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Home My WebLink About2008-080-09/02/2008-REAFFIRMING THE COMMITMENT OF THE CITY TO CONTINUED COOPERATION WITH THE TOWN OF WINDSOR IN THE PLAN RESOLUTION 2008-080 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS REAFFIRMING THE COMMITMENT OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TO CONTINUED COOPERATION WITH THE TOWN OF WINDSOR IN THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE INTERCHANGE AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 25 AND STATE HIGHWAY 392, AND APPROVING CERTAIN BASIC PRINCIPLES RELATED TO THAT COOPERATIVE EFFORT WHEREAS, the Interstate 25/State Highway 392 Interchange ("Interchange"), located at Exit 262, borders the western edge of the Town of Windsor ("Town") and the southeastern limits of the City of Fort Collins ("City"); and WHEREAS, the Interchange is an integral part of the regional transportation network since much of the Town's traffic passes through the Interchange and an increasing number of drivers also use the Interchange as an alternative access point to the City and as a key access point to the residential areas in Latimer County and The Ranch, a regional entertainment destination; and WHEREAS, in recent years, the existing capacity of the Interchange has been significantly impacted by state and regional growth, as well as local growth in Windsor and southeast Fort Collins, so that the Interchange is unable to handle current traffic capacity during peak hours; and WHEREAS, the Interchange and nearby transportation infrastructure are currently operating at failing or near failing levels of service, and are characterized by numerous design and operational deficiencies and substandard safety features; and WHEREAS, some transportation models suggest that traffic at the Interchange will more than double by 2030; and WHEREAS, no gateway features exist at the Interchange area despite its location on the borders of the Town and the City; and WHEREAS, the enhancement and improvement of the Interchange will further many of the goals of the Town and City, including the promotion of new commercial activity areas, meeting the transportation demands of the community, promoting connectivity of local roadways to the regional system, and creating opportunities for multi-modal transportation options; and WHEREAS, the enhancement and improvement of the Interchange will promote the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the Town and the City by facilitating the timely and safe movement of people, goods, information, and services, and by providing access to new services,jobs and retail goods; and _ _ l WHEREAS, with innovative and thoughtful planning, the Interchange area could be transformed into a unique and memorable, revenue-generating gateway for both the City and Town; and WHEREAS, the City and the Town are parties to an existing Intergovernmental Agreement ("Windsor/FTC IGA") in which the parties have pledged to cooperate to explore and implement solutions to existing traffic issues related to the Interchange; and WHEREAS, consistent with the Windsor/FTC IGA, the City and the Town have approved the preparation of a study which, upon approval by the State Transportation Board, will allow the construction of the Interchange improvements at the earliest possible time; and WHEREAS, on August 4, 2008, the City Council and the Town Board met in a joint work session to discuss their ongoing cooperative effort to facilitate the design and construction of improvements to the Interchange and to consider the design, environmental, land use and transportation goals shared by the municipalities in the area of the Interchange; and WHEREAS, at the conclusion of the August 4 work session, the City Council and the Town Board directed staff to prepare resolutions setting forth the principles upon which the cooperative effort between them is grounded; and WHEREAS, by the adoption of this resolution the City Council desires to reaffirm its commitment to this important joint effort and to encourage the continuation of this effort. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby adopts the following principles to guide the cooperative effort between the City and the Town with regard to improvement of the Interchange: • Transportation Safety/Improve Level of Service/Ease Congestion: Both municipalities recognize that the Interchange is functionally obsolete and has reached a `crisis' level. Continued growth in Northern Colorado will increase the vehicle miles traveled, and further degrade the level of service. Traffic congestion at the Interchange is creating a spill-over effect on other key interchanges, as travelers avoid State Highway 392 and seek less congested routes to their intended destination. • Community Character: The Interchange is an important `gateway' feature for both the City and the Town. It is viewed as a southern gateway to the City and the main gateway to the Town. The design of the Interchange, sensitivity to view sheds, and associated land development will enhance the gateway concept. • Complete the 1601 Approval Process in a timely manner. Before March of 2009, the City and the Town will work toward conditional or final 1601 approval -2- from the Colorado Department of Transportation ("CDOT") which will be comprised of the following three components: design, environmental clearance and financing. • Environmental Sustainability/Resource Protection: The City and the Town will, to the greatest extent possible, ensure that the Interchange improvements and the development within the "corridor activity center" (as that area is described on Exhibit"A" attached) will occur in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts and protects and enhances the physical and natural environment in and around the Interchange, including but not limited to the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area. • Equity in Decision-making: The City and the Town will equitably address and resolve community interests that are common to citizens of both communities and the region through a collaborative approach to decision-making. Equity means that cost will be equal to the benefit derived. Equity also means that critical concerns will be raised by the City and the Town as soon as they are discovered. • Multiple Modes: The City and the Town will encourage and promote land use practices and an Interchange design that will support multiple modes of transportation as well as the integration of current and future alternate modes of transportation. • Sales Tax Generating Development within the designated Corridor Activity Center. The adopted comprehensive plans for both communities, the March, 2008 IGA and the future land use plan for the corridor activity center recognize that retail, office, and residential development that result in a mixed use activity center is envisioned for the Interchange. • Developer Contribution. The financing of the Interchange improvements will assume that any development which directly benefits from the Interchange improvements will contribute to the funding of the Interchange. • Revenue Sharing: Both jurisdictions agree to long-term, equitable revenue sharing derived from new development within the Corridor Activity Center. The revenue sharing formula will reflect the fiscal and non-fiscal benefits received by each party. • CDOT/FHWA Findings and Standards: Both parties acknowledge that a substantial investment has been made by CDOT/FHWA through the Northern Colorado Interstate 25 Corridor EIS and that the findings and standards as they apply to the Interchange will be adhered to as the basis for the design and environmental clearance. Section 2. That the City Council hereby directs the City Manager to work cooperatively with the Town Manager to: (a) move forward with the plans for the improvement of the Interchange; (b) provide regular updates on the project to the City Council; and (c) -3- T schedule future joint work sessions with the Town Board for the purpose of receiving future guidance and comment with regard to this project. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the C nc'1 of the City of Fort Collins this 2nd day of September A.D. 2008. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk -4- . .............. . . ....................................................................................................................................................... . . ........... 1-25 / SH392 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PLAN EXHIBIT „All Figure 3 - Project Analysis Area Map L gr r d I�Yty v158h�Y Wndmor UGA HARMONY ' COIJNTY ROAD 38 fa7 CaArrr 6M � - LofWand KECHTER . . -ik : TRILBY Fossil Creek Reservoir COUNTY ROAD 32 w i x F 5TTH p CROssROADa OWNTY ROAD 24E OS ITS 9 tntercPROJECT ANALYSIS k� AREA Iuxro � mat Flan ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 1 - PROJECT CONTEXT