City Council Meeting Recap

Feb. 16, 2021

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Meeting with the Boulder Valley School District
A variety of topics were discussed with BVSD School Board members.
 
Public Input
Included comments related to the Cottage Camp project and comments stating opposition to the proposed Boulder County compost facility.
 
Presentations
COVID-19 Recovery and Sustainment Update
Trends are showing COVID numbers decreasing, but health officials are continuing to stress the importance of mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing. The seven-day positive test average is at 3.76%. The COVID-19 Dial 2.0 updates are intended to allow the State to be more responsive and have the ability to more quickly move counties up or down in restriction levels.
 
Vaccine distribution update: The following groups are currently eligible to receive vaccinations if there is vaccine available: High and moderate-risk healthcare providers, First responders, Individuals who are 70 years old or older, Individuals who are 65-69 years old, PK-12 educators and childcare workers in licensed childcare programs. In Boulder County, 33,837 people have been immunized with one or more doses.
 
Boulder County 5 Star Business Certification Program Update: The State approved the Boulder County 5 Star Program application in late January. This program allows businesses who meet more stringent COVID safety measures to operate at greater customer capacity. Approved businesses can be viewed at boulderchamber.com/boco-5-star-launch. There have been 70-80 business applications and inspections have begun. Early approved Lafayette businesses include The POST, Chili’s Bar & Grill, Lionsgate Events Center, and Acreage by Stem Ciders.
 
The Great Outdoors Waterpark 2021 Operating Plan
Staff has developed a plan which allows for the safe operation of The Great Outdoors Waterpark (GOWP) for the 2021 season. The plan provides for compliance with COVID operating guidelines, including physical distancing managed by adhering to occupancy limits, and collecting information to support contact tracing. The plan also provides some opportunity to adjust as the COVID Dial is updated. The plan is to run a typical season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Entrance fees will not be raised for the 2021 season and Reduced Rate applications will be honored. Due to the reservation requirement to attend the Park this season, season passes will not be offered, as we may not be able to always guarantee visits for passholders.
 
Hearings
Four items related to the Medtronic Office Campus
Ryan Companies, on behalf of Medtronic, is proposing to construct a new corporate campus at the northeast corner of US Highway 287 and Dillion Road. The campus will consist of 600,000 square feet of office space within two phases on 42 acres. Full details of the submitted plan can be viewed in the Meeting Packet on pages 7 through 159.
 
Public input during the Medtronic hearing included a large number of participants in favor of seeking 100% cash-in-lieu land dedication from the applicant.
 
Approved 7-0: Ordinance No. 03, Series 2021 - Zoning Certain Land from Developing Resource (DR) to Regional Business (C1)/Industrial (M1) – Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zone District / Approving the Medtronic Office Campus Final Planned Unit Development Plan
Medtronic Land Dedication

• Approved 7-0: Motion to deny a credit for public land dedication.
• Approved 7-0: Motion to require applicant to pay 100% cash-in-lieu of the public land dedication requirement.

Council discussions included leaning towards 100% cash-in-lieu for public land dedication for the required 5 acres (12% of 42 acres). The preference would be to have usable, dedicated open space, and this particular property does not offer a sufficient or suitable
option. While Council considered the recreational amenities the applicant will be providing for its employees, Council did not choose to provide a credit for them.
 
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-14 - Approving the Ryan/MDT Office Campus Subdivision, Filing No. 1 Final Plat
The final plat was approved with amendments addressing public land dedications/cash in lieu, subsurface minerals, and public art considerations.
 
Approved 7-0: Motion to approve Medtronic Site Plan/Architectural Review
The plan was approved subject to 5 conditions,
 
Regular Business
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-12 - Amendment to the Cottage Camp Subdivision Development Agreement / Amendment to the Final Plat and Accepting the Property Interests Dedicated by the Amended Plat   
The Cottage Camp development is located the southeastern corner of W. Baseline Road and Cornelius Street and was initially approved in January of 2020 by City Council. The approved plan includes a six-building, mixed-use development with thirteen (13) residential units within four apartment buildings in duplex and triplex configurations, one live/work building, and one 2,500-square-foot, two story office, and retail building on the 0.65-acre site.
 
A recent review of final engineering plans found the proposed watermain is insufficient for adequate water supply and necessary fire flow. The applicant is requesting a replat of the subdivision to modify utility easements as a condition of approval of the project’s final engineering plans. The required utility system modifications necessitate an amendment to the Development Agreement to reflect increased costs of the utility system and to further clarify approval authority pertaining to required bus stop improvements. The proposed replat will not change the previously approved site plan, building elevations, landscaping, or lighting.
 
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-13 - 104th Street Trail Connector / Approving Intergovernmental Agreement with Boulder County and Louisville
Regional significance of this trail connection is profound and will provide Lafayette residents off-road trail access to Stearns Lake in Boulder County and Carolyn Holmberg Preserve via Coal Creek Trail or the South Point neighborhood. From Stearns Lake, Boulder County trails connect to Broomfield trails that lead directly to the U.S. 36 Bikeway linking Denver to Boulder. Connecting Coal Creek Trail to Stearns Lake, is identified as a priority in the Parks Recreation Open Space (PROS) Master Plan and LOSAC’s annual Open Space and Trail Recommendations to City Council and Boulder County. Lafayette will be responsible for a 1/3 cash match not to exceed $328,500 as set forth in the IGA, equally split amongst the Louisville and Boulder County partners. A detailed map of the project can be viewed in the Meeting Packet on page 188.
 
 
Approved 7-0: Resolution No. 2021-121 - Recommendation to Suspend State Testing for the 2020-2021 School Year
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) paused state tests including the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) for the 2019-2020 school year. The pandemic has continued to create obstacles to student learning, including access to teachers, materials, and support services provided by schools and has made instruction and learning more difficult in the 2020-2021 school year.  Should standardized tests be administered this spring, they may fail to fairly assess student achievement and growth given the pandemic’s disruption to education and would result in a loss of instructional time just as students are finally able to return to in-person learning. Councilor Behanna recommended Council formally support the CDE’s suspension of standardized testing in Colorado public schools for the 2020-2021 school year due to unforeseen impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Consent Agenda
Approved 7-0
 
Council Appointments
City Council approved a motion 7-0 appointing Kyle Gutierrez and Dinah Pollard as regular members, and the reappointment of Lauren Spath-Luhring and Heidi Mallon as regular members of the Lafayette Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC). Two alternate positions are still vacant. Interested residents may apply at lafayetteco.gov/JoinLCAC. Thank you to Karen Raforth, who recently stepped down from LCAC, for 11 years of service and dedication.
 
Staff Reports
City Administrator report
Thank you for Council’s fair and impartial consideration of the Medtronic project. This will be a significant success for the Lafayette community and economy.  
 
City Council reports
Councilor Barnes:

• The Library is open and serving the community – 2,300 visits the first week!

Mayor Pro Tem Walton:

• Thank you to staff for your dedication on the Medtronic presentation. We know there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work. This will be beneficial for Lafayette.
• Just a heads up that LOSAC (Open Space Advisory Committee) is interested in reviewing ordinances regarding eBikes and have a continued goal to be involved in monitoring oil and gas activities. They have also reviewed plans for the Outdoor Classroom expansion project and provided input on the Sustainability Plan.

Councilor Wong:

• Thank you to City Administrator Sprague for his leadership on the Medtronic project. Well done getting the process moving quickly.