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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4B North Boulder Subcommunity Plan Adoption of Revisions CITY OF BOULDER PLANNING BOARD AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE: November 5, 2020 AGENDA TITLE Public hearing and Planning Board consideration of a motion to amend the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (NBSP) by adoption of a refined streetscape plan for North Broadway in the commercial area to reflect direction recommended in the public process for the North Broadway Reconstruction Project. REQUESTING DEPARTMENT / PRESENTERS Planning Mary Ann Weideman, Interim Planning Director Charles Ferro, Development Review Manager / Interim Comprehensive Planning Manager Jean Gatza, Senior Planner Transportation and Mobility Gerrit Slatter, Principal Transportation Projects Engineer Brian Wiltshire, Engineering Project Manager OBJECTIVE Define the steps for Planning Board consideration of this request: 1. Planning Board hears staff presentation about the proposed amendment 2. Public Hearing 3. Planning Board consideration of a motion to adopt the proposed amendment to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan Agenda Item 4B Page 1 of 6 SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to adopt very limited revisions to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (NBSP) which would replace the street section diagram and description for Broadway in the commercial area with one thatreflects a refined design for North Broadway resulting from the analysis and community process developed over the past few years as a part of the North Broadway Reconstruction Project. It is important to update the street section for North Broadway because it provides the basis for requirements of future development projects along the corridor. The NBSP provides guidance for the streetscape for North Broadway, indicating a more refined design will be developed. The community process for this project began in 2016, included numerous community meetings and engagement with residents, property owners, businesses, advocacy groups, and partner agencies to define goals, understand needs and refine designs based on feedback. On Aug. 12, 2019, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) unanimously voted to support the updated recommended design for the North Broadway Reconstruction Project, which addresses long-term pavement maintenance, future floodplain mitigation at the Fourmile Canyon Creek crossing, transportation improvements, and enhanced multimodal safety and comfort. The refined multi-modal street design includes raised/buffered bike lanes on Broadway from Violet Avenue - Lee Hill Drive, buffered bike lanes from Lee Hill Drive to US 36 and an off-street multiuse path along the west side of Broadway. The project provides design solutions at a greater level of detail to implement the overall goals in the NBSP to “encourage walking, biking and transit use by providing safe, comfortable and convenient pedestrian and bicycle path connections.” STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Planning Board adopt the limited revisions to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (NBSP) outlined in this memo to reflect the direction recommended in the public process for the North Broadway Reconstruction Project. Therefore, staff recommends Planning Board consideration of this matter and action in the form of the following motion: Suggested Motion Language: Motion to amend the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (NBSP) by adoption of a refined streetscape plan for North Broadway in the commercial area to reflect the direction recommended in the public process for the North Broadway Reconstruction Project PUBLIC FEEDBACK Feedback from community members was an important consideration in the design of the North Broadway Reconstruction Project and was gathered from May 2017 through mid-2019 through Agenda Item 4B Page 2 of 6 multiple open house meetings, online feedback, pop-up meetings on Broadway and presentations to community organizations and one-on-one meetings with interested businesses and property owners. • Community feedback on preferences related to the three bike facility options informed changes to the design to consider buffered bike lanes and/or parking protected bike lanes to provide more protection for bicyclists with the parked vehicle between moving vehicles and bicyclists and a better walking environment for pedestrians on the sidewalk. On Aug. 12, 2019, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) unanimously voted to support the updated recommended design for the North Broadway Reconstruction Project, which includes raised/buffered bike lanes on Broadway from Violet Avenue - Lee Hill Drive, buffered bike lanes from Lee Hill Drive to US 36 and an off-street multiuse path along the west side of Broadway. Since this proposed NBSP amendment simply reflects the earlier decision that included a wide range of community engagement opportunities focused on the merits and detailed analysis at that time, additional community engagement around this limited amendment to the subcommunity plan was not conducted. BACKGROUND North Boulder Subcommunity Plan The NBSP describes the vision for the future of the North Boulder Subcommunity. It represents the work of many dedicated residents, decision-makers, city staff and project consultants. The plan was adopted by the Planning Board and City Council in 1995. It provides the basis for decisions about the long-term development and preservation of North Boulder and lists specific actions to be carried out by the city, other public agencies, and the private sector to achieve the described vision. The plan was amended in 1996 and 1997. The plan includes a general cross-section for North Broadway and anticipated development of a detailed plan for the streetscape as one of the first implementation phases. This work did not occur in the subsequent years after the plan’s adoption. Much of the east side of Broadway has already redeveloped in conformance with the current plan. Future redevelopment, primarily on the west side of Broadway will be expected to comply with the revised street section plan, based on the North Broadway Reconstruction Project, once it is adopted. Process for Amendments Amendments to the body of the plan must be adopted by the original approval bodies: Planning Board and City Council. It is important to update this element of the plan because it provides the basis for requirements for future development projects along the corridor. Amendments to the Transportation Plan: Right-of-Way Auto/Transit Improvements Plan and Transportation Plan: Bicycle / Pedestrian Improvements Right-of-Way Plan are not included in this update. Changes to these maps are tracked internally to reflect completed projects, guidance Agenda Item 4B Page 3 of 6 from each updated Transportation Master Plan and other access and mobility plans to inform capital improvement planning and review / approval of development projects. North Boulder Subcommunity Plan Action Plan (2014) A community process and evaluation of the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan was conducted in 2014 to develop an Action Plan that describes several action items to evaluate and plan for North Broadway facilities and design including initiating a North Broadway Streetscape Plan and evaluating North Broadway Access Management Strategies. North Broadway Reconstruction Project (2014-2020) The North Broadway Reconstruction Project was recommended by the TAB and approved by City Council in 2014 as a grant submittal and was awarded a federal Transportation Improvements Program (TIP) grant through the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), later that year. Planning and design initially began in 2016 and has included a variety of community engagement opportunities including public open houses, presentations at neighborhood and community organization meetings, project webpage and on-site meetings over the last several years. Feedback from community members was an important consideration and was gathered from May 2017 through mid-2019 through several open house meetings, online feedback, pop-up meetings on Broadway and presentations to community organizations and one-on-one meetings with interested businesses and property owners. The North Broadway Reconstruction Project evaluated a wide range of options for the streetscape to meet multiple access, safety, aesthetic and regulatory goals that have been identified in the Transportation Master Plan, Vision Zero, Low Stress Walk and Bike Plan and other policy guidance since the NBSP was adopted. A key consideration in the analysis and public process focused on bike facility design and safety of cyclists and pedestrians. The final design includes a 10 foot-wide multi-use path along the west side of Broadway from Violet Avenue to US 36 and raised buffered bike lanes from Lee Hill Rd. to US 36. The bike facilities and multi-use path meet the recommendations of the city’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and Low-Stress Walk and Bike Network Plan for a facility appealing to a wide range of ages and abilities. ANALYSIS Recommended Amendments to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan The NBSP includes the following direction about street character for North Broadway: “While a general cross-section is shown for North Broadway, the development of a detailed plan for the streetscape is under way as one of the first phases of implementation of the Plan. New development or redevelopment along Broadway will be expected to comply with the streetscape plan once it is adopted.” Agenda Item 4B Page 4 of 6 The plan’s objectives that are specifically addressed in the recommended new street section include: • Increase opportunities for safe and efficient pedestrian and bicycle travel throughout the subcommunity; and • Elevate the quality of street design, so that streets are more attractive and inviting for pedestrian, bicyclists, bus riders, and drivers. Current Streetscape Plan in the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan Agenda Item 4B Page 5 of 6 Recommended New Streetscape Plan The proposed diagram and bullet below would replace the above Current Streetscape Plan diagram in the NBSP. Here is the illustration used in community meetings illustrating the differences between the original and recommended sections. NEXT STEPS City Council consideration of a motion to adopt these revisions to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (NBSP) after approval by the Planning Board. The project is planned to be bid in late 2020. Construction is expected to take an estimated 15-18 months and begin in 2021. There will continue to be robust communications to community members prior to and throughout the construction phase so that people can anticipate the temporary travel impacts and alternate route suggestions. Approved By: __________________________ Charles Ferro, Development Review Manager Department of Planning & Development Services Agenda Item 4B Page 6 of 6