The City's Sustainability Manager will meet with the board, to discuss opportunities to improve sustainability efforts in the downtown area.
Staff will report on plans to clean the pedestrian underpasses beside Clear Creek at Ford Street and Washington Avenue. Those areas currently harbor "trash, graffiti, cobwebs, and old birds'nests." The clean-up is somewhat complicated because they can't just hose off those areas and let the trash and dirt fall into Clear Creek. The company that power washes the sidewalks has bid $12,000 to do the job, using vacuum brushes and plastic curtains to protect the Creek. The board will be asked to approve this expense.
You may recall the City's plans to build a new City Hall at an estimated cost of $65 million. Staff had suggested that the project be funded using a type of debt that did not require taxpayer approval. A group of citizens has asked Council to put the issue on the ballot, so the citizens can decide whether they want to fund the project. This will probably delay and possibly prevent the start of the project.
The DDA had budgeted up to $250,000 this year to help pay for that project. In light of the anticipated delay, staff is now suggesting that they help fund a different project this year.
Over the years, there has been some discussion of building a trail on the north side of Clear Creek, to connect Parfet and Vanover Parks. When the current owners acquired the Golden Mill, they agreed to an easement that would permit such a trail on the south edge of their property. When I last heard discussion of this project, the owners of the Gold Apartments had not granted an easement, but that was in November of 2019, so things may have changed since then.
This 2 block stretch of trail is estimated to cost $900,000. Staff is suggesting that the DDA fund preliminary design work for the trail, which is estimated at $300,000.
The staff memo points out that the City is accepting comments about the proposed redesign of the "Jackson Street Corridor" via the Guiding Golden website. The plan proposes replacing on-street parking spaces with trees.
