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
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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.
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