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November 13 & 20, 2012
In This Issue
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Board Appointments
C-470 Coalition Update
Development and Transportation's Easements, Grants and More Approved
Park Plans and Trails
Commissioners Set County Portion of DA Salary
Amendments to Zoning Resolution
Grants To Assist Sheriff's Office

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Board Appointments

At the Nov. 13 hearing, the BCC approved the appointment of Kevin Nelan to represent the Probations Department; and at the Nov. 20 hearing, the BCC approved the appointment of David Thomas to represent unincorporated Jeffco on the Jefferson County Corrections Board. This Board is responsible for providing coordination among courts and other criminal justice agencies, community services, business, labor, education, local government and other appropriate agencies in establishing and furthering the goals of local community corrections.

 

Also at the Nov. 13 hearing, the BCC approved the appointment of Charles Darrah, Alan Edwards, Dan Gabbay, Michael Gloven and Michael Hutchinson to the Ken Caryl West Ranch Water District Board of Directors. The Ken Caryl West Ranch Water District provides water and sanitation services to portions of south Jeffco.

 

The Ken Caryl West Ranch Water District received notice from the Division of Local Government that it had not held required elections for directors. Without elected directors, the board will be unable to adopt a budget and service could be interrupted. The BCC was asked to appoint directors and it selected five people who are "qualified, willing candidates" who are "eligible electors." The Board members will be appointed by resolution on the consent agenda.

C-470 Coalition Update

At the Nov. 13 staff briefings, the BCC was given a presentation from members of the C-470 Coalition.

 

The coalition was initiated by the Douglas County Commissioners in February 2011. Several counties and cities are members, including Jeffco. Currently, Commissioner Donald Rosier serves on the coalition's Steering Committee and Director of Transportation and Engineering, Kevin French, serves on the Technical Working Group.

 

The mission is "to work together to develop and implement a solution that improves safety and mobility along the C-470 corridor and within the south metro area."

 

According to the presentation, from Interstate 25 to Kipling, travelers are facing delays and growth in this area is expected to increase by more than 30 percent during the next 20 years. So the coalition is working to find the best way to address this situation and has been conducting open house meetings and telephone town halls to get the public's input.

 

A proposed solution includes an interim six-lane roadway, which could be funded from express tolls, all-toll or a non-toll in which other funding sources would need to be found. Most coalition members support the express toll option as the easiest to implement. Public input suggests that the express toll or non-toll options are favored; however, there has been no stated support for additional fees or taxes to pay for the non-toll alternative.

 

The collation will continue its goals to "develop and evaluate options for the C-470 corridor, which are cost effective; reach consensus on technical solution(s) for the C-470 corridor;" and "develop a strategic plan for phased implementation."

 

For more information, please visit www.c470coalition.com.

   

Development and Transportation's Easements, Grants and More Approved

The Development and Transportation Department had several items on the BCC agenda Nov. 13. All were approved and included things like easements, contracts, grants and land use cases.

 

The first item approved was a permanent drainage easement. During the process of evaluating a proposed pedestrian improvement project near the intersection of Continental Divide Road and Rampart Range Road, a failing culvert was discovered. The Transportation and Engineering Division prepared construction designs and the Road and Bridge Division will repair the culvert and necessary improvements. In order to complete the project, two permanent drained easements needed to be acquired from the Ken Caryl Master Association.

 

The second item was a contract with W.L. Contractors Inc. for $191,000. This contract is for 2013 traffic signal maintenance services. The contractor will perform routine traffic control equipment maintenance and as-needed repairs to maintain traffic operations and safety.

 

Next up for approval was an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for the final design and construction of improvements to the North Evergreen Activity Trail (NEAT). This is the third and final phase of a 1.8 mile walkway in northern Evergreen. The previous two phases were completed in 2009 and 2011.

 

Currently, students walking to Bergen Valley Elementary School from the Sugarbush Drive and Placid Drive intersection have to walk on an unpaved shoulder with no barrier curb separating the roadway and walkway. Due to the existing winding road, this path has been deemed inadequate for pedestrian use. The project will end at the school's entrance and will consist of six-foot wide concrete sidewalks, curb and gutter and minor drainage improvements. The project is being funded from a $249,447 Safe-Routes-To-School Grant from the Federal Highway Administration and $25,000 from the NEAT organization. 

 

The BCC also approved a grant for the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. It is for $400 and is from the Colorado Department of Transportation - Division of Aeronautics and will be used to help cover costs of a trencher attachment for a skid steer, which the airport already owns. The piece of equipment is used for airfield, grounds, and landscaping maintenance projects.

 

The fifth item approved, was a preliminary and final plat for the Hawthorn Subdivision case. The property is located at West 58th Avenue and State Highway 93. The applicant is seeking to subdivide the property into 199 lots for single-family detached units. Both the Planning Commission and Planning and Zoning staff recommended approval.

Park Plans and Trails

Centennial ConeThe BCC at its Nov. 13 hearing approved items for the Park's Department that will help create a master plan for one area of the county and agreements and guidelines to help build a multi-jurisdictional trail.

 

The BCC approved allocating up to $40,000 from the 2012 Conservation Trust Fund for the development of a Conifer Area Parks Master Plan. The proposed plan will have a study area of approximately 123,000 acres and 21,000 residents. It will include the area between the southern boundary of the Evergreen Park and Recreation District to the northern line of the Conifer/285 Corridor Area Community Plan boundary. The purpose of the plan is to develop a strategic community-wide vision and framework that fosters collaboration and assists in developing park and recreation priorities, funding opportunities and sustainable management of programs and facilities.

 

The second Park's item was an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Clear Creek County regarding the design and construction of Clear Creek Canyon segment of the Peaks to Plains Trail Project. On June 19, 2012, the Great Outdoors Colorado Board (GOCO) awarded $4.6 million to Jefferson and Clear Creek counties for this segment of the project. The approved IGA sets forth the terms for a collaborative effort between the counties for the design and construction of the trail.

 

The third item the BCC approved was allocating up to $50,000 from the 2012 Conservation Trust Fund to develop sign standards and guidelines for the Clear Creek Regional Trail corridor. A significant portion of the trail is within Jeffco, but it is also of statewide significance as it spans 65 miles across 13 jurisdictions. It ranges from the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass to the confluence with the South Platte River in Adams County. The development of sign standards and guidelines would provide consistent and cohesive signage, including way finding, regulatory, points of interest, and jurisdiction boundary signs, all to enhance the recreation experience for users.

Commissioners Set County Portion of DA Salary

The BCC at its Nov. 20 hearing gave the OK to set the Jeffco's share of the First Judicial District Attorney's salary for the next four years. District Attorney elect and current Senior Chief Deputy District Attorney Peter A. Weir, presented to the commissioners at their Nov. 13 staff briefings options for the district attorney's compensation, which by statute must be set by the commissioners.

 

By statute, the district attorney's salary is set at a minimum of $130,000 and by law the state must pay 80 percent or $104,000. The rest is paid by Jefferson and Gilpin counties. Then if the counties wish to increase the amount, those counties are responsible for funding it.

 

Based on Weir's experience and in comparison to similar counties, the BCC approved a total salary of $208,000. The $104,000 base will be paid by the state and the remaining will be divided based on population percentages between the two counties. Gilpin County must also approve this compensation level and the approved resolution will be delivered to the Gilpin Board of County Commissioners.

 

Weir's term will begin Jan. 8, 2013 when he is sworn into office.

 

Amendments to Zoning Resolution

pz-logo-blueTo keep in compliance with new stormwater regulations, the BCC at its Nov. 20 public hearing approved amendments to the Zoning Resolution. The changes were revisions to the criteria for obtaining an exemption from the Land Disturbance Permit requirements and are in section 16 of the Zoning Resolution.

 

Section 16, Land Disturbance, of the Zoning Resolution lists several activities that are exempt from obtaining a Land Disturbance Permit. These activities include trenching for construction, maintenance and installation of utilities, land disturbance associated with the installation of maintenance of utilities in county right-of-way (ROW), and county capital improvement projects within county ROW or airport runways.

 

The county has a Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer (MS4) permit that is administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health an Environment (CDPHE). Part of the MS4 permit requires that the certain activities, including those in the Land Disturbance section, not be exempted from obtaining a Land Disturbance Permit if the activities impact one acre or more in land.

 

The changes bring this portion of the Zoning Resolution in compliance with the MS4 requirements and helps to establish clear, concise and comprehensive documents for the Jeffco community. Language related to construction of natural surface trials was also amended to better clarify that procedure.

Grants To Assist Sheriff's Office

Jeffco Sheriff BadgeAt the Nov. 13 BCC hearing, the board approved three grants for the Sheriff's Office.

 

The first one is from the Colorado Judicial Department for $30,000. The grant funding will be used to help mitigate the extraordinary law enforcement expenses associated with court security for a recent high-profile murder case. 

 

The second grant is from the Bureau of Justice Programs for $95,441. This will be used to reimburse the Sheriff's Office for expenses incurred for the detention of state criminal aliens in the Jefferson County Detention Facility during 2012. In response to the increasing costs associated with housing these inmates, the federal government provides a grant reimbursement program, the State Criminal Alien Assistance (SCAAP), which provides reimbursement for foreign-born inmates beyond the four days supported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

 

The third grant is for $73,259 from the Colorado Department of Public Safety. This grant will be used to help cover the costs of two, Sheriff's Office victim advocates, one full-time with benefits and one part-time. The remaining costs will be covered by county funding. The victim advocates provide expertise and skill in law enforcement victim assistance including on-scene crisis intervention, follow-up contact and information or referrals. The program provides 24-hour access to trained professionals to assist victims and witnesses of crime and trauma in obtaining the support and education necessary to overcome their victimization. Under Colorado State Statures Victim's Bills of Rights, the Sheriff is required to provide these services.

 

View BCC Meetings Online!   

 Did you know Jefferson County records each County Commissioners Hearing for rebroadcast on its website? You can also find recordings of other county meetings, videos of events and Jeffco's video program, Jefferson County Insights.  To learn more, visit the Jeffco Media-on-Demand site.