TC Minutes 02-15-2005MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AVON TOWN COUNCIL
HELD FEBRUARY 15, 2005
A Special Meeting of the Town of Avon, Colorado was held at 400 Benchmark Road, Avon,
Colorado in the Council Chambers.
Mayor Ron Wolfe called the meeting to order at 2:35 PM. A roll call was taken and Council
members present were Debbie Buckley, Kristi Ferraro, Mac McDevitt, Brian Sipes and Tamra
Nottingham Underwood. Amy Phillips was absent at roll call and arrived closer to 3 PM. Also
present were Town Manager Larry Brooks, Town Attorney John Dunn, Assistant Town Manager
Jacquie Halburnt, Town Clerk Patty McKenny, Finance Director Scott Wright, Town Engineer
Norm Wood, and Community Development Director Tambi Katieb and other members of the
public.
Town Manager Lang Brooks began the meeting by addressing the fact that it was a public
meeting open to everyone and that the Council was seated around the worktable in order to
view some maps and provide a more appropriate forum for round table discussion. He noted
that it is the hopes of staff to obtain from this discussion a better understanding of what Council
is looking for from the Town Center Plan/District, and in light of their recent discussions with the
Lot 61 representatives, a better understanding of how the "mall concept" functions. The area
that was discussed was that bound by Beaver Creek Boulevard to the north, Avon Road to the
east and Benchmark Road to the west. Community Development Director Tambi Katieb made
a brief presentation and the group intermittently discussed the various topics related to the
Town Center Plan. A summary of the topics and business points discussed were provide by the
Community Development Department and are as follows:
The scope of the public improvements project for Main Street and the Town Center public
improvements program shall consider the following overall public design goals:
- Create an enticing atmosphere that is visible and unique and supportive of the bed base
that surrounds it.
- Create a public improvements project where the vehicle is subservient to the pedestrian
and a streetscape that is oriented towards public functions and events.
- Create a Main Street that is physically connected to Nottingham Park, serving as a
logical extension and venue for public special events.
- Create a Main Street that is anticipated to full closure for pedestrian-only events,
however providing for vehicular connectivity to the public parking improvements and the
Confluence project site.
- Create a design theme and landscape that is cohesive and enhances the pedestrian and
retail experience as build-out and redevelopment, is anticipated in this area.
- Provide a comprehensive sign and landscape program that is oriented at a pedestrian
scale, easy to understand, and provides directional clues to visitors necessary to
encourage a 'park once, stop many' experience that is inclusive of the civic functions
(recreation) and public artwork opportunities, transit center and Confluence experience.
In addition to the broad public design goals, the following specific design parameters are
requested with respect to individual portions of the project:
1. Main Street (Benchmark Road at the existing bus center to Benchmark Road west side
of Recreation Center) shall be designed to:
The full extent of this roadway shall be open to both pedestrians and vehicles.
The design of the roadway shall be pedestrian oriented, anticipating that the entire
length will be closed periodically for public events and the Town may determine at a
- The design of the roadway shall accommodate on-street parking. The design should limit
speeds to 10 to 15 mph to create an atmosphere where the pedestrian takes priority in
the streetscape. The design should also be such as to accommodate some form of
future limited public transportation system.
2. Benchmark intersection at the library and Main Street shall be designed to:
- Allow for vehicular circulation either at grade or below grade, however providing for
continued access and parking for the library. Both scenarios shall be submitted with
cost estimates and design considerations for Main Street and associated public
improvements as necessary to adjacent ROW.
3. Benchmark Court shall be designed to:
The full extent of this roadway shall be open to both pedestrians and vehicles, however
be closed periodically for public events and the Town may determine at a future date to
close this street to vehicles permanently
No primary garage access to Lot 61 or the Seasons shall be permitted from Benchmark
Court.
Create an invigorating and inviting pedestrian streetscape that is fronted by retail and
has secondary access to the Lot 61 residential project.
Model the streetscape to work in concert with and anticipate the 'build over' entitlements
currently assigned to the Lot 61 PUD.
4. Municipal Parking Structure shall be designed to:
Be implemented and constructed in a phased approach, anticipating a total parking
capacity of 350 to 450 cars over 3 levels.
- Have the ability to be architecturally consistent with the streetscape project and have the
appearance of a public facility with ground level retail lease opportunities.
Have pedestrian and vehicular connectivity that is consistent with the design solution of
Main Street and the Benchmark Road intersection, providing access to the public library
and recreation center.
Anticipate the 'Phase II' improvements of the recreation center, providing for a landmark
public recreation opportunity that is visible and enticing (i.e. a climbing wall or
transparent view into the final phase of the recreation center) at full build-out.
5. Benchmark Road & Surface Parking Realignment shall be designed to:
Realign from Beaver Creek Boulevard to intersect with western terminus of Main Street
at Nottingham Park and extend on across Railroad to provide access to Confluence Site.
Include on-street angled and/or parallel parking and sidewalks for access to Recreation
Center and Nottingham Park.
Provide access to Sheraton parking and delivery location, proposed public parking
structure and development on west side i.e., Beaver Creek West.
6. Transportation Center shall be designed to:
- Accommodate a minimum of five (5) 45-foot buses simultaneously with each being
capable of entering or exiting the center independently.
- At least two (2) spaces must be able to accommodate buses coming from the East on
Benchmark.Road and returning to the East on Benchmark Road.
Be accessed from both Easterly and Westerly directions of Benchmark Road.
Interface with Benchmark Court pedestrian and vehicular traffic and enhanced
pedestrian crossing of Benchmark Road and Railroad to Confluence Site.
- Interface with Benchmark Road and existing entrances to the Seasons property.
- Interface with potential underground parking entrance to Lot 61 from Benchmark Road.
Regular Council Meeting Page 2 of 3
February 15, 2005
Interface with two-way traffic on Benchmark Road.
Some further discussion ensued about asking the Town's consultant, Stan Bernstein, to conduct
fiscal impact & economic analysis on the plans.
Resolution
At this time, Councilors Ferraro and Sipes left the room. Community Development Director
Tambi Katieb presented Resolution No. 05-03, a Resolution Approving and Authorizing
Application Submittal to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for at Grade Crossings as
required by the Town Center Public Improvements Project in the Town of Avon, Colorado. He
noted that this resolution provides for the official authorization to direct staff to submit
application to the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Colorado (PUC) for the two at
grade crossing into the Confluence property. He noted that the application would be reviewed
by the Town's consultant prior to submittal to the PUC. It was also noted that the Town had
entered into a memorandum of Understanding with East West for all costs associated with the
preparation, submittal and hearings necessary in acquiring the PUC approval for these
crossings. And it was planned that the property owner will also pay for the crossings once their
approvals have been secured, since they represent a cost effective means of access to the site
in lieu of existing PUD requirements. Mayor Pro Tern Underwood moved to approve Resolution
No. 05-03, a Resolution Approving and Authorizing Application Submittal to the Colorado Public
Utilities Commission for at Grade Crossings as required by the Town Center Public
Improvements Project in the Town of Avon, Colorado. Councilor Buckley seconded the motion
and it passed with a unanimous vote of the remaining four Councilors.
There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 PM.
Y SUBMITTED:
APPROVED:
Debbie Buckley
Kristi Ferraro
Mac McDevitt
Amy Phillips
Brian Sipes
Tamra Underwood
Ron Wolfe
Clerk
Regular Council Meeting
February 15, 2005
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