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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Agenda Packet 04-03-17 STUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge CO April 3, 2017 6:30 p.m. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Call Sara Spaulding, Public Information Officer 303-235-2877 at least one week in advance of a meeting if you are interested in participating and need inclusion assistance. Citizen Comment on Agenda Items 1. Staff Report(s) 2. Sheridan and 29th Closure Update – Denver Water Project 3. Ashland Reservoir Pump House Update 4. Mayor Pro Tem Procedure Discussion 5. Elected Officials’ Report(s) ADJOURNMENT Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager FROM: Scott Brink, Public Works Director DATE: March 28, 2017 (For April 3, 2017 Study Session) SUBJECT: Upcoming Denver Water Construction (Sheridan Blvd. at 29th Ave) ISSUE Starting within the next two or three weeks, Denver Water will be conducting significant infrastructure repair and replacement work at the intersection of W. 29th Ave. and Sheridan Blvd. This activity will result in significant traffic impacts until the work is completed, which is projected to be the end of May. BACKGROUND This project will replace three inoperable water flow control valves located in a water vault beneath Sheridan Boulevard and will also include work on a 36-inch diameter water conduit on the west side of the intersection beneath 29th Avenue. Denver Water is currently working with the City of Denver, CDOT, and the City of Wheat Ridge on permits and traffic planning details that will enable them to complete the work safely and efficiently, and minimize, to the extent possible, the inconveniences and impacts to the public. FINANCIAL IMPACT There are no direct costs to the City for this work. However, the periodic roadway closures and resulting traffic delays will significantly affect local access and overall traffic inconvenience. SCHEDULE/NEXT STEPS Denver Water, CDOT, and the cities of Denver and Wheat Ridge are still working to finalize a plan for performing the work. When considering a project of this nature, planning is often a balance between completing the work as quickly as possible (which would cause the most severe closures and impacts), or extending the construction work out longer (and minimizing the severity of the closures and impacts). Staff from all agencies are also working together to establish appropriate detour routes for through traffic, while still maintaining local access. Emergency vehicle access and mobility, bus routes, etc. are also being considered. Depending on the phase of the work, Denver Water anticipates the following actions will take place at some time during the operation: 1. Closure of 29th Avenue at Sheridan Boulevard 2 2. Reducing Sheridan Blvd. to a single lane in each direction, and/or some possible combination of reducing Sheridan Boulevard to a single lane in one direction and full closure in another direction, depending on peak period traffic flows 3. Completely closing the intersection for two full weekends Prior to commencing work in the intersection, Denver Water’s contractor will be installing temporary water services for customers along Sheridan Boulevard. This activity is anticipated to last approximately two weeks. As a result, the intersection work and more significant traffic impacts are not expected to occur until approximately May 1. Denver Water will be responsible for providing advance notice to area residents and travelers on both the Sheridan Blvd. and 29th Ave. corridors. They will also provide updated and timely information to the other agencies for their use and distribution. Additional details will be provided as they become available. Specific questions at this time can be directed to Matt Wittern at Denver Water Public Affairs, at 303-628-6304, Matt.wittern@denverwater.org. Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager FROM: Kenneth Johnstone, Community Development Director DATE: March 30, 2017 (for April 3 Study Session) SUBJECT: Ashland Reservoir Pump House – 5895 W. 29th Avenue As City Council is aware, the underground water reservoirs at Denver Water’s Ashland Reservoir site have been under reconstruction for several years. The project is nearing completion and the status of the existing historic pump house structure has come into question. During the City’s review and approval of the special use permit for the project, staff encouraged Denver Water to preserve the structure. Staff felt that given its age and fairly prominent visibility in the neighborhood and from the 29th and Fenton Street intersection that it represented an iconic presence in the neighborhood. The pump house was originally designed and built in 1890 and subsequently rebuilt in the 1930s because of a building fire. Denver Water desired to demolish the structure as it was no longer functionally needed and the site was to be substantially regraded in that area. The 2013 City Council approved special use permit ultimately did not mandate the preservation of the structure. Demolition/construction began in 2013 and has been ongoing in necessary phases. During the course of construction over the past several years, Denver Water communicated to City staff that the pump house structure was actually going to be saved and staff subsequently communicated the same to City Council. More recently, Denver Water has changed that position and has indicated an intent to demolish the building due to the costs associated with adding fill material and the grading work to grade up to the height of this structure. Substantial completion of the project is scheduled for 2017, with final grading and landscaping occurring over the next few months. When staff became aware of Denver Water’s change in position and intent to demolish the structure in the last couple of weeks, we requested some time to attempt to identify other funding sources that might cover the cost of grading and fill necessary to preserve the structure at a logical grade. Staff contacted the State Historical Fund (SHF) initially and the project is not eligible for their emergency grant program. Submitting a standard SHF grant application is not feasible given the timing of their next grant cycle, which would have required submittal of an application on April 1 and those awards would not be made until the fall. Staff also contacted some foundation grant programs and none was identified as a proper fit. Finally, staff contact the National Trust for Historic Preservation and while the project may be eligible for their grant program, the next application cycle would be to submit on June 1, with 2 awards no sooner than approximately August 1. It is not likely that this timing will work with Denver Water’s project schedule. The grading work associated with preservation of the structure has been estimated by the Denver Water contractor to range between $5,000 and $25,000. Cost of demolition is estimated at approximately $12,000 and Denver Water may be willing to contribute some portion of that to the grading work to achieve the structure’s preservation. That commitment still needs to be confirmed. Given the above-described situation, staff felt it was appropriate to ask City Council whether they might be willing to expend any City funds to preserve this structure. If so, additional design work would need to be accomplished to better estimate and confirm costs and appropriate cost sharing with Denver Water would require further negotiations. Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Patrick Goff, City Manager DATE: March 28, 2017 (for April 3, 2017 Study Session) SUBJECT: Procedure for Election of Mayor Pro Tem At the March 27, 2017 City Council meeting, Councilmember Duran asked that a discussion concerning the procedures for the election of the Mayor Pro Tem be added to the April 3, 2017 Study Session agenda. Following are the specific procedures outlined in the City Council Rules of Order and Procedure: B. MAYOR PRO TEM: 1. At the first or second Regular meeting in November of each year, the Council shall nominate, by secret paper ballot, and elect by motion upon a majority vote, a Mayor Pro Tem who shall serve until their successor is elected. The procedure shall be as follows: • The presiding officer will announce that the floor is open for nominations for the position of Mayor Pro Tem. • Nominations will be taken from City Council members by voice. No second is needed. • Each nominee will have the opportunity to address the Council. • Each Council member will mark the paper ballot with the name of the nominee they wish to vote for and fold the paper in half to ensure secrecy. • The City Clerk will collect the ballots, tally the results, and return the written name of the majority vote receiver to the presiding officer, who will announce the highest vote getter. • In the event of a tie, the Mayor will cast a paper ballot, to be delivered to the City Clerk for inclusion into the election tally. • A motion and second is then in order to elect the highest vote getter to the position of Mayor Pro Tem. The Council is encouraged to confirm the nomination unanimously; however, Council Members are not required to vote for this person. If the motion is not carried, additional motions are in order until a Mayor Pro Tem is elected by a majority of Council.