2026 City Council Retreat sets the stage for refreshed Strategic Plan

Published on May 14, 2026

On March 13-14, City Council and leadership held a retreat to align around a shared vision for Commerce City’s future. Discussions connected community values, long term goals, and operational realities to upcoming strategic planning, budget development, and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) decisions.

View the full 2026 Council Retreat Summary

Retreat takeaways

1. Council updated and reshaped the city’s goal framework to better reflect their refreshed vision and the community priorities, resulting in the following 2026 Strategic Goal Categories:
1.Economic Investment & Opportunity
2.Safe& Thriving Community
3.Healthy, Connected, & Sustainable Environment
4.Housing for All Stages of Life
5.Mobility, Infrastructure, & Regional Connectivity
6.Trusted, Transparent, & Accountable Government

The 2026 Strategic Goal Categories represent an intentional evolution of the current Strategic Plan while aligning more closely with the needs, opportunities and direction shaping Commerce City’s future. Each category title is directly rooted in both the existing strategic plan and the themes identified during the 2026 City Council Retreat.

2. Shared vision for the city’s future, as consistently raised across City Council’s discussions:
•Safe, welcoming neighborhoods and public spaces
•Strong retail options, thriving local businesses, and job growth
•Housing choices for all stages of life
•High quality roads, sidewalks, lighting, and transportation access
•Clean, connected, and beautifully maintained community spaces
•Transparent decision making and strong community engagement

3. Cross-cutting themes that connect every community-wide priority:
•Safety across roads, neighborhoods, and in public spaces
•Connectivity with and across neighborhoods and the region
•Beautification through corridor care, tree health, and trash removal
•Partnerships with nonprofits, schools, developers, industry and neighboring jurisdictions

4. Next Steps
Commerce City staff will work on the following:
•Refresh the strategic plan, actions, timelines, and success measures based on Council direction
•Align budget development and CIP planning with the updated goals
•Provide regular reporting updates (e.g., public safety data, community well-being programs)
•Update Council Working Agreements through the Rules & Procedures Committee
City Council is expected to:
•Review and provide direction on the refreshed strategic plan
•Evaluate budget/CIP alignment with updated priorities
•Continue visioning discussions as part of regular decision making

Upcoming Community Input Opportunities

Commerce City will offer multiple opportunities for residents to help shape the adopted strategic plan, including:
•Online SpeakUp platform engagement available atc3gov.com/SpeakUp
•In person SpeakUp Commerce City events on June 17 and Aug. 12
•In-person events and town hall meetings, including the Long-term Financial Planning Town Halls on July 7 and 8.

These engagement opportunities will directly inform the final version of the refreshed Strategic Plan, which is currently scheduled to be presented to City Council Aug. 24.

For questions, contact the City Manager’s Office at 303-227-8808 or citymanagersoffice@c3gov.com.