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RESOLUTION APPROVING INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY REGARDING FUNDING FOR A 72ND AVENUE STATION AREA MASTER PLAN
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Presenter: Bob Gehler, City Attorney
Recommended City Council Action:
Staff recommends City Council approve the resolution authorizing the IGA between the City and RTD.
Summary Statement:
On Monday, October 4, 2010, Council authorized the Mayor’s signature for a grant application seeking TIP federal funding for a Station Area Master Plan. DRCOG selected the application by Commerce City to initiate a Station Area Master Plan in 2012. The federal funding is $100,000 with a City match of 25%, or $25,000 for a total project cost of $125,000. The City has issued a Request for Proposal seeking qualified consultants to develop a Master Plan for the City which will include a study area of a half-mile radius from the 72nd Avenue station site. This radius allows the selected consultant to capture the former Adams City High School site, Alsup Elementary and Adams City Middle School for recommendations in the final Master Plan. Currently, staff anticipates a consultant will be selected in July and the project will initiate in August with an overall duration of nearly a year.
Next Steps:
Expenditure Required: The $100,000 federal grant requires a 25% local match which has already been authorized and appropriated by Council.
Source of Funds: Council authorized the local match expenditure in October 2010 and no additional funds are required at this time.
Policy Issue: Supporting efforts toward the RTD-FasTracks program to ensure the North Metro Corridor is built and provides a benefit to Commerce City citizens.
Alternative: Council may request changes be made to the IGA or Council may elect not to approve the resolution authorizing the IGA.
Background Information:
In November 2004, Denver metro residents passed the FasTracks ballot initiative to fund six new rail transit lines with a 0.4 percent sales tax increase. The North Metro Corridor is proposed to run from Denver Union Station to 162nd Avenue in Thornton and originally identified two potential station locations in Commerce City. Station locations at 68th and 72nd Avenue were evaluated by Economic & Planning Systems (EPS), a firm retained by the City to assist with an analysis of the station locations. The analysis concluded that the 72nd Avenue station site provides more opportunities for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) or redevelopment with fewer impacts to existing residents or businesses than the 68th Avenue site. In December 2009, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) process was completed and the 72nd Avenue site was identified as the Commerce City station location. The DEIS process was concluded in the spring of 2010 and the Final EIS for FTA approval was completed in early 2011 making the North Metro Corridor project “shovel-ready” when funding becomes available.