HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-19-22 Study Sesion Virtual Hybrid FINALSTUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Hybrid - Virtual Meeting
December 19, 2022
Mayor Pro-Tem Korey Stites called the Study Session to order at 6:30 p.m.
This meeting was conducted both as a virtual meeting and hybrid, where some
members of the Council or City staff were physically present at the Municipal building,
and some members of the public attended in person as well. A quorum of members
(eight) of Council were present in Council Chambers for this session.
MPT Stites welcomed the Council, other elected officials, staff and interested citizens.
MPT Stites also explained the virtual/hybrid meeting format, how citizens will have the
opportunity to be heard, and the procedures and policies to be followed.
Council members present Scott Ohm, Amanda Weaver, Judy Hutchinson, Korey Stites,
Valerie Nosler Beck*, Leah Dozeman, and Rachel Hultin. CM Janeece Hoppe excused
herself.
Also present: City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick, City Treasurer, Chris Miller; City Manager
Patrick Goff; Maria D’Andrea, Director of Public Works; interested citizens and guests.
*Attended virtually via Zoom.
Public’s Right to Speak
None tonight.
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
Members of the public may visit the Wheat Ridge Speaks website and enter written
comments of up to 1,000 words on any Council agenda item. The deadline for the
public to submit comments is 12:00 Noon Mountain Time on the day of a Council
session so that Council members, other elected officials and City Staff have time to
review the comments before the meeting on Monday evening.
The City Clerk’s Office transcribes those Wheat Ridge Speaks comments into these
minutes, placing each comment along with the record for that agenda item.
No comments appeared in Wheat Ridge Speaks for this session of Council.
1. 44th Avenue Subarea Plan Update
Issue
The purpose of this study session is to provide City Council with an update on the W.
44th Avenue subarea planning process and give City Council the opportunity to provide
feedback on the recommendations to be included in the Plan.
Staff Reports
Senior Planner Stephanie Stevens, and MIG Inc. Planning Consultant Mark De La
Torre, delivered to Council a detailed presentation about this item, and the next steps
for bringing it to Council. Where the City of Wheat Ridge and consultant team, MIG
Inc., restarted the W. 44th Avenue Subarea Plan in early 2022. The plan focuses on W.
44th Avenue between Youngfield Street and Clear Creek (near Field Street) and will
more broadly include the portion of the City between Clear Creek and I-70.
The plan combines public input with technical analysis to establish a long-range vision
and guiding principles for the W. 44th Avenue planning area. Plan recommendations will
guide public and private investments in the future..
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves along with the planning consultant, and with staff, who answered
their questions in detail. Topics discussed included:
• Traffic and traffic flow and both temporary changes to flows and permanent
changes.
• Maintaining the character of neighborhoods.
• Impact of changes to onramps/offramps for I-70.
• Connectivity to open spaces and trails.
• Solutions to upgrading the area while improving the environment for businesses.
• The issues raised by the presence of massive truck stops and 80-footer traffic
with the needs of pedestrians, recreators, and cyclists.
CM universally thanked staff for their hard work on this and gave special thanks and
appreciation to the MIG representative.
2. Wadsworth construction update – Phase II
Issue
The city has always hoped to complete the entire Wadsworth Improvement Project in
one phase. However, in 2020, the decision was made to phase project construction,
due to a lack of funding. Therefore, construction plans were completed for Phase 1 of
construction which extended from I-70 to 41st Avenue. Phase 2, from 41st Avenue to
35th Avenue, is the final phase of the project.
Recently, staff solicited pricing from the city’s contractor for the Wadsworth
Improvement project, Concrete Works of Colorado, in an effort to assess whether there
would be cost and time savings in proceeding with Phase II at this time. The intent of
the Study Session discussion is to determine City Council’s preferred direction for the
Phase II construction.
Staff Reports
Maria D’Andrea, Director of Public Works addressed Council that the first phase of
construction improves Wadsworth Blvd from 41st Avenue to I-70, as well as completion
of the streetscape work scheduled for Phase II from 35th to 41st Avenues. The design
for the initial phase was completed in early 2021 and then advertised for bids in mid-
April 2021. Bids were opened on July 1, 2021. A contract in the amount of
$34,971,468.01, (which includes the base bid, all four bid options, related water, and
sanitation work) was awarded to the lowest responsive bidder, Concrete Works of
Colorado (CWC) on August 23, 2021. Four federal transportation grants, three State
safety grants, a CDOT MainStreets grant, a Jefferson County Open Space grant, CDOT
maintenance funding, Wheat Ridge Water and Sanitation Districts funding, and City
funding are being used to fund this Phase. Work began in October 2021 and will
continue through fall 2024
The city’s desire is to complete all work to deliver the entire Wadsworth Widening
Project from 35th Avenue to I-70. Phase II would involve constructing the Continuous
Flow Intersection (CFI) at 38th and Wadsworth and complete the permanent concrete
pavement from 35th Avenue to 39th Avenue. This would then eliminate the need for
temporary medians and asphalt overlay south of 39th Avenue. A number of topics were
discussed including:
• Impact on traffic, ingress and egress to businesses.
• Communicating with businesses before, during and after the project is ongoing.
• How to fund the Phase II costs and recent bids received for materials and
services.
• Plans for minimal necessary disruption of the flow of traffic.
• Plans to regularly and frequently communicate to our residents and businesses
about the Project, using multiple means and methods, starting very soon and
continuing until the post project analysis.
• Allowing for the impact on families and children as a result of the school closing
coming to WR during the project.
Councilmembers had questions and comments:
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion
among themselves and with staff including Ms. D’Andrea and Mark Westberg, Senior
Project Manager, who answered their questions in detail.
CM universally thanked staff for their hard work on this planning process.
MPT Stites entertained a consensus to direct staff to return to Council with
Consensus attained.
3. Staff Report(s)
Nothing further.
4. Elected Officials’ Report(s)
CM Nosler Beck – Happy Holidays everyone. She is very grateful that remote
participation in meetings continues to yield benefits. She also asked about the weather
forecast of an Arctic Outbreak this week and the safety of those experiencing
homelessness.
CM Hutchinson asked about a specific church as a resource for those needing shelter
this week from the weather and Mr. Goff replied in detail. She also commented on calls
she has received from residents about the several drive-by shootings that have
occurred in the past few weeks in East WR.
CM Dozeman asked what communication plans staff has in mind related to the no-tax
ordinance on plastic bags. (The statute requires retailers to collect the fee, but allows
the City to exempt that cost from sales taxes.)
CM Hultin wish everyone Happy Holidays. While driving around the City recently she
noticed a wide variety of beautiful holiday decorations.
MPT Stites wished everyone a happy Holiday season. He reminded us that as we shop
for Holiday gifts, food and drink, if we can find it in WR, buy it in Wheat Ridge.
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 8:52 p.m.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON January 9, 2023.
Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem