2004 5 October-November - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

HIGHWAY 42 REVITALIZATION PROJECT UPDATE e City continues to move forward on several tasks to implement the Highway 42 Revitalization Area Comprehensive Plan, 1 adopted by City Council in September 2003.As you may recall from past newsletters,the Highway 42 planning process began in 2000 and is ongoing.It relates to an area bounded on the north by South Boulder Road,on the south by Pine Street,on the east by State Highway 42(Courtesy Road),and on the west by the BNSF railroad tracks.The project is overseen by a working group,composed of city staff,two members each of the City Council and Planning Commission, and the consulting team.Working Group meetings are open to the public and notice of those meetings is posted in City Hall, the Library,and the Recreation/Senior Center and on the City's website(www.ci.louisville.co.us).The following is a summary of the most current project news. US 36 Environmental Impact Statement(EIS):The Colorado Department of Transportation(CDOT)and the Regional Transit District(RTD)are jointly studying various options for improving transportation mobility in the US 36 Corridor.Commuter Rail in the BNSF rail corridor continues to be one of the potential improvements,including a station in Downtown Louisville within the Highway 42 Revitalization Area.A consulting team headed up by URS Corporation is supporting RTD and CDOT in the EIS effort.The project team has conducted various public meetings presenting their draft findings and where the public has had an opportunity to participate.The current concept plan includes a Louisville commuter rail station.Some station design issues that continue to be reviewed through the EIS process include the following: • the number of parking spaces for the station • feasibility of a vehicle underpass at South Street • location and design of station platforms,including a new station platform on the west side of the tracks • noise impacts • impacts on the local street system surrounding the station location • a potential grade separation between South Boulder Road and the RR tracks The US 36 transportation options are currently being evaluated on the basis of performance(travel times),cost(capital and operations),and impacts(human and environmental).The next round of public meetings is tentatively scheduled for mid- October.If you are interested in obtaining more information,please visit the US 36 EIS Website at www.us36eis.com or call 800.367.9260.Concept plans for the station are also available for review at Louisville City Hall.Please contact Ken Johnstone at 303.335.4591 if you wish to review them. Brownfields Grant On August 23,2004 the United States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA)issued its final approval of a$200,000 Brownfields Grant to the City for the purpose of completing environmental assessments of properties in the area.The grant may also be used to develop cleanup plans(if needed)and for other re-use planning efforts for the area.We will be soliciting proposals for environmental consulting support through a Request For Proposal process during October.The City looks forward to its partnership with the USEPA in this project. Zoning and Design Guidelines:In March of this year,the City contracted with Clarion Associates and Civitas,Inc.to prepare new zoning regulations and design guidelines for the Highway 42 planning area.A series of stakeholder interviews and a public workshop were conducted in April and a public workshop was held on April 15.The consultants have had further meetings with staff and the project Working Group this summer.A draft zoning code amendment,including design guidelines,should be available in October and will be presented for public comment at a public workshop—date and time yet to be determined.Those code amendments are tentatively scheduled for formal consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council at the end of 2004 and in early 2005. Louisville Revitalization Commission:In March,the Mayor and City Council appointed five members to the newly created Louisville Revitalization Commission(LRC)(formerly the Louisville Urban Renewal Authority).The use of Urban Renewal allows the City to employ tax increment financing as one means of financing new public improvements in the area. The LRC has held meetings in June,July,and August.In the coming months,the LRC will begin to define the physical boundaries of a Revitalization District and draft and review a Conditions Survey and Revitalization Plan.Members of the LRC are listed on the City's web site at www.ci.louisville.co.us/boards.LRC meetings are held the second Thursday of each month,7:30 AM-9:00 AM in City Hall,and are open to the public. Please visit the City's website(www.ci.louisville.co.us)for additional information or contact Ken Johnstone,Project Manager,at 303.335.4591 or at johnstk @ci.louisville.co.us. October/November 2004