Avon Town Council Moves Forward with Planning of a Joint Public Safety Facility

For Immediate Release | December 10, 2015
Contact: Preston Neill, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager
970-748-4404 | pneill@avon.org    
 
Avon, CO—At the December 8, 2015, regular meeting, the Town Council voted to proceed with the design for relocating the Police Department to a new Public Safety Facility at Buck Creek. The Public Safety Facility will also include relocation of the Avon Fire Station. Council held three work sessions on the options and costs for improving the facility needs of the Police Department, prior to its action on Tuesday. The Buck Creek site is felt to be the best possible location with access to I-70, Wildridge and Avon’s current central core and future build-out of the Traer Creek properties.
 
Town staff was directed by the Council to reduce the cost of the facility after the first estimate of $7.5M was released, based upon the schematic design. Heeding that direction, Town staff presented to Council a recommendation for reducing the Police Department’s square feet and eliminating the 22-space parking garage. Based upon that direction, the Council approved a maximum building square footage of 11,300 square feet, with surface parking; with a top budget of $4,688,656, plus up to $852,000 for land purchase. The Council also found that Certificates of Participation are the preferred financing option, with either a 15-year or 20-year term, with the expectation of an election to be held on May 3, 2016.  Town staff will be working with the Fire District to establish public meetings over the next several months to present the plans for public input.
 
Other actions taken by the Council at the meeting included:

2016 Budget
 
Council unanimously approved the Town’s 2016 operating and capital budgets and Long-range Capital Program. The 2016 budget was prepared to implement the multi-year Strategic Plan, which was adopted on October 27^th, and aims to guide decision-making and provide the structure for ensuring investments and programs reflect Council priorities in achieving the vision and adopted plans of the Town of Avon. A few of the projects being funded in 2016 include, but are not limited to:

• $25,000 for development planning costs for one or more worker housing projects,
• $100,000 for new soft and hard trail development, after the updating of the trails plan,
• $2.7 million to complete Phase 3 of the Eagle Valley Regional Trail,
• Repairs to the Eagle River White River Water Park ($10,000),
• Funding for a GOCO grant match for a major Nottingham Park Restroom upgrade ($155,000),
• Safety and walkability improvements (see below), and
• Construction of a bike climbing lane on Metcalf Road – Phase 1 ($860,000)

 
Council also passed a Resolution levying property taxes for Town general operating, debt service, and the Avon General Improvement District No. 1, at the following rates:

• General operating purposes – 8.956 mills - No change since 2000
• Debt service – 2.809 mills – A decrease of 0.442 mills from 2014
• Avon General Improvement District No. 1 – 14.077 mills – A decrease of 3.480 mills from 2014

Funding for the Design of Beaver Creek Boulevard
 
Council authorized a Professional Services Agreement for the design of Beaver Creek Boulevard in 2016. The Town initiated a walkability audit this past summer to identify how to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and methods to incentivize economic vitality and social connections by addressing obstacles to walkability. As a result, Beaver Creek Boulevard was showcased in the final report as a priority candidate for a modified streetscape design with added on-street parking, bicycle lanes, and potential “modern” roundabouts at Sun Road and Beaver Creek Place. Through outreach to abutting property owners on Beaver Creek Boulevard, it was found that there was widespread support for the plan to revitalize Beaver Creek Boulevard with pedestrian, bicycle and streetscape improvements. For the reasons of needed upgrade, planned future development and the opportunity to advance walkability and economic incentives, Council authorized the Design Workshop Team, the consultant to the Town, to proceed with the first three phases of the project which include “Project Start-Up,” “Development of a Preliminary Plan,” and “Public Outreach.” Construction is planned for 2017.