HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999 Resolution No. 089RESOLUTION NO . zi
SERIES OF 1939
A RESOLUTION PROVIlllNG COMMENT ON THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING A LIGHT RAIL TRAIN
MlJNTENANCE FACILITY AT THE GENERAL IRON WORKS SITE IN ENGLEWOOD.
WHEREAS, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) solicits public participation
•nd comments on projects accepting Federal funda; and
WHEREAS, the Regional Tranaportation District baa propooed a Light Rail Train
maintenance facility in Englewood at the property !mown as ( eneral Iron Works, whi.:b will
&ccept Federal funds ;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CIT"[ OF
ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO, THAT THE CITY OF ENGLEWOOD DESIRES TO
PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES PROPOSED BY T!1'E COLORADO DEPARTMEN r OF
TRANSPORTATION/REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT IN THE SOUTHEAST
CORRIDOR P[.Af;:
The City of Englewood supports the Regiorual Tranaportation District and its plans to
develop a Light Reil Transit System, subject to and conaiatont with the City's con.:erna and
objectives regarding the effect of the project on its citizem. Those concerns anc! obj ectives
are oonaiatent with the policies sought to be encouraged by NEPA. They include uauring
the Cit;y'a citizens Eofe, healthful, pro,foctive, and aeothetically and culturally pleasing
surroundings; attaining the wideat range of beneficial uaea of the environment without
degradation, or risk to health or safety; praoer.-ing important historic, cultural an,! natural
aopecta of the City, and achieving a balance between population and re10urce uae which will
permit high standards of living.
In addition to provi<ling police, fire, wat.r and other municipal aer.-ice• generally and to
the General Iron Works Site specifically, the City ~romotea these goals locally, for example:
by p~rc~a,ing and developing land for th• Historic Englewood Depot Park, by renovating the
playground& at Cushing Park, by imprnvinc Weat Dartmouth traffic safety and expandinr
Lh e School Zone, by adopting and implamenting the South Broadway Action Plan, by
designing and building South Broadway improvements from Yale to U .S. Highway 285, by
administering housing rehabilitation loans for low and mod8"ate incoo1• houaebolda, by
repairing sidewalks and overlaying roada , and by administering revol'ling loan funda for
improving buainess facades along Broadway. Theoe activities are fund•1I throush property,
eale,:i 9.!!.d ~e t~xee.
Eo:iJewood encourages development consistent with the forasoing ,,,ala and encourages
priv ate real propeny inv"?stmeuts that generate tax revenues which con•ribute to the City's
ability to achieve those gc als . r.onveraely, Englewood opposes dev,-lopmt.nt that reUlovea
propi,rty from the tax rolls and does not share the tax burden of contributing to
imph?mentation of those goals.
NI a fully developed aix-anci one-half aquare mile City with limited oppommitiea for
IP'Owth. Enclewood encourap1 atewardehip of land and ,areful, deliberate action 'lll
redevelopment opportunitiea. The City o~ En1lewood furt.\er aupporta compact land
development patterns within existing urban service area.a k' reduce aprawl and tralic
congeetion and aupporta development that contributes to the quality of life by Providins
amenitiee and podestrian-Criendly comp,ct development patterns.
The City of Engle\\·ood eeeks to ensure that theee goals ar,; ochieved with reap.ct to
RTD's light rail transit development plans and that the City capturee public benefite &om
the substantial public investment in !i~h • rail transit. Englewood further eeeka to enaure
that public investments in tranaport ,..,frastructure lead to developments which will
provide improved accesa to housi:lg au, ,Jbs for Englewood citizens .
RTD'a propceed development of the subject property does not comply with achievement of
the City's ll')8lB as follows :
• Heavy Industrial land uses and the related heavy truck trafu . :.re not compatlble with
quiet enjoyment in the adjacent residential ai-eas and are inconsistent with the City's
ll')8lB to reduce traffic cong,,stion and accompanyins noise levels.
• RTD's proposed dev•lopment of the subject property doe s not pnerate property, sales or
uee taxes which contribute to the City's ability to implement it.• goals.
As a re:ult, Englewood opposes the uee of the entire General Iron Worka site for a Llaht
Rail Traiu Maintenance Facility. However, the City of Englewood continues to 811pport the
Recio.al Transportation Diotrict and Light Rail Tranoit system development and supports
working ;n partnenbip with RTD to achieve transit-supportive develor ·,onts along the
Light Rail Transit line in Entlewood. In Curthernnce ofthet support, tL City ofFnglewood
ia providins leadenhlp in innovative and transit supporuve development at City Center
Ens!ewood .
The City of Englawood ia an older suburban community thet needs to promote
redevelopment of its limited land resowa,s to move forward poeitively, on a sound fiscal
baaia, into the twenty-fu-.t century. The Southwest Corridor Light Rail offers the City of
Englewood a tremendoue opportunity in this rugard beoauee it provides a stimulue and 1
logical basis to upgrade to higher and better uees many of the adj ¢ heavy induetrial
properties which have been progressively declining in vitality. The General Iron site ia key
to our planning becauee of its size and location. The coheo•;ve 20 acre site ia within the
Broadway to Santa Fe corridor on which the City of En:;Je, ood has focueed its planning
efforts ave, the past two years in anticipation of the complt:ti.on of the Southwest Corridor
Light Rail line. The City u!Englewood ia about to eu.bark ,;n major improvements on
Broadway Imm our northern City limits to Coloracio High ... y 285 . 011r op~ortunities to
compliment the Broadway improvements adjacent to tlie Santa Fe ""~dor are tied to
al~rnative uses within the rJl.il corridor, especially at the General !run site .
•
'The City of Eqlewood believe• a critical mua of tralllit 1upportive UNI inclwlinc
bolWIII, open ,pace and o'.bar land UNI that are compatible with emtilll reoidential. land
UNI, conciitute a more appropriate altematift to the UN of the entire Oenoral Iron Wor~
Site for a Usht Rail Train Mailltlll&IICII Facility. 'The City ofEnpewood would conaider
1upportill1 a joint development w bir.b includH a Light Rail Train Maillte11811C8 Facility
IX'llliltent with the fo,...oillc C011ditio111 .
I, Loucriahia A. Ellia, City Cl.erk for,;l?e City of Enslewood, eoli4do, hereby ,.,rtify the
above ii a 7\18 copy of Retolutt0n No.ir,.. Series of li\99: ~({ 11,J
& Lour.rilhil A. Ellia
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Date
SE>ptember20 , 1999
INmATEDBY
City Manager's Office
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
Agenda Item Subject
Approval of rHolution
providing comment on the
Environmental Impact
11 c i Statement fortl\e RTD
Southeast Corridor
STAFF SOURCE
Michael Flahe , Assistant C ManE\11!!:__
COUNCIL GOAL. AND PREVIOL':.' ~OUNCIL ACTION
This rasolution was included in the Augu$t 16, 1999 , Ctty r ,1uncil agenda, bu1
was continued to September 20 . The proposed resolution provides comments
on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Sou1heast Corridor proposal.
The resolut ion provides support for the dqvelopment of the light rail system,
subject to concems regarding potential effects on the citizens of Englewood ,
specifically , the proµosed construction of a light rail maintenance fac ility at the
General iron stte in Englewood . Council met wtth officials of RTD and the
Colorado Department of Tr'insportalion on September 1, 1999, to funher discuss
the preferred stte for the maintenance facility in Englewood and possible
alternative sites and approaches , includ ing joint development options . However,
it is important that our comments be included in the EIS , prior to the October 5,
1999 , deadline .
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Staff recommends approval of the resolution .
BACKGROUND, ANALYS IS, AND ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED
The Colorad o Departmant of Tran sportati on is condu,,tin g an Environmental
Impact Statement for the SOL!lh east Corri dor project, as required by the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1 !369 . The purpose of ti1e Act is to require public
disclosure, public involvem&nt, and the objective cc r,sideration of ail rqasonable
alterrativos .
Gity Co uncil has previously and con ti nuously stated its support for the
developme nt of light rail in the Southeast Corridor. However, City Council a,,d
staff have se ri ous concerns with th ,; General Iron site, in tts entirety , being used
for the maintenance and storage fac ility for the Sout heast LAT line . Council
expressed these concerns to RTD and tts consulta nts duri ng two separat"
meetingl of City Council In June and at a planning charette held by RTD In July.
Further dilcussions wllH offlc:laW \,f R'f'O"'m\cf1~ve ~n held and RTD
has agniad to cooperate wtth the City of Englewood In exploring alternative sites
u well a the possible joint devaloprnent of_ttie General Iron alla and a portion of
the site inrr.edlately north of Yale In lhfl C!'l/·and County of Denver. The
resolution II Intended to formalize lheH concama and place them on the record
u part ot the EIS comments .
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of tha ,,~solution has no financial Impact.
UST OF ATTACHMENTS
Proposed Resolution
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