Title
AN ORDINANCE adopting the city of commerce city station AREA master plan
Body
Summary and Background Information:
The Commerce City Station Area Master Plan (STAMP) is a strategic short- and long-range urban design and implementation plan that, over the next 20 years, aims to guide public and private investment in and around the new 72nd Avenue Commuter Rail Station located at E. 72nd Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.
The project area encompasses approximately one-half mile around the commuter rail station and is roughly bounded by E. 74th Avenue on the north, the South Platte River on the west, and Brighton Boulevard on the east. East 67th Place and the southern edge of the Adams Heights neighborhood roughly delineate the southern boundary of the project area.
The plan addresses land use, transportation, and infrastructure needs. It proposes financing strategies and implementation measures to support the preferred future of the Adams City and Adams Heights neighborhoods surrounding the new station. The area is predominantly built out; however, there are a number of underutilized and/or vacant parcels that could potentially support new neighborhood-serving transit- oriented development and/or redevelopment. While smaller, more tangible projects such as streetscape and façade improvements may be realized in the near term, larger development projects will need to occur incrementally. In some instances, proposed projects rely on future land acquisition, the sale of private property, or financing that is currently unavailable.
Over the course of the planning process, residents and stakeholders voiced numerous forward-thinking suggestions and wide-ranging ideas. Many suggestions were evaluated and were incorporated into this document. However, not every suggestion could be addressed through the STAMP process. This was because some ideas were not feasible or did not align with current market demand. The plan is intended as a living document that can evolve over time and adjust as the market shifts. Plan strategies and implementation actions should be evaluated periodically by Commerce City and amended to address new issues and opportunities in the context of the current economic climate.
The arrival of Commerce City's commuter rail station brings well-deserved and critically-needed focus to the neighborhoods of Adams City and Adams Heights. For many years, residents in these areas coped with substandard conditions such as a lack of safe connectivity, damaged or incomplete sidewalks, few crosswalks, fast-moving traffic, lack of bike lanes, few neighborhood parks, and limited neighborhood- serving uses. The Commerce City Station Area Master Plan (STAMP) is the culmination of efforts by a wide range of community stakeholders to identify improvements to existing neighborhoods, leverage the area's assets and opportunities, and envision a preferred future for the area.
This Station Area Master Plan explores transit- oriented and transit adjacent development-one that emphasizes strengthening existing residential neighborhoods and corridors while allowing opportunities for new development. The end result has the potential to enhance connectivity and transit use; strengthen existing building stock; boost economic development opportunities; attract diversified housing, employment and neighborhood-serving uses; and contribute to a strong sense of place for both existing and future residents and business owners.
Attached is a copy of the final draft STAMP plan. This plan was reviewed and voted on at the October 1, 2013 Planning Commission. The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to forward this plan with a favorable recommendation to City Council.
Staff Responsible (Department Head): Chris Cramer, Community Development Director
Outside Presenters: MIG
Funding Source: The $100,000 federal TIP grant was approved by Council (Ordinance 1932) at the 9/17/12 City Council meeting.
Staff Recommendation:
Approval, per Planning Commission recommendation.
Suggested Motion:
One option would be for City Council to approve the request as submitted by the applicant; a second option would be to approve the request subject to conditions; a third option would be for City Council to deny the request.