Black Hawk agressively fulfilling plan as destination resort

With the Gregory Street Plaza Project and Maryland Mountain Park Trail Project By Randy Beaudette Black Hawk City Aldermen tackled an unusually long and complex agenda Wednesday in which decisions were made on historical and transformational issues. Newly hired Firefighter David Young rang the bell promptly at 3:00 p.m. to announce the Black Hawk City Council regular meeting August 28, 2019 edition. Mayor Spellman called the Black Hawk City Council to order followed by Roll Call, then led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members that were present: Aldermen Linda Armbright, Paul Bennett, Jim Johnson, Hal Midcap, Greg Moates, and Benito Torres. Also present were City Attorney Corey Hoffmann, City Manager Stephen Cole, Police Chief Kenneth Lloyd, Fire Chief Christopher Woolley, City Clerk/ Admin Services Director Melissa Greiner, Public Works Director Tom Isbester, Finance Director Lance Hillis, Planning and Development Administrator Cindy Linker, and Deputy City Clerk Michele Martin City Attorney Hoffmann asked Council to declare any Conflicts of Interest on any issue appearing on the agenda other that than those already disclosed and filed with the City Clerk and Secretary of State. There were no objections from the City Council or from the onlookers in the chambers. Introduction of New Employee David Young spent the first 12 years of his life in Nebraska before moving to Colorado with his family and graduating from Dakota Ridge High School. He now lives just down the hill from Black Hawk in the Morrison area. He has a background in concrete construction and started a career in the fire service as a volunteer with Fairmount Fire Protection District in 2013. Since that time, he has enjoyed deploying on wildfire incidents around the country. David spends his spare time playing with his son, who also enjoys his sport of choice, ice hockey. David participates in an ice hockey league with his team of other firefighters from the metro area. He also likes to go camping and fishing with his wife and son at his favorite location near Kenosha Pass. David says he is having a wonderful experience working at the Fire Department. Everyone has been extremely nice and welcoming, and he is looking forward to creating new bonds with the people here and working hard for the City of Black Hawk. Approval of Minutes Black Hawk Aldermen approved the meeting minutes form the September 11, 2019 Regular Meeting with no changes or amendments. PUBLIC HEARINGS Silver Dollar Metropolitan District Amendment (Ordinance 2019-20) Black Hawk City Council approved Ordinance 2019-20 which is an Ordinance Approving the Eighth Amendment to Service Plan of the Silver Dollar Metropolitan District to allow the provision of (1) Transportation Services Pursuant to C.R.S. § 32-1-1004(9); (2) Activities in Support of the Business Recruitment, Management and Development Pursuant to C.R.S § 32-1-1004(9); and (3) A Change in Number of the District’s Board of Directors from Five (5) to Nine (9) Pursuant to the City of Black Hawk Home Rule Charter. Historic Appreciation and Preservation District (HARD) Amendment (Ordinance 2019-21) The City of Black Hawk has identified the need to update portions of the Municipal Code within Chapter 16 (Zoning). The proposed amendments include three sections: Commercial/Business Services (C/BS), Historic Appreciation and Preservation District (HARD), and Definitions. The goal of the proposed amendments is to provide additional flexibility for commercial development in order to advance the City’s goal of becoming a destination resort, as outlined in the City of Black Hawk Comprehensive Plan adopted on October 27, 2004 by Resolution No. 18- 2004, and amended on October 23, 2013 by Resolution No. 40-2013. In July of 2019, the City of Black Hawk identified the need to update portions of the Municipal Code within Chapter 16 (Zoning). The proposed amendments include three sections: Commercial/Business Services (C/BS), Historic Appreciation and Preservation District (HARD), and Definitions. The two zoning district sections are contained within Chapter 16, Article V (Nonresidential Districts) of the Municipal Code. The definitions section is contained within Chapter 16, Article II (Definitions) of the Municipal Code. SUMMARY OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS: Chapter 16, Article V, Division 1 – Commercial/Business Services (C/BS): This amendment adds indoor or outdoor event centers and indoor mini-warehousing and storage to the list of permitted principal uses. In addition, this amendment adds indoor shooting ranges and campgrounds to the list of special review uses. Other minor changes are proposed to clarify certain sections and fix typographical errors included in the last adopted code. Chapter 16, Article V, Division 6 – History, Appreciation and Preservation District (HARD): This amendment adds language reflected in the Gregory Street Sub-Area Plan adopted as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan on October 23, 2013 by Resolution No. 40-2013. This added language reflects the desire for the planned Gregory Street area to allow for and encourage close spacing of commercial buildings in order to promote a personal pedestrian commercial experience. In addition, this amendment alters the lot dimension and setback regulations to allow for closer building spacing.Black Hawk City Council approved Ordinance 2019-21 unanimously. Gregory Street Construction Amendment (Resolution 62-2019) City Council approved a Construction Manager/ General Contractor (CMGC) contract with Roche Constructors, Inc. to complete preconstruction services for the Gregory Street Plaza project on February 27, 2019. Additionally, City Council approved a Phase 1 Amendment to this Agreement on July 10, 2019 that authorized Roche Constructors to move the McAfee, Woodbury, and Norton Houses off their foundations and procure the precast sections of concrete box culvert necessary to reconstruct the flume between High and Church Streets. This Phase 2 GMP includes the previously-approved costs mentioned above, as well as costs to: Renovate the McAfee, Woodbury, and Norton Houses. Construct the Public Restroom and Fire Truck Display buildings. Renovate the Bobtail Mine building. Relocate and renovate the Bunk House. Reconstruct the flume between High and Church Streets. Construct all site, landscaping, and utility improvements necessary to complete the Gregory Street Plaza. It should be noted that this Phase 2 GMP does not include costs to: Renovate the Gregory Street Commercial Building at 211/221 Gregory Street. Construct the “Grand Staircase.” Stabilize the rock face behind the McAfee, Woodbury, and Norton Houses. Rehabilitate the masonry on the church building at 331 Gregory Street. Future Amendments or Agreements will be presented to City Council to authorize these expenditures. Stone Mason Contractor Agreement (Resolution 63-2019) Resolution 63-2019, a Resolution approving the Trade Contractor Agreement, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the same, between Brennan Stone Masonry and the City of Black Hawk, for the construction of the stone retaining wall for the Clear Creek Parking Lot. The Clear Creek Parking Lot project has been ongoing for over a year. XCEL finally relocated the lighting necessary to allow continuation of the work. After going several years without being able to find a stone mason for City projects, staff has recently engaged Brennan Stone Masonry to install the monument sign for the EOC and has been satisfied with their work. This project will include a short stone masonry wall along the south and east side of the parking lot. Black Hawk City Council approved Resolution 63-2019 unanimously. Rail Slab Project Contract Agreement (Resolution 64-2019) Resolution 64-2019 which is a Resolution approving Amendment No. 1 to the Design-Builder contract for the Bobtail Street Rail Slab project. Amendment No. 1 would establish the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for construction of this project. City Council approved a Design-Builder contract with Concrete Express, Inc. to complete preconstruction services for the Bobtail Rail Slab project on April 24, 2019. While the Design-Build contract authorized Concrete Express, Inc. to proceed with preconstruction services, Council was made aware that an Amendment to accept the GMP for construction would be forthcoming. The GMP of $865,711 includes the preconstruction costs of $108,500 previously approved by City Council for preconstruction services. City Council approved the additional funds unanimously. Maryland Mountain Project Grant Application (Resolution 65-2019) Black Hawk Aldermen approved Resolution 65-2019 which supports the grant application for a Local Parks and Outdoor Recreation Grant from the State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund for the Completion of Maryland Mountain Park Trail Project. The City has requested $400,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado to create a trail system. Results of this application will be announced at a later date. Monarch Driveway Width Reduction Variance (Resolution 66-2019) The City of Black Hawk has received an application from MBA Architecture and Monarch Growth Inc. requesting a Variance to the minimum driveway width from 20 feet to 14.5 feet for an access/egress point at the west end of the Monarch Casino which City Council approved. The variance is being requested as part of the porte cochere (covered driveway) conversion into a poker room. Once the renovations are completed, the existing valet parking area will be used exclusively by Monarch staff for overflow valet parking. With the addition of the new parking garage on the east end of the Monarch property, the need for the valet lot located under the existing casino is reduced. Monarch plans to use the existing ground level and lower level valet parking areas for overflow valet parking only. Monarch has indicated that this overflow valet lot will be accessed by Monarch personnel only and public access will be restricted. The existing porte cochere is designed with a two-way entrance/exit on the east end and a one-way exit on the west end. The proposed addition of a poker room in the location of the existing porte cochere will reduce the access to the parking area to a single two-way entrance on the west end. In order to mitigate the traffic flow changes and safety issues introduced by the proposed change, the applicant has proposed the addition of the following: Relocation of the existing City bus stop to a location further east on Main Street. Addition of a right-turn lane in the area of the existing City bus stop to allow drivers entering the overflow valet parking area to stop for any exiting/on-coming traffic. Installation of a wall-mounted convex traffic mirror inside the overflow valet parking area to assist drivers’ visibility of on-coming traffic. Installation of a stop sign inside the overflow valet parking area with a sign below to read “Always Yield to Incoming Traffic.” Installation of an exterior sign to read “Do Not Enter” above entrance/exit of the overflow valet parking area. 200 Gregory Street Lease Amendment (Resolution 67-2019) Resolution 67-2019 is a Resolution approving the First Amendment to the Agreement of Lease between the City of Black Hawk as lessor and Ed & Shirley, Inc. as lessee for property located at 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk, Colorado. The First Amendment to the Lease provides alternate parking due to the Gregory Street Phase 2 Project. With the need to use the Briggs Lot for staging and laydown, the City has impeded access to the Lessee’s parking lot located immediately west of the Briggs Lot. This amendment provides additional surface parking between the Crook’s parking lot and the St. Charles Parking Garage for the duration of the time access is denied to Lessee. Black Hawk City Council approved Resolution 67-2019 unanimously. Property Casualty Insurance Renewal (Resolution 68-2019) Black Hawk Aldermen approved the 2020 Quote for Renewal for Property Casualty Insurance with Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA). CIRSA presented a preliminary quote of $263,667 for the annual renewal of the 2020 Property Casualty Insurance. The impact of loss experience decreased the quote by $12,874 bringing the amount of the 2020 Preliminary Quotation down before credits to $250,793. The City of Black Hawk actively works to control losses and this year earned $3,848 in Loss Control Credits. This credit will be used to further reduce the 2020 contribution to $246,945 which results in a 12% increase over 2019 coverage. While the City’s loss ratio decreased from .89 to .88, the following factors contributed to the increase in the City’s annual contribution: Total Operating Exenditures increased by $1,695,713. Total bulding values increased by $1,948,800. Anticipated payroll increased by $897,737. 800 MHZ Communication System Agreement (Resolution 69-2019 ) This Communication System and Service agreement between the City of Black Hawk and Motorola Solutions, Inc. is to upgrade the radio communications system radio consoles in the communications center to 800 MHZ (DTRS). The City of Black Hawk in conjunction with Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Department and the Gilpin County Sheriff’s has shared the same radio system LCORE for over a decade on a VHF radio system. With the aging system and increased cost to the radio maintenance, the City is migrating to the State of Colorado’s DTRS system, also known as 800MHZ radios. The DTRS system will have lower annual maintenance costs of $12,000 in 2020, compared to $50,957 paid in 2019 for annual maintenance fees. The DTRS system will allow interoperability with many law, fire, and emergency services throughout the state. The City will transition to the DTRS system at the same time as Gilpin and Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Departments do in March 2020. As part of the transition, the communication system must be upgraded and new equipment installed. This agreement for $67,101 is to upgrade the dispatch consoles in the Black Hawk Communications Center. Black Hawk City Council approved Resolution 69-2019 unanimously. Adjournment Black Hawk City Council adjourned at 3:40 p.m. Next Meeting The next Black Hawk City Council regular meeting will be held on October 9, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at 211 Church Street, Black Hawk, Colorado.

Black Hawk agressively fulfilling plan as destination resort

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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