LID Supports Sculpture Park  April 2011
BY KIM GLASSCOCK
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Members of the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee agreed to add their financial support to a bid from the Niwot Cultural Arts Association for a planning grant from Great Outdoors Colorado. GOCO funds would be used to develop a master plan for parks, trails, and outdoor recreation in Niwot, along with a conceptual plan for a proposed sculpture park along Niwot Road and 79th Street.

LID members approved allocating $2,500 in cash matching funds toward the project at the group’s March 1 meeting.
The NCAA, in conjunction with the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department, is asking for $15,300 in GOCO planning funding for the project. The NCAA has received over $3,000 in cash and $6,600 of in-kind donations toward the project, in addition to the LID funds. The total cost of the planning project is estimated at $26,400.  

“This really is a community effort,” said Bruce Warren, LID member.
The proposed Niwot Sculpture Park, to be located adjacent to the tree carvings on Niwot Road, will help connect Old Town Niwot to the Cottonwood Square business area, said Tim Wise, NCAA member. 
 
The Niwot Business Association’s Historic Projects Committee donated $500, while the Niwot Historical Society gave $200 and access to any useful historical documents, and Ni-Wot Prairie Production gave $100 and information about Niwot’s Native American heritage.

In-kind donations were made by Boulder Land Consultants, Inc. for land survey services; the Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association for drawings and information about water supply, land acquisition and land use issues; Warren, Carlson & Moore for legal services; the Left Hand Grange for public meeting space; the Rotary Club of Niwot for manpower for the planning process; and the Niwot Community Association for producing materials for public meetings.

In addition, 16 letters of support were written by community groups, including Niwot High School and Niwot Elementary, Niwot Youth Sports, Niwot Theater on the Green, Neighborhood Learning Center, Niwot Nifties 4H Club, Boy Scouts, Niwot Baseball, Inc., and the Niwot High School Cross Country team.
Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association President Dean Carpenter serves as executive director of the project. A steering committee with members from almost all non-profit groups in Niwot is guiding the project.

The grant application was submitted March 3, and steering committee members are hopeful that the planning project will get funded.
“GOCO staff saw our proposal early on, and seemed to not have any concerns,” said Mike Anfinson of Ni-Wot Prairie Productions. “We hope we will be successful.”

If the GOCO request is approved, those funds would be available in June to start the planning process. The final plan is expected to be completed by December, Anfinson said. 
Steering committee members expect to apply for additional GOCO grant funds to implement the plans, Anfinson told LID members. They also will seek additional LID funds and community donations. The total project cost is estimated at $120,000. Ideally, construction of the sculpture park would begin in spring 2012 and be completed by Nostalgia Day that year.
Budget

In other business, LID members approved allocating approximately $15,500 for advertising and web design expenses for the year. The actual funds will be spent as services are rendered during the 2011 fiscal year. The group also approved spending $310 for removal and storage of the town’s holiday light displays.
LID members also discussed trying to hold spending through June at $30,000 or less, due to Boulder County budget accounting that needs to be clarified.

LID Treasurer Harris Faberman pointed out that the County Commissioners had already authorized $37,000 for the LID’s budget to July 1. “At that point, we will have the chance to ask for a supplemental budget that is based on our actual sales tax revenues,” he said. “We know we will have more sales tax revenues than $37,000 for the year.”

“I would hate to be artificially constrained by the budget right now,” said LID member Tony Santelli. “We have things that need to get going in May and June to make them happen in the summer.”
LID member Robin Abb proposed keeping LID spending under $30,000 through April instead of through June. “The budget should be unraveled by then, and we will have a clearer picture,” she said. “And we have the $10,000 we are holding for hiring a revitalization consultant as a reserve in case a project must be started right away.”

LID members agreed, except for Euvaldo Valdez who said he thought spending should be curbed through June.
LID Legislation

Warren reported that state legislation to allow local improvement districts to add properties to their districts was killed by members of the Colorado General Assembly House Local Government Committee.
“Even though nobody testified against the bill, it was postponed indefinitely on a 6-5 party-line vote,” Warren said.
Current state law does not include a way to add properties after the initial boundaries for a district are set and approved by voters in the district.