straight
answers in both directions.
Morris said he doesn’t believe the City has any policies strictly related to water conservation. He
suggested putting in the survey more of an open-ended question such as “What water conservation
policies should the City pursue, if any?” He said analyzing water usage should be based on data, but
there really isn’t a way to know how much irrigation water gets used in the City and none of the City’s
systems are hooked up to water meters for that, so it is a challenge for doing the analysis. He said it
could be projected based on the requirements in the Land Use Code, but that it would be based on
reality. Morris said he expects there to be some discussion about water meters in the future of water
planning.
At 8:18, Mayor Breman called for an eight-minute break. At 8:26, the City Council Workshop meeting
reconvened.
- DISCUSSION ON MUNICIPAL JUDGE HIRING PROCESS (8:26 – 8:45 P.M.)
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City Manager Shannon Vassen stated that he sent out a proposed timeline the previous day for the
recruitment of a new Municipal Court Judge. The Municipal Court has been operating with two Interim
Municipal Court Judges which has been going well according to the Municipal Court Clerk.
Staff put out the call for Letters of Interest a couple of weeks prior, which are due by 4:00 p.m. on
September 11, 2026. Vassen noted that he had received the first Letter of Interest and will be receiving
all the rest that may come in by the deadline. Once the deadline has passed, Vassen explained that he
would send all of them to City Council for review before the Regular Council meeting of September
15, 2026, when the Council will meet in Executive Session to discuss which applicants they want to
interview and finalize interview questions.
Vassen stated that he knew the City was going to receive four Letters of Interest and potentially five
of them, all of whom are qualified to do the job of Fruita Municipal Court Judge.
On September 22, 2026, the City Council will hold a Special Meeting to conduct interviews of the
applicants and direct staff to bring back a Personal Services Agreement at the next Regular City
Council meeting. Because there is a fifth Tuesday in September, the City Council Workshop of
September 22, 2026 was rescheduled to September 29, 2026 by City Council.
Vassen noted that he also sent the City Council two interview questions he received from other City
Managers of municipalities that just hired Municipal Court Judges.
All Council members confirmed that the aforementioned timeline would work with their schedules
with the exception of Councilor Kumro, who may miss the approval of the Agreement between the
selected Judge and the City of Fruita in early October.
- COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEES OVERVIEW (8:45 – 9:15 P.M.)
City Manager Shannon Vassen noted that the City Council had received two letters from local
developers regarding concerns with the City’s use taxes on building materials and how they are
collected. Staff felt that it would be a good time for the Community Development Department to share
an overview of all Community Development fees that are charged to developers. Vassen noted that
Chief Building Official Jen Wooten was also in attendance at the meeting.
Planning and Development Director Henry Hemphill described the fees and charges associated with
certain steps in processing applications by his department. He noted that the City’s Budget season
would begin soon and that the City Council has a few new members.
Hemphill stated that the City charges fees for basically every land use application that is processed
including annexations, zonings and subdivisions. He said those fees have not changed over the last
twelve years but there was one text clarification that was added last year for the City Attorney’s legal
fees reimbursement. The clarification stipulates that the first three hours of attorney time is paid into
the overall application fee and anything after that is back charged to the developer or applicant.
Hemphill explained that the City Council adopts a Resolution establishing the City’s fees and charges
as part of its annual Budget that includes Building Permit fees and a use tax table that is associated
with those fees.
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Hemphill noted that the 2026 Fees and Charges determine Building Permit fees, while Building
Valuation Data (B