[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: RE: 10th street between pearl and spruce

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Stafford, Edward

Dear Lisa:

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the construction impacts from the streetscape and the private development projects along the west end of Pearl.  We recognize that projects such as this are impactful to the businesses, but they are also important for maintaining and enhancing our infrastructure in order to create a safe and attractive public realm that supports the viability of all downtown businesses
 
The city's contractor has relocated their staging area that was on 10th Street, including all materials and the metal container, to a new location in 7th Street. The remaining brick materials that are in 2 spaces along Pearl Street (near Chipolte) are expected to be moved next week when the brick work in this area is completed. 
 
The remaining city project work items in the 9th to 11th blocks include completion of the flat flagstone paving areas, metal railing around the planters and installation of the monuments.  The flat brick and stone paving in this two block section is planned to be completed in the next few weeks and the walking surface impacts will be minimized as much as possible with completed areas opened for pedestrian traffic as soon as possible.  The way-finding totems located in isolated locations will be installed in 2015. The remaining work for the streetscape is to the west of 9th Street.  

The staging area along 10th was for the city streetscape project, and the loss in parking revenue was assumed as a part of this project. As the projects such as this progress, we try to move staging areas so that the impacts are spread across the project area.

The city's practice is not to provide direct compensation to businesses that are within city construction projects. We do participate in a variety of efforts to help off-set the impacts. For the west end Pearl project, the city has provided financial support, worked with DBI on marketing campaigns and provided additional signage during the project. 

Private development project (including Pearl West, 901 Pearl and 909 Walnut) also routinely request to close portions of on-street parking so that they can complete their projects. We evaluate each of these requests to limit the number of parking spaces removed and limit impacts to the area. The closures are necessary to protect the safety of the public and to facilitate the construction of projects that are built near the lot line. The closures also allow the city to provide continuous and safe pedestrian access along the project sites. When any private entity is granted permission to block paid parking areas they are also required to pay a fee to the city to off-set the loss in parking revenue. The current fee is $12.50 per space per day. 

As we enter the holiday shopping season, we will be working closely with internal and external partners to limit the impacts of construction on downtown businesses. For example, for the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving we are advising all of the projects with any construction that creates impacts to traffic or noise in the area will not be allowed. 

If you have more questions please contact Edward Stafford, Development Review Manger for Public Works at 720-315-5419.


-----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Morzel [mailto:lisamorzel at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2014 7:29 AM
To: Council; Brautigam, Jane; Winter, Molly; Bracke, Kathleen
Subject: 10th street between pearl and spruce

Over this weekend, I was contacted by two downtown business owners regarding the occupation of public parking spaces on the west side of 10th Street between Pearl and Spruce. The space generally used as parking is now occupied with pallets, equipment, etc and this area looks like it is being used for staging. 

The business owners are concerned that they are losing customers due to reduction in parking now available. What is the policy of the city regarding using public parking spaces (and these are all metered so a loss of parking revenue is involved) for staging for construction projects? Does the developer pay the city for the loss of revenue?  For what period of time will this area be used for staging? Is there no other place that can be used to stage these materials so that parking can resume at this location?  How to compensate the business owners?..have we done this in the past?

Thanks

Lisa
303-815-6723

720-530-4080

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