Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 09/19/2000 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 128, 2000, AUTHORIZ AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 21 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: September 19, 2000 STAFF: Matt Baker SUBJECT: First Reading of Ordinance No. 128, 2000, Authorizing the Transfer of Appropriations From the Street Oversizing Fund to the Capital Projects Fund and Between Projects in the Capital Projects Fund to be Used for Downtown Civic Center Improvements. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption to the Ordinance of First Reading. FINANCIAL IMPACT: This Ordinance authorizes the transfer of existing appropriations, totaling $1,779,482, into the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center capital project from the Street Oversizing Fund ($1,530,302) and from the two existing projects in the Capital Projects Fund ($249,180). The appropriations will be used to construct transportation infrastructure improvements in the Downtown ID Civic Center area. This project will go to bid as soon as funds are available. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Transportation Services has been working toward improving the transportation infrastructure surrounding the Civic Center project. The Civic Center Transportation Plan included an analysis of a full range of improvements to support the Civic Center project, including parking, lighting, landscaping,pedestrian access,transit,and street improvements. Staff has identified these elements of the plan as necessary to enhance and support the current construction of the parking structure, Larimer County Justice Center, City office building, and the proposed transit center. Working with affected City departments, BNSF Railroad, DDA, Larimer County, and building contractors, staff put together a plan for improvements and funding, phased to coincide with the completion of each building project. This Ordinance authorizes the transfer of existing appropriations into the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center project to be used for construction of improvements. Predominant funding and construction management is through the Street Oversizing Program. Funding for the improvements has been identified as follows: DATE: September 19, 2000 2 ITEM NUMBER: 21 Street Oversizing Fund $ 1,530 302 Capital Projects Fund Pedestrian Accessibility Project- General Fund Support 109,180 Capital Projects Fund Downtown Intersection Improvements - Downtown Development Authority Contribution 140,000 $ 1,779,482 Street Oversizing program funds are from existing appropriations. The Pedestrian Accessibility program,which is funded by the City's General Fund has$109,180 in existing appropriations. The Downtown Development Authority contributed funds, totaling $140,000, that were appropriated in the Downtown Intersections Improvement project (Capital Projects Fund). This ordinance will combine all appropriations into one capital projects to facilitate the construction of improvements. BACKGROUND: The Civic Center Transportation Master Plan,developed as an element of the Civic Center Master Plan, identified transportation and streetscape improvements needed to serve the Civic Center redevelopment of the downtown area. The new parking garage and proposed transit center are elements of the Transportation Master Plan. It became evident during the development review process for the Four Corners project,that improvements along the building construction sites would not be enough to promote multi-modal transportation in the entire area. Offsite improvements would enhance and refine the flow of automobiles,pedestrians,and bicyclists. The pedestrian spine concept would benefit from offsite connections to existing activity centers. Other transportation improvements to improve capacity into and out of the parking structure would increase the operational efficiency of the entire downtown parking situation. Adding bicycle lanes along street areas that had no dedicated bicycle facilities allowed cyclists better access to the multi-modal transit center. And finally, pedestrian and street usage improvements would promote safe and attractive paths for pedestrians into and out of the Civic Center with the rest of the urban downtown. Staff began a process of identifying improvements needed with the Four Comers Civic Center construction (i.e., the parking structure, Larimer County Justice Center, City office building, and transit center). These improvements included basic street construction, BNSF railroad crossing improvements,drainage improvements such as the Howes Outfall,and repaving and overlay work. Also included are aesthetic and safety improvements such as specialty street lighting, pedestrian crosswalks, traffic signal improvements, restriping and reconfiguring bike lanes and parking, tree planting and landscaping improvements, extending sidewalks, installing handicap ramps, adding decorative sidewalk areas, installing street furniture,etc. As much as possible, transportation improvements were included in the construction of the Four Corners building contracts. However,much of the offsite and paving work would be more efficient and cost effective in a separate project. This Ordinance appropriates funds into this project for construction. Staff has worked with several City departments to fund this work through existing programs and budgets. The project is predominantly funded by the Street Oversizing Program. Appropriations from the Pedestrian Accessibility capital project will be used for mid block crosswalks and sidewalk improvements. The appropriations from the DDA's contribution to the project will be used for streetscape enhancements along Mason Street, including brick pavers, tree plantings, decorative signing, and street furniture enhancements such as benches, trash receptacles, and decorative DATE: September 19, 2000 3 ITEM NUMBER: 21 lighting. Other departments are also involved in the project . For example, the Park Maintenance: Program will trim and replant areas that may be a sight distance hazard to pedestrians and motorists, the Light and Power Department will add lighting to deficient areas, and the City Engineering; Department will provide construction management of the project. The estimated contributions by other departments towards the Downtown Civic Center Improvements are as follows: Traffic Operations $ 76,308 Forestry and Parks Maintenance 9,240 Light & Power 4,400 City Office Building Capital Project 68,337 Transit Center Capital Project 20.564 $ 178,849 Staff has been working with the building contractors for the last two years to coordinate: improvements and facilitate the construction and completion of the building projects. The Civic Center projects are the largest civic construction the Fort Collins community has seen in the last 10 years, and they will affect and enhance downtown Fort Collins tremendously. The City Engineering Department is looking forward to constructing the transportation improvements that. will help knit this project into the fabric of our community. I i ORDINANCE NO. 128, 2000 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE STREET OVERSIZING FUND TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND BETWEEN PROJECTS IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND TO BE USED FOR DOWNTOWN CIVIC CENTER IMPROVEMENTS WHEREAS,Transportation Services has been working toward improving the transportation infrastructure surrounding the Downtown Civic Center projects; and WHEREAS, the Civic Center Transportation Plan, which is an element of the Downtown Civic Center Master Plan adopted by City Council via Resolution 96-86 on July 16, 1986,identified transportation and streetscape improvements needed to serve the redevelopment of the downtown area; and WHEREAS, certain improvements have been included or have coincided with the construction of the Civic Center Parking Structure and the Larimer County Justice Center such as Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroad crossing improvements, drainage improvements (the Howes Outfall) and a number of aesthetic and safety improvements; and WHEREAS,transportation related improvements are also included in the construction of the City Office Building and the Transit Center; and WHEREAS, additional offsite transportation improvements, which are considered vital to the development of the downtown area,including major street and intersection reconstruction,traffic signal upgrades,crosswalk and sidewalk improvements,and various streetscape enhancements,have been identified; and WHEREAS, the total estimated cost of the aforementioned offsite improvements ("Downtown Civic Center Improvements") is $1,779,482; and WHEREAS, funding for the Downtown Civic Center Improvements has been identified as follows: Street Oversizing Fund-Existing Appropriations $ 1,530,302 Capital Projects Fund Pedestrian Accessibility Project - Existing Appropriations (General Fund) 109,180 Capital Projects Fund Downtown Intersection Improvements - Existing Appropriations (Downtown Development Authority Contribution) 140.000 $ 1,779,482 and; WHEREAS,Article V,Section 10,of the Charter authorizes the City Council to transfer by ordinance any unexpended and unencumbered amount or portion thereof from one fund or capital project to another fund or capital project,provided that the purpose for which the transferred funds are to be expended remains unchanged; and WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to authorize the transfer of existing appropriations in:(1)the Street Oversizing Fund,totaling$1,530,302;(2)the Capital Projects Fund Pedestrian Accessibility project, totaling $109,180; and (3) the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Intersections project, totaling $140,000, to the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center Improvements capital project to be used to construct transportation related improvements in the downtown civic center area. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLL NS as follows: Section 1. That the unexpended appropriated amount of ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED TWO DOLLARS ($1,530,302) is hereby authorized for transfer from the Street Oversizing Fund to the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center Improvements project, and appropriated therein to be used to construct transportation related improvements in the downtown civic center area. Section 2. That the unexpended appropriated amount of ONE HUNDRED NINE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS ($109,180)is hereby authorized for transfer from the Capital Projects Fund Pedestrian Accessibility project to the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center Improvements project, and appropriated therein to be used to construct transportation related improvements in the downtown civic center area. Section 3. That the unexpended appropriated amount of ONE HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($140,000) is hereby authorized for transfer from the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Intersections project to the Capital Projects Fund Downtown Civic Center Improvements project, and appropriated therein to be used to construct transportation related improvements in the downtown civic center area. Introduced and considered favorably on first reading and ordered published this 19th day of September, A.D. 2000, and to be presented for final passage on the 3rd day of October, A.D. 2000. Mayor Pro Tem ATTEST: City Clerk • Passed and adopted on final reading this 3rd day of October, A.D. 2000. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk • •