City Council Study Session Agenda and Packet 2004 07 13

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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: WILLIAM A. SIMMONS, CITY MANAGER DATE: JULY 13, 2004 SUBJECT: CALLAHAN TRAIL & DAVIDSON MESA TRAILS UPDATE ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: LAND MANAGEMENT SUMMARY: Land Management staff will be working to complete these two trail projects this year. The following is a brief summary of each of the projects: ➢ Davidson Mesa Trail Trail alignments at Davidson Mesa will be consistent with the final recommendation in the Open Space Master Plan that was adopted in January 2004. The trail plan incorporates the existing crusher fines trail and includes new crusher fine trails of varying widths as well as portions of natural surface trails. Together with the existing crusher fines trail the new trails will result in approximately 5 miles of multi -use, sustainable trail. As part of the plan adopted by City Council, redundant and non - standard trails will be closed and reclaimed by using native species in order to protect some of the natural areas on the Mesa. ➢ Callahan Trail This trail will provide an off road connection to Louisville's extensive trail system from Baseline Road and also provide a missing link in the present city trail system. The new %2 mile of concrete trail will connect existing trails at Keith Helart Park to the existing trail that runs along the railroad. A new trail will also connect these trails to Baseline Road. This trail has been envisioned by the community since 1995 when the first Open Space Master Plan showed a trail connection through the Callahan property. Following the purchase of the Callahan property by the City and Boulder County, Louisville held public meetings in 1999 to discuss the proposed trail. More recently, in March 2003, the Boulder County Regional Trails Committee ranked the trail in the top 10 for priority trail projects in the County. Both trail projects were brought before the public and the Open Space Advisory Board at an open house on June 21, 2004. Input from that meeting is being incorporated into a final design. The Callahan trail is the closer of the two projects to a final design. Staff will work with an engineering firm to complete engineered drawings and bid the project this fall. Davidson Mesa has a few design decisions still outstanding, however staff intends to finalize the design shortly and may look at a phased approach to trail installation. LE SUBJECT AGENDA ITEM Callahan Trail & Davidson Mesa Trails Update IV