12/14/21 City Council Meeting

On Tuesday, December 14th, City Council will hear the first reading of the annexation of the Rivertown property adjacent to St. Vrain Creek and Roger’s Grove Nature Area. There are a number of issues that need to be addressed prior to annexation and any development that occurs on this property.

As Council meetings are now virtual, we ask that you send in comments on the annexation prior to the meeting and/or call into the meeting on Tuesday the 14th to express your concerns. You can watch City Council meetings live from your computer through the City of Longmont’s YouTube Channel or via the Longmont Public Media Channel at https://longmontpublicmedia.org/watch.

Anyone wishing to provide Public Comment must watch the Livestream of the meeting and call-in only when the Chairperson opens the meeting for public comment. Callers are not able to access the meeting at any other time.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALLING IN TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT:

The toll-free call-in number is: 888 788 0099.
Watch the livestream (instructions above) and write down the Meeting ID when it is displayed at the beginning of the meeting.
WAIT for the Chairperson to invite callers to call-in and then dial the toll-free number, enter the Meeting ID, and, when asked for your Participant ID, press #.
Mute the livestream and listen for instructions on the phone.
Callers will hear confirmation they have entered the meeting, will be told how many others are already participating in the meeting and will be placed in a virtual waiting room until admitted into the meeting.
Callers will be called upon by the last three (3) digits of their phone number and allowed to unmute to provide their comments.
Comments are limited to three minutes per person and each speaker will be asked to state their name and address for the record prior to proceeding with their comments.
Once done speaking, callers should hang up.

Specifically, Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek asks that you submit comments on the following points:

Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek

Recommendations Regarding Riverton Annexation Proposal

Summary of Recommendations:

  1. The development must comply with the proposed zoning designation.
  2. The development must be compatible with surrounding properties in terms of land use, site and building layout, and design.
  3. To address the impact of this development on traffic in the area, a traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts must be conducted.
  4. Development on this parcel must take into account wildlife, habitat, and specific species considerations.
  5. A complete, accurate, and impartial Habitat and Species Assessment must be conducted prior to approving any development along this or any riparian corridor in Longmont.
  6. Proposed changes to the river’s channel as a result of the Resilient St Vrain flood mitigation project would destroy nesting habitat for Bank Swallows, a Boulder County species of special concern, at Roger’s Grove. Therefore, a conservation easement on the Rivertown property so that construction bypasses this nesting habitat must be a condition of annexation for this property.
  7. The city’s environmental planner must be heavily involved with this development proposal.
  8. The impact upon existing Longmont residents, and their well-documented priorities, must be taken into account when planning developments along the river corridor.

Longmont Development Code (LDC) application:

The developer must strictly adhere to the criteria and intention of Longmont Development Code, specifically:

  1. a)  The development must comply with the proposed zoning designation.
  • The proposed zoning for the Rivertown property is Mixed-Use Employment.
  • Primary uses for this zoning designation include light industrial, flex work spaces, research and development.
  • This zoning designation is to encourage primary employment.
  • The Rivertown concept plan proposes that only 10% of the property be used as commercial, which is a primary use, while 90% of the property will be used as residential, a secondary use.  Essentially the Rivertown developer is proposing to make a secondary use the predominant use on the Rivertown property, thereby circumventing the intent of the zoning designation.

A condition for annexation must be actual compliance with Mixed-Use Employment zoning.

SPECIAL NOTES:

The Planning and Zoning commissioners discussed the application of secondary uses.  Commissioner Hite, who objected to the application of a secondary use as a predominant use, said the following on page 8 of the August 18 meeting minutes:

“Commissioner Hite spoke about multi-use standards to allow residential as secondary use.  Staff interpretation is that it is to be applied on a district-wide standard and he disagrees with that interpretation.  He said in the multi-use standards, density is applied on a per acre basis, not within the whole zone.  Commissioner Hite also pointed to the Envision Longmont policy 6.3b referenced in the packet, where it states in the multi-use employment district you prioritize employment while supporting secondary uses that incorporate multi-family or live/work circumstances.  He cannot support this plan with only ten percent of the parcel devoted to the primary use.”

There was a follow-up discussion on 10/27/2021 by the commission on secondary uses.  Commissioner Hite said the following:

“We need guidance maybe a little bit or maybe we need to adopt guardrails as to how to implement secondary uses so they don’t become the primary use in these areas where we want to encourage primary employment.”

  1. b) The development must be compatible with surrounding properties in terms of land use, site and building layout, and design. (LDC item 15.05.030(G)(11)
  • The proposal must align with the Longmont Development Code, which stipulates: “Projects adjacent to natural areas including, but not limited to, those stream and creek corridors and riparian areas listed in subsection 15.05.020.F.1., shall be designed to complement the visual context of the natural area.” And“man-made facilities [shall be] screened from off-site observers and blend with the natural visual character of the area.”
  • Because this development is bordered by Rogers Grove/Fairgrounds Lake and St. Vrain Creek, the concept plan as presented is not compatible with the area.
  • The proposed “high density” residential area of 320 units is not compatible with the parcel’s natural environment.
  • Any development proposals should honor and enhance the existing natural areas, not exploit and overburden them.

We recommend a multilayered buffer of native landscaping be placed between any development along the Creek and the river corridor to screen the corridor from light intrusion, storm runoff, noise, and other human disturbance. If this development proposal is approved as currently envisioned, a buffer is also needed on the west side to conceal the proposed duplexes from Rogers Grove/Fairgrounds Lake. 

  1. c) To address the impact of this development on traffic in the area, a traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts is essential. 
  • The Rivertown traffic study is specific to the Rivertown property. It does not address the overall traffic impacts of new developments, including Mountain Brook and Riverset developments, to areas near Hover Road, Sunset Street and Boston Avenue.
  • The top complaint by Longmont residents is traffic congestion due to uncontrolled city growth.
  • The Rivertown development will generate about 3,404 vehicle-trips on the average weekday, with about half entering and half exiting during a 24-hour period, according to the traffic study.

A more comprehensive traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts is needed.

  1. d)  Development on this parcel must take into account wildlife, habitat and special species considerations. 
  • Roger’s Grove contains one of the only known nesting sites in Boulder County of Bank Swallows. This nesting site is just upstream of the Rivertown property. Bank Swallows are a Boulder County Species of Special Concern. Furthermore, they are a declining species nationwide.
  • Current plans for the Resilient St. Vrain Project call for the placement of a split channel flow option right where the Bank Swallows nest, destroying this valuable habitat.
  • The city must require a conservation easement for placement of the split-flow channel on the Rivertown property as a condition of annexation in order for construction to avoid the Bank Swallow nesting area.
  • The City’s Natural Resources Department and Environmental Planner must both be involved in the development process on this property and any other property bordering St. Vrain Creek.
  1. The Habitat & Species Assessment was deceptively done in winter and not during breeding season. Therefore, little wildlife was observed during the survey.
  • A thorough breeding season survey must be conducted prior to beginning any development. 
  • The Osprey nest and Red-tailed Hawks near Rivertown must be buffered during the nesting season to prevent potential nest failure due to construction noise/activity.
  • Were Northern leopard frog surveys conducted in 2021 to determine their presence or absence on this property? On page 6 of the habitat and species assessment it stated such amphibian surveys would be conducted in spring or early summer. If they were, what were the results? If not, why not?  This question must be addressed.

Other Considerations

Including costs, process,  and consequences

  1. The history of eleven flood events is the best predictor for future flooding on this parcel regardless of the best engineered mitigation efforts. With climate chaos here, we WILL see another flood in this corridor-likely in our lifetime.  CC needs to be extremely cautious before putting people and property in harm’s way (to avoid another disaster like the mobile home folks experienced.)
  1. A huge investment of public money has already gone into the RSVP in order to remove properties along Saint Vrain Creek from the floodplain. Additional funding to complete the Hover Reach of RSVP will be acquired through the recently approved storm drainage fee increase, a fee that every utility customer pays each month (per Becky Doyle, Business Services of Public Works & Natural Resources). This will benefit the developer.  When weighing the merits of input received regarding the annexation, city council should remember who is paying for the project that will remove the Rivertown property from the floodplain which will allow the developer to build on it.
  1. The current 6-person city council should delay review of the Rivertown annexation until the vacant at-large seat is filled by a special election.  A full 7-person council should review the Rivertown annexation
  1. City council members should make it clear to planning staff that the development application for the Rivertown development, if the annexation is approved, will be reviewed by city council for final approval or denial or amendment.
  1. This property is directly adjacent to St. Vrain Creek, an important riparian corridor. The city’s new environmental planner must be heavily involved in any development proposal on this property and any other property along this stretch regardless of whether the developer has applied for a variance from the 150 foot riparian buffer. Such involvement may include “ground-truthing” wildlife surveys in addition to the ones conducted by the developer.  CC must make this a stipulation in the annexation agreement if CC approves annexation.
  1. There is nothing in the Rivertown annexation concept plan that suggests any respect for this adjacent natural environment nor any regard for the environmental value of St. Vrain Creek. Any development in this exceptional corridor should be exceptionally designed with residential areas set back, with aesthetically pleasing buildings built with green materials and state-of-the art efficiencies and low lighting/light fixture shielding (to reduce light pollution and lessen impact on wildlife –which uses the St. Vrain corridor at night). CC should require a concept plan that enhances the two adjacent natural areas and includes sustainability features as stipulations of the annexation agreement.

 

Rivertown Annexation First Reading at 12/14/21 City Council Meeting

On Tuesday, December 14th at 7pm, City Council will hear the first reading of the annexation of the Rivertown property adjacent to St. Vrain Creek and Roger’s Grove Nature Area. There are a number of issues that need to be addressed prior to annexation and any development that occurs on this property.

As Council meetings are now virtual, we ask that you send in comments on the annexation prior to the meeting and/or call into the meeting on Tuesday the 14th to express your concerns. You can watch City Council meetings live from your computer through the City of Longmont’s YouTube Channel or via the Longmont Public Media Channel at https://longmontpublicmedia.org/watch.

Anyone wishing to provide Public Comment must watch the Livestream of the meeting and call-in only when the Chairperson opens the meeting for public comment. Callers are not able to access the meeting at any other time.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALLING IN TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT:

The toll-free call-in number is: 888 788 0099.
Watch the livestream (instructions above) and write down the Meeting ID when it is displayed at the beginning of the meeting.
WAIT for the Chairperson to invite callers to call-in and then dial the toll-free number, enter the Meeting ID, and, when asked for your Participant ID, press #.
Mute the livestream and listen for instructions on the phone.
Callers will hear confirmation they have entered the meeting, will be told how many others are already participating in the meeting and will be placed in a virtual waiting room until admitted into the meeting.
Callers will be called upon by the last three (3) digits of their phone number and allowed to unmute to provide their comments.
Comments are limited to three minutes per person and each speaker will be asked to state their name and address for the record prior to proceeding with their comments.
Once done speaking, callers should hang up.

Specifically, Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek asks that you submit comments on the following points:

Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek

Recommendations Regarding Rivertown Annexation Proposal

Summary of Recommendations:

  1. The development must comply with the proposed zoning designation.
  2. The development must be compatible with surrounding properties in terms of land use, site and building layout, and design.
  3. To address the impact of this development on traffic in the area, a traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts must be conducted.
  4. Development on this parcel must take into account wildlife, habitat, and specific species considerations.
  5. A complete, accurate, and impartial Habitat and Species Assessment must be conducted prior to approving any development along this or any riparian corridor in Longmont.
  6. Proposed changes to the river’s channel as a result of the Resilient St Vrain flood mitigation project would destroy nesting habitat for Bank Swallows, a Boulder County species of special concern, at Roger’s Grove. Therefore, a conservation easement on the Rivertown property so that construction bypasses this nesting habitat must be a condition of annexation for this property.
  7. The city’s environmental planner must be heavily involved with this development proposal.
  8. The impact upon existing Longmont residents, and their well-documented priorities, must be taken into account when planning developments along the river corridor.

Longmont Development Code (LDC) application:

The developer must strictly adhere to the criteria and intention of Longmont Development Code, specifically:

  1. a)  The development must comply with the proposed zoning designation.
  • The proposed zoning for the Rivertown property is Mixed-Use Employment.
  • Primary uses for this zoning designation include light industrial, flex work spaces, research and development.
  • This zoning designation is to encourage primary employment.
  • The Rivertown concept plan proposes that only 10% of the property be used as commercial, which is a primary use, while 90% of the property will be used as residential, a secondary use.  Essentially the Rivertown developer is proposing to make a secondary use the predominant use on the Rivertown property, thereby circumventing the intent of the zoning designation.

A condition for annexation must be actual compliance with Mixed-Use Employment zoning.

SPECIAL NOTES:

The Planning and Zoning commissioners discussed the application of secondary uses.  Commissioner Hite, who objected to the application of a secondary use as a predominant use, said the following on page 8 of the August 18 meeting minutes:

“Commissioner Hite spoke about multi-use standards to allow residential as secondary use.  Staff interpretation is that it is to be applied on a district-wide standard and he disagrees with that interpretation.  He said in the multi-use standards, density is applied on a per acre basis, not within the whole zone.  Commissioner Hite also pointed to the Envision Longmont policy 6.3b referenced in the packet, where it states in the multi-use employment district you prioritize employment while supporting secondary uses that incorporate multi-family or live/work circumstances.  He cannot support this plan with only ten percent of the parcel devoted to the primary use.”

There was a follow-up discussion on 10/27/2021 by the commission on secondary uses.  Commissioner Hite said the following:

“We need guidance maybe a little bit or maybe we need to adopt guardrails as to how to implement secondary uses so they don’t become the primary use in these areas where we want to encourage primary employment.”

  1. b) The development must be compatible with surrounding properties in terms of land use, site and building layout, and design. (LDC item 15.05.030(G)(11)
  • The proposal must align with the Longmont Development Code, which stipulates: “Projects adjacent to natural areas including, but not limited to, those stream and creek corridors and riparian areas listed in subsection 15.05.020.F.1., shall be designed to complement the visual context of the natural area.” And“man-made facilities [shall be] screened from off-site observers and blend with the natural visual character of the area.”
  • Because this development is bordered by Rogers Grove/Fairgrounds Lake and St. Vrain Creek, the concept plan as presented is not compatible with the area.
  • The proposed “high density” residential area of 320 units is not compatible with the parcel’s natural environment.
  • Any development proposals should honor and enhance the existing natural areas, not exploit and overburden them.

We recommend a multilayered buffer of native landscaping be placed between any development along the Creek and the river corridor to screen the corridor from light intrusion, storm runoff, noise, and other human disturbance. If this development proposal is approved as currently envisioned, a buffer is also needed on the west side to conceal the proposed duplexes from Rogers Grove/Fairgrounds Lake. 

  1. c) To address the impact of this development on traffic in the area, a traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts is essential. 
  • The Rivertown traffic study is specific to the Rivertown property. It does not address the overall traffic impacts of new developments, including Mountain Brook and Riverset developments, to areas near Hover Road, Sunset Street and Boston Avenue.
  • The top complaint by Longmont residents is traffic congestion due to uncontrolled city growth.
  • The Rivertown development will generate about 3,404 vehicle-trips on the average weekday, with about half entering and half exiting during a 24-hour period, according to the traffic study.

A more comprehensive traffic study which includes Mountain Brook and Riverset development impacts is needed.

  1. d)  Development on this parcel must take into account wildlife, habitat and special species considerations. 
  • Roger’s Grove contains one of the only known nesting sites in Boulder County of Bank Swallows. This nesting site is just upstream of the Rivertown property. Bank Swallows are a Boulder County Species of Special Concern. Furthermore, they are a declining species nationwide.
  • Current plans for the Resilient St. Vrain Project call for the placement of a split channel flow option right where the Bank Swallows nest, destroying this valuable habitat.
  • The city must require a conservation easement for placement of the split-flow channel on the Rivertown property as a condition of annexation in order for construction to avoid the Bank Swallow nesting area.
  • The City’s Natural Resources Department and Environmental Planner must both be involved in the development process on this property and any other property bordering St. Vrain Creek.
  1. The Habitat & Species Assessment was deceptively done in winter and not during breeding season. Therefore, little wildlife was observed during the survey.
  • A thorough breeding season survey must be conducted prior to beginning any development. 
  • The Osprey nest and Red-tailed Hawks near Rivertown must be buffered during the nesting season to prevent potential nest failure due to construction noise/activity.
  • Were Northern leopard frog surveys conducted in 2021 to determine their presence or absence on this property? On page 6 of the habitat and species assessment it stated such amphibian surveys would be conducted in spring or early summer. If they were, what were the results? If not, why not?  This question must be addressed.

Other Considerations

Including costs, process,  and consequences

  1. The history of eleven flood events is the best predictor for future flooding on this parcel regardless of the best engineered mitigation efforts. With climate chaos here, we WILL see another flood in this corridor-likely in our lifetime.  CC needs to be extremely cautious before putting people and property in harm’s way (to avoid another disaster like the mobile home folks experienced.)
  1. A huge investment of public money has already gone into the RSVP in order to remove properties along Saint Vrain Creek from the floodplain. Additional funding to complete the Hover Reach of RSVP will be acquired through the recently approved storm drainage fee increase, a fee that every utility customer pays each month (per Becky Doyle, Business Services of Public Works & Natural Resources). This will benefit the developer.  When weighing the merits of input received regarding the annexation, city council should remember who is paying for the project that will remove the Rivertown property from the floodplain which will allow the developer to build on it.
  1. The current 6-person city council should delay review of the Rivertown annexation until the vacant at-large seat is filled by a special election.  A full 7-person council should review the Rivertown annexation
  1. City council members should make it clear to planning staff that the development application for the Rivertown development, if the annexation is approved, will be reviewed by city council for final approval or denial or amendment.
  1. This property is directly adjacent to St. Vrain Creek, an important riparian corridor. The city’s new environmental planner must be heavily involved in any development proposal on this property and any other property along this stretch regardless of whether the developer has applied for a variance from the 150 foot riparian buffer. Such involvement may include “ground-truthing” wildlife surveys in addition to the ones conducted by the developer.  CC must make this a stipulation in the annexation agreement if CC approves annexation.
  1. There is nothing in the Rivertown annexation concept plan that suggests any respect for this adjacent natural environment nor any regard for the environmental value of St. Vrain Creek. Any development in this exceptional corridor should be exceptionally designed with residential areas set back, with aesthetically pleasing buildings built with green materials and state-of-the art efficiencies and low lighting/light fixture shielding (to reduce light pollution and lessen impact on wildlife –which uses the St. Vrain corridor at night). CC should require a concept plan that enhances the two adjacent natural areas and includes sustainability features as stipulations of the annexation agreement.

Letter to the editor: Shari Malloy, Protecting Longmont’s natural areas–Longmont Leader opinion

 By: Shari Malloy, Community opinion submission

Longmont City Council recently voted to make itself the deciding body on property development applications adjacent to Longmont public lands. This is an important step forward in honoring the environmental and conservation values of residents. The 2018 Longmont Open Space Survey found 74% of respondents rated “Protecting natural areas from development” as “very important.” Development proposals throughout the city are reviewed by City Planning staff before going to the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission for review/approval. P&Z is an appointed board and not elected by residents. Historically, City Council has had no say on any development plans and was only involved if a P&Z approved proposal was appealed. Appeals are very time-limited (30 days), cumbersome, and rare. Empowering City Council to be the final deciding body on proposals adjacent to our natural areas and parks will give residents a voice in the good stewardship of our public investments.

A recent development annexation application submitted to City Planning underscores why this ordinance is so critical. The proposed “Rivertown” development is on 20 acres along the south side of St. Vrain Creek just east of Roger’s Grove to Sunset Street. Roger’s Grove exists because Roger Jones selflessly donated 55 acres to the City for preservation when his wife died. He did this so Longmont residents might always have a place to connect with nature, to learn and to enjoy. There is nothing in the Dec. 2020 Rivertown annexation application that suggests any respect for this adjacent natural environment nor any regard for the environmental value of St. Vrain Creek. The proposed “high density” residential area of 380 units with restaurants and businesses is way too high for this sensitive area. Any development proposals should honor and enhance this special area–not exploit and overburden it.

I am a member of Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek, a growing group of community members who advocate for protecting our St. Vrain corridor and the wildlife that depend upon it from potentially damaging development. The Longmont reach of the St. Vrain has tremendous ecological value. Portions of the corridor are designated as critical wildlife habitat and have been identified as having immense aquatic conservation value to the State of Colorado due to the presence of rare, threatened native fish species. The proposed Rivertown development is in very close proximity to one of the only known nesting Bank Swallow colonies (a species of special concern) within Boulder County. The entire St. Vrain corridor is also a Stream Habitat Connector, which is how wildlife moves at night from one area to another. Evidence of wildlife movement includes the presence of mink and beaver at Golden Ponds and Sandstone Ranch, coyotes and foxes throughout the corridor, and bobcats and deer at Sandstone.

Many are concerned whether it is prudent to significantly develop along this corridor. The Army Corp of Engineers has identified 12 flood events along the St. Vrain in the last 120 years. Even with the best possible mitigation efforts, common sense dictates this corridor will flood again. Flooding is the third most common natural disaster. For the river not to respond to what’s happening with climate change would break the law of physics. We had 17 inches of rain in the span of 4 days in 2013, and extreme weather events across the world have only grown worse since then. Is it morally and fiscally responsible to knowingly put people and property in harm’s way and leave taxpayers on the hook to pay for flood recovery? Thus far, over Longmont staff estimates $400-500 million has been spent on flood recovery and mitigation. Due to this massive public investment and the additional public monies the Rivertown applicant intends to apply for in urban renewal dollars, the public’s voice and best interest deserve extra consideration. This holds true for all development proposals along our St. Vrain Greenway.

We are all learning how essential protecting the natural environment is to our survival. Again, any development proposals should honor and complement our St. Vrain Greenway and other natural areas—not exploit and overburden them.

https://www.longmontleader.com/community/letter-to-the-editor-shari-malloy-protecting-longmonts-natural-areas-3635126

Annexation of Riverset Development

An annexation application petition has been filed for 21 S. Sunset Street to annex the 21-acre property into the city and zone it mixed use-employment. An accompanying annexation concept plan has been submitted with
the application which proposes residential apartments and duplexes on the west side of the property and a 20,000 square foot commercial building on the east side facing Sunset Street.

Stand With Our St Vrain Creek is watching this annexation with interest due to the property’s proximity to St. Vrain Creek and Roger’s Grove Nature Area. The current concept plan is vague and we’d like to know more about how the applicant intends to mitigate any potential impacts of future development on the surrounding area and how the development falls in line with the Sustainable Evaluation System.

Concept Plan – Rivertown Longmont – 12.02.2020

Advisory Panel Meeting to Decide Future of St. Vrain Corridor

Please attend the next advisory panel meeting for the so-called “Building STEAM” (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts, and maker spaces) initiative on September 13th from 9am to 12pm at the Longmont Museum in the Kaiser Classroom.

This advisory panel is planning the future of development along the St. Vrain corridor and it is very important that environmental voices are heard in this effort as most of the voices in the room prior to this have been businesses and developers. This next meeting will be a brainstorm session about the next steps in the process and what the City Council should consider as they move forward with the plan.

You can see the progress of the advisory panel online at: https://engage.longmontcolorado.gov/building-steam. The Main Street Corridor plan is progressing hand-in-hand with this and its progress can be found at:  https://engage.longmontcolorado.gov/main-street-corridor-plan

Left Hand Cultural Events Center

Left Hand Brewing has formally submitted their application for their cultural event center. Here are the supporting documents (click on the pictures below to open and read).

While this application does not ask for a variance from the 150 foot conservation buffer along St. Vrain Creek, of particular concern are the noise levels measured by Left Hand’s consultant. Per typical concerts put on by Left Hand at Roosevelt Park, the decibel level at the back of the venue may average 95 DBA, though this level may fluctuate up and down.

Sound levels fall off the farther from the source you get. However, the consultant estimated that sound levels across the river to the south at the nearest homes could be as high as 77 DBA. For comparison, a concrete mixer 50 feet away has a DBA of 80, while a large dog barking 50 feet away has a DBA of 70.

Currently, Longmont has a noise ordinance in chapter 10.20.110 of the Longmont Municipal Code that prohibits noise levels higher than 55 DBA during the day and 50 DBA during the night in residential areas unless a special event permit has been issued. Because Longmont does not have any ordinances dealing with music events at designated venues, Left Hand will almost certainly be seeking to change the noise ordinance.

If anything about this application concerns you, please send your comments regarding the cultural event center application to City Planner Brien Schumacher. He can be contacted by calling (303) 651-8764 or by emailing Brien.Schumacher@longmontcolorado.gov. There will very likely NOT be a second neighborhood meeting.

Site and Landscape setup document

thumbnail of Vicinity Map – Left Hand Brewing – 07112019

thumbnail of Cover Letter – Left Hand Brewing – 07112019

thumbnail of Acoustics – Left Hand Brewing – 07112019

thumbnail of Habitat Plan – Left Hand Brewing – 07112019

thumbnail of Notice of Application 08062019

 

 

Citizen Surveys

City staff have put out 2 surveys on their new Engage Longmont site regarding the Main Street Corridor Plan and the STEAM plan, which has ideas for building along the St. Vrain Creek corridor.

These surveys end on Sunday, July 28th. Please let your voice be heard and fill out these surveys.

Main Street Corridor survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mainstcorridor-2

STEAM survey: https://engage.longmontcolorado.gov/building-steam?tool=survey_tool&tool_id=building-steam-vision&ts=1564096704#tool_tab

Opinion: Shari Malloy–Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek Clarifies Position on Development

Opinion: Shari Malloy–Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek Clarifies Position on Development

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Photo by Alexa Mazzarello on Unsplash

As organizer of Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek I wish to clarify our groups position on development which has lately been mischaracterized.

Stand supporters are concerned about the potential for development along St. Vrain Creek that may occur as a result flood mitigation work that will remove over 800 acres of land from the floodplain. 90% of all wildlife relies on riparian areas for survival. If we want to continue having the abundance of wildlife including birds, beavers, raptors, canines, reptiles, deer, wild turkeys and bobcats, along our Greenway and at Sandstone Ranch, we need to protect these areas from development that will cause harm if too close or inappropriate.

In addition to providing habitat and acting as a wildlife movement corridor, riparian areas filter pollutants and sediment, stabilize banks, and prevent downstream flooding. There have been 11 flood events in our city reach of the St. Vrain corridor since the late 1800s. Common sense dictates that even with the best possible mitigation efforts, there will likely be another major flood in our lifetime. The lesson from the 2013 flood should be to keep people and property out of harms way by setting development back from the river.

In August, 2018, City Council gave final approval to the first set of major updates to Longmont’s Land Development Code in 17 years. These new standards became effective in September. These did not include improvements to the Habitat and Species Protection section because staff was waiting for the Wildlife Management Plan update to be done to help inform the Code. City Planning was directed by Council to include several amendments and to develop a sustainability evaluation tool (SES) for appraising development applications using the triple bottom line; economy, environment and social equity. The Planning Department is expected to present these amendments and the new tool to City Council later this summer. The Wildlife Management Plan Update is also being finalized and should be done and approved by City Council in July.

Last October, Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek presented City Council members with 750 postcards and 520 signatures from residents which stated: We, the undersigned, urge Longmont Mayor Brian Bagley and City Council members to protect Longmont’s sensitive and important riparian areas from the intrusion of damaging urban development. Specifically, we want any/all considerations for development in proximity to the St. Vrain Creek corridor to be “put on hold” until the following are in place: 1) FEMA approves new flood plain maps 2) Resilient St. Vrain Project Plans – and funding are in place; 3) The Land Development Code Update is completed for the sections concerning Riparian Protection and Wildlife Management.

Eight months later although none of those 3 common-sense provisions have been realized, development applications are being submitted and processed along our St. Vrain greenway. These applications fall under the current code that is lacking in the essential riparian protections that Council will soon be reviewing. For this reason Stand with Our St Vrain Creek recommended Council enact a Time Out now on any/all development or redevelopment applications along our St. Vrain Greenway until the Code amendments and SES tool are established. Ideally, this time-out should extend until such time as FEMA approves new flood plain maps and the Resilient St. Vrain flood mitigation project is completed, but we realize that’s highly unlikely. Enacting the Code updates and approving the SES tool is the best way to insure that any development along this corridor and near other sensitive areas is done right.

According to our city manager these important standards and practice policy improvements should be in place early this Fall. Therefore, a time-out would be short and productive; giving staff a chance to catch their breath and devote full attention to completing the code and SES for Council’s approval. A time-out is a 5-way win: 1) Win for city planning staff to catch up; 2) Win for our creek’s health to continue to recover and be protected from future harm; 3) Win for taxpayers return on our $150 million investment for flood mitigation; 4) Win for the public who value wildlife; and 5) Win for developers who will have better guidelines to improve their proposals.

The results of Longmont’s 2018 Customer Satisfaction Survey found 74% of residents rated “Protecting nature areas from development” as “very important.” Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek simply suggested City Council be proactive to allow good policy to catch up to and inform good development before it’s too late.

Submitted by Shari Malloy, Retired special education teacher and member of Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek

Longmont