RTD to force a rail station on Northglenn?
If RTD eventually decides to locate a rail station at 112th Ave in Northglenn, the Board of Directors will have complied with the strongly stated wishes of: District K Board Member, Noel Busck, RTD General Manager, Cal Marsella, and Assistant Manager for Planning and Development, Liz Rao. All three leaders have made their opinion known on this possible site. RTD has the final decision making authority on all station locations.
If RTD decides to place a station at the location, every resident of the city will be impacted. Our City will be required to reimburse RTD two percent of all capital development costs. This will include the costs associated with the land, parking facilities, structures, planning and development expenses and such. The large amount of money required to meet this obligation will require the cancellation or deferral of services and improvements financed by the General Fund.
The placement of a station on the site will also permit the placement of a large sign on the structure which says, NORTHGLENN. Having such a sign, “plaque”, is a very big incentive for some of our leaders and residents. They see it as a source of pride for the city and a legacy for some before they leave office.
At the Fastracks Open House on March 21st the subject of your involvement was mentioned. I heard one person say that only residents close to the station site should have a say in the Environmental Impact Study. Specifically, that residents close to and west of I-25 should not be involved in any manner. I also heard a member of the City Council say that this is a community wide issue and those not residing near the site should and do have an equal stake in the locating of a station.
This little debate is leading to a future Council agenda item. The Council created Task Force was composed of volunteers. A vast majority of them were residents who lived close to the possible station. It recommended that the city oppose the 112th station site. It is very possible that the Council will encourage residents from across the city to provide additional input through a variety of means in order to mitigate the recommendation.
There is another unrelated but parallel issue before the Council and you; the Recreation Center. In last fall’s city-wide survey of residents, only six percent of the residents stated that they used the center monthly or more often. In the recent public process leading towards a determination of the Center’s fate, forty-five percent of the participants stated that they used the center monthly or more often.
If the rail station task force was bias and more input is desired, consistency demands a further review of the current recommendations on the center for the same reason.
If RTD decides to place a station at the location, every resident of the city will be impacted. Our City will be required to reimburse RTD two percent of all capital development costs. This will include the costs associated with the land, parking facilities, structures, planning and development expenses and such. The large amount of money required to meet this obligation will require the cancellation or deferral of services and improvements financed by the General Fund.
The placement of a station on the site will also permit the placement of a large sign on the structure which says, NORTHGLENN. Having such a sign, “plaque”, is a very big incentive for some of our leaders and residents. They see it as a source of pride for the city and a legacy for some before they leave office.
At the Fastracks Open House on March 21st the subject of your involvement was mentioned. I heard one person say that only residents close to the station site should have a say in the Environmental Impact Study. Specifically, that residents close to and west of I-25 should not be involved in any manner. I also heard a member of the City Council say that this is a community wide issue and those not residing near the site should and do have an equal stake in the locating of a station.
This little debate is leading to a future Council agenda item. The Council created Task Force was composed of volunteers. A vast majority of them were residents who lived close to the possible station. It recommended that the city oppose the 112th station site. It is very possible that the Council will encourage residents from across the city to provide additional input through a variety of means in order to mitigate the recommendation.
There is another unrelated but parallel issue before the Council and you; the Recreation Center. In last fall’s city-wide survey of residents, only six percent of the residents stated that they used the center monthly or more often. In the recent public process leading towards a determination of the Center’s fate, forty-five percent of the participants stated that they used the center monthly or more often.
If the rail station task force was bias and more input is desired, consistency demands a further review of the current recommendations on the center for the same reason.
posted by Gene Wieneke at
11:14 AM
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