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MEMORANDUM Date: June 3, 2013 To: Janine Jordan, City Manager From: Randy Hunt, Community Development Director Subject: Report: Community Development Dept. – May 2013 Code Administration, Building Permits: Here are the permit summary statistics for April 2013: Month YTD 13 YTD 12 Month YTD 13 YTD 12 New Single Family 15 23 11 1,995,250.00 3,928,116.00 1,251,915.00 New Multiple Family 1 455,000.00 No. Units - YTD 13 No. Units - YTD 12 New Manufactured Homes Residential Remodel 10 38 40 65,556.00 337,467.00 545,406.00 New Commercial or Industrial 1 358,686.00 New Public Facilities Commercial, Industrial or Public Remodel 5 20 17 4,009,475.00 16,607,458.00 1,691,342.00 Demolition 4 5 3 1,068,000.00 1,090,000.00 29,290.00 Signs 6 6 136,926.00 34,970.00 Electrical 16 62 93 288,325.00 2,641,403.00 2,166,634.00 Plumbing 20 89 89 162,140.00 4,383,366.00 1,023,324.00 Mechanical 13 54 67 69,201.00 4,203,846.00 884,587.00 Misc. TOTALS 83 297 328 7,657,947.00 33,328,582.00 8,441,154.00 Permits Valuations1 This month’s permit statistics do not show a deviation from previous patterns, all things equal. The lead category in valuation is Commercial, Industrial or Public Remodel, with the University responsible for most (but not all) of this activity. The single largest-value project in April was the Gateway Center – UW’s new building on the northwest corner of 22nd St. and Grand Ave. As in previous years, the New Single Family residential category shows a sharp upswing in April. It is encouraging that new-home starts are over double the level we saw by the same point last year (23 City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 721-5207 Code Administration: (307) 721-5271 Fax: (307) 721-5248 Engineering: (307) 721-5250 Fax: (307) 721-5216 TTD: (307) 721-5207 ---PAGE BREAK--- June 3, 2013 Page 2 v. 11). April 2013 had better construction weather than some Aprils, so it is early to say that this trend will continue; but it is surely not a sign of distress. Nearly all the new single-family house starts are in the same subdivisions we have noted previously; namely, Grandview Heights in the east Turner Tract, Coughlin-Pole Mountain 3rd Addition north of Reynolds St., and Norris Addition in the Corthell/Overland area. Code Enforcement: Here are the Code Enforcement figures for May 2013: New Issues for May 2013 Type of Violation Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Offensive Growth 102 90 30 120 118 151 118 Junk 39 15 32 47 19 93 19 Junked Vehicles 8 4 12 16 12 21 12 Abandoned vehicles 1 0 1 1 0 8 0 Other 19 0 11 11 1 47 1 Snow removal 0 0 0 0 0 243 0 Nuisance Totals 169 109 86 169 150 563 150 Volunteer Hours 52.5 0 0 0 0 52.5 0 End of Year to *Coordinated and supervised training for 17 Code Enforcers from Wyoming in Casper on May 10th Date End of May April 2013 2013 2013 The figures are typical for this time of year, with new Offensive Growth complaints leading the way in Spring. A large number of offensive growth complaints were not resolved at month’s end; this is a bit unusual but appears at least partly due to a sizeable number of April violations still in progress toward completion. Planning: May 2013 highlights include: Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment met twice in May holding a hearing on the following matters: o CUP-13-05 (968 North 9th Street – Feeding Laramie Valley) Approved ---PAGE BREAK--- June 3, 2013 Page 3 o TA-12-03 (Tree Area Overlay Zoning District) Recommendation that Council Approve and to hold a work session to discuss the Turner Tract Area Plan Update. At the May 21 City Council meeting, the Council remanded CPA-13-01 (Land Use Plan Amendment requesting a change from Estate to Auto Urban Multifamily at the northeast corner of Bobolink Street and Vista Drive) to the Planning Commission due to the fact that the Board of County Commissioners postponed action on concurrence until June 4th, and due to the fact that the Planning Commission failed to pass the Planning Commission Resolution amending the Land Use Plan Map by a majority vote of the Commission due to attendance issues. 4 new development applications were submitted to the Planning Division during the month of May, consisting of: o CPA-13-02 Glacier / Beech (Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan proposing Land Use Plan change from Open to Auto-Urban Multifamily at the southwest corner of Glacier and Beech Streets). o Z-13-02 Glacier and Beech O R3 (Southwest corner of Glacier and Beech Streets) o Z-13-01 Turner Tract – High School (Boulder Addition Plat) o Z-13-03 Court LM R3 Court) Staff continues to work with the owners of the Laramie Country Club regarding de-annexation. The item will be heard by the Planning Commission on June 27, 2013. The Ad-Hoc Committee established to oversee the update to the Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan met twice in May. The committee continues to work on providing guidance to City Staff in the drafting of the Plan. Staff continues to work with AVI Engineering on preparation of the LaBonte Park plat. Work on other long term projects continues: o Staff continues to receive feedback for future Development Code revisions and expects to bring “Round Three UDC Revisions” forward to the Planning Commission this summer. o Staff is continues the process to update the UDC Use Table. Staff is soliciting comment for the City webpage and social media platforms and from area organizations. o Tri-Hydro continues work on the I-80 Aquifer protection Monitoring Well Design and Hazardous Spill Detention Pond Design. o Staff has begun the Comprehensive Plan 5 year update and presented a summary of the Plan update to the City Council at a work session on May 28th. Engineering: May activities: Development Review Twenty three projects were received by Engineering Staff for review this month. Comments to four projects were returned to the originating division, the remaining projects are in review or being assigned to Staff at this time. Coordination with other City Departments Staff worked on the design of a ditch and inlets for Aragon Softball Complex. Staff has assisted Parks Department with the Gateway Drainage Project. Staff is working with the Parks, Recreational, Trails, and Natural Areas Master Plan. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 3, 2013 Page 4 Staff has assisted Parks Department in the RFP for well system for Non-Potable Irrigation. Staff is participating in the City’s Wellness Committee, and is currently planning the June 2013 Wellness Fair. Engineering updated portions of the City’s standard project manual to incorporate changes in the City’s commitment to an “Energy Efficiency Policy”, and updates in “Wyoming Preference Act”. Engineering has been working with Department of Public Works Staff on writing policies for project management, EADOC, and Construction Inspections Staff continues inspections of local development projects and City projects that are under construction. Staff is conducting inspections of storm water and erosion issues. Capital Improvement Projects. Engineering Staff has taken over project management of many of the SPT projects, filling in for City positions that are currently vacant. SPT 29 - Fetterman/Russell 5th to 7th – City Engineering – Hamaker/Big Huhnks Construction started, but work will be slow. SPT 41 - Garfield/Custer 13th to 14th – AMEC – Domino Construction Water system is completed and being tested currently. Sewer should be completed by early next month. SPT 42 - 11th Street, Kearney to Park – Wester-Wetstein Plans and project manual has been review, and returned to consultant for modification. SPT 43 - Canby/Harney 9th to 13th – Farnsworth Plans and project manual are under review. SPT 45 - Ord/Russell 5th to 7th – Farnsworth Plans and project manual are under review. - Cirrus Sky Data park – City Engineering Design is progressing slowly. Project is in process for preliminary plat approval through city council and required easements. A 30 foot ribbon of asphalt paving on 30th Street has been budgeted and approved by council. - South Laramie Sanitary Sewer Project has been assigned. SPT 26 - Cedar Street – Coffey Engineering – Simon Contractors Construction is progressing extremely slowly. SPT 36 - B Line (Bradley – Garfield) – AMEC – Simon Contractors Contractor is submitting necessary information to begin project. It is anticipated to begin middle of June. SPT 46 - B Line (Garfield – UPRR) - AMEC Project is currently under design. GFSRIV - Ivinson St (9th to 15th) – City Engineering The street has been surveyed. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 3, 2013 Page 5 – West Laramie (Banner Road) Lift Station – Farnsworth Engineering – Velocity Constructors Project is nearing completion. Closeout paper work has commenced. – Cleveland Street Drainage - SEH Project is under design. Cottonwood Estates Drainage 2013 – City Engineering – Six Point Solutions Project is on hold for processing until initial paper work is submitted. Traffic Commission Traffic Commission met in May. Cirrus Sky Technology Park: Some May highlights from CSTP’s project management team: The Cirrus Sky Preliminary Plat was originally scheduled to go before Planning Commission on May 13, in expectation that City Council review and approval could take place at a special meeting on May 30. The Planning Commission briefly reviewed the plat and citizen comments were heard on May 13. However, staff recommended and the Planning Commission agreed to postpone plat review until June 10. The delay was partly to allow additional time for necessary easements in the vicinity to be finalized (see following). The additional time also allowed items such as the traffic study and preliminary trail design to proceed. The preliminary plat is now scheduled for review and recommendation by Planning Commission on June 10, with Council review one week later at a special meeting on June 17. The Community Development staff and other City staff met numerous times with landowners and their representatives to iron out final details on access, utilities, and construction easements for properties adjacent to Cirrus Sky. A total of 13 easements will be needed for those purposes; all of them are in connection with access streets to the site (22nd St., 30th St., and Asphalt Lane), and/or for utilities to the property via the above corridors, plus a waterline from Inca Drive to 30th St. Although no easements were signed as of the end of May, all are believed to be in the final stages and none are expected to pose insurmountable difficulties. It is anticipated that these easements will be signed and approved by City Council in early June. The Parks & Recreation Dept. staff worked with Russell + Mills Studios, Fort Collins, to determine preliminary conceptual designs for the ridgeline trail. The preliminary-design visuals and other information were presented at a public meeting on Wed., May 29, 6 – 7 pm, at Indian Paintbrush Elementary School. Staff judges that the designs were well-received by the approx. 20-25 citizens attending, and a number of good questions and comments were addressed by the staff and consultants. Parks & Rec staff are preparing a MAP-21 (formerly TEAL) Grant application for the June 30 deadline. A Council public hearing on the grant is set for Council’s June 11 meeting. The Cirrus Sky and vicinity traffic study was nearly complete at the end of May, and preliminary findings were outlined at the May 29 public meeting, following the trail discussion. Essential traffic-related points included: o It appears that under the current Cirrus Sky schedule, little if any time, and few if any options, exist to construction of 22nd St. as a full City street north of Beaufort St. ---PAGE BREAK--- June 3, 2013 Page 6 o Background traffic warrants are not met for a traffic light at 22nd St. and Reynolds, and even added traffic to Cirrus Sky will not meet warrants. However, adding Cirrus Sky traffic to current levels does result in a Level of Service (LOS) rating of F (failing) at this intersection. It’s recognized that current conditions at 22nd and Reynolds are well below optimal at peak times, especially at Laramie Junior High School. The Laramie Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) is offering a lead role in investigating external funding to install a traffic signal at the intersection. On May 15, Council approved an amendment to the proposed FY 2014 supplemental budget to provide “ribbon” pavement on 30th St. to Cumulus Drive, and to improve Cumulus Drive with gravel base to the Cirrus Sky interior roundabout. Although not to full City street standards, these improvements are expected to provide an alternative to 22nd St. being the Park’s primary improved access. Engineering design for the Cirrus Sky infrastructure is proceeding; however, the Cirrus Sky design work has to be balanced against other current pressing needs, such as the City’s SPT project scheduling. With the scheduled delay in platting, the City has additional time to design the project; delay will also provide an opportunity to go to construction bid in the Fall, which typically will yield more favorable prices than bids in June or July.