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06.12.13 Greenways CIP final C I T Y O F B O U L D E R INFORMATION ITEM FOR: ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD – June 5, 2013 PLANNING BOARD – June 6, 2013 TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD – June 10, 2013 OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – June 12, 2013 WATER RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD – May 20, 2013 PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD – May 20, 2013 GREENWAYS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE:June 13, 2013 SUBJECT: 2014-2019 Greenways Capital Improvement Program REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: Anne Noble – Greenways Coordinator PURPOSE: The 2014-2019 Greenways Capital Improvement Program is being provided to board members as an information item. If you have any comments or concerns regarding the 2014-2019 Greenways Capital Improvement Program, please pass them along to your Greenways Advisory Committee representative. If you have questions on this material, please contact Annie Noble at 303-441-3242 or noblea@bouldercolorado.gov GREENWAYS ADVISORY COMMITTEEACTION REQUESTED: A recommendation from the Greenways Advisory Committee to the City’s Planning Board and City Council concerning the proposed Greenways Capital Improvement Program is requested. Attached is information concerning the proposed 2014-2019 Greenways Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for review and consideration. A recommendation by the Greenways Advisory Committee to the city’s Planning Board and Council will be requestedat the June 13, 2013 GAC meeting. Attachment A: Greenways 2014-2019 Capital Improvement Program Overview Attachment B: Greenways 2014-2019 Capital Improvement Program Summary Spreadsheet Attachment C: Greenways Program CIP Map Agenda Item 5 Page 1 This page is intentionally left blank. Agenda Item 5 Page 2 %XXEGLQIRX% Greenways 2014-2019 CIP Program Overview GREENWAYS 2014 - 2019 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM The city of Boulder Greenways System is comprised of a series of corridors along riparian areas including Boulder Creek and its 14 tributaries, which provide an opportunity to integrate multiple objectives, including habitat protection, water quality enhancement, storm drainage and floodplain management, alternative transportation routes for pedestrians and bicyclists, recreation and cultural resources. In order to maximize the overlap of objectives and to coordinate projects along the Greenways, identification of projects for the 2014-2019 Greenways Capital Improvement Programwas done as a team effort, combining input from Flood Utilities, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Water Quality and Environmental Services, Planning and Open Space and Mountain Parks. The Greenways CIP follows an opportunistic approach, contributing funding toward projects that are being completed by other departments or private development in order to meet the various objectives of the Greenways Program. The Greenways CIP also looks to leverage funds with outside agencies in order to move projects forward that meet more than one objective of the Greenways Program, but may not be thehighest priority when evaluating any one particular objective.Projects included in the Greenways CIP are typically called out in the Greenways Master Plan and are projects that Greenways staff can take the lead in coordinating. Funding Overview The total 2014Greenways capital budget is $345,000, with $105,000 in the operating budget. Greenways projects are funded from the Transportation Fund, Stormwater and Flood Management Utility Fund, and the Lottery Fund. Annual funding distribution for the Greenways Capital Program for 2014is as follows: Transportation - $97,500 Flood Utility - $97,500 Lottery Fund - $150,000 Starting in 2015, the Lottery contribution is expected to be reduced to $125,441, based on Greenways receiving 15% of the city’s funding allocation, with a projection of total Lottery proceeds being $836,275. Accomplishments and Highlights During 2012, flood mitigation and path improvements were completed in conjunction with the Violet Crossing development, which was partially funded through the city’s CIP. A path connection was constructed along Fourmile Canyon Creek through the Elks Park. A flood mapping update for Boulder Creek was accepted by City Council in September, and is currently being reviewed by FEMA. Flood mapping updates are currently underway for Skunk Creek, Bluebell Creek, King’s Gulch, Upper Goose Creek, Twomile Creek and Boulder Slough. Once these mapping updates have been adopted, flood mitigation plans will be developed to evaluate feasible capital improvements for reducing the flood risk along these creeks and tributaries. Agenda Item 5 Page 3 Projects Completed in 2013 Wonderland Creek Diagonal to Winding Trail CEAP was completed in early 2013. Fourmile Canyon Creek Upland to Violet CEAP is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2013. Projects Expected for Completion in 2014 Goose Creek Restoration Project th Restoration improvements along Goose Creek between Foothills Highway and 55Street are expected to be completed in 2014. This project is primarily being funded througha Section 206 Restoration grant through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The city’s 35% funding match is being met mostly through credits from city owned real estate. Projects Starting in 2014, but Not Completed th Wonderland Creek Foothills to 30 construction is anticipated to begin in 2014 th Wonderland Creek (28Street) Diagonal to Winding Trailconstruction is anticipated to begin in 2014 th Fourmile Canyon Creek at 19Street construction is anticipated to begin in 2014 All of these projects include flood mitigation, multi-use paths and bicycle and pedestrian underpasses. Highlights of 2014-2019 Projects The focus of the 2014-2019 Greenways CIP is on flood mitigation, bicycle and pedestrian multi-use paths and underpasses, and habitat and water quality improvements along the Fourmile and Wonderland Creek corridors. In addition to the projects along Fourmile Canyon Creek and Wonderland Creek, possible habitat restoration projects during the next few years include: Stream bank restoration along Boulder Creek at Eben Fine Park Confluence of Bear Creek and Boulder Creek at Foothills Community Hospital Dry Creek habitat improvements through Flatirons Golf Course th Goose Creek, railroad to 47Street tree plantings Fish Passage enhancement projects in association with Fishing is Fun grants South Boulder Creek minimum stream flow th Removal of Russian Olive trees east of 75Street along Boulder Creek The Urban Drainage and Flood Control District also completes maintenance projects along the major drainageways. In 2013 this includes the construction of a sediment trap along Fourmile Canyon Creek upstream of Broadway. Relationship to Guiding Principles and Master Plan and Prioritization Greenways projects address many of the CIP guiding principles. Greenways projects are identified in multiple master plans and meet the community sustainability goals. Most of the Agenda Item 5 Page 4 Greenways projects leverage outside or interdepartmental funding. Greenways habitat improvements seek to be sustainable and are intended to reduce the future maintenance required. The Greenways CIP has been developed within the context of and is consistent with the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP), the Transportation Master Plan (TMP), the major drainageway plans, the Comprehensive Flood and Stormwater Master Planand the Greenways Master Plan.The Greenways Master Plan was updated in 2011to reflect improvements that had been completed,and adopted changes that have been made in other master plans, city policies and ordinances that affect the Greenways Program since the last Master Plan update in 2001. Information from other existing master plans for seven additional tributaries wasalso incorporated into the Greenways Master Plan update. Future opportunities will also be coordinated with the Open Space and Mountain Park’s Grassland Plan and Visitor Master Plan and Trail Study Area plans where appropriate. Transportation and flood utility projects were identified from the Transportation Master Plan, and the major drainageway plans, and intra-departmental meetings were held to determine project priorities and timing.Private development activities were also evaluated. Many of the Greenways projects shown in the CIP are being designed and constructed in coordination with major flood or transportation improvements. The Greenways funding associated with these projects focuses on habitat restoration, water quality improvements and trail connections. In addition to leveraging funding with the Transportation and Flood Utilities budgets, funding for Greenways projects is also available through the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District and Federal Transportation funds. New Projects The 2014-2019 CIP continues to focus on Fourmile Canyon and Wonderland Creeks. The Flood Utilityis currently updating the flood mapping for the following creeks and tributaries: Boulder Creek, Boulder Slough, Upper GooseCreek, TwomileCreek, SkunkCreek, BluebellCreek and King’s Gulch. Once the new mapping has been approved by FEMA, a flood mitigation analysis will be completed for each of these tributaries to determine if it is economically feasible to reduce the flood risk through construction of capital improvements. These studies, along with the Transportation Master Plan update will help inform future Greenways CIP projects. Operation and Maintenance Impacts $105,000is budgeted each year for Greenways operations and maintenance. $80,000 of the operating budget is dedicated to habitat maintenance. The Greenways habitat crew works closely with Parks and Open Space maintenance staff to provide on-going maintenance, as well as on collaborative projects as part of the operations budget. Major drainageway improvements are maintained by the flood maintenance staff and multi-use paths and underpasses are maintained by either Transportation or Parks maintenance, depending upon jurisdiction. Deferred Projects, Changes and Unfunded Needs Since the Greenways Program is opportunistic, taking advantage of projects that are funded through other departments, there are no unfunded needs. th The Wonderland Creek from Foothills to 30Street was granted Federal Transportation Agenda Item 5 Page 5 Improvement Program (TIP) funds in the amount of $2 million (2012-2014). Additional TIP th funding was granted for the Wonderland Creek at 28 Street project in the amount of $900,000 (2013-2014). Emerging Needs None BOARD ACTION The Greenways Advisory Committeewill reviewthe Greenways CIP on June 13, 2013 and will be asked to make a recommendation for approval to the Planning Board and City Council. Agenda Item 5 Page 6 This page is intentionally left blank. Agenda Item 5 Page 8 %XXEGLQIRX' 5 4 Fourmile Creek Wonderland Creek 3 Linden Av Elmers 2 Goose 1 Boulder Creek Bear Creek Baseline Rd 2014 - 2019 / Projects 1 Goose Creek Restoration Greenways Program CIP 2 Wonderland Foothills to the Diagonal 3 Wonderland 28th Street 4 Fourmile - 19th to 22nd 5 Fourmile - Upland to Violet Agenda Item 5 Page 9