Leases and contracts.
Denver City Charter, art. III, § 3.2.6
in effect§ 3.2.6 - Leases and contracts.
The Council shall have the additional powers to approve or disapprove, by ordinance or resolution, leases or other instruments selling or granting the use of City-owned property to other parties, and certain contracts, under the following conditions:
(A) Definitions. For the purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply:
(i) The term "real property" shall include interests in land and any improvements and facilities attached thereto, except public rights-of-way.
(ii) The term "lease" shall include all agreements, permits, contracts, licenses, easements or other instruments whereby the City grants the exclusive use of all or a portion of real property now or hereafter owned by the City for an indefinite period of time or for a specific period in excess of thirty (30) days.
(iii) The term "personal property" shall include tangible and intangible personal property other than cash and investments invested by the Manager of Finance under Section 2.5.3 of the Charter.
[(iv)] The term "contract" shall include any contract or other instruments of writing requiring the assent of the City and County, as provided in section 2.2.4.
(B) Leasing of city-owned real property. The Mayor of the City and County of Denver shall be and is hereby authorized to initiate actions to effect the lease of real property owned by the city, when such lease will serve a public purpose, for such considerations and upon such terms as in the Mayor's judgment shall appear proper. All leases of real property owned by the city, or amendments to existing leases, before their execution by city officials, shall be authorized by the Denver City Council acting by ordinance or resolution. The ordinance or resolution shall state the public purpose to be served by the lease or amendment.
(C) Sale or conveyance of city-owned real property. The Mayor of the City and County of Denver shall be and is hereby authorized to initiate actions to effect the sale or conveyance of real property owned by the City upon such terms as in the Mayor's judgment shall appear proper. All contracts providing for the sale or conveyance or real property owned by the city, or amendments to such contracts, before their execution by city officials, shall be authorized by the Denver City Council acting by ordinance or resolution.
(D) Intergovernmental Agreements. Contracts between the City and County of Denver and any other government entity shall require the approval of the City Council acting by ordinance or resolution, prior to their execution by City officials, if the contract or instrument:
(i) Provides for tax revenue sharing between the city and any other governmental entity;
(ii) Contains any commitment by the mayor or other official to seek legislative action by the City Council or otherwise implicates the legislative authority of the Council; or
(iii) Requires the approval of the City Council pursuant to any other law.
(E) Approval of certain contracts by Council. Contracts which will require or result in the payment or receipt by the City of one-half million dollars ($500,000.00) or more, and those in which personal property valued at one-half million dollars ($500,000.00) or more will be sold or transferred by or to the City, and those in which a provider of services to the City will receive a percentage of generated revenues, shall require the approval of the City Council acting by ordinance or resolution, prior to their execution by City officials.
(F) Failure by Council to act. If the Council fails to act, within thirty (30) days, either affirmatively or negatively on a proposed ordinance or resolution submitted for its approval under the foregoing provisions, the sale, lease, or contract to which the proposed ordinance or resolution pertains may be executed by City officials as though the ordinance or resolution had been enacted.
(G) Other powers subordinate. The powers granted elsewhere in this Charter to administrative departments and agencies and to other branches of the government of the City and County of Denver pertaining to the execution of such sales, leases, or contracts shall be subordinate to the power of council to approve the same, or to withhold such approval, before the same are executed.
(H) Waiver of submission requirement. The Council, acting by ordinance, may waive in whole or in part the requirement that certain leases and contracts be submitted for the approval of the Council as provided in this section.
(Charter 1960, B1.12-2; added November 2, 1982; Ord. No. 428-02, § 1, 6-3-02, elec. 8-13-02; Ord. No. 677-02, § 1, 8-26-02, elec. 11-5-02); Ord. No. 608-05, § 1, 8-9-05, elec. 11-1-05; Ord. No. 582-06, § 1, 8-22-06, elec. 11-7-06)
Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIHORU_SUBTITLE_BCH_ARTIIICICO_PT2COPO_S3.2.6LECOFetched: 10/27/2026