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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/16/2007 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 112, 2007, APPROPRI ITEM NUMBER: 11 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: October 16, 2007 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Sue Paguette Matt Baker Rick Richter Pat Hyland SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 112, 2007, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves In the Street Oversizing Fund for Transfer To the Capital Projects Fund-North College Avenue Improvements Project to Be Used for to Acquire Property Necessary for Future Improvements along North College Avenue. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. FINANCIAL IMPACT The appropriation of funds requested by this Ordinance will be used to acquire a tract of land necessary for the realignment of Vine Drive and will eventually be repaid by the Building on Basics Capital Project,North College from Vine to Conifer and by development contributions by proposed construction of improvements on the east side of North College Avenue, south of Conifer Street. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Fort Collins Master Street Plan provides for the eventual relocation of East Vine Drive from its present location to a somewhat parallel location to the north. The designed realignment location on North College Avenue will be opposite and east of Pinon Street. There is a Building on Basics (BOB) Capital Improvement Project planned to improve North College Avenue from Vine to Conifer,including the purchase of additional right-of-way,scheduled in 2011. However,it has been determined that the best location for two proposed water transmission lines running generally east- west to cross North College is at the same location as the proposed realigned East Vine Street. One of the proposed water transmission lines is a joint venture between ELCO (East Larimer County Water District)and NWCWD(Northern Weld County Water District),known as NEWT. The other line is for the City of Greeley, known as GWET. The construction of these two lines is scheduled to begin in early 2008. The owner of a tract of land on the east side ofNorth College Avenue needed for this relocated street has offered that parcel for sale to the City. The requested price has been determined by staff to be within fair market value. In order to have funds to acquire this needed tract prior to the BOB funding, $225,000 must be appropriated from Street Oversizing to acquire this parcel. October 16, 2007 -2- Item No. 11 BACKGROUND With the removal of Dry Creek floodplain and the establishment of the North College Urban Renewal Authority, the North College Corridor is receiving considerable development and/or redevelopment interest. On North College Avenue, south of Conifer Street, there are numerous public infrastructure improvements whose designs are being closely coordinated by a project team, comprised of City Engineering,Transportation and Utilities staff,as well as several outside agencies. The proposed improvements include the realignment of East Vine Drive, a regional detention pond and stormwater outfall, two large diameter water pipelines owned by outside agencies, and wastewater availability to vacant land. Two proposed water transmission lines running generally east-west have determined that the best location for these water lines is crossing North College Avenue at the same location as the proposed realigned East Vine Street (opposite and east of Pinon Street). One of the proposed water transmission lines is a joint venture between ELCO (East Larimer County Water District) and NWCWD (Northern Weld County Water District),know as NEWT. The other line is for the City of Greeley, known as GWET. The construction of these two lines is scheduled to begin in early 2008. The proposed location for realigned East Vine Street has been designed. The profile of that section of right-of-way has also been designed. The new location for East Vine Drive, at the intersection of North College Avenue,will require the acquisition of a parcel of land at that location. The owner of that parcel has offered to sell to the City that tract at a price that is at fair market value(an MAI appraisal was ordered by staff and was underway at the time the property was offered for purchase to the City). Since the City will eventually need to own the entire tract of land for the new street right-of-way (presently being offered for sale by the owner),and since the two water transmission line companies (NEWT and GWET) have determined they want their two underground easements to be located under that same tract of land, City staff has determined that the interests of the City are best served bypurchasing that parcel of land before the two water transmission agencies begin their negotiations to purchase or condemn an underground easement under that tract. By so doing, the City will then control the final locations and depths of each water line and also control the future use of that land for other utilities, easements, utilizations, entities and/or agencies wanting or needing to enter that property for any purpose. The agencies constructing NEWT and GWET have agreed to allow the City to acquire this tract of land for future use as the right-of-way for the East Vine Drive realignment. They have also stipulated that the City will have full control of the use of that property, subject only to the provisions of easement agreements and documents to be negotiated between the City and all water transmission line agencies directly involved with the construction of those two lines. The appropriation of funds is necessary in order to purchase land prior to the construction of the two water transmission lines, which construction is scheduled to begin in early 2008. October 16, 2007 -3- Item No. 11 ATTACHMENTS 1. Map of proposed location of realigned East Vine Drive, from North College Avenue to Redwood Street. 2. Existing East Vine Drive Location Map. PROPOSED VINE DRIVE: COLLEGE TO REDWOOD 15 Fr. RE10MA& [EASRC,N,T frr. PoOF1T OF WAY � OWETMEWf WATER LlEB EASEKIENT r � \^ 1.L =�-=.-J �—n Nme�+rPxTT LLC,PnolBllY =— -�� ^' ^ Ws CA BAN 87: I I y Y n x E%IHINO E.VFE OR CrJ z y ATTACHMENT Existing East Vine Drive • Location Map CONIFER ST JAX - - SURPLUS II NON Si -� � PI _ 111 I i - C I o0 0 ( o e. �I o Ir I POWER - PLANT LINDEN CTR DID- i I NORTHSIDE • AZTLAN CTR N A ORDINANCE NO. 112, 2007 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE STREET OVERSIZING FUND FOR TRANSFER TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND - NORTH COLLEGE AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT TO BE USED FOR TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY NECESSARY FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG NORTH COLLEGE AVENUE WHEREAS, the removal of the Dry Creek Basin from the designated floodplain and the establishment of the North College Urban Renewal Authority have generated considerable development and redevelopment interest along the North College Corridor; and WHEREAS, on North College Avenue, south of Conifer Street, there are numerous public infrastructure improvements under discussion including: the realignment of East Vine Drive, the construction of a regional detention pond and stormwater outfall, and the installation of two large- diameter water pipelines owned by outside agencies; and WHEREAS,the Fort Collins Master Street Plan provides for the eventual relocation of East Vine Drive to the north of its present location; and WHEREAS,the realignment of East Vine Drive will require the acquisition of land for right- of-way for the East Vine Drive realignment and intersection improvements at North College Avenue; and WHEREAS, the owner of a parcel of property and improvements thereon (the "Property") located on North College Avenue at the site of the proposed new intersection of North College Avenue and East Vine Drive has offered to sell the Property to the City at market value, pending appropriation of funds by the City for the acquisition; and WHEREAS, in addition to providing right-of-way for the East Vine realignment and intersection improvements at North College Avenue, the City's purchase of the Property will also allow the City to control potential future uses of the property for utilities,easements,or other entities and/or agencies needing to enter the Property; and WHEREAS, the proposed purchase price of the Property, including closing costs, is $225,000; and WHEREAS, staff has identified prior year reserves in the City's Street Oversizing Fund as being available for the proposed acquisition of the Property and such acquisition would be an appropriate use of those funds; and WHEREAS,Article V, Section 9,of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins permits the City Council to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years,notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously appropriated; and WHEREAS,it is the desire of the City Council to appropriate prior year reserves in the Street Oversizing Fund,totaling$225,000, to be transferred to the Capital Projects Fund-North College Avenue Improvements capital project for the purchase of property and improvements on North College Avenue. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Street Oversizing Fund, the sum of TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($225,000) for transfer to the Capital Projects Fund-North College Avenue Improvements capital project,and appropriated therein, to be used to purchase property and improvements along North College Avenue Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 16th day of October, A.D. 2007, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of November,A.D. 2007. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 6th day of November, A.D. 2007. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk