CASPER, Wyo. — A discussion on Casper’s homelessness issue and a parking management plan are on the Casper City Council’s agenda for its workshop meeting Tuesday.

The council will meet at 4:30 p.m. at The Lyric, 230 W. Yellowstone Highway. The meeting will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel.

An update on the City Council’s goal to address homelessness in Casper is one of four topics of discussion on Tuesday’s agenda. The update will come from the city’s Homeless Coalition, a team of city employees tasked with focusing on the city’s goal “to create a more livable place for all Casper citizens through improvements of the environment, infrastructure, and public safety,” a staff memo states.

 

Homeless Coalition City Staff Members
  • Liz Becher, community development director
  • Jake Black, fire chief
  • Ryan Dabney, police captain
  • Leticia Drake, clerk of municipal court
  • Keith McPheeters, police chief
  • Eric Nelson, city attorney

 

The Homeless Coalition, formed in September 2022, comprises 15 agencies working together to address homelessness in Casper. The coalition has been gathering data, tracking services and implementing changes to address the issue.

The coalition has also created five subcommittees to focus on specific aspects of homelessness, including ordinances, transportation, data collection and legislation. These subcommittees are working to develop solutions to address the root causes of homelessness and provide support to those experiencing it.

Parking Garage Management Plan

The Casper City Council will also discuss future management options for the downtown parking garage, located at 230 S. Wolcott St. The garage, built in 1984, is owned by the City of Casper. Its operation has traditionally been overseen by external contractors including the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Development Authority and Republic Parking.

The management contract with Republic Parking is set to expire Dec. 31. This, coupled with upcoming construction on a new police station at the former Casper Business Center site, has prompted the city to consider various management options for the garage, a staff memo states.

The City Council will consider three primary options:

  1. Issuing a Request for Proposals for a new four-year management contract.
  2. Bringing management in-house by hiring a city employee to oversee operations.
  3. Amending and extending the existing contract with Republic Parking.

The work session will include a discussion of the financial considerations associated with each option, including revenue generation, operating expenses and potential personnel costs.

Metro Needs Assessment

The City Council is set to discuss the preliminary findings of the Metro Animal Shelter Needs Assessment. The assessment, commissioned by the City Council on June 18, 2024, is conducted by Animal Arts Design Studios Inc., a nationally recognized expert on animal shelters, a staff memo states.

The purpose of the needs assessment is to guide the discussion on the present and future needs of the Metro Animal Shelter. Animal Arts Design Studios will present its preliminary findings to the City Council and provide an opportunity for councilors to ensure their goals and expectations are considered and addressed in the final report.

Zone Change for the Robertson Road Addition

The council will revisit a proposed zoning change for a 9-acre, city-owned property at the northwest corner of Robertson Road and Trevett Lane. The property, zoned as Planned Unit Development, has been the subject of unsuccessful sale attempts by the city in previous years.

The proposed change aims to simplify the zoning and make the property more attractive to potential buyers, a staff memo states. The current PUD zoning, while allowing for a variety of uses, places certain requirements on development, such as dedicating 20% of the area to open space and adhering to specific architectural reviews. These requirements may have deterred potential buyers in the past, staff wrote.

City staff had initially recommended rezoning the property to a combination of C-2, or General Business, and R-3, or One- to Four-Unit Residential, to align with the adjacent properties and encourage the development of affordable housing. However, the proposal has faced concerns from the neighboring community.

In response to the feedback, the City Council is reevaluating the proposed zoning change.

The full agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is attached below:

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