BLACK HAWK — A bright advertising truck rolling down Highway 119 set off a chain reaction inside City Hall on Wednesday, April 8, as the Black Hawk City Council approved two new ordinances aimed at electronic vehicle signs and public nudity.

Mayor David Spellman said both measures were direct responses to activity tied to Rick’s Cabaret and Steakhouse in Central City. The electronic sign ordinance came first, after a vehicle outfitted with illuminated digital panels drove through town.

Councilman Hal Midcap said the truck was so bright he thought it was an emergency vehicle. “I actually thought it was a fire truck with all the lights and everything,” he said.

The ordinance amends Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit electronic signs mounted on vehicles that are visible from the public right-of-way.

City Attorney Corey Hoffmann emphasized that the ordinance does not regulate what a sign says. “So, when you look at what this ordinance does, it doesn't regulate words. It doesn't regulate pictures. It regulates the type of sign on a vehicle, and that is perfectly constitutional,” Hoffmann said. 

He continued, “It is consistent with the First Amendment, and it is what our United States Supreme Court has said that the city is authorized to regulate.”

Hoffmann said that cities are allowed to regulate the impacts of signage, including safety concerns and driver distraction, but not content.

The ordinance allows limited exceptions for passenger transportation vehicles. Smaller vehicles may display up to three signs, each two square feet, while larger buses may display up to three signs, each four square feet.

Residents Craig Armbright and Melissa Greiner both spoke in support. Armbright described seeing the truck sit near the bridge by Highway 119 at night, its lights visible from inside his home. Greiner said one of the signs passed her home in a residential area and called it “bright, moving, and distracting.”

Midcap said the vehicle “lit up the entire street” and created a problem for residents. Council approved the ordinance unanimously, with enforcement taking effect immediately upon posting.

Nudity ordinance follows

Council then turned to a second ordinance addressing public nudity. The measure updates City Code to prohibit nudity in public places in a gender-neutral way, following a Tenth Circuit ruling out of Fort Collins, known as “Free the Nipple,” that requires equal treatment of male and female toplessness.

The ordinance applies to public spaces and areas visible from public property, with exceptions for breastfeeding, medical situations, and protected artistic or expressive performances.

No one spoke during the public hearing, and council approved the measure without discussion.

After the meeting, Spellman tied the ordinance to ongoing concerns about Rick’s Cabaret. He said he had been told that dancers from the club might be brought to walk around Black Hawk. At Rick’s Cabaret and Steakhouse in Central City, dancers perform topless, an issue that has been at the center of ongoing debate and regulatory efforts in that city.

The pairing of the two ordinances reflects concern among Black Hawk officials about potential spillover impacts, both visual and behavioral, from that business.

Other business

Council also approved a $123,351 federal transit grant for the Black Hawk and Central City Tramway, which helps cover operating costs for the shuttle system.

Then three resolutions followed.

Resolution 19-2026 approved a $227,844 contract with Blue Sky Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric to replace aging HVAC systems at Crooks Palace. Staff said the units are more than 20 years old and increasingly difficult to repair.

Resolution 20-2026 awarded a $915,700 contract to Chato’s Juarez Company LLC for the construction of the Bates Hill Trail System. The project includes a trail from the Briggs lot up to the future pedestrian bridge and a roughly 2.5-mile network of hiking trails above it, with stone retaining walls and connections to existing trail systems.

Resolution 21-2026, added late to the agenda, approved a $397,734.39 agreement with Xcel Energy to bury remaining overhead power lines along Gregory Street. The work will remove three utility poles and replace them with decorative streetlights consistent with the rest of the corridor.

During council comments, Midcap thanked residents for participating in the recent election. Councilmember Cynthia Linker also thanked candidates, election judges, and staff, noting it was the City’s first council election since 2014. The official swearing-in is expected at the next meeting.

Housing authority meeting

The city council then recessed and convened as the Black Hawk Housing Authority.

Resolution 2026-01 approved the 2026 exterior paint program with a budget not to exceed $200,000, though current work totals $71,208 for three homes on Chase Street and Dubois Street. Remaining funds may be used later if needed.

Resolution 2026-02 approved a temporary construction easement at 231 Dubois Street to allow access for painting work at 241 Dubois. A $25 payment to the property owner is included.

Resolution 2026-03 designated Cynthia Linker as vice chair of the Housing Authority.

The next regular meeting of the Black Hawk City Council is scheduled for April 22, 2026, at 3 p.m. at 211 Church Street in Black Hawk.