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Home My WebLink About222 Laporte Ave - Correspondence/Zoning - 03/30/2007a a a L4_ - a4 From: Peter Barnes To: _ David Kemp Date: 03/30/2007 8:25:53 AM Subject: Re: Fwd: City space for Bike Collective Dave, After reviewing the information you provided regarding the proposed Bike Collective use at 222 Laporte, we have determined that the use is classified as a "Community Facility". This use is a permitted use in the Civic Center Subdistrict of the Downtown zone. However, it is considered to be a change -of -use of the property and will require a development review process and bringing the property up to current standards, which could result in site upgrades such as landscaping, trash enclosures, parking, etc. We can accomodate the process by means of a Minor Amendment, which is a non-public hearing process. The process generally takes between 3 to 6 weeks. I would imagine that the Facilities Department would submit the application, so you'd probably want to check with them. Let me know if you have any questions. Peter >>> David Kemp 03/27/2007 1:42 PM >>> Hello Peter, We originally began working with facilities on this project in November of 06', which eventually led us to planning and zoning. The bicycle library project is a partnership between the City of Fort Collins and BikeFortCollins.org The Fort Collins Bicycle Collective (bike coop) started out fixing bicycles for financially challenged Fort Collins citizens including children several years ago. The Collective joined forces with BikeFortCollins.org in order to achieve organizational leadership and 501 C3 non-profit status. BikeFortCollins and FC Bikes (City Bicycling Program, housed in Transportation Planning), recently submitted a CMAQ grant to create a University/City wide library program similar to the Smarttrips Freewheels program, but larger in size and more contemporary. The space at the old Poudre Valley Creamery would serve as an ideal location to house the Bicycle Collective and Bicycle Library project due to the nature of the central downtown location and easy access to bicyclists. The inset parking lot, storage facilities, and office space (either in the front building or the main building) would work great for administering the library and maintaining the inventory. Below is detailed information concerning the project at hand: Services: 1. To house, maintain, and administer bicycle library fleet. 2. Provide low-cost or free bike repair and bicycle acquisition to financially challenged adults and youths. 3. "Earn a Bike" program for at -risk youths 4. Offer free bicycle maintenance classes for FC citizens. Project has potential of providing a positive impact in local neighborhoods as well as collaboration with Neighborhood and Police Services. Space Needed: Storage: 700-1000 Sq. feet; Office: 200-500 Sq. feet. Hours of operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:OOpm-6:OOpm Saturday, 12-4pm Costs: BikeFortCollins would be able to afford utility (energy) costs as well as affordable rent in order to lease the space. Lease term: 1-2 years Thanks for your consideration Peter. If there's any more information that I have yet to provide, please let me know. -DK PS Attached is the request for space by BikeFortCollins.org as well as the project narrative for our joint bicycle library program. Dave "DK" Kemp FC Bikes -Coordinator Transportation Planning City of Fort Collins 250 N. Mason Street Fort Collins, CO 80522 Tel: 970.416.2411 Email: dk(a)fcgov.com FC Bikes - Bicycling as a Way of Life >>> David Kemp 2/21/2007 12:18 PM >>> Tracy, Please find the attached letter from Bike Fort Collins Organization. They are the local bike advocacy organization here in Fort Collins. A couple months back we began to discuss the possibility of finding a temporary home (1-2 years) for the bicycle collective group. Since our original discussion, the bike collective has merged with the Bike Fort Collins group. This validates their organizational capabilities as well as their official 501 C3 status. Thanks again for your help with potentially finding a space for the bike collective. Let me know what else you need from me in terms of supporting information for this project. -DK Dave "DK" Kemp FC Bikes -Coordinator Transportation Planning City of Fort Collins 250 N. Mason Street Fort Collins, CO 80522 Tel: 970.416.2411 Email: dk(a)fcgov.com FC Bikes - Bicycling as a Way of Life No Text No Text Fort Collins. Local hotels such as fhe Marriot, Hilton, and Armstrong hotels will have the capability of checking out bicycles for visitor use. 3. CSU Conferences and Studenfs: Thousands of visitors attend conferences at CSU each year. In cooperation with the student run "RamWheels" program, visitors and students will,be able to utilize bicycles for transportation in Fort Collins. 4. Regional Commufers: This gives Park n' Ride another meaning. Commuters who work in Fort Collins, but live elsewhere can park vehicles on the edges of the City and use bicycles for local transportation to and from workplaces. , 5. Everyday Citizens: Any Fort Collins citizen can burrow a bicycle for transportation'throughout Fort Collins. This will work especially well • for financially constrained citizens. Program Marketing Techniques: It will be impossible not hear of the bicycle library program. Apart from the bicycles themselves ever present in the community, advertisements in local publications, marketing materials located on strategic websites and actual physical locations, � program word of mouth, newsletters, and radio support will all fuel public notification and encouragement of project/ Partnerships: This project will bring together at least 9 different stake holders or groups of stakeholders in Fort Collins to create a community bike library program. The stakeholders in this program include: 1 . The City of Fort Collins Transporfation Planning Deparfmenf:: as it seeks to reduce traffic congestion and to improve air quality in the urban growth area; 2. Colorado State University: as it seeks to mitigate congestion and parking problems on and in the vicinity of campus and the student- run RamWheels bicycle library program; 3. Downtown Development Authority (DDA): whose mission it is to build public and private investment partnerships that foster economic, cultural, and social growth in the Fort Collins central business district; 4. BikeFortCollins.org (Friends of the Fort Collins Bicycle Program, Inc.): a local bicycle advocacy group dedicated to implementing the Fort Collins Bicycle Program Plan; 5. Fort Collins Bicycle Collective: a cooperative whose goal is to inspire and support the bicycling community in Fort Collins by facilitating access to bikes, parts, tools and technical expertise; 6. Local Business Sponsors: including participating Fort Collins bicycle shops, New.Belgium Brewing, through its philanthropy outreach grants, and Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) through � their Community Grants Program; 7. Local Hotels: whose guests may seek bicycles as an alternative to automobiles for short stays in our community; 8. Local Businesses: that would like to keep a bicycle on loan permanently at their place of business as an alternative to using an automobile for short errands. 9. The Fort Collins Convenfion and Visifors' Bureau: whose mission is to provicle services to visitors of City of Fort Collins. Bicycle Library Examples: A survey of bicycle library programs around the U.S. suggests that the physical and social geography of Fort Collins lends itself to the successful introduction of such a program here. Most successful programs are in university communities. Notable examples include: ➢ Arcata, California: http://www.culturechange.org/library- bikes.html Population: 17,000 Student population: 7,500 Bikes in circulation: 300 Program: Arcata Community Bike Program ➢ Moscow, Idaho: Population: 22,000 Student population: 1 1 ,700 Bikes in circulation: 400 bikes deployed, many through the campus international students organization. Program: Bike Loan Program ➢ lowa City, lowa: Population: 63,000 Student population: 29,000 Bikes in circulation: 300 bikes (50-60% university related) Program: lowa City Bike Library (http://www.bikelibrary.org/) With a population of 130,000 and a student population of about 25,000, Fort Collins lends itself perfectly to the introduction of a comparable bicycle library program. The Choice City Bicycle Library will strive to make this program self-sustaining through donations, grants, fund-raising activities, and volunteer efforts by 2010.