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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-100-11/17/2015-SUPPORTING THE LARIMER COUNTY PROPOSAL TO USE COUNTY MILL LEVY FUNDS FOR INTERSTATE 25(1-25) IMPROVE RESOLUTION 2015-100 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS SUPPORTING THE LARIMER COUNTY PROPOSAL TO USE COUNTY MILL LEVY FUNDS FOR INTERSTATE 25 (I-25) IMPROVEMENTS WHEREAS, Interstate 25 ("I-25") serves as the primary north-south highway connection for Northern Colorado including Fort Collins; and WHEREAS, I-25 is the primary roadway route for regional connectivity to commerce, health care, education and employment; and WHEREAS, I-25 is designated as a federal freight route; and WHEREAS, I-25 in Northern Colorado suffered damage and prolonged closure as a result of the September 2013 floods; and WHEREAS, it is critical that I-25 roads and bridges be made more resilient to impacts from weather emergencies and natural disasters; and WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of Transportation ("CDOT") is making an application for a Risk and Resiliency grant, through a Presidential Challenge, to replace the Cache la Poudre Bridge, the Big Thompson Bridge, and the Little Thompson Bridge and to repair the Saint Vrain Bridge (collectively, the "Bridges"); and WHEREAS, CDOT has identified these Bridges as `pinch points' that currently restrict expansion of the number of lanes on I-25 in northern Colorado; and WHEREAS, the Risk and Resiliency grant for the Bridges is a portion of a larger grant application for the entire State of Colorado that is scheduled to be evaluated and awarded by the end of 2015; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that the grant request'will need matching local funds to be viable and that Larimer County should provide a portion of that match; and WHEREAS, the City Council understands that the increased property valuations for Larimer County property owners in 2015 provides an opportunity to temporarily increase the Road & Bridge Mill levy for a period of five years without detriment to other County programs, without decreasing the amount currently shared back to local agencies, and without modifying the total mill levy; and WHEREAS, assessed valuations on properties in municipalities are shared between the municipality and Larimer County and assessed valuations on properties in the unincorporated areas go to Larimer County; and WHEREAS, on October 22, 2015, the Larimer County Board of Commissioners presented at the Larimer County Joint Regional Meeting to the eight communities within l Larimer County (Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Estes Park, Wellington, Timnath, Windsor, and Johnstown) the concept of temporarily moving General Fund mill levy to Road & Bridge mill levy with each local government contributing their increased portion to I-25 improvements and the concept has been well received and verbally supported; and WHEREAS, the reallocation is estimated to generate approximately $5.3 million over the five years for use on I-25 and the remaining Larimer County funds, estimated at approximately $4.7 million, will be used on a regional project(s) that will benefit residents of the County including those residing within the eight communities listed previously; and WHEREAS, the Larimer County Board of Commissioners has asked that each community pass a resolution supporting the temporary reallocation of this portion of the County's General Fund mill levy for I-25 for Larimer County budget approval purposes and will work with said communities to develop an intergovernmental agreement. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that it hereby supports Larimer County's shift of funds from the County's General Fund to the County's Road and Bridge Fund for a period of five years, increasing the Road and Bridge revenues by approximately $2,000,000 per year for the purposes of making improvements to Interstate 25. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 17th day of November, A.D. 2015. 0 .1 CO G Mayor AT o De ty Ci C erk •QO `p^r