Appendix E SH 7 Agency Coordination
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February 2014 APPENDIX E AGENCY COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Appendix E February 2014 This page intentionally left blank. Appendix E CDOT State Highway 7 – Stakeholder Kickoff Meeting Summary Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Location: Erie Community Center, Briggs Room, 450 Powers St., Erie, CO WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS AND OPENING REMARKS David Kosmiski, Project Manager of the State Highway 7 Planning and Environmental Linkage (SH 7 PEL) Study from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), greeted the group and explained that CDOT is looking forward to the partnership between the local agencies, the resource agencies and CDOT in completing the SH 7 PEL. Bob Felsburg, the SH 7 PEL Project Manager from Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig (FHU), facilitated introductions. PROJECT OVERVIEW Bob Felsburg outlined several important features of the SH 7 PEL Study, including the following: Future Growth Along SH 7: Communities along SH 7 are experiencing and will experience rapid population growth. Therefore, the SH 7 PEL is a timely and important Study to effectively prepare for addressing potential growth demands. Diverse Study Area: The Study area includes SH 7 between U.S. 287 in Lafayette/Boulder County and U.S. 85 in Brighton / Adams County. Segment characteristics vary throughout the corridor, as do the land uses. Three Principles for the SH 7 PEL: Bob outlined the three key principles for the project: 1) to create a vision for the corridor that captures the commonalities and recognizes the unique characteristics of each community so that the jurisdictions can have cohesive plans for the future; 2) to build broad support for an implementable alternative with agency staff, elected officials and members of the public; and 3) to lay the framework for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements throughout the Study, so that the jurisdictions have a strong foundation for a subsequent NEPA process if required for implementing strategies outlined in the PEL. Products of the Study: Three key products from the Study will include 1) a Corridor Assessment Report; 2) a Purpose and Need Statement; and 3) the PEL Study Report. THE STATE HIGHWAY 7 PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGE STUDY Kevin Maddoux, Deputy Project Manager and Environmental Analysis Task Lead from FHU, explained the purpose of a PEL study and specific details about the SH 7 PEL. A PEL study is the interim step of evaluation for a transportation need or project that has been identified in the regional transportation plan, yet has not entered formal NEPA-level analysis. The purpose of a PEL study is to perform preliminary analysis and make decisions not completed as a part of traditional regional level planning that will make NEPA level evaluation and decision making more transparent to resource agencies and the public. PEL represents an approach to transportation decision making that considers environmental, community and economic goals early in the planning stage and carries them through project development, design and construction. This can lead to a seamless decision-making process that minimizes duplication of effort, Page 1 of 8 promotes efficient and cost-effective solutions and environmental stewardship and reduces delays in project implementation. Transportation planners, NEPA practitioners, resource agency staff and the public are involved in the PEL process. Additionally, the PEL process is different than a Corridor Optimization Study (COS) because it takes the elements of the COS and includes more NEPA elements, so that the communities have a foundation for the NEPA process as strategies in the PEL can be implemented. For additional information on the SH 7 PEL and the proposed schedule, please review the “SH 7 PEL Process” and the “SH 7 PEL Schedule” boards included in the December 14, 2011 Stakeholder Meeting Boards and the December 14, 2011 Stakeholder Meeting Agenda and Handout. CORRIDOR CONTEXT/PREVIOUS STUDIES Jenny Young, the Transportation Analysis Task Leader from FHU, explained the context of the SH 7 corridor and highlighted the different characteristics of the corridor (downtown, rural, suburban residential, commercial and sites for future development). The traffic volumes mirror these different land uses, and range from 12,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day. Jenny also listed the previous studies that are relevant to the SH 7 PEL Study, indicating the importance for the PEL Study to be coordinated with these previous studies. Additionally, the SH 7 PEL will utilize the environmental data from these previous studies [specifically the North I-25 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the RTD Fastracks North Metro EIS]. The studies include: SH 7, Cherryvale Road to 75th Street City & County of Broomfield, Town of Erie and Environmental Analysis (CDOT) CDOT SH 7 Access Control Plan 2002 Boulder County Comprehensive Plan 2010 (amended in 2010) Boulder County Transportation Master Plan – in Anthem Development progress City of Westminster Comprehensive Land Use City of Lafayette Comprehensive Plan 2003 Plan Update 2008 City of Lafayette Downtown Vision Plan 2011 City of Thornton Comprehensive Plan 2007 Town of Erie Comprehensive Plan 2005 City of Thornton Transportation Plan 2009 Town of Erie SH 7 Realignment Analysis Denver Regional Council of Governments Vista Ridge Project (DRCOG) 2035 Metro Vision Regional Pebble Creek Project Transportation Plan North I-25 Environmental Impact Statement Adams County Comprehensive Plan 2004 2011 (CDOT) City of Brighton Comprehensive Plan 2003 RTD FasTracks North Metro Environmental Access Control Plans (Erie, Thornton and Impact Statement 2011 (RTD) Broomfield) Weld County Comprehensive Plan 2008 Weld/Adams County Line Crossroads City of Louisville Comprehensive Plan 2009 Alignment Study City & County of Broomfield Comprehensive North I-25 PEL Study Plan 2005 York Study City & County of Broomfield Transportation Rocky Mountain Rail Authority High-Speed Rail Plan 2005 Study Page 2 of 8 EXISTING CONDITIONS/CRITICAL ISSUES Jenny Young also highlighted some of the critical issues that will be addressed in the SH 7 PEL including: Right-of-Way constraints Historic constraints Environmental constraints Arterial roadways to relieve use of SH 7 Alignment of SH 7 For additional information on the critical issues that will be addressed in the SH 7 PEL, please see the “SH 7 PEL Critical Issues” board included in the December 14, 2011 Stakeholder Meeting Boards. AGENCY COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Andrea Meneghel, Public Outreach Task Leader from CDR Associates, summarized the stakeholder and public engagement process for the SH 7 PEL Study, particularly explaining the following key characteristic of the public involvement plan: Key Stakeholder Interviews: Representatives from each jurisdiction and participating resource agency will be interviewed in January or February 2012 to identify goals, issues, concerns and project concepts. The objective is for each interviewee to candidly share their thoughts about the SH 7 PEL Study. Project Team members from CDR Associates and FHU will lead the interviews. CDOT staff will attend the CDOT interviews for intra-agency coordination purposes. David Kosmiski and Kirk Webb, CDOT, encouraged stakeholders to share any ideas or concerns about CDOT during the interview process, in addition to their substantive comments about the SH 7 PEL Study. Visioning Workshop: In late February or early March 2012, a Visioning Workshop will be held to bring together the corridor community staffs and elected officials to understand, define and discuss commonalities and divergent viewpoints that exist. The objective of the workshop is to begin building a common vision for the SH 7 corridor and to identify the key opportunities and challenges moving forward. Additionally, the Study’s decision-making process and intended work plan will be established. Technical Working Group Meetings: The corridor’s local agencies’ technical staff will serve on a Technical Working Group (TWG) to collaboratively address the Study’s issues and form recommendations. They will serve as the primary contacts for each community and recommend how and when to involve their respective elected officials around key milestones or decision points. The TWG will meet every 6-8 weeks. Public Meetings: Two public meetings will be held in the corridor. One will occur at the beginning of the Study (approximately April), and a second toward the end (approximately August). The meetings will provide the broader public with the opportunity to provide feedback and input around key milestones. Ongoing Public Outreach: Throughout the Study, the public will be able to learn about the project, provide comments and ask questions. A web page will be hosted on the CDOT web site, which will include information about the Study and provide contacts for questions and comments. CDR Associates (Andrea Meneghel and Joan Sabott) will serve as the key points of contact for members of the public. Project Team Communications & Coordination: Local agency staff and elected officials are encouraged to contact CDR Associates for public involvement purposes or if they have general questions about the project or Page 3 of 8 process. FHU will be the contact for technical issues. Dave Kosmiski and Kirk Webb should be contacted to discuss any issues relating to CDOT. SCHEDULE AND NEXT STEPS Andrea Meneghel reviewed the anticipated schedule for the stakeholder and public activities for the SH 7 PEL Study.