The Black Hawk City Council prohibited firearms in City buildings and approved a lease agreement for $20 million during a regular meeting on October 13, 2021, at 211 Church Street. The Council also approved Municipal Code liquor license updates and set public hearings for the annexation of Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort.

City Attorney Corey Hoffmann introduced an ordinance prohibiting carrying firearms into City-owned buildings. The Black Hawk Municipal Code will be amended that it is unlawful for any person to carry a firearm on or about his person into any City building where a sign has been posted at the entrance of such building prohibiting firearms from entering the building.

Nothing in this shall apply to the Police Department, any police officer or members of the armed forces of the United States, or Colorado National Guard acting in the lawful discharge of their duties. An individual found to be in violation of this who has a valid concealed carry permit, will be liable for civil penalties not to exceed $50 for the first violation.

Hoffmann said this is an ordinance to come into compliance with Colorado State 2021 legislation after the incident in Boulder at King Soopers, which gave authority for cities to address this. If signage is visible, it would prohibit anyone from going into city buildings with a firearm. The Council approved the ordinance.

City Finance Director Lance Hillis introduced an ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of a site lease agreement, a lease purchase agreement, and related documents in connection with the construction of certain public improvements of the city.

This ordinance and the related agreements allow the City to borrow $20 million from Key Government Finance, Inc., for 15 years at the annual rate of 2.41 percent. This tax-exempt lease-purchase financing structure requires the City to place certain City owned properties up for collateral. As annual lease-purchase payments are made, properties will be released from this encumbrance. Aldermen said it is great rate and approved the ordinance. Hillis said it will close on October 28.

Hoffmann introduced amendments to ordinances related to City liquor laws. In the 2021 legislative session, the state passed several ordinances related to liquor. The amendments bring Town Code up to the legislation.

A new section of the code will allow takeout and delivery from liquor stores, but a licensee must first get authorization from the State, and then they must notify the City. Another ordinance allows wineries and festivals to sell other liquor upon application and approved by the clerk’s office.

An amendment to the Municipal Code would allow Communal Dining Areas. Two establishments within 1,000 feet of each other could create a communal dining area for festivals outside the two stores.

Another amendment would allow tastings in retail liquor stores. Hoffmann said that later in the agenda, the Council will be asked to approve a liquor license. Now that they have a potential liquor store, the Council is being asked to allow tasting events, with restrictions regarding training, inventory, and how much an individual can drink at the event.

The Council approved all of the amendments.

The Council set December 8, 2021, for a liquor license hearing for a new retail liquor store license for Feeney Farms II, Inc., at the Eagles Mart Store, 7320 Black Hawk Blvd, Suite 1A. The retail liquor store will be located inside the Eagles Mart convenience store.

The application was deemed complete on October 6, 2021. The public hearing must be held not less than 30 days from the date of the City Council meeting in which the application was presented.

The Council set December 8, 2021, for a public hearing to accept the petition for annexation of a parcel of unincorporated territory located in the County of Gilpin (Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort Annexation No. 8). The City has received 11 petitions for annexation of property in unincorporated Gilpin County from Proximo Distillers, LLC, landowner, and covers about 74.74 acres of land south of Lake Gulch Road and north of Central City Parkway.

The petitions appear to be in substantial compliance with the requirements of state statutes and applicable intergovernmental agreements and the public hearing concerning the annexations can be set. Hoffmann said the property was annexed into the city in 2020.

City staff determined these properties are eligible for annexation and a public hearing can be set for December 8.

The next Black Hawk Council meeting will be at 211 Church Street in Black Hawk on Wednesday, October 27 at 3 p.m. For more information go to https://site.cityofblackhawk.org/.