1 Agenda Item 2B- Continued Discussion Allowing
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5/19/20 Agenda Item 2B- Continued Discussion Allowing Businesses to Expand Operation into the Town Public Right-of-way to Aid with Social Distancing Compliance To assist Town Council’s continued discussions and deliberations regarding potential closures of Main Street (Colorado Ave.) in Telluride’s downtown commercial core, this memo and attachments have been prepared to present contrasting approaches to closures and potential uses within the Colorado Ave. right- of-way between Aspen and Willow Streets. These alternative approaches are intended to be consistent with Council’s desire to explore ways to support local businesses during the COVID pandemic by providing an opportunity to utilize the Colorado Ave. right-of-way and other public property to offset potential reductions in permitted occupancy resulting from social distancing requirements. The alternatives described therein and below are illustrative and for discussion purposes only, and a no action alternative, though not listed, is implied. As noted previously, any action involving the use of public property would be predicated on compliance with applicable COVID County and State orders in effect at the time, specifically those pertaining to gathering size, opening of commercial uses, and social distancing requirements. The orders currently in effect would prohibit the expansion of commercial uses or special events within the rights-of-way as described herein. Alternative 1 – One-way vehicular traffic along Colorado Ave. in the Commercial Core This alternative would involve one-way eastbound vehicular traffic along Colorado Ave. through the commercial core. Please find attached diagrams indicating the various components as set forth below. Features Traffic Circulation . Vehicular traffic would be limited to the eastbound lane only through the commercial core (Oak to Willow Streets), the westbound travel lane would be closed . Two-way vehicular traffic would be maintained for non-commercial vehicles between Aspen and Oak Streets. Pedestrian Circulation . No changes to current sidewalk configurations Parking . Parallel on-street parking along the southern edge of the right-of-way (ROW) would remain in current condition . Parallel on-street parking along the northern edge of the ROW would be eliminated, and replaced in certain locations with angled parking (potential net loss of 13 spaces) Deliveries . Centerlane loading would be maintained in present location, but reduced in scope 1 5/19/20 Transit . Westbound transit route and service would be re-routed to Colombia Ave. between Willow and Aspen Streets. Communal Dining Areas (indicated as Blue on attached diagrams) . Communal dining could occur generally within the westbound travel lane and some centerlane loading areas . Dining areas would be open to the public for consumption of takeout (or delivered) food and beverages, from any restaurant establishment; space would not be allocated or assigned to specific businesses . Common signage and information, including food/drink ordering information, could be incorporated into the dining table/seating areas, potentially assigning table numbers for deliveries . Depending upon Council direction on Common Consumption Area/Entertainment District, the public could consume, and potentially take delivery of, alcoholic beverages in the communal dining areas . Fencing or barriers would be necessary at vehicular traffic/loading area interfaces with the dining areas Communal Retail/Arts Areas (indicated as Purple on attached diagrams) . Communal retail and/or art uses could occur generally within the westbound travel lane . Open to retail business with the specific block to exhibit merchandise, etc., not allocated or assigned to specific businesses . Areas could also be utilized by local artists and art organizations if not used by retail businesses, or in conjunction with the retail businesses . Fencing or barriers would be necessary at vehicular traffic/loading area interfaces with the retail or arts area Considerations a) Additional traffic impacts will occur along Columbia and Pacific Ave. b) Impacts from the loss of on-street parking may be offset by the new Silver Jack Parking Facility (70 public parking spaces located one block south of Colorado Ave.) c) Large delivery trucks may need to use Townsend St. to egress the commercial core d) Additional street and directional signage, and revised in-town and regional transit information materials would be required e) Potential implications with the Black Hills gasline project along Columbia Ave. would need to be evaluated f) Responsibilities for communal dining/retail infrastructure o Potential Scenario 1: Town would be responsible for acquiring (renting?) tables/chairs/benches for communal dining areas and perimeter fencing to separate uses. If purchased, the Town could re-purpose the equipment in the future, or auction 2 5/19/20 off the equipment after the summer season. Local artists and/or kids could paint, or otherwise individualize, tables/seating/benches. o Potential Scenario 2: Restaurants could place their unused, or acquire new, tables/chairs for the communal dining areas o Moving fencing and tabling/seating for routine street sweeping, watering of planter boxes and hanging baskets, or to accommodate special events, could be the responsibility of the Town, or the restaurant/retail/arts establishments or groups g) Responsibilities for communal dining/retail maintenance o For safety reasons, the Town should be the entity responsible for maintaining fencing o The common dining tables and seating will require frequent wiping and cleaning of surfaces. This responsibility could be shared by the restaurant establishments, performed by the Town (additional staff?), or through other means such as volunteers. o The outdoor dining will generate more garbage than typical in the commercial core, and additional garbage receptacles and increased frequency of emptying the receptacles will be incurred by the Town, unless otherwise delegated h) Outdoor communal dining areas should not generate the need for additional restrooms, and diners should be encouraged to use the facilities of the establishment from which the take- out/delivered food or beverage was obtained i) If the outdoor communal dining/retail/artist areas are to be used in the evenings, it may be preferable to have any desired heating and lighting be the responsibility of the restaurant or retail establishments, or artist groups Alternative 2 – Parklets along Colorado Ave. in the Commercial Core A parklet is typically the conversion of on-street, parallel parking spaces into a variety of public and private uses, such as seating, dining, retail, bicycle parking, art, and landscaping. Parklets can be either seasonal or year-round, and are constructed to be relatively easy to move or remove for street maintenance, snow plowing, emergencies, etc. Please find attached images of parklets used in other communities. For the purpose of this discussion, outdoor dining has been used as the example. Please find attached diagrams indicating potential parklets in the Colorado Ave. ROW in locations which are adjacent to current restaurants or bar uses. Features Traffic Circulation . No changes to vehicular traffic patterns in the commercial core; two-way traffic maintained Pedestrian Circulation . No changes to current sidewalk configurations 3 5/19/20 Parking . Parallel on-street parking would be eliminated where parklets are installed (potential net loss of 22 spaces in the example shown) Deliveries . Centerlane loading would be maintained in present location Transit . No changes to current transit route or service Use (areas indicated as Blue on attached Maps) . In the case of outdoor dining, the parklet could used be exclusively by the adjacent restaurant or bar (through the applicable permitting processes), or for communal use, open to public for consuming take-out or delivered food and beverages . Depending upon Council’s direction on a Common Consumption Area/Entertainment District, the public could also consume acholic beverages, and potential take delivery of such, in the parklet Considerations a) Some additional traffic and parking impacts may occur in the surrounding neighborhoods to the extent these impacts are not offset by the Silver Jack Parking Facility b) Given a parklet’s width (8-9’), the additional seating is limited, and likely would be further restricted by anticipated COVID distancing requirements c) There would be a lead time to design and construct parklets, assuming a parklet would be intended as a permanent or seasonal part of the commercial core (not temporary) d) Responsibility for costs of construction, installation, maintenance and cleaning: if public use, then the Town; if exclusive use, then the specific business? Alternative 3 – Shifted Sidewalk along Colorado Ave. in the Commercial Core This concept would involve shifting the sidewalks on the north and south side of Colorado Ave. in the commercial core into the adjacent parallel parking lane. Businesses would then have opportunity to use the width of the sidewalk along their street frontage for commercial uses. Features Traffic Circulation . No changes to vehicular traffic patterns in the commercial core; two-way traffic maintained Pedestrian Circulation . Creates more width for pedestrians on the southside of Colorado Ave., and slightly less width in most locations along the northside of Colorado Ave. Would require a fence/barrier along the relocated sidewalk use as the pedestrian and vehicular traffic