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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/18/2000 - RESOLUTION 2000-17 EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE NORT AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 19 DATE: January 18, 2000 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Joe Frank SUBJECT: Resolution 2000-17 Expressing Support for the Northern Colorado Community Separator Study. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In March 1999, a study of community separators in northern Colorado was completed. The Northern Colorado Community Separator Study was prepared and funded through the joint effort of several northern Colorado communities,including Fort Collins.The Study provides an overview of growth in the region;documents results of comprehensive survey that was implemented to better understand the views of residents on a range of issues associated with maintaining physical separation between communities; and, recommends potential separator areas and actions that are needed to achieve the long-term goals of maintaining community separation in northern Colorado. The Study has been presented to all of the affected jurisdictions and various groups and interests throughout northern Colorado. There appears to broad public support for implementation of community separators in the participating jurisdictions. Each of the affected jurisdictions in northern Colorado have been asked to adopt a resolution showing its support of the Study and commitment to further action,as well as to join with the other jurisdictions in proclaiming region-wide support for this important issue. BACKGROUND: In 1995, a group of northern Colorado regional cities and counties completed and adopted the Northern Colorado Regional Planning Study. The Study contained a vision for the region, expressed as follows: "Communities as neighbors that: • Work together cooperatively while remaining physically separate; • Retain their individual characteristics and identities, and • Carefully consider and plan the areas between them that are appropriate for development." The Regional Plan noted that northern Colorado has experienced rapid growth. Furthermore,as this urbanization continues communities that once seemed distant from each other are gradually but inexorably extending their boundaries toward each other. If this trend continues, the major DATE: January 18, 2000 2 ITEM NUMBER: 19 communities will merge into an extended metropolitan area with no apparent boundaries or separation between them. A recent survey indicated that is not the future that residents of northern Colorado want. In response, one of the implementation steps of the Regional Planning Study was as follows: "3. Establish Community Separators In order for communities to maintain their integrity and identity, the retention of areas between communities that remain undeveloped should be encouraged. In some instances, areas specifically designated as potential community separators will rely on maintaining large blocks of land in agricultural production. Community separators are delineated for Greeley,Evans, Windsor, Timnath, Fort Collins and Loveland." The communities of Fort Collins,Loveland,Berthoud,Milliken,Windsor and Greeley with Latimer County joined together to prepare the Northern Colorado Community Separator Study. The Study documents the results of that effort including an overview of growth in the region; results of a comprehensive survey that was implemented to better understand the views of northern Colorado residents on a range of issues associated with maintaining separation between communities; and,a description of potential separator areas and actions that are needed to achieve the long-term goals of maintaining community separation in northern Colorado. Community Separators in the Fort Colllins' Area The Study identified a regional system of community separators. In the Fort Collins area, the recommended separator areas are as follows: Fort Collins-Loveland. This area is between Fort Collins and Loveland. The recommended separator area is consistent with the recommendations contained in Plan for the Regional Between Fort Collins and Loveland as well as in the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan. Fort Collins-Wellington. This area extends west from Cobb Lake across I-25 to the Windsor Reservoir vicinity. This is one of the few portions of the study area where establishment of a community separator could occur well in advance of the area being included within any community's urban growth area. Fort Collins-Timnath-Windsor. This separator area is located east of I-25 and includes an area south of Timnath as well as the northern extension along the Larimer-Weld County line. Creation of a separator at this location would provide a clear boundary between several communities that are beginning to converge along the I-25 corridor. It would also provide a break from the nearly continuous commercial/office park development that is likely to emerge along the I-25 corridor. Maintaining separation between communities does not require limiting growth and development. Nor does maintaining community separation preclude some degree of additional development in the identified separator areas. As discussed further in Chapter 3 of the Study, some forms of rural residential development and virtually all types of agricultural use are fully compatible with the goal of maintaining community separation. DATE: January 18, 2000 3 ITEM NUMBER: 19 What does the Studv mean for Fort Collins? What actions are needed? • The City's comprehensive plan, known as City Plan, contains several statements in support of the creation of permanent physical and visual separation between Fort Collins and adjacent communities. The findings of the Northern Colorado Community Separator Study are consistent with and provide additional detail to the City's documents. The implementation of the City's comprehensive plan,and the recommendations of the Study,will be accomplished not as a result of any single project or action on the part of the City of Fort Collins, but will be the product of several related, but independent actions, including: 1. Continuing the implementation of the Fort Collins-Loveland separator. This effort is well underway and staff has a work plan and the work is being managed with existing resources. Implementation ofthe Fort Collins-Timnath-Windsor and the Fort Collins-Wellington separator areas are at the beginning stages and much work needs to be done;the schedule depends largely on the other cities and Larimer County. Funding has been provided in year 2000 to begin work on both of these separators. 2. Continuing to coordinate with Larimer County in regards to implementation of its new Land Use Code;monitoring the Fossil Creek Reservoir transfer of development units(TDU)program and study of a county-wide TDU program;implementation of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan; and,preparation of intergovernmental agreements with Larimer County for future Cooperative . Planning areas. 3. Preparing the Northern Colorado Regional Communities I-25 Corridor Plan. The participating jurisdictions will need to be sure that those portions of the recommended separator areas that intersect with I-25 are considered in the proposed regional plan. 4. Carefully consider requests for extension of utilities into separator areas in regards to its impact on encouraging future development in these areas. Furthermore, the City should continue to monitor and comment when appropriate,on plans by private utility providers to extend utilities and/or build capacity to provide services to these areas. 5. Continuing to participate and provide leadership in regional planning activities. Public Outreach Over the past year, members of the planning committee, consisting of staff from the participating jurisdictions,have made numerous presentations to their elected officials,boards and commissions, and other interested public and private groups. In addition,the staffs have made a concerted effort to present the Study to the northern Colorado jurisdictions who did not participate in the Study but are nevertheless potentially affected by it. Copies of the Study have been widely distributed to all of the jurisdictions and a Web Site was created from which summary information can be found and • the Study document can be downloaded. There appears to broad public support for implementation of community separators in the participating jurisdictions. The planning committee continues to meet to discuss implementation of the Plan and are currently working on other methods of public outreach. . RESOLUTION 2000-17 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE NORTHERN COLORADO COMMUNITY SEPARATOR STUDY WHEREAS,in 1995,certain Northern Colorado regional cities and counties completed and adopted the Northern Colorado Regional Planning Study and,in 1997,entered into a comprehensive Intergovernmental Agreement with regard to managing and planning urban growth patterns in the region(which study and agreement are referred to collectively as the "Documents"); and WHEREAS, the Documents envision the Northern Colorado regional communities as consisting of neighbors that(1) work together cooperatively while remaining physically separate, (2)retain their individual characteristics and identities,and(3)carefully consider and plan the areas between them that are appropriate for development; and WHEREAS,the Documents recognize the rapid growth that presently exists in the Northern Front Range area and observe that the affected communities are extending their boundaries toward each other with the result that such communities will merge into an extended metropolitan area with no apparent boundaries or separation between them unless the communities cooperatively plan to mitigate and avoid such merger•, and • WHEREAS,in response to the foregoing concern,the Documents propose the establishment of "community separators" and the communities of Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Milliken, Windsor, Greeley and Larimer County have, for the past two years, worked cooperatively toward the preparation of the study on community separators; and WHEREAS,the resulting product is the "Northern Colorado Community Separator Study" which study includes an overview of growth in the Northern Colorado Front Range region and includes the results of a comprehensive survey that was conducted to better understand the views of Northern Colorado residents on a range of issues associated with maintaining separation between the communities and further includes a description of the location of potential separator areas and actions needed to achieve the long term goals in maintaining community separation. NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the Council hereby expresses its support for the "Northern Colorado Community Separator Study" and pledges to take such actions as are reasonably necessary to implement the recommendations of said study. Section 2. That the Mayor be,and hereby is,authorized to execute a mutual proclamation of the communities of Fort Collins,Loveland,Berthoud,Milliken,Windsor and Greeley,as well as • Larimer County, supporting the Northern Colorado Community Separator Study. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 18th day of January, A.D. 2000. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk . PROCLAMATION OF THE COMMUNITIES OF FORT COLLINS, LOVELAND, BERTHOUD, MILLIKEN, WINDSOR AND GREELEY, AND LARIMER COUNTY EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE NORTHERN COLORADO COMMUNITY SEPARA TOR STUDY WHEREAS,in 1995,certain Northern Colorado regional cities and counties completed and adopted the Northern Colorado Regional Planning Study and,in 1997,entered into a comprehensive Intergovernmental Agreement with regard to managing and planning urban growth patterns in the region(herein referred to collectively as the"Documents"); and WHEREAS, the Documents envisioned the Northern Colorado regional communities as neighbors that: • Work together cooperatively while remaining physically separate; • Retain their individual characteristics and identities; and • Carefully consider and plan the areas between them that are appropriate for development; and WHEREAS,the Documents recognized the rapid growth that presently exists in the Northern . Front Range area and observed that the affected communities are extending their boundaries toward each other with the result that such communities will merge into an extended metropolitan area with no apparent boundaries or separation between them unless the communities cooperatively plan to mitigate and avoid such merger; and WHEREAS, in response to the foregoing concern, the Documents proposed the implementation ofthe establishment of"community separators"and the communities ofFort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Milliken, Windsor, Greeley and Latimer County have, for the past two years worked cooperatively toward the preparation of the study on community separators; and WHEREAS,the resulting product is the"Northern Colorado Community Separator Study" which study includes an overview of growth in the Northern Colorado Front Range region and includes the results of a comprehensive survey that was implemented to better understand the views of Northern Colorado residents on a range of issues associated with maintaining separation between the communities and further includes a description of the location of potential separator areas and actions needed to achieve the long term goals in maintaining community separation. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, it is hereby proclaimed by the communities of Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Milliken, Windsor and Greeley, as well as Latimer County,that said communities and governmental agencies do hereby proclaim their support for the "Northern Colorado Community Separator Study" and pledge to take such actions as are reasonably necessary to implement the recommendations of said study. • THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO A Municipal Corporation Date: By: Mayor THE CITY OF LOVELAND, COLORADO A Municipal Corporation Date: By: Mayor THE TOWN OF WINDSOR, COLORADO A Municipal Corporation Date: By: Mayor THE TOWN OF MILLIKEN, COLORADO A Municipal Corporation Date: By: Mayor THE CITY OF GREELEY, COLORADO A Municipal Corporation Date: By: Mayor THE COUNTY OF LARIMER, COLORADO Date: By: Chair, Board of Commissioners