MONUMENT — The Town Council voted unanimously May 18 to postpone a decision on requiring paid parking permits at Monument Lake until July 20, after residents raised concerns about neighborhood spillover, lost downtown traffic, and enforcement.
Ordinance 13-2026 would add parking-permit requirements at the lake to the municipal code; companion Resolution 33-2026 would set the permit area, fees, and fines. Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek presented both; councilmembers questioned enforcement and asked staff to investigate annual and resident passes.
Five residents spoke at the public hearing. Adam Frank recommended an annual pass instead of a daily kiosk fee. Chamber of Commerce president Terri Hayes warned lake visitors could simply go elsewhere and skip downtown. Eddie Jones and Julie Demerath addressed parking in the adjacent Lake of the Rockies neighborhood — Jones asking for signs and a coded gate, Demerath noting street parking already occurs without paid parking. Jennifer Adams questioned whether a traffic analysis was done and asked for no-parking measures ahead of the Fourth of July.
Mayor Mitch LaKind moved to continue the ordinance to July 20; the motion passed 7–0, as did Councilmember Sana Abbott’s motion to continue the fee resolution.
Also at the May 18 meeting
AI policy adopted. The council unanimously approved Resolution 34-2026, the Town of Monument Use Policy for Artificial Intelligence, presented by IT Director Will Williams.
Stormwater plan adopted. Resolution 35-2026 added the 2026 Stormwater Master Plan to the town’s Comprehensive Plan, 7–0.
Executive session. The council met privately with its attorney regarding a complaint and compensation analysis for council and planning commission members, reconvening with no action.
Source: official meeting minutes, approved June 1, via the town’s CivicClerk portal. All seven members were present; Councilmember Chad Smith attended remotely.
