Greeley says court ruling leaves Ordinance 30 in effect as Catalyst pause continues
The city says the ruling preserves the ordinance, while the privately owned Cascadia project can proceed separately. Greeley will keep Catalyst on hold as it reviews funding options and awaits a proposed tax measure.
A 19th Judicial District court has ruled that Greeley’s Ballot Measure 1A was unconstitutional because the referendum could not repeal Ordinance No. 30, 2025, which the court found was an administrative decision approving a specific development plan rather than a legislative act, the City of Greeley said Thursday. The ordinance remains in effect.
Under Colorado law, referendums can challenge legislative acts but not administrative decisions, according to the city. The court’s ruling means the February 2026 referendum did not repeal Ordinance No. 30.
Cascadia is a separate, privately owned project being developed by Water Valley Company. The city said its decisions regarding Catalyst do not apply to Cascadia, and Water Valley Company may continue moving forward with the project.
The city will continue pausing Catalyst, the city-owned proposed entertainment district. The referendum outcome affected the project’s planned financing structure and prevented its nonprofit partner from issuing anticipated revenue bonds, the city said. Greeley is evaluating alternative funding options while awaiting the outcome of a proposed tax measure and will consider the West Greeley Citizen Oversight Committee’s recommendation to pause the project and explore potential financial partnerships.