Stimulus Package Offers Set-Asides For Diagonal Highway

By Nellie Nibnose
NellieN@lhvc.com

If anyone thinks there’s no such thing as buried treasure, just wait 18 months or so. Buried deep within the recesses of the recently signed stimulus package is a bit of gold for reconstruction of the Diagonal Highway that will be a boon to state road construction, real estate lawyers and developers.

In this case, one could say TARPE means Totally Appropriate Real Property Exchange. This bit of government set-asides will make TDRs (transferable development rights) and carbon credits look like monopoly money.

About 15 years ago, some Vail boosters proposed creating more land for development while keeping Vail views for Vail residents by covering I-70 and building condos on the new land mass.

In the vein of never let a bad idea die, some of the funds for redeveloping the Diagonal and Hwy. 52 exchange have been reallocated and will be spent on lowering the Diagonal’s grade, creating a tunnel between Hwy. 52 and 83rd Street, and putting the traffic in the tunnel. And yes, there are plans to develop the new land.

In the spirit of the stimulus package, the project is expected to add to the employment ranks with state and county engineers, subcontractors and state highway patrol being the primary beneficiaries. But since the land is being reclaimed so to speak, there’s the unintended benefit to area developers too.

 

Photos courtesy of C-DUPE

Pictured above is the current photo of the Niwot Park and Ride station, and, above right, C-DUPE’s (Colorado Department of Property Excavation) rendering of what a development might look like if a portion of the Diagonal was subterranean. Separate set-asides are possible for burying the BSNF railroad tracks as well as the proposed Northwestern Corridor of FasTracks. <Read Full Story>

Illegal Children In Niwot; Laws Unenforced?

By Don Nac Urrie
DonNac@lhvc.com

In what was described as “a typographical error of monumental proportions,” children have apparently been banned within the city limits of Niwot.

It all began as a misguided bid for attention, according to one Niwot City Council member who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s like no one knows we exist,” he said. “We just wanted to get some interest in the council – get a few people to show up at our meetings, even if they’re just there to protest.”

After all the conversation about legislating backyard barnyards in Longmont, the Niwot City Council members followed suit, hatching a plan to generate publicity for themselves by proposing to allow chickens in Niwot residential areas.

Debate at council meetings went on and on, with the council dragging its feet over making a decision in the hopes that national media would pick up on the story. Alas, the Longmont news overshadowed the Niwot debate, and the council couldn’t even bribe out-of-work Rocky reporters to come to council meetings.

“We went and knocked on the door of the Niwot Tribune downtown, but no one answered,” one council member said. “We taped a note on the door, in case a reporter stopped by…but in retrospect, that note could have gone anywhere given the windstorms we’ve had.” [Read Full Story]

Grange Gets Boost From Starbucks

By Kitty Raccooni
KittyR@lhvc.com

Long anticipated restoration work on Niwot’s historic Left Hand Grange Hall is slated to begin in April, thanks to a last minute infusion of funds from international superstar Starbucks Coffee.

“This is just what we needed, and just in time,” said Grange official Lorinda Lebowsky, who has been spearheading fundraising efforts and soliciting grant money for the much needed building repairs. “It was a long shot, appealing to [Starbucks CEO] Howard Schultz for a donation, but it paid off.”

While Schultz declined to give an outright donation to the fund, he did agree to “partner” with the Grange and infuse $100,000 into the project “to establish a presence in Niwot,” noting that the nearest Starbucks location is 4.5 miles away, inside the King Soopers on S. Hover Rd. in Longmont. [Read Full Story]