Montrose, CO — City Councilors met for their regular meeting Tuesday evening, May 4, to consider a new appointment to the City Council along with several contract awards and ordinances.
Councilors Barbara Bynum, Dave Frank, and Doug Glaspell met in City Council Chambers along with city staff. Councilor Dave Bowman resigned Monday morning May 3. Due to changing COVID-19 protocols, members of the public were allowed to attend in City Council Chambers. This was the first time that health protocols allowed the public to attend a regular meeting in person since March 2020. Members of the public were also able to attend via the Zoom platform.
The following is a summary of the primary topics discussed during the meeting.
Watch the meeting here.
MENTAL HEALTH PROCLAMATION
Mayor Doug Glaspell read a proclamation recognizing May 2021 as Mental Health Month in the city.
Glaspell said "mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being" and all Americans face challenges in life that can impact their mental health, especially during a pandemic, and prevention is an effective way to reduce the burden of mental health issues.
"Mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation," Glaspell said. "With effective treatment, those individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full, productive lives, and each business, school, government agency, health care provider, organization, and citizen shares the burden of mental health problems and has a responsibility to promote mental wellness and support prevention and treatment efforts."
By proclaiming May as Mental Health Month in the city, Glaspell said the City Council calls "upon the citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools to increase awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions."
PUBLIC COMMENT
No members of the public offered comments.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Councilors voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the April 20 regular City Council meeting. The city’s archive of past meeting minutes can be found at CityofMontrose.org/ArchiveCenter.
APPOINTMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Councilors voted unanimously to appoint J. David Reed to the City Council, representing the council's District III. During Monday's work session, councilors interviewed both Reed and Charlane (Charli) Oswald who were both eligible to serve in the district.
To fill the vacancy in the District III City Council seat, applications were accepted from residents of all four districts in the event that the At-Large seat became available during the appointment process.
According to City Clerk Lisa DelPiccolo, applications were received from the following individuals by the deadline on Thursday, April 22, 2021:
• Jeff Rice - District II
• Anthony Russo - District - II
• Edward J. Ulibarri - District II
• Charlane (Charli) Oswald - District III
• J. David Reed - District III
• Richard (Rick) L. Fellabaum - District IV
• Kevin Moore - District IV
Because City Councilor Barbara Bynum opted to remain in the At-Large seat, only the two applicants residing in District III were eligible for appointment. Applicants J. David Reed and Charli Oswald met all requirements to be considered for appointment to the vacant seat, according to DelPiccolo.
NEW LODGING AND ENTERTAINMENT LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve a new lodging and entertainment liquor license at 21 North Cascade Avenue for Mosaic LLC, doing business as Lucky Tree Studio and Treefeather Creative for consumption on the licensed premises.
Councilors held a public hearing before approving the license.
MURA PHASE II PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACT AWARD
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve $1,410,030 for the construction of public infrastructure associated with Phase II of the Montrose Urban Renewal Authority project.
This includes the award of a construction contract to Mountain Valley Contracting in the amount of $1,077,730, a survey and engineering support contract to Del-Mont Consultants in the amount of $67,300, and dry-utility expenditures totaling $265,000.
City Engineer Scott Murphy said the city, in support of community housing needs and as a complement to the overall Colorado Outdoors plan of development, and the Montrose Urban Renewal Authority (MURA) Board entered into a development agreement with Range Development in the spring of 2020 to help facilitate the construction of 96 market-rate apartment units at the southern end of Colorado Outdoors.
As part of this development agreement, the MURA committed to reimburse for horizontal site improvements at the apartment site and to design and construct the public infrastructure needed to support the project. As the first step in meeting this commitment, the MURA Board also awarded a contract to Del-Mont Consultants (Montrose, CO) for the design of this public infrastructure in early 2020. During the 2021 budget process, the City of Montrose elected to budget for the construction of the public infrastructure aspects of the project.
Design of the public infrastructure was completed in early 2021 and includes the extension and/or relocation of utilities between North 6th and North 9th Streets as well as the extension of North 6th Street west of Grand Avenue as shown on the attached excerpt from the project plans.
Construction of MURA Phase II Public Infrastructure project was put out for bid on February 11 and bids were publically received on March 3, 2021, through video conference. Bids were received from six contractors as summarized in the table below. It should be noted that these bid totals also include a 10 percent contingency.
• Mountain Valley Contracting, Grand Junction, CO $1,077,729.57
• Rundle Construction, Hotchkiss, CO $1,081,506.40
• Skip Huston Construction, Montrose, CO $1,195,654.78
• United Companies, Montrose, CO $1,289,303.40
• Williams Construction, Norwood, CO $1,315,585.10
• Skyline Contracting, Grand Junction, CO $1,600,316.30
The city has recent positive experience working with the low bidder, Mountain Valley Contracting, on numerous capital projects and considers them qualified to perform the work.
Summary of Project Costs:
• Construction Contract: (Mountain Valley Contracting) $1,077,730
• Survey and Engineering Support: (Del-Mont Consultants) $67,300
• Mainline Power Extension: (Delta-Montrose Elec. Assn.) $225,000
• Mainline Natural Gas Extension: (Black Hills Energy) $40,000
Total: $1,410,030
As outlined in the development agreement for the project, the developer of the Basecamp Apartments is required to pull a building permit by April 1, 2021. All 96 apartment units shall be complete by December 31, 2023. Once this permit is pulled and the Basecamp project breaks ground on construction, final approval of the public infrastructure contract and expenditures will be brought before City Council for consideration. Once started, construction of the public infrastructure project is expected to take approximately six months to complete, barring any pandemic-related supply chain issues or cold-weather setbacks.
RESOLUTION 2021-08
City Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing city staff to file for a grant with the Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT, for their Revitalizing Main Streets Program.
City Grant Coordinator Kendall Cramer said CDOT's Revitalizing Main Streets Program was made possible through a $30 million allocation from the state legislature in March 2021 as part of Colorado’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan. This program is intended to help communities across the state implement transportation-related projects that improve safety and yield long-term benefits to Main Streets. The program, administered by CDOT, aims to support areas in or adjacent to community-focused downtowns where people work, dine, and shop.
As Colorado recovers from COVID-19 and returns to a new normal, this program provides grant funding to support local communities as they find innovative ways to reuse public spaces and help businesses reopen safely, while improving multi-modal safety and accessibility along urban arterials. This grant program focuses on Complete Street, an approach to planning and designing roadways that are safe, convenient, and comfortable for multi-modal transportation and users of all ages and abilities. Sidewalks, street crossings, pedestrian amenities, protected bicycle lanes, and facilities, raised medians, and signal improvements are components of this approach and are eligible for funding.
Cramer said city staff recently met with CDOT and were encouraged to think creatively and to apply for the grant. CDOT is interested in assisting rural communities. The city has an interest in improving the infrastructure of Main Street and is currently working with Ayres Associates, Inc. to develop a conceptual design for the West Main Street corridor as part of an existing US EPA Brownfields grant.
The City of Montrose seeks to apply for the “Larger Safety Infrastructure Grant” with CDOT in an amount of up to $2 million for improvements extending from the West Main Street Trailhead east to Grand Avenue, with potential pedestrian and bicycle improvements extending further east to Townsend Avenue, depending on final cost estimates. The proposed project focuses on safety improvements for users such as pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, transit users, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Goals of the proposed project include:
• Creating a road template that maximizes sidewalk width and pushes curb lines into the existing street to narrow it.
• Creating sidewalk modifications that will allow for seating areas and streetscaping.
• Creating a sidewalk expansion that will result in a road diet to narrow lanes and eliminate parallel parking where it is not necessary, in favor of sidewalks and seating areas.
• Ensuring American Disability Act-compliant sidewalks at all driveways.
• Creating a bicycle path to facilitate transportation between Townsend Avenue and the West Main Trailhead (Complete Streets).
Improvements identified in the conceptual design are based on public input provided through the Comprehensive Plan development process. Additional engagement with the public and business owners will take place as part of the Brownfields grant and in the final construction design phase if the grant is awarded.
CDOT recommends a 20-percent match. Grant applications are scored based on the proposed match amount. Therefore, city staff recommends a 20-percent match, not to exceed $400,000. The proposed match will be shared by the city’s general, water, retail sales enhancement, and capital funds. The total project shall not exceed $2.4 million. The grant application is due May 14, 2021.
ORDINANCE 2540 - SECOND READING
City Council voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2540 on second reading, amending Title 4 Chapter 4 Section 12 (4-4-12) regarding "B-1" Central Business District.
Senior Planner Amy Sharp, along with Assistant City Attorney Matthew Magliaro, told the council that city staff have undertaken a review of the Municipal Code in order to specify the types of daytime social service activities that are allowed in the B-1, B-2, B-2A, and B-3 zoning districts.
This effort suggests modifications to the code to include daytime social service activities as a use-by-right in these zoning districts. Uses such as food banks, soup kitchens, and counseling centers have previously been, and are currently located, in these zoning districts.
This modification clarifies that these current uses are operating legally and provides clarification for future uses as well. Additionally, these daytime social service uses are compatible with other uses-by-right in these zoning districts. It meets the intent of the commercial districts as it provides for the exchange of goods and services in a reasonable and orderly manner.
• In this code amendment, “daytime” has been defined to mean from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. This helps to define when these services would be available.
• The amended language is to establish a specific use-by-right within B-1 zoning but with limitations to its scope. These specified limitations do not carry through to limit other uses-by-right recognized in the code.
ORDINANCE 2541 – FIRST READING
City Council voted unanimously to approve repealing and replacing two sections of the City of Montrose Municipal Code.
City Attorney Stephen Alcorn briefed councilors about proposed changes to the city’s Municipal Code to clean up language pertaining to city meeting times and locations, and to the city’s official seal.
For example, the current language states the City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on meeting days for regular City Council meetings. The proposed updates reflect the council’s current regular meeting time of 6 p.m. Another change pertains to the council’s work sessions. The current language states the council will meet on Fridays for work sessions. The changes will reflect that the council has the freedom to set work session times and locations. The council currently meets for work sessions on the first and third Mondays of each month at 10 a.m.
City Councilors will vote on second reading on the ordinance at the May 18 regular meeting.
SUNRISE CREEK II FILING NO. 5 PRELIMINARY PLAT
City Council voted unanimously to approve a preliminary plat for the Sunrise Creek II Filing No 5.
Senior Planner Amy Sharp said the Sunrise Creek II Filing No. 5 Preliminary Plat would subdivide the property into six new lots. The property is approximately 1.47 acres in size and is bordered on the north by Market Street, on the east by Snowbrush Avenue, on the west by a dedicated alley and S. Hillcrest Drive, and on the south by Sunrise Creek Subdivision.
The property is zoned “B-4” Neighborhood Shopping District. The intent is to construct residential, single-family housing on these lots, which is a use-by-right in this zoning district. A final plat will also be required within five (5) years of approval of this preliminary plat (City of Montrose Municipal Code, Section 4-7-5(C)(1)(a).
The city's Planning Commission recommended approval of the Sunrise Creek II Filing No. 5 Preliminary Plat at the April 28, 2021, meeting with the following standard condition:
“The approval of this preliminary plat is expressly conditioned upon city staff ensuring that all policies, regulations, ordinances, and Municipal Code provisions are met and that the applicant adequately addresses all of the staff's concerns prior to the execution of the final plat. The city staff is not authorized by this approval to execute the final plat prior to all conditions being satisfied.”
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT CENTRIFUGE REBUILD
City Council voted unanimously to approve an agreement with Dairy Specialists for the not-to-exceed amount of $70,000 for repairs to a centrifuge at the city's Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Utilities Manager David Bries said the Wastewater Treatment Plant has two centrifuges that are used to dewater the biosolids created during the treatment process. The biosolids are then hauled to CBI Industries near Delta, where they are composted to Class “A” standards and reutilized as soil amendments. These centrifuges were installed in 2009 and 2010.
A recent inspection of centrifuge #1 identified damaged tiles, bearing vibration, and pitting on the scroll assembly. Repairs are estimated to take four to six weeks to complete, during which time the plant will be reliant on centrifuge #2. Centrifuge #2 was rebuilt in 2020 and is in excellent operating condition.
Since the centrifuges are very specialized equipment, the rotating assembly must be shipped to the manufacturer in Wisconsin for a thorough inspection and repairs, depending on what is found. Dairy Specialists is the local representative for Centrysis, which has provided a cost estimate for minor or major repairs on both the centrifuge and the back drive assembly based Dairy Specialists’ findings. The worst-case scenario would result in a repair cost of $56,985. Upon completion of the thorough inspection at their facility, Centrisys will provide an updated repair quote.
Dairy Specialists, from Evans, Colorado, will remove the centrifuge, ship it to and from the factory, and reinstall the centrifuge at the Wastewater Treatment Plant after the factory repairs are completed. These services are estimated to cost an additional $10,110, leaving a contingency of $2,905 for unknown costs and expenses.
YOUTH CITY COUNCIL
Youth City Councilor Gunnison Clamp said the council is nearing completion of its 2020-2021 term and will be working on a social media campaign.
The youth council term follows the school-year calendar.
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All City Council meetings are recorded and made available online via the city’s website and cable channels 191 for Charter subscribers and 970 for Elevate subscribers. Replays of council meetings are also broadcast at 6 p.m. on the same channels on days that the council is not in session.
In addition, each regular meeting is archived on the City of Montrose’s YouTube channel.
Residents can watch all regular City Council meetings and work sessions live through the city’s website at CityOfMontrose.org/Video.
For more city news visit CityOfMontrose.org.