5225 North Academy Boulevard

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918

Manitou Avenue Revitalization Project

Bi-Weekly Meeting Notes

Nolte Project # CSB010700

Meeting Date: January 30, 2004

Purpose: Bi-Weekly Meeting

Location: City Council Chambers

Introductions: Representatives from The City of Manitou Springs (City), Nolte Associates, Inc. (Nolte), and the Manitou Avenue Liaison Group (MALG) were in attendance. (See attached Attendance Sheet.) Promptly at 10:00 a.m. Steve Behrens, Nolte’s Project Manager, initiated introductions and reviewed the meeting agenda.

1. Project Administration & Coordination:

   1. Minutes of the January 13, 2004 Project Kick-Off Meeting: The minutes were distributed and briefly reviewed.

   2. Liaison Group/Bi-Weekly Meeting: The makeup of the MALG and its role as an information link between the groups they represent, the Nolte Design Team, and the City Council was discussed.

   3. Bi-Weekly Meeting Guidelines and Procedures: The policies and procedures for the Bi-Weekly Meetings were distributed and presented by Nolte.

2. Work In Progress:

a. CDOT Coordination:

• Roger Miller, Nolte, presented a review of the meetings the Nolte team members had with CDOT staff Tom Adams (ROW Supervisor) and Betty Clark-Wine (Acquisition/Relocation Supervisor), and Ajin Hu (Traffic) Engineer.

• The meeting with Tom Adams to collect any right-of-way information CDOT had for Manitou Avenue in the project area. They had very little so Nolte would continue to search for other possible information sources.

• Discussion was held with Betty Clark-Wine and Tom Adams regarding the requirement for temporary and permanent construction and use easements for work outside the rights-of-way.

• The meeting with Ajin Hu was to discuss the feasibility and functionality of reducing Manitou Avenue form four (4) lanes to three (3) lanes. Nolte provided Ms. Hu with a copy of the Felsburg, Holt, Ullevig traffic study that addressed the proposed lane reduction. (Following the meeting Ms. Hu reviewed the study and stated that it was very conservative and concurs that three lanes will adequately handle the traffic on Manitou Avenue with Levels of Service (LOS) ranging from “A” to “B” – the highest LOS’s. Additional coordination will proceed to determine laneage dimensions.

2. CSU Coordination:

• Steve Behrens gave a review of the meeting held with Jim Thomas and Cindy Lou Hyde of CSU.

• CSU is working on a preliminary plan for the relocation of the overhead electric lines (located along the south side of Manitou Avenue); it should be completed by mid-February. They are using a plan completed by Don Moon as a starting point.

• It was mentioned that the City could apply for “system improvement funds.” CSU reviews the funding applications in October of each year.

• CSU wants to phase the undergrounding along with the project phases, rather than do all of the undergrounding at one time. CSU will do the relocation construction with their work force.

• During a follow-up phone conversation with Cindy Lou Hyde the cost of underground vaults (for transformers) vs. above ground cabinets was discussed. The buried vaults are more expensive, but preferable to the above ground cabinets because of the visual and space impacts of the above ground cabinets. However, Nolte will investigate the possibility of using locations outside of the Manitou Avenue right-of-way where the cabinets could be installed without adversely affecting the visual appearance space needs of the streetscape.

• Material specifications and details showing the standard CSU decorative street lights were passed out to the meeting attendees. CSU’s decorative street lights are very similar in character to those recommended in the “Avenue Plan.” CSU will supply and maintain their standard lights, if the City wanted a different light installed they would be responsible for supplying and maintaining those lights. A concensus was reached that the CSU decorative light – with a high pressure sodium luninaire, fluted extruded aluminum pole and a fiberglass base – will be incorporated into the plan.

• There was a question about what the footcandle requirement (amount of light) for the Avenue travelway will be. It is undesirable to have the lighting be too bright. It was explained that the required degree of lighting is an issue that will be discussed with CDOT during the preliminary design along with other lighting requirements such as spacing, wattage, and type (i.e. high pressure sodium vs. mercury, etc.). There was also some discussion about using double-headed or single-headed lights.

c. Design Survey/Base Mapping

• The Shoshone Spring topographic field survey is complete, so mapping can be started. Once the mapping is finished, deign for the Plaza will start.

• Field survey for the remainder of the project area has been started. The survey field work is scheduled to be completed the third week of February.

• Nolte did find some historic survey data for the downtown area, including information about the Manitou Avenue right-of-way, at the Miramont Castle. Nolte is working with the Manitou Springs Historical Society to make copies of those drawings that are pertinent to the Revitalization Project.

4. Utility Field Locates:

• Approximately half of the underground utilizes have been located.

• A map showing the location and depths of the utilities in Manitou Avenue was found at Miramont Castle.

4. Qwest Coordination:

• Steve Behrens called Joyce Robbins of Qwest to inform them that work was starting on the Manitou Avenue Revitalization Project. Qwest will underground their lines. They will coordinate with CSU. There is a possibility that they may use the same trench as CSU.

• It was questioned if Qwest would upgrade their lines for computers and cable, etc. Nolte will ask if they intend to/would do so.

• It was pointed out that CDOT will also have to be involved in the utility undergrounding, as there is a CDOT/CSU/Qwest franchise agreement.

f. Web Site Update:

• Kitty Clemens, Manitou Springs EDC, informed the meeting that the EDC web site is now on-line. The site is still under construction. It is planned that there will ultimately be buttons for such things as construction updates; project meeting notices, agendas, and minutes; “what’s new” (i.e. the Nolte Team’s historic document find); and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

• The address is: manitouspringsahead.com

• Nolte will provide Kitty with meeting minutes in Word by Tuesday of the following week.

7. Right Of Entry & Construction Easements:

• Right of entry is a CDOT requirement for any locations outside of the right-of-way.

• It was mentioned that there may be a tax benefit to property owners who give the City a permanent easement. Mike Leslie will research to verify.

7. Collect Project-Related City Design Criteria:

• Todd Liming, City Planning Director, provided Nolte with copies of the following documents:

  • 2000 Manitou Springs Rainbow Vision Plan

  • Manitou Springs Open Space Plan

  • Manitou Springs Sign Ordinance and Sign Design Guidelines for the Downtown Zone

  • City of Manitou Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance

  • City of Manitou Springs Zoning Ordinance

  • City of Manitou Springs Subdivision Regulations

  • Manitou Springs Fire Department Development & Construction Information Package

  • City of Manitou Springs Commercial Design Guidelines Handbook

3. Review of Dan Burden’s Walkable Cities Presentation:

• Michael Hussey, Nolte, reviewed the highpoints of Dan Burden’s presentation including the advantages of 3-laneing Manitou Avenue, roundabouts, wider sidewalks, improved wayfinding signage, and paseos (pedestrian passageways from Manitou Avenue to adjacent activity areas). Night lighting alternatives and the provision of activity areas (especially for children) were also discussion items.

4. Chuck Englund Meeting:

• Michael Hussey gave a brief review of a meeting he had with Chuck Englund to discuss/coordinate the design for the Shoshone Spring Plaza. Mr. Englund has offered to extend to the north (up to approximately 6 feet on either side of the planned townhouse) the area he has donated to the City for the plaza should it be needed to improve the plaza design. However, he did not want to have to pay for a new legal description.

5. Upcoming Tasks:

• Hussey will start the Urban Design Survey the week beginning February 2, 2004.

• Hussey will meet with Kitty Clemens to start arranging the Owner/Tenant Interviews.

6. Other Items of Discussion:

• There used to more mid-block crosswalks. Nolte will look at possible putting some back during preliminary design.

• The Chamber of Commerce did a signage/wayfinding study “some years ago.” Michelle Carvell will see if she can find a copy for Nolte to review.

• Consider ways to identify the Historic District.

• Begin to coordinate Shoshone Spring Plaza construction with the Manitou Lofts and Shops construction.

• The Mineral Springs Foundation is sponsoring a design competition for a new font for the Shoshone Spring. This effort needs to be coordinated with the Plaza design. (Michelle Carvelle arranged for Hussey to meet with Foundation representatives including herself, Curt Heimsoth and Terry Sharpton on February 10, 2004.)

The meeting was concluded with a reminder that the next Bi-Weekly Meeting is scheduled for February 12, 2004 in the City Council Chambers.

These notes reflect Nolte’s remembrance of the discussions held and decisions made at this meeting.