HomeMy WebLinkAboutComp Plan Addendum 2007City of Wheat Ridge of W HEgT ,p
Community Development Department
Memorandum C~~~RA~O
TO: Mayor
City Council
Planning Commission
FROM: Alan White, Community Development Director C~ ~ J~~
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Plan Addendum
DATE: June 27, 2007
Attached is a copy of the Comprehensive Plan Addendum adopted by City Council on June 25, 2007. The action taken by Council was the annual adoption of our plan for areas outside Wheat
Ridge city limits as required by CRS 31-12-105(e)(I).
If you have any questions, please contact me.
cc: Planning & Zoning Staff
OF WHEgT ~ ~i
7500 West 29th Avenue
. e 1 0 Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033
303.235.2846 Fax: 303.235.2857 '
eat 1 e c~~ o R Poo
June 27, 2007
Pamela Anderson
County Clerk and Recorder
Jefferson County, Colorado
100 Jefferson County Parkway
Suite 2560
Golden, Colorado 80419
Dear Ms. Anderson:
Enclosed please find a certified copy of an Addendum to the Wheat Ridge
Comprehensive Plan, dated June 2007. Please record this document pursuant to
C.R.S. 31-23-208.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
Sincerely, ~
t
Alan C. White, AICP
Community Development Director
Enclosure
City of Wheat Ridge
Comprehensive Plan Addendum
Annual. Update to the
Urban Growth Area Plan
Adopted June 2007
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION N0.22
Series of 2007
A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WHEAT
RIDGE, COLORADO, ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO THE WHEAT
RIDGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge adopted amendments to the
Comprehensive Plan on February 23, 2004; February 28, 2005; May 22, 2006; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan amendments included areas outside the corporate limits of
the City as is permitted under state enabling legislation, and
WHEREAS, prior to annexation, a city must have in place a plan for the area considered for
annexation pursuant toC.R.S. 31-12-105; and
WHEREAS, said plan for areas outside the city boundary must be adopted annually; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City to extend its Comprehensive Plan boundary outside the
corporate limits; and
WHEREAS, C.R.S. 31-23-206 (2) provides that the Comprehensive Plan maybe amended by the
City from time to time; and
WHEREAS, Planning Commission has held a public hearing as provided by C.R.S. 31-23-208 and
Section 2-60 (b) of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws; legal notice thereof duly published in the Wheat Ridge
Transcript on May 3 1, 2007; with a written recommendation forwarded to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has held a public hearing as provided by Section 2-60 (b) of the
Wheat Ridge Code of Laws; legal notice thereof duly published in the wheat Ridge Transcript on June 21,
2007.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge,
Colorado, as follows:
1. That the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge hereby adopts the amendments to the
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan attached as Exhibit A.
2. An attested copy of this resolution shall be attached to the Plan amendment and a copy of
the Plan as attested shall be certified to Jefferson County, Colorado.
DONE AND RESOLVED THIS 5 ~ da of 2007. ~ y
~ ~
Y LLIO, MAYOR
ST: .
`1.
~1~ 1
MICHAEL SNOW, CI ~ Y CLERK 4
f
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION N0.02
Series of 2007
A RESOLUTION CONCERNING ADOPTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE WHEAT
RIDGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND FORWARDING SAID RECOMMENDATION
TO THE WHEAT RIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge adopted a Comprehensive Plan on October 25, 1999 and
amendments were considered and adopted on January 24, 2000; and
WHEREAS, C.R.S. 3I-23-206 (2) provides that the Comprehensive Plan maybe amended by the City from time to time; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan did not include any areas outside the corporate limits of the
City as is permitted under state enabling legislation, and
WHEREAS, prior to annexation, a city must have in place a plan for the area considered for
annexation pursuant to C.R.S. 31-12-105, and
WHEREAS, addenda to the Comprehensive Plan were adopted by City Council on February 23,
2004 and February 28, 2005, and May 22, 2006 adopting a growth area outside the city limits of the City;
and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City to extend its Comprehensive Plan boundary outside the corporate limits; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing as provided by Section 2-60(b) of
the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws; legal notice thereof being duly published in the Wheat Ridge Transcript
on May 31, 2007, said public hearing held on June 7, 2007.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Wheat Ridge Planning Commission this 7th
day of June, 2007:
1. The Comprehensive Plan amendment attached hereto as Exhibit A is recommended for
approval to the City Council.
2. A copy of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the City Council.
WHEA GE PL ING COMMISSION
ATTEST: Chair
~-r~
Secretary to the Commissio
I:1ComdevlComp PlanlComp Plan Addendum 2007 pc res.doc
ADDENDUM TO THE CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
URBAN GROWTH AREA ADDITION
INTRODUCTION
This document serves as an addendum to the City's Comprehensive Plan adopted by
City Council on October 25,1999. Amendments to the Plan were considered and
adopted on January 24, 2000.
The adopted Comprehensive Plan does not identify areas of potential development
outside the City's boundaries. The Plan contains a general discussion of areas of
potential annexation, but does not illustrate the areas on any maps or recommend any
future uses in these general areas. Prior to any annexation, C.R.S. 31-12-105
requires that a municipality have in place a plan for the area, including proposed land
uses. Such plan may extend up to three miles from the municipality's boundary.
There are unincorporated areas to the northeast, north, west and southwest of the
current City boundaries. Areas to the northeast and north are primarily unincorporated
industrial ormulti-family enclaves which, although eligible for annexation, present
questionable economic benefit to the City versus the costs of providing services. The
City of Arvada recently disconnected ;from its incorporated area several parcels
located near Kiplin and 50t" Avenue. Under an Inter overnmental A reement with g g 9
Arvada, Wheat Ridge agreed to annex these disconnected parcels.
A majority of the area to the west of Ward Road north of I-70 consists of established
residential neighborhoods, public uses (schools), and a cemetery. These uses
provide little benefit to the City compared to the costs of providing services. A large
area west of I-70 between 32nd Avenue and Clear Creek is vacant and may provide
development opportunities of benefit to the City. Southwest of the City are
commercial areas along Youngfield and the established residential area of
Applewood.
In the mid-1990's the City submitted to the Denver Regional Council of Governments
(DRCOG) its proposed urban growth boundary as part of the preparation of the
regional plan known as Metro Vision 2020. The identified urban growth area was
generally bounded by I-70, W. 32nd Avenue, McIntyre Street, and W. 52nd Avenue.
Containing a little over two square miles, this area was not incorporated into the
Comprehensive Plan.
This Comprehensive Plan addendum addresses the potential urban growth area to the
west of the City and the parcels disconnected from the City of Arvada near Kipling and
1
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
50t" Avenue. The areas subject to this addendum are illustrated on Maps 1 A and 1 B.
The West Area was submitted to DRCOG as the City's urban growth boundary for the
2030 Metro Vision update. The disconnected parcels should be subtracted from the
urban growth boundary for Arvada and added to the growth boundary of Wheat Ridge.
This addendum meets the requirement of C.R.S. 31-12-105 of having a plan in place
should the City consider any annexations in these areas.
The following sections of this addendum address two growth areas and they are
identified as follows:
1. West Area (that area generally west of the City bounded by I-70, W. 32nd
Avenue, McIntyre Street, and W. 44t" Avenue). A portion of this area has
been annexed by the City.
2. Kipling/50th Area (those areas near Kipling/50t" Avenue intersection
disconnected from the City of Arvada).
The portion of the West Area of the Urban Growth Area that has been annexed by the
City is included in this 2006 addendum and by this reference hereby retains the
"Community Commercial Center" land use designation for the annexed property.
PlarminglGrowth Area
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
PlanninglGrowth Area
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
LAND USE
Existing Land Use
West Area
Existing land uses in the urban growth area are varied. Along the north side of 32nd
Avenue are areas of low to medium density residential development. To the west of I-
70 is industrial development along W. 44t" Avenue and State Highway 58. A CDOT
maintenance facility is adjacent to SH58 at I-70. The area to the west of I-70 between
32nd Avenue and 44t"Avenue contains a golf course, and several old gravel pits now
used for water storage. A majority of this land is vacant and undeveloped.
Kipling/50th Area
Land uses in this area consist of a mixture of retail commercial, office, light industrial
and industrial uses. The Arvada Ridge shopping center was recently constructed
north of 50t" Avenue. The Rocky Mountain Bottling facility is located to the west of
Miller Street.
Development Constraints
West Area
Few natural hazard areas are present in the planning area. The Clear Creek 100- and
500-year floodplains generally parallel SH58 in the center of the planning area. No
other natural hazards exist in the area.
I-70, SH 58, and Clear Creek present constraints to development by acting as barriers
to providing road, utility and other infrastructure improvements to the central portion of
the planning area. State and federal rules mandate where access can occur and the
manner in which rights-of-way may be crossed for installing utilities. Responding to
calls for service in the planning area is made more challenging by the restricted
access these barriers present.
Kipling/50th Area
The smaller parcels comprising this planning area have been deeded to the City of
Wheat Ridge for right-of-way purposes and will not be developed. The larger parcel
consists of Miller Street right-of-way and approximately 2.55 acres purchased by
Rocky Mountain Bottling. There are no development constraints present on these
parcels.
4
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
County Plans
Wesf Area
Because the urban growth area is currently unincorporated, Jefferson County has
jurisdiction over planning and zoning matters. The urban growth area lies within two
subareas the County has identified for planning purposes. The North Plains Plan
covers that portion of the urban growth area north of Clear Creek and the Central
Plains Plan covers the area to the south of Clear Creek.
Originally prepared in the late 1990's, the Central Plains Community Plan has recently
been updated. The process of updating this plan included extensive public meetings.
These subarea plans show recommended land uses in the urban growth area as
residential in existing established residential neighborhoods. Applewood Golf Course
and Clear Creek are shown as major park/recreation/open space areas. The area
along W. 44t" Avenue south to Clear Creek is recommended as mixed use areas
containing office, light industrial, retail, and residential pup to 15 du/ac) uses. The bulk
of the large, undeveloped area to the west of I-70 is shown as industrial.
Kipling/50th Area
None of these areas was included in any previously adopted County Plan because
they were located within the corporate limits of Arvada.
Future Land Use Map
West Area
The Future Land Use map reflects the recommended land uses for the area. The
recommended land uses were matched as closely as possible to the land use
categories contained in the Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan.
The Future Land Use Map Map 2) illustrates recommended land uses for the urban
growth area. The categories used and the definitions, desired character, and
attributes of the various land use categories shown are the same as defined in
Chapter 2 of the Comprehensive Plan and are hereby incorporated as a part of this
Addendum.
Future land uses for the planning area are shown on the Future Land Use Map on the
following page. The Plan establishes the following recommended land uses:
• Existing residential neighborhoods at the approximate density shown in the
County subarea plan, SF ~4)
5
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
• Existing golf course parks, and the Clear Creek floodplain as parks and open
space
• Planned Business Park along W. 44t" Avenue and south of SH58 to Clear
Creek
• The large, vacant area west of I-70 between 32nd Avenue and Clear Creek as
Community Commercial
The designation of "open space" is a designation to indicate the land should not be
developed. This designation does not mean that the property so depicted necessarily
will be owned by a public entity.
Kipling/50thArea
The smaller parcels and the eastern 60 feet of the larger parcel are to be used for
right-of-way for Kipling, 50t" Avenue, and Miller Street. The remainder of the larger
parcel was purchased by Rocky Mountain Bottling to expand the truck loading and
maneuvering area for the facility, separating these activities from Miller Street. The
Future Land Use Map (Map 3) for this area shows the recommended land uses for
these areas.
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
TRANSPORTATION
The existing street network consists of the major north-south connectors of Youngfield
on the eastern border of the planning area and McIntyre Street on the western border.
East-west connectors are W. 44t" Avenue at the north and W. 32nd Avenue to the
south.
I-70 and State Highway 58 provide regional, limited access highway connections in
the area. The I-70/SH58 interchange is currently under construction to add the ramps
tofor afull-movement interchange. This work entails relocating th'e current eastbound
on-ramp at 38t" Avenue to the south and relocating the eastbound on-off ramps at
Ward Road to the east.
Trails currently exist along Clear Creek from I-70 west to Golden and along 32nd
Avenue from I-70 west to Maple Grove Park.
Future Street Network
West Area
The future street network in the area will build upon the existing grid system of north-
south and east-west streets. I-70 and SH58 will continue to serve the dual roles of
providing access to the area and carrying regional traffic. The roadway classifications
in this plan are based upon the recommendations ofthe Countywide Transportation
Plan. The proposed street network for the area is shown on the Roadway
Classification Map (Map 4~.
Improvements to complete the I-70/SH58 interchange movements will improve access
to the area and increase mobility for the region. Anew interchange on SH58 has
been approved to provide additional access to the area as well as a pair of "hook
ramps" that will connect I-70 to the collector which provides access to individual
development parcels. Improvements to the I-70132nd Avenue interchange to increase
capacity have also been approved.
Major east-west streets included in the future street network 32nd Avenue and 44t"
Avenue. Streets providing north-south connections are Ward Road, Youngfield Street,
and McIntyre Street. Anew connection from the Youngfield Service Road at 32nd
Avenue to a new interchange on SH58 approved. The new interchange has been
approved approximately one mile west of the SH58/1-70 interchange and to the east of
the existing McIntyre interchange. This collector street would also connect the interchange to W. 44t"Avenue. From this 32nd AvenuelSH58 collector, in the vicinity
of the new interchange, a collector is proposed to extend west to McIntyre Street. An
9
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
additional collector is proposed to connect Youngfield to this McIntyre/32nd Avenue
collector with an underpass at I-70. This will provide an additional access to the
Community Commercial area.
Kipling/50fhArea
Kipling will remain an arterial roadway in the area, providing north-south movements
for regional and local traffic. 50t" Avenue has been constructed as a collector part of
the Arvada Ridge project and has been constructed to transition into Miller Street to
the south to eventually provide a continuous route for Frontage Road traffic. This is in
keeping with the Comprehensive Plan Roadway Classification Plan. Miller Street, a
collector, has been realigned to provide additional room for truck maneuvering at the
bottling plant. Miller Street and 50t" Avenue provide important connections to and
from Kipling to the residential areas bordering Ridge Road, both in Wheat Ridge and
Arvada.
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10
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
Future Trails
West Area
The County community plans for the area show potential trails extending along VV.
32nd Avenue from Maple Grove Park to McIntyre and on McIntyre from VII.32nd
Avenue to the Clear Creek Trail. A portion of the Clear Creek Trail is proposed to be
re-located west of approximately Eldridge Street extended. A trail connection is
proposed from 32nd Avenue to the Clear Creek Trail in an alignment to be determined
at the time of development of the area. An additional north-south trail is proposed
linking UV. 32nd Avenue to the Clear Creek trail on the east side of the Applewood Golf
Course.
Kiplingl50th Area
No on-street bike routes oroff-street trails are planned for this area. Sidewalks should
be required adjacent to any development along Kipling, both sides of 50t" Avenue, and
Miller Street.
12
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
COMMUNITY AMENITIES AND COMMUNITYSERVICES
Community Services
Wesf Area
Services in the unincorporated portions of the planning area are currently provided by
Jefferson County and several special districts. Jefferson County currently provides
general governmental services and law enforcement. Portions of the area are
included in the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District ~UDFCD).
A large area in the central portion of the planning area is not currently served by a
sanitation provider. A small parcel of land is not provided with fire protection.
Special districts serving the West Area are listed below.
Fire Protection Districts
• Fairmount
• West Metro
Water and Sanitation Districts
• North Table Mountain W& S
• Consolidated Mutual Water
Park and Recreation Districts
• Prospect
The City, Prospect Recreation and Park District, and the Long's Peak Metropolitan
District have entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The IGA provides
that the boundaries of the Prospect Recreation and Park District will not be affected by
the formation of the Long's Peak Metropolitan District, any future inclusions into the
metro district, and any future annexations by the City. Coordination will be needed
among these entities to provide park and recreation services and facilities in the
growth area.
Kipling/50~h Area
Special districts serving the Kiplingl50th Area are:
13
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
Fire Protection
• Arvada Fire Protection District
Water and Sanitation Districts
• Valley Water District
• Clear Creek Valley Sanitation District
No other special districts provide any other services in this area.
Future Service Provision
The City will provide general governmental services and police protection for any
areas annexed by the City. Because the City is not a full service City, water, sanitation, and fire services will need to be provided by special districts in the future if
any areas are annexed. The Long's Peak Metropolitan District has been formed to
provide financing, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure within a portion of
the growth area. The Service Plan for the District sets out the services to be provided,
which include streets, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, parks and recreation,
parking, and TV and fiber optic. The District is required to include within its
boundaries any areas within its service area that are annexed by the City.
Fire protection will continue to be provided by existing districts currently providing
services.
Water and sanitation services will continue to be provided by districts currently
providing services within their respective boundaries. Within the area currently not
served by water or sanitation districts, there are three options to consider:
• Inclusion into existing water or sanitation districts.
• Formation of a new water and sanitation district, or metropolitan district, with
provision of services by the new district.
• Formation of a new water and sanitation district, or metropolitan district, with
provision of services by another district or districts by contract with the new
district.
Provision of services by an existing or new district will depend upon the capacity of
that district to provide treated water or sewage plant capacity and the financial ability
to construct improvements. It is likely a developer will need to pay for any
infrastructure improvements, upgrades, or expansions. Any new sewage treatment
plants or expansions must be included in the Regional Clean Water Plan and be
approved by the State Department of Public Health and Environment.
14
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
Stormwater facilities will need to be provided by developers as required by City and UDFCD
standards. Facilities will need to conform to any drainage basin master plans prepared and
adopted by UDFCD.
Parks and Open Space
Park and open space areas in the urban growth area are currently acquired and
managed by Jefferson County and the Prospect Recreation and Park District. Two
parks located just outside the growth area, Maple Grove Park and Arapahoe Park, are
provided by the Prospect Recreation and Park District.
Policies:
1. At the time of rezoning, the following items should be requested of a
developer, if applicable:
a. Access easements across private property to public land;
b. Dedication of private land;
c. Open space required with the development if located adjacent to public
land;
2. Open space purchases should be based on regional demand for recreation
in the area and on the goal of preserving an open character and significant
natural features.
3. The growth area is currently served by the Prospect Recreation and Park
District and the Jefferson County Open Space Department. There should
be improved communication among the district, governmental agencies,
and private organizations responsible for buying and managing public land
in the area. Improved communication among these groups could result in
more efficient management of public lands and a higher level of use.
Coordination among these public entities and the planning departments of
the City and the county should facilitate more effective siting of private open
space to:
a. secure access easements across private property to public land;
b. encourage dedication of private land by providing information about
open space incentive programs, and
c. suggest, where appropriate, that the open space required in a
development be located to augment adjacent public land.
4. The acquisition of undeveloped land should be related to the following
planning objectives:
a. Maintenance of important visual resources;
b. Maintenance of open spaces between developments;
c. Provision of needed recreational opportunities;
15
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
d. Protection of significant wildlife habitats and wildlife corridors;
e. Protection of areas subject to significant natural hazards, (e.g.
flood lains ;
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
f. Protection of areas having cultural and historical significance;
g. Provision of connecting trail systems;
h. Retention of unique or relict flora, (i.e., tall-grass prairie, sites with rare
and endangered plants, and sites with high quality riparian vegetation};
i. Protection of ecologically sensitive areas;
j. Prevention of soil erosion; and
k. Protection and conservation of vegetation.
While these areas are desirable as open space, development should not be
precluded if sensitive site planning accommodates these concerns.
r
5. Public acquisition, management agreements between owners, and private
dedication of land to public entities, i.e., conservation easements, are only
three of the methods that could be used to increase the amount of land
which remains undeveloped.
6. Plantings in open space areas should be native or naturalized species and
should be varieties that require minimal maintenance, are drought tolerant,
and benefit desirable wildlife needs.
Trails
Existing trails have been constructed along W. 32nd Avenue and Clear Creek by
Jefferson County. Future trails planned for the area include the extension of the W.
32nd Avenue trail from Maple Grove Park to McIntyre and a trail along McIntyre from
32nd Avenue to the Clear Creek trail. A connection between 32nd Avenue and the
Clear Creek trail is proposed. These trail alignments are shown on Map 5.
No trails are proposed in the 50t"/Kipling area; however sidewalks will be required
adjacent to any development to accommodate pedestrian traffic.
The provision of trails in the urban growth area should be based on the following
policies:
Policies:
1. An expanded trails network should be developed that provides additional
trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use, and that precludes motorized
vehicles. These trails should:
A. vary in length, ascent and nature experience;
B. traverse diverse landscape;
17
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
C. access views and vistas;
D. intersect to allow the traveler a choice of paths to a destination;
E. avoid damaging or impairing areas containing endangered species,
fragile environments, or high hazard areas; and
F. Link communities and other Plan areas, and link these areas to
adjacent cities and open space lands along the foothills to the west.
2. Accessible trails should be provided for all citizens, including barrier-free
trails where possible, recognizing that trail users have different levels of
ability and seek different levels of challenge.
3. New trail systems in critical wildlife habitat areas, i.e. nesting and calving
areas, and wintering grounds, should be routed in a sensitive fashion,
and/or have seasonal closures to minimize stress to the wildlife.
4. Trail corridors should be negotiated which utilize floodplains, public rights-
of-way, leased private property, parks, and public open space.
5. Liability releases should be used to remove this obstacle to the creation of
trails across private land.
6. Areas of development should have trail connections to areas of natural open
space.
7. Trails should be separated and buffered with landscaping from streets,
roads, and parking lots when possible. Landscaped buffers should be
established between the Clear Creek trail and adjacent land uses.
8. Roadway projects should provide equestrian, pedestrian and bicycle
crossings; (e.g., equestrian tunnels and grade separated bike crossings at
railroads.
9. The Jefferson County Open Space Department should be requested to
assist in funding the Clear Creek regional trail corridor.
10. Local trails could be jointly funded through the Jefferson County Open
Space Joint Venture Grants Program. This is a joint venture program with
adjacent cities and park and recreation districts.
11. Equestrian and jogging trails should be unpaved and marked.
18
Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
12. Parking areas should be provided at trailheads to facilitate trail usage by
equestrians, hikers, bicyclists, etc.
13. Public facilities, e.g. restrooms and telephones, should be provided at major
trail intersections and significant open space sites where feasible.
14. The local park and recreation agencies should be consulted to determine
potential trail connections.
15. Developers should coordinate with public entities to provide trails and public
access along flood plains and/or easements such as ditches, roads, power
lines, etc., whenever possible.
16. Developers should provide trail connections to adjacent'open space areas,
trails, schools, bus stations, Regional Transportation District park-n-rides,
and light rail stations. This includes providing a safe crossing at roads
whenever possible.
Trail Design Criteria
1. A variety of trail systems should be provided with appropriate fencing and
signage to minimize trespassing.
2. Trails should connect with others in the City and surrounding jurisdictions to
provide opportunities for commuting to other jurisdictions and to provide
multiple recreational alternatives.
3. The trails should intersect at strategic points to allow travelers a number of
choices to reach a desired location.
4. Areas containing endangered species or fragile environments should be
avoided.
5. Intersections between paths should be defined with a good visual warning of
an intersection as it is approached.
6. Trails should take advantage of the diversity of the landscape through which
trails pass. As the landscape changes, its dominant features should be
clearly seen from the paths, i.e., good observation points for views and
vistas that feature landmarks.
7. Bicycle paths should be designed for safety and be clearly marked. Safe
bicycle paths can be provided in the following ways:
A. Providing wider roadways with paved shoulders.
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum
B. Providing off-road paths for multiple users.
C. Utilizing road, rail, ditch or power line rights-of-way or easements.
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Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan -Urban Growth Area Addendum