HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Agenda Packet 04-20-15~~i.~
... ~ r City of • YP!:Wheat&.__dge ~DMINISTRATJVE SERVICES
TO:
THROUGH:
Memorandum
Mayor and City Council ~
Patrick Goff, City Manager ~
;lfem I a,
FROM: Heather Geyer, Administrative Services Director/PIG
DATE: April 12,2015 (for Study Session of April20111)
SUBJECT: Foothills Animal Shelter Dog Licensing Fee Change
The Foothills Animal Shelter (F AS) Board of Directors is recommending a change to the dog
licensing fee. Attached, for City Council's consideration, is a draft resolution supporting this fee
change and encouraging the Jeffco Board of County Commissioners to approve the fee change in
May, with an effective date of July 1, 2015.
Dog Licensing Fee Background
Operations of the F AS have traditionally been partially funded through annual assessments to
Jefferson County and the cities in the County, based on dog population. The City's annual assessment
is approximately $30,000. Beginning in 2007, dog licensing became mandatory throughout Jefferson
County (prior to that time, it was available but was optional). The fees were set at $15 annually for
altered (spayed/neutered) dogs and $30 for unaltered dogs. Back in 2007, the County and the cities in
Jeffco anticipated that a new animal shelter would be built and the revenue from dog licensing would
be used to help pay for the new shelter. The new shelter was completed in 2010 and is three times as
large and therefore three times as expensive to operate. As a result, the Board made the following
changes:
• Redirected the annual assessments, paid by each entity, to the annual debt service on the new
facility
• Directed all licensing revenues to F AS to support Shelter operations
• Assigned administration of the dog licensing program, formerly administered by the County,
to FAS in 2012
Over time, it has become apparent that while compliance with dog licensing has increased
(although fewer than 25% of dogs within the County are licensed), the revenue generated has not
been sufficient to sustain the increasing costs of the licensing program and shelter operations.
The dog license fees have remained the same since 2007 while the costs of administering the
program and the demands for service have increased. Therefore, the Board has recommended
increasing the dog license fee, and continuing to work toward increasing compliance in
licensing. The Board also determined that there was not a legitimate basis for a fee differential
between altered and unaltered dogs. The Shelter Board recommends an annual flat license fee of
$20 both altered and unaltered dogs. The Board and Shelter staff made a presentation to the City
Managers and County Manager on the long-term fiscal health of the Shelter, which included
Foothills Animal Shelter Dog Licensing Fee Change
April 20, 2015
Page2
revenue and expenditure projections. The Manager's group was supportive of the increase.
Jefferson County, per state statute, is responsible for establishing animal licensing requirements and fees.
County staff has requested that the cities in Jeffco review the issue and convey their support for the fee
increase before the Board of County Commissioners address the issue. Attached is a draft resolution for
Council's consideration that will be brought forward at the April27111 City Council meeting.
FAS Budget
The 2015 operating budget for the shelter is $3 ,164,181. Dog licensing revenue is approximately
32% of the total shelter revenue. Moving forward, the goal of the Board is to continue to
diversify and expand the revenue base through grants and contributions and to grow the licensing
program.
Services Provided by F AS Shelter
FAS exists to provide animal welfare services to the local jurisdictions within Jeffco. The
following are direct services provided by the Shelter to the Wheat Ridge community:
• Impound facility for lost or stray animals
• Veterinary services available for injured domestic animals (veterinarian on staff)
• Disposal ofDOA animals (dead on arrival), domestic and wildlife
• Impounding and daily care of animals on police or court hold
• Protective custody holds, (owners/caregivers involved in car accidents, fire, any medical,
owner deceased, domestic violence victims, etc.) F AS waives fees and daily care costs
for I 0 days
• Evictions
• Low cost veterinary clinics available to the public (spay/neuter, vaccinations and dog licensing)
Service Type: 2012 2013 2014
Dogs 148 194 177
Cats 69 83 81
Other small animal impounds 11 13 25
DOA wildlife animals/disposal 151 192 175
On an annual basis the City pays an assessment toward the debt service on the facility, as described
above. This amount for 2015 was $29,515.48. The debt for the new shelter is scheduled to be paid in
full in 2025.
REQUESTED ACTION:
Staff is requesting consensus to bring the draft resolution forward at the April 271h City Council
meeting. If you have any questions about the dog licensing fee increase prior to this meeting,
please feel free to contact me at 303-235-2826.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Draft Resolution
2. F AS PowerPoint
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. 00
Series of 2015
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE WHEAT RIDGE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING A
CHANGE IN THE COUNTYWIDE DOG LICENSE FEE TO BENEFIT THE
OPERATIONS OF THE FOOTHILLS ANIMAL SHELTER
WHEREAS, in 1995, the City of Wheat Ridge, along with Jefferson County and
the cities of Arvada, Golden and Lakewood established the Table Mountain Animal
Center (TMAC); and
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge and the other member entities have
contributed financially to the annual operations of TMAC; and
WHEREAS, in 201 0, TMAC moved to a new and expanded facility and began
operating as Foothills Animal Shelter; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, the City of Wheat Ridge and the other member entities
agreed to use dog licensing revenue to support the operations of the Shelter; and
WHEREAS, since 2007, the dog license fees have remained the same, while the
costs of administering the dog license program and the costs to operate the shelter
have increased annually; and
WHEREAS, the Foothills Animal Shelter Board, the various City Managers, and
the County Manager recommend changing the dog license fee from the current fees of
$15 annually for an altered pet and $30 annually for an unaltered pet to a flat $20
annually for all dogs; and
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners are
responsible for the establishment of and any changes to the dog license fee.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Wheat Ridge, Colorado, as follows:
The Wheat Ridge City Council supports the recommended changes to the dog
license fee and encourages the Jefferson County Board of County
Commissioners to adopt the proposed fee structure.
DONE AND RESOLVED this 271h day of April2015.
Joyce Jay, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janelle Shaver, City Clerk
Attachment 1
~~·~
.... 4 .,.. City of • ~Wheat&.._dge ~OFFICE OF lHE CnY MANAGER
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Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
Patrick Goff, City Manager ~ FROM:
DATE: April16,2015
SUBJECT: Seniors' Resource Center Financing
The Seniors' Resource Center (SRC) is proceeding with Phase II Facility Expansion Project of
their facility located at 3227 Chase Street. The improvements to the facility will increase the
energy efficiency of the SRC headquarters and create more efficient work space for several
departments, including transportation, in-home care, care management, and community
marketing. It will also increase the space for new volunteers, making it easier to provide new
services and improve their capacity to serve. They estimate a 25% increase in services by the
year 2018. The City contributed $22,500 as a cash donation to this project on March 9, 2015.
The SRC is requesting that the City act as a conduit issuer for tax-exempt financing of
approximately $850,000 to fund the construction of this project. Bank-qualified, tax-exempt
financing will allow the SRC to receive a much better interest rate than through a traditional
bank loan. As a governmental entity, the City will strictly act as a conduit for this transaction and
will have no financial responsibility.
State statutes limit the City to $10 million in bank-qualified, tax-exempt debt in a year. However,
staff does not anticipate any future debt obligation requirements for the remainder of 2015.
If consensus is reached by Council to proceed with assisting the SRC with their request, an
ordinance would be drafted authorizing the transaction.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Memo from Butler Snow, dated April 16, 2015
..... "'"~ .... ~ .,. City of • ~WheatRi_dge ~PUBLIC WORKS
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Memorandum
TO: Patrick Goff, City Manager~
FROM: Scott Brink, Director of Public Works
DATE: April13, 2015 (for April201h Study Session)
SUBJECT: Wadsworth Boulevard PEL Update
Background
The Wadsworth Boulevard Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) study kicked off in
February 2014 to study the area from 351h A venue to Interstate-70 along Wadsworth. Although
Wadsworth is a state highway, the City has taken the lead on the PEL project to ensure that the
recommended designs are consistent with the City's overall vision for this area. The City's 2009
comprehensive plan identifies Wadsworth as a primary commercial corridor and as the City's
Town Center. Wadsworth Boulevard is an important gateway into the community and a
significant generator of economic development. The 38th A venue corridor, which intersects
Wadsworth within the PEL study area, serves as a Main Street for the City. These two critical
corridors are distinct, but can complement each other in terms of design and development.
The PEL project is being led by a project team consisting of the City's project consultant
(Parsons Brinckerhoff), City staff from Public Works, Community Development and Economic
Development, with input and support from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT),
and the Federal Highway Administration (FHW A). The study will help identify traffic
congestion and safety issues, develop long-term roadway and multi-modal improvement plans,
and identify how future land use and redevelopment opportunities may affect future roadway
improvements. The last formal update to City Council was provided at a study session on
October 6, 2014, prior to the second public informational meeting on October 8, 2014.
Public Process
To date, two public meetings have been held for this project. The first public meeting, on April
23, 2014, was attended by approximately 60 people. Residents were given a brief project
overview, and asked to provide input on the proposed purpose and need, and to share their
concerns about the corridor. A video of the presentation and the information that was presented
at the meeting are available on the City website via the Wads PEL Quick Link.
The second meeting on October 81\ also attracted about 60 attendees. At that time, the public
was presented with three proposed alternatives which had been screened from 1 0 design
alternatives and more than 50 multi-modal roadway elements. These options were essentially
based on a purpose and need statement developed with the concurrence of COOT and FHW A.
The information that was presented at this meeting is also available on the City website. The
Wadsworth Boulevard PEL Update
April 20, 2015 Study Session
Page 2
three alternatives that were presented in October included:
• Minimal Build with Edge Enhancement Alternative (125-foot ROW)
• Full Build with Expanded Access Control Alternative (130-140-foot ROW)
• Full Build with Frontage Road Alternative (200-foot ROW)
The project team also engaged stakeholders through two series ofblock-by-block meetings, and
a series of task force meetings that included representatives from utility providers, area schools,
Exempla Lutheran Hospital, the Cities of Arvada and Lakewood, CDOT, and the bicycle and
pedestrian community.
The project team utilized input received through the public process, along with detailed
screening criteria to work toward development of a recommended alternative for inclusion in the
final PEL document. As a result of the public process, screening criteria, and concurrence with
stakeholders, the Full Build with Expanded Access Control Alternative (130-140-foot ROW)
emerged as the recommended alternative.
The screening process consisted of three levels:
1. Level 1 eliminated concepts that had fatal flaws because they were either unreasonable or
did not meet the purpose and needs.
2. Level 2 involved a qualitative assessment of 10 alternatives that had passed the Level I
screening to differentiate between those that had a strong potential to achieve the project
needs and those that did not.
3. Level 3 used specific quantitative data to compare and identify the pros and cons of the
three alternatives that had passed the Level 2 screening. This screening resulted in the
final recommended alternative, which is described in more detail below.
The final recommended alternative has been refined over the last few months, and will be
presented at the public meeting on April 22"d.
Recent Activities
In September 2014, the project team submitted an application for federal funds for remaining
planning, design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction through the Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) process administered by the Denver Regional Council of
Governments (DRCOG). The project scored extremely high in the application process and the
City was awarded a grant on April15, 2015 by the DRCOG Board in the amount of$25 million
to assist in completing the project.
Project team efforts over the past six months included:
1. Finalization of the existing conditions report, which documents and identifies the
environmental resources and socio-economic conditions along the corridor.
2. Finalization of the alternatives analysis report, which describes the three-level screening
process.
3. A total of seven project and technical team meetings were conducted, along with
additional follow-ups and reviews.
Wadsworth Boulevard PEL Update
April 20, 2015 Study Session
Page 3
4. A meeting with RTD was held on January 28, 2015 to discuss the location of bus stops
and future transit plans for the corridor.
5. A second round of block-by-block meetings with property and business owners was held
on March 13, 2015, and the recommended alternative was very well received.
6. Another assessment and determination of property impacts and right-of-way acquisition
needs was completed.
Final Recommended Alternative
Following are some key elements of the final recommended alternative:
1. Expansion of the existing right-of-way width from an average of 100 feet to a width of
130-140 feet.
2. Three travel lanes in each direction (11 feet in width) with landscaped center medians
ranging from 17-28 feet in width.
3. Detached 1 0-foot-wide sidewalks and 1 0-foot-wide amenity zones, including trees, street
lights, pedestrian lights, and other amenities.
4. An 11-foot-wide, two-way cycle track on the east side ofthe street between W. 35th and
W. 44th A venues. Cyclists will also be accommodated on multi-use paths on both sides
ofWadsworth from W. 44th Avenue to Interstate-70.
5. Revised bus stop locations. Based on discussions with RTD, several stops have been
consolidated to a preferred location downstream of the proposed traffic signals.
6. Additional tum lanes and upgrades to the 381h Avenue and 44th Avenue intersections.
These intersections are the most significant cause of bottlenecks and create the most
congestion in the current roadway condition.
7. Additional or relocated traffic signals to improve and consolidate access points, traffic
flow, and safety. Additional signals will help to disperse traffic, alleviate pressure on the
38th and 44th intersections, and provide neighborhoods with more options to access or
cross Wadsworth.
The final recommended alternative provides a conceptual design that is not based on actual field
surveys and does not include any value engineering. With this conceptual level of design, the
project cost is currently estimated between $40 to $45 million. While the federal grant award of
$25 million, through DRCOG, will fund a large portion of the project cost, the City is obligated
to provide a local match, currently $6 million, as well as any additional funds required to
complete the project. The project team has been working with COOT staff to assess how much
they might be able to contribute towards the estimated costs based on available safety funds,
reduced maintenance costs, and other potential funding sources. At this point, the COOT
contribution is expected to exceed $5 million. The project team is continuing to pursue other
opportunities to close the remaining funding gap and hopefully to also reduce the City's local
match.
Next Steps
Staff expects the PEL project to be completed this summer. Below is an outline of the next steps
associated with the PEL and the future dates associated with Wadsworth reconstruction.
• April 22, 2015: Conduct a public information meeting
• May 8, 2015: Finalize the recommended alternative and PEL documents.
Wadsworth Boulevard PEL Update
April 20, 2015 Study Session
Page4
• May 8, 2015: Further refine the estimated construction cost and assess potential sources
to reduce the funding gap and the required local match
• Late July or early August, 2015: Complete PEL and present to the City Council
• Fall 2015: Negotiate an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with COOT for ORCOG
TIP and any COOT funding.
• 2016: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance with an environmental
assessment (EA) and preliminary design
• 2017: Complete final design
• 2018: Negotiation and acquisition of necessary property (right-of-way)
• 2019-2020: Construction ofWadsworth Boulevard improvements
ATTACHMENTS:
1. PEL Process Presentation
~' -
Wadsworth PEL
Public Open House
WELCOME!
. ·Wadsworth PEL Study :~_h. .P;;~~y.,o . !WADSWORTH PEL W neaT R!9gt" aVMJ)II<S • u~«NTIIOralli<Er
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Attachment 1
• Revising zoning, developing concepts for
redevelopment and reimagining street design to
"right size " both Wadsworth Blvd and 38th Avenue
• Wadsworth will provide improved regional and
local travel and create a sense of place so people
know they are in Wheat Ridge
• Wadsworth design compliments the City Center
vision and 38th Avenue Main Street features
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Planning and ~Environmental Linkages
What is a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study? PEL is a study
process that is typically used to identify transportation issues and environmental concerns. It can be
applied to make planning decisions and for planning analysis. These decisions and analyses, for example,
can be used to identify and prioritize future projects, develop the purpose and need for a project,
determine project size or length, and/or develop and refine a range of alternatives. PEL studies should be
able to link planning to environmental issues and result in useful information that can be carried forward
into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The adoption and use of a PEL study in the
NEPA process is subject to a determination by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA.)
The Wadsworth PEL will
follow COOT's PEL Handbook
The 1-70 & Kipling study was
the first PEL completed in
Wheat Ridge
Goal:
1-2 Alts
Fea~t·~res ~.Carried ~Forward from ~Earlier Alternatives -:~
• 10' sidewalks & 9'/10' tree lawns
• Revised bus stop locations
• 6 through-lanes (3 northbound, 3 southbound)
• Double lefts turns in all directions of 44th Ave
• Double left turns onto Wadsworth from 38th Ave
• Raised medians
.
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Features Developed Since October 2014
• Revised design near Burger King drive-through
• Additional walls north of 48th Ave
• Pedestrian light and tree spacing
• Revised driveways and access
• Bus pull-outs at 44th Ave
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1st Ave in Denver, CO
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Potential Locations for Public Art :
South of 44th Ave
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North of 44th Ave
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Questions?
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