Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2016 11 21

Home Browse Search

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes October 17, 2016 Page 8 of 19 about gateways in Louisville for 30 years. We were involved with Louie, the miner signs around Downtown. There is another gateway that was improved probably in the 1990s at the McCaslin and South Boulder Road intersection at the southeast corner. When that development went through, the developer paid for some landscaping and connecting a meandering trail through there. It is understated and doesn't say Welcome to Louisville but it is a nice welcome piece of landscape as you enter the City. We have our other new gateway at Steel Ranch on the north side on Highway 42. That post sign was decided by the City and some committees. As you enter from the south, we feel some nice landscaping and whatever the City may want to do in terms of gateway announcement will be welcoming. This development will have townhomes with good setbacks from East Street. It is compact internally. There are 3 or 4 different unit types with main floor master plans which are good for people who wish to age in place. Any input you would like to give us is appreciated as we are in the preliminary stage. Commission Questions of Applicant: Fahey asks you are proposing a possible bike path on the east side of the property. Would it be possible to do that on the west side instead? Hartronft says we looked at that very closely but the problem is the Sunnyside Boulder County Housing Authority development to the north. They filled every space inch of the property so there are improvements right up to the railroad. There is no physical space to get past that property. There is a potential to negotiate with BNSF but that could be years in the making. The existing sidewalk on East Street is an attached narrow sidewalk up to the curb. It is not very comfortable. The Highway 42 plan shows a bike path attached to it along this corridor. We felt you could have a little bit of space, detach it, and make it a multi -use path. There is opportunity as another Targe parcel north of this on East Street that is likely to be developed in the future. As that develops, there is an opportunity to piggy -back on what we've started to connect across that property and end up along the tracks and through that area. If you look at the south end of where we've proposed this trail, we get people out to the intersection. There is a path that leads in front of the storage units straight south to Coal Creek Trail. It would take you to Community Park to the west. We feel this is a good place to connect. We are trying to discourage people at the end of Lock Street from crossing the railroad tracks. There is a community trail currently that BNSF will probably fence off because it is highly used. Fahey says have you gone to Planning Commission regarding heights? Hartronft says the PC is our next stop. We have been to Open Space Advisory Board, Parks Advisory Board, and this is our third stop. Chuck Thomas says I see there is a roundabout in the plans. Is that a real prospect? Hartronft says I understand that is part of the Highway 42 plan and that there is no CIP for that. It is projected in the 2020s. Fasick says is there any chance of getting a railroad track crossing or a bridge? Hartronft says it would have to be an underpass or overpass. Those are quite expensive. The size of Steel Ranch was able to partner with the City for their underpass on the north side of South Boulder Road through Steel Ranch. Haley says we haven't talked about height. Are they two stories? Hartronft says there are two stories of living space. Most of the units south of Clementina are alley loaded so the garages are in the back. The two stories are above the garage. From the back, they will be three stories; from the front, they will be two stories. Fahey says will we be seeing the back of garages from Highway 42? Hartronft says we are working on this. You won't see any backs of the buildings. Public Comment in Favor: Foster, 301 East Street, Louisville, CO