HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Agenda 02-25-13SPECIAL STUDY SESSION AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
7500 W. 29th Ave.
Wheat Ridge CO
February 25, 2013
Upon adjournment from City Council Meeting
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PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
.L Staff Reports
2. 38 1h Avenue Improvements
~ Kipling Street Trail Utility Relocation discussion
4 . Elected Officials' Report(s)
"'~ ~
-~ r City of • .. ~Wheat~dge ~OFFICE OF THE Cnv MANAGER
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
Patrick Goff, City Manager Silr-FROM:
DATE: February 20, 2013
SUBJECT: 38th A venue Corridor Roadway Improvements
Introduction
At the November 19,2012 Study Session, City Council asked staffto evaluate potential changes
to the 381h Avenue roadway improvements. Specifically, Council expressed concern about the
temporary look of the planters that are located in the parking lane on the south side of the street.
These planters are part of the $308,000 pilot construction project completed in summer 2012.
Council asked staff to prepare a conceptual design and cost estimate for replacing or augmenting
the planter boxes in the Main Street sub-district (Upham Street to Pierce Street) with more
permanent, curbed planters, or landscape islands. At the study session on January 28, staff
presented some initial concepts for replacing the planter pods and concrete planters with
landscape islands between Upham and Pierce Streets.
The estimated cost for installing the new landscape islands is $150,000. This amount includes the
cost of relocating the existing planters to locations further east on the corridor, where they could
be consolidated with other planters to form larger planter pods. The $150,000 cost estimate does
not include any infrastructure for permanent irrigation. In addition to the $150,000 for
construction, an additional $10,000 would be required each year to maintain the landscape
islands, including hand watering (see Attachment 1 for more detail).
There was a lack of consensus to move forward with this proposal. In fact, as reported in the City
Council Study Session Notes, "There were varying sentiments on Council ranging from 'wait
until the road diet has been evaluated' to 'proceed aggressively' and somewhere in between." A
consensus was reached to direct staff to bring back additional options that vary in scope and cost
for Council to consider.
Additional Options
Staff has created new illustrations and cost estimates (Attachments 2 and 3) for permanent
improvements from Upham Street to Pierce Street which have been broken down further into
three street segments for Council's consideration. The budget estimates range between $676,050
and $2.3 million depending on the specific design features and scope of project.
The proposed improvements and budget include design ; curbed or raised landscape islands on
both sides of 38 1h Avenue between Upham and Pierce Streets or a smaller segment in-between;
irrigation; entryway monument signs at Upham Street; and street overlay and restriping. In
addition, the 2013 CIP budget includes fundin g for banner poles for an overhead banner and the
City is working with Xcel to allow for the hanging of banners on the pedestrian lights along 38th
Avenue.
Staff believes these proposed improvements move the City closer to realizing the vision of the
38 1h A venue Corridor Plan without committing to funding the entire $4.0 million project as
recommended in the Plan.
Staff looks forward to discussing these options in greater detail with Council at the study session.
Attachments
1. Staff report from Sarah Showalter, dated January 23 , 2013
2. Proposed 38th Avenue roadway design and budget estimates
3. Before and after illustrations of proposed roadway improvements
~ "~ .... ~ .,. City of
--ro:wheat&_,dge ~OMMUNJlY DEVELOPMENT
TO:
THROUGH:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Introduction
Memorandum
Mayor and City Council
Kenneth Johnstone, Community Development Director
Tim Paranto , Public Works Director
Sarah Showalter, Planner II
January 23 , 2013 (for January 28 Study Session)
38th Avenue Corridor Roadway Design
At the November 19 , 2012 Study Session, City Council asked staffto evaluate potential changes
to the 381h A venue roadway improvements. Specifically, Council expressed concern about the
temporary look of the planters that are located in the parking lane on the south side of the street.
These planters are part of the $308 ,000 pilot construction project completed in summer 2012.
Council asked staff to prepare a conceptual design and cost estimate for replacing or augmenting
the planter boxes in the Main Street sub-district (Pierce St. to Upham St.) with more permanent,
curbed planters, or landscape islands. At the study session on January 28 , staff will present the
results of the concept design, including cost estimates.
Landscape Islands -Overview
Public Works staff evaluated the replacement of all seven planters (both planter pods and smaller
concrete planters) between Pierce St. and Upham St. with landscape islands that would look
similar to traffic · islands throughout the
Attachment 1
The size and configuration of the landscape planters would vary by location depending on
existing conditions such as existing driveways and stormwater inlets. The islands may contain a
combination of trees, shrubs and grasses, depending on the final design.
The example below shows the design for a landscape island at the southeast comer of Teller
Street and 38th Avenue, where the planter would be integrated into an existing concrete bulb out:
7172 to llBfJ :. ~,
( W '38th Pl l -3
Above: potential location for landscape island at
the southeast corner of 381h and Teller Street.
2
Above: existing conditions at the southeast corner
of 381h and Teller Street.
The images below show the proposed design for a landscape island located in front of
7030 W. 38th Avenue, just west of Compass Construction:
Above: potential location for landscape island in
front of 7030 W. 381h Avenue
Above: existing conditions at 7030 W. 381h Avenue
Attachment 1 shows the total seven locations for the landscape islands suggested for
improvement.
Landscape Islands -Cost Estimate
The estimated cost for installing the new landscape islands is $150,000. This amount includes the
cost of relocating the existing planters to locations further east on the corridor, where they could
be consolidated with other planters to form larger planter pods. The $150,000 cost estimate does
not include any infrastructure for permanent irrigation.
In addition to the $150,000 for construction, an additional $10,000 would be required each year
to maintain the landscape islands, including hand watering.
Issues to Consider
The construction of landscape islands with concrete curbs raises some important issues for
Council's consideration.
1. Will the visual impact of the landscape islands be cohesive and well-received, or could
they be seen as another temporary measure?
2. In order to construct the landscape islands in locations that will not require their complete
removal in the future with a permanent redesign, important design decisions that
influence the location of the final curbs would need to be made now, such as:
o Should the back-in parking be retained or replaced with parallel parking, as the
plan envisioned?
o Should bike lanes be incorporated into the final design, even though they were
ranked low by the public during the planning process and were only added to the
pilot project where there was an additional 1 0' of existing ROW?
3. Public input: will the public have an opportunity to give input on some of the important
design issues mentioned in number 2 above?
3
4. Trees: the trees to be planted in the landscape islands likely will not match the even
spacing of street trees that would be part of a permanent redesign. Even for those trees in
locations that may be preserved with a pennanent redesign, their root balls are likely to
be damaged during construction and the trees may need to be replaced.
It is important to consider how the islands would align with the vision and course of action laid
out in the 38 1h A venue Corridor Plan since they begin to set permanent design decisions. The
roadway improvements completed in 2012 were part of a pilot project that was envisioned to be
in place for a minimum of 18-24 months. This timeframe was deemed necessary in order to
evaluate important metrics, such as sales tax and new businesses on the corridor, in addition to
the traffic considerations, which will indicate the overall success of the project.
Assuming that the pilot project is successful, the plan calls for a permanent reconstruction of the
Main Street Sub-district from Pierce to Upham Streets. This reconstruction is essential to the
vision for a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly main street. A well-designed street with a cohesive
streetscape on both sides of the street is also a key component of the branding and marketing
plan that the Leadership Committee adopted in 2012.
During the planning process for the Corridor Plan, the public consensus was that their first
choice for the main street sub-district was to rebuild the street in a way that would allow
continuous sidewalks with street trees. The final design would likely require some large changes
to the street, such as consolidating driveways. For this reason, the Plan calls for additional public
input on the final design after the pilot project phase is complete. The Plan also estimates a total
construction cost of approximately four million dollars and notes that funding sources beyond
the City's CIP budget, such as bonds or a special district, should be considered.
Leadership Committee Input
On January 22, staff presented the concept design and budget for the landscape islands to the
Ridge at 38 Leadership Committee. The committee members asked questions about how the
islands would be incorporated into a permanent redesign and how they might further the goal in
the plan to draw more businesses to the corridor. A couple of the committee members expressed
reservations about spending money on a semi-permanent change to the street before the pilot
project and assessment period are complete. A few members also raised concerns about how the
islands might pre-determine permanent design decisions that need further public input, such as
whether or not to have bike lanes on the street.
After discussion, the committee voted on the topic. Of the fourteen members present, six voted
against the landscape islands, two voted in favor, and six abstained from voting.
Attachments:
1. Aerial showing potential landscape island locations
4
Attachment 1: Aerial showing seven landscape islands
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38TH AVE AMENITIES
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North and South Segment
1 2 3
Item Upham St to High Ct High Ct to Reed St Reed St to Pierce St Total
Common Elements
Irrigation $ 37 ,550 $ 34 ,850 $ 29 ,600 $ 102 ,000
Overlay/Restripe $ 66 ,200 $ 50 ,900 $ 64 ,700 $ 181 ,800
Entry Signs $ 70 ,000 $ $ $ 70 ,000
Construction Total $ 173 ,750 $ 85 ,750 $ 94 ,300 $ 353 ,800
Curbed Islands
Curbed Islands $ 367,000 $ 270 ,000 $ 187,000 $ 824,000
Construction Total $ 540,750 $ 355 ,750 $ 281 ,300 $ 1,177 ,800
Engineering
Design -15% $ 81 ,200 $ 53 ,400 $ 42 ,200 $ 176 ,700
Construction - 1 0% $ 54 ,100 $ 35 ,600 $ 28 ,200 $ 117 ,800
Engineering Total $ 135 ,300 $ 89,000 $ 70,400 $ 294 ,500
Curbed Islands Total $ 676,050 $ 444,750 $ 351,700 $ 1,472,300
Raised Islands
Raised Islands $ 654 ,700 $ 481,400 $ 323 ,900 $ 1,460 ,000
Construction Total $ 828,450 $ 567,150 $ 418 ,200 $ 1,813 ,800
Engineering
Design -15% $ 124 ,300 $ 85 ,100 $ 62,800 $ 272 ,100
Construction - 1 0% $ 82,900 $ 56 ,800 $ 41 ,900 $ 181,400
Engineering Total $ 207 ,200 $ 141,900 $ 104,700 $ 453 ,500
Raised Islands Total $ 1,035,650 $ 709,050 $ 522,900 $ 2,267,300
~~·~
... ~ r-City of • -a~Wheat&_dge ~OFFICE OF THE 0TY MANAGER
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Memorandum
Mayor and City Council f\. ~
Patrick Goff, City Manager--l(f
February 20, 2013
Kipling Street Trail-Utility Relocation
In October 2010 the City applied to the DRCOG for federal transportation funds available for
fiscal years 2012 through 2017 to help finance the construction of a multi-use trail on Kipling
Street from 32nd to 44th Avenue. DRCOG awarded the grant application in March of2011.
This project will provide a new pedestrian and bicyclist facility which will connect Crown Hill
Park, Discovery Park, the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center and the Clear Creek Trail. This
facility will also improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists along Kipling Street as a result
of a new wide trail. The proposed trail construction is within the guidelines of the City's Bike
and Pedestrian Master Plan.
The total project amount is estimated at $3,178,000. The City will receive a federal grant in the
amount of$2,473,000, with the City providing the local project matching funds in the amount of
$705,000. The City is responsible for completing the construction plans and obtaining all
required clearances for utilities, environmental approvals and right-of-way acquisitions.
The City reached out to Xcel Energy to obtain a quote to underground the overhead utility lines
along the Kipling Corridor between 32nd and 44th Avenues. Utility lines between 35th and 381h
Avenues were undergrounded as part of the Discovery Park project. The total cost to
underground the utility lines is $3.6 million. Attached is a memorandum from the Public Works
Department breaking the total project cost into four smaller segments.
As part of a franchise agreement between the City of Wheat Ridge and Xcel Energy, I% of the
company's revenues collected within Wheat Ridge is earmarked to the City annually which can
be used to pay for the undergrounding of overhead utility lines. This is known as the I% Fund.
The City currently has a balance of$672,477 and can borrow ahead three years for a total
balance of $1.6 million.
The City does not have a formal policy on the use of 1% Funds. Several past projects have
included 1) Discovery Park; 2) 38th Avenue west of Wadsworth to Lutheran Hospital; 3) 32nd
Avenue to 38th Avenue on Pierce Street; and 4) 32nd and Youngfield Street interchange. Based
on the estimates provided from Xcel Energy, staff does not recommend using 1% Funds to
underground utilities on the Kipling Corridor at this time.
Although every potential undergrounding project has its merits, the City has limited funds to
underground overhead utilities. Staff recommends that these funds should be reserved for more
commercially intensive areas of the City where the 1% Funds can contribute to larger
revitalization projects and potentially an economic return to the City. For example, staff has been
working with the owners of the Applewood Shopping Center on a major revitalization of the
Center. Overhead utility lines still exist around the perimeter of the Center. The City could
contribute to this project through the use of its 1% Fund .
Staff will be available at the study session to discuss further and to answer any questions.
Attachments:
1. Memorandum from Tim Paranto , dated February 19 ,2103
.... ~·~ ..... ~ ,. City of •
!PrWheatRi_dge ~PUBLIC WORKS
Memorandum
TO: Patrick Goff, City Manager
FROM: Tim Paranto , Director of Public Works
DATE: February 19 , 2013
SUBJECT: Kipling Power Line Undergrounding
Based upon the estimates provided by Xcel Energy, Public Works recommends against
requesting that Xcel Energy underground existing power lines in association with the Kipling
Trail Project. The following summary is provided for your use.
XCEL ENERGY 1% UNDERGROUNDING FUND
2/19/2013
CURRENT FUND BALANCE $ 844,012.00
3 YEAR BORROW $ 939,711.00
TOTAL AVAILABLE $ 1,783,723.00
XCEL CLAIM FOR 32ND AVENUE WIDENING $ 171,535.00
AVAILABLE FOR KIPLING AVE $ 1,612,188.00
KIPLING ST, 32ND AVE TO 35TH AVE $1,200,000.00
KIPLING ST, 38TH AVE TO 39TH AVE $780,000.00
KIPLING ST,39TH AVE TO 41ST AVE $510,000.00
KIPLING ST, 41ST AVE TO 44TH AVE $1,133,000.00
TOTAL REQUIRED $3,623,000.00
COST TO UNDERGROUND KIPLING ST, 35TH AVE TO 38TH AVE
IN 2010
Attachment 1
$672,861.00