City of Centennial Resident Connections Newsletter - Autumn 2022

VOTE FOR NEW LODGING TAX ANTICIPATED

On September 6, City Council considered a resolution to place a lodging tax on the November 8 ballot. While the outcome of the Council vote is not known as of press time for this newsletter, if Council approved the resolution, voters will weigh in on whether the City can impose this new tax when they vote in the November 8 General Election. Similar to the lodging taxes of most surrounding communities, the tax will apply to the purchase price paid for short-term lodging such as hotels and vacation rentals and thus will be paid primarily by visitors to the City. Prior to the Council vote, staff sought public input from residents and affected businesses and provided this information to the City Council on August 15.

The resolution states the proceeds from the tax will be used to offset increased public safety costs that are

the result of visitor impacts in the City and other municipal services. The resolution also states the lodging tax rate is competitive with surrounding cities and will help provide needed additional revenue streams so the City can continue to provide services and amenities at the same levels as provided presently.

Council used an array of information to make this decision. Visit centennialco. gov/lodging to view the ballot language, frequently asked questions and past Council meeting recordings.

New City Campaign Builds Awareness for Centennial’s Many Attributes

Marking the month that local voters approved the formation of Centennial as a City in 2000, the City is promoting a new campaign designed to encourage the community to discover what makes Centennial great throughout September. “Celebrate Centennial” is designed to build awareness and support for Centennial’s many attributes, from award-winning parks to thriving businesses.

The month-long celebration also highlights community programs and initiatives aligned with the City’s strategic priorities and mission, vision and values.

Given that local businesses are among the City’s greatest assets, the community also is encouraged to support local businesses and Shop Centennial this month and throughout the year. Many local businesses are offering discounts, promotions, events and activities in support of the Celebrate Centennial campaign.

Visit centennialco.gov/ celebratecentennial to view a listing of businesses participating in Celebrate Centennial and learn more about what makes Centennial great and how you can celebrate.

City Completes First Phase of Lone Tree Creek Regional Trail Construction

Through funding from an Arapahoe County Open Spaces grant, Arapahoe County Shareback Funds and the City, a new northsouth multiuse trail is taking shape in Centennial. The first of three phases of the trail construction is now complete.

The Lone Tree Creek Trail will be a path between Centennial Air port to the south and Orchard Road to the north. Portions of the trail will range from 8-feet-wide concrete paths with a 2-foot-wide crushed gravel shoulder and 10-foot-wide concrete paths. The con struction project has been divided into three phases and is target ed to be complete by 2024.

To learn more about this and other City-funded trail projects in Centennial, visit centennialco.gov/openspaceprojects.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Phase Trail Access Points Status

1A

North Side of Arapahoe Road to Caley Avenue, passing through Centennial Center Park

VISION

The City of Centennial is a connected community where neighborhoods matter, education is embraced, businesses are valued, and innovation absolute.

MISSION

Driven to provide exceptional service to the Centennial community.

CORE VALUES

1B Broncos Parkway to South Side of Arapahoe Road

2 Caley Avenue into Cherry Creek State Park

3 Underpass beneath Arapahoe Road connecting south and north ends of trail

Completed

Completed

Design phase 95% completed; construction begins Fall 2022

Design awarded Summer 2022; construction begins Late 2023

Centennial Housing Study Underway

LEARN about housing trends in Centennial. Four critical areas of need were identified in a Housing Needs Assessment. Review the Assessment, ask questions and share your ideas.

WEIGH IN on potential strategies. Complete brief “Question of the Week” surveys provid ing input to the Housing Working Group on strategies being considered for Centennial.

SPEAK with the project team. Share your ideas and ask questions at our October 4 Housing Workshop or visit our booth at the Whiskey Warmer on October 22.

Learn. Weigh In. Speak Up.

Visit centennialco.gov/housing. Don’t miss your opportunity to help shape the future of Centennial!

HOUSING WORKSHOP

All Residents Welcome!

5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4

Newton Middle School 4401 E. Arapahoe Road

As this is a hands-on workshop, please plan to attend the entire meeting. As each workshop ad dresses a different topic, those who attended prior workshops will learn something new on Oct. 4. Activities will be provided for children.

Contact adacoordinator@centennialco.gov or 303-325-8000 if you require trans lation or other accommodations.

Friendly Reminders About Animal Regulations in Centennial

Proactive enforcement of animalrelated laws, combined with responsible pet ownership and education, help to preserve public health as well as safety for residents and animals alike. Following are friendly reminders to do your part to follow City regulations and promote responsible pet ownership.

• All dogs over the age of six months must be licensed with the City of Centennial. All dogs and cats must wear a collar with a readable tag or have a microchip implanted while off the premises of the owner’s home. Licenses may be obtained and submitted online at centennialco. gov/licensepet.

• All dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies by six months of age.

• Report all animal bites to humans if skin is broken at centennialco. gov/animalservices or by calling the City’s 24-hour Citizen Response Center at 303-825-8000. Animals involved in bites to humans will be quarantined to monitor their health for warning signs of rabies.

• Animals must be kept under control and on the owner’s or keeper’s property, and all dogs must be on a leash of no more than 10 feet in length by a person of sufficient age, size and physical ability to restrain the animal when off the owner’s premises.

• Barking, howling, yelping or other pet noise is unlawful if it exceeds 10 continuous minutes during daytime hours or five continuous minutes between 9:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m., or exceeds 90 cumulative minutes within 24 hours.

The City contracts with the Humane Society of the Pike’s Peak Region to provide animal control services and enforce animal regulations for the City. To learn more about the City’s Animal Services division and animal regulations, or to report violations, visit centennialco.gov/animalservices or call 303-325-8070.

Sponsors Make City Events Possible

The City of Centennial 2022 signature events are made possible by the follow ing Platinum- and Gold-level sponsors. The City is grateful for support from these and all event sponsors, as well as the vendors, food trucks, entertainers, participants and residents who together help to create memorable, unique gatherings for the community.

We want to hear from you!

NEED A NEWRegister for ArapAlert to Receive Critical Safety Warnings in Arapahoe County

A universal phone line to call when facing an emergency situation is 911, but what if 911 could call you? Arapahoe County’s 911 Authority does just that through the ArapAlert safety notification service.

Powered by the CodeRED system, ArapAlert sends notifications about severe weather, police activity, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings and neighborhoods to subscribers through phone calls, text messages and emails. The service also works with telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired, and an app also is available which with share notifications based on geographic proximity to a warning area.

All listed and unlisted landlines in Arapahoe County, as well as Comcast Voice over Internet Protocol numbers (typically issued to customers with bundled services), automatically receive ArapAlerts calls. The service also is available to anyone who opts in to receive messages by visiting ace911.colorado.gov/arapalert.

Seeking Driving Options?

Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council, or DRMAC, helps Centennial residents, especially older adults, people of low income and persons with disabilities, find transportation where they WANT to go as well as where they NEED to go.

The Getting There Guide is a comprehensive guide to transportation services for the Denver Metro Area presenting the best transit options for an individual’s needs. Available in multiple languages – including English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Somali – the Guide is available online, in audio format, as an app or as a PDF that can be downloaded from drmac.org/getting-there-guide. A mailed copy may be requested through the website or by calling 303-243-3113 (small donation suggested).

DRMAC also offers free in-person and virtual training about how to plan and pay for a trip on RTD and how to use the Lyft app to call a car or rent a scooter.

The City of Centennial City Clerk’s Office accepts applications for new adult and minor U.S. passports as well as passport renewals for minors. Applications are reviewed by appointment only, Tuesday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the Centennial Civic Center located at 13133 E. Arapahoe Road.

Adult passport renewals are not accepted at the City’s passports office. Also, the City is not offering passport photo services at this time but anticipates offering the service later this year.

To book an appointment and learn about required documentation and fees, visit centennialco.gov/passport or call 303-325-8000.

Civic Center Receives Energy Conservation Upgrades

The City has recently implemented multiple energy conservation upgrades at the Civic Center and Public Works building. These upgrades include conversions of light fixtures to LED, new high-efficiency HVAC units, window film installations and a new energy management system. Additionally, rooftop and canopy solar panels will be installed this fall at the Civic Center.

The energy conservation measures are projects to reduce the City’s energy usage intensity by 64% and, with the addition of solar panels, eliminate emissions by 155 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to the energy consumed by 19 American homes.

City Boards and Commissions: Get Involved - Make a Difference!

The City accepts applications yearround for Centennial’s 10 boards, commissions and committees. The City Clerk’s Office fills vacancies for most groups in the Spring. To be considered for this year’s selection process, applicants must be a resident of Centennial and applications must be received by February 28, 2023.

Serving on a board or commission is a great way to become involved and provide input to City Council on important issues. To learn more about each group and apply online, visit centennialco.gov/ boardsandcommissions.

CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

• Audit Committee – Reviews audit findings and presents annual or other audit reports to City Council

• Budget Committee – Responsible for studying all phases of the City budget process and making recommendations and reports to City Council

• Board of Review – Conducts City hearings related to the International Building Code

• Election Commission – Assists designated election officials with managing election processes in a fair, open and efficient manner as may be permitted by law

• Fiber Commission – Provides policy direction, management and day-today oversight of the FiberWorks program

• Investment Committee – Makes recommendations to City Council to ensure City funds are invested in accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes and sets policy for the management of City funds to reach investment goals

• Open Space Advisory Board – Helps set priorities for the use of open space funds

• Planning and Zoning Commission – Reviews applications for rezoning and development

• Senior Commission – Advises City Council on community issues as they may affect older adults

• Youth Commission – Advises City Council on community issues as they may affect Centennial youth

City of Centennial