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December 13, 2013 Arapahoe County, Colorado | Volume 13, Issue 4 A publication of
centennialcitizen.net
City approves transportation plan Document outlines anticipated improvements through 2035 By George Lurie
glurie@ourcoloradonews.com The city council got a preview this week of Centennial’s transportation future — and councilors liked what they saw. At its Dec. 9 meeting, the council unanimously approved the city’s first Transportation Master Plan (TMP) — which is meant to serve as a guide for the future development of various modes of transportation from light rail and bus lines to roadways, bicycle networks and pedestrian walkways. The TMP was created to serve as a comprehensive planning document, outlining anticipated transportation improvements necessitated by both local and regional growth over the next 20 years. The five-chapter document was approved by the city’s planning and zoning commission following a public hearing held on Nov. 20. “The creation of the document was based on community outreach and robust data collection and analysis,” said Centennial Deputy Director of Community Development Jeff Brasel. The lengthy document replaces the
Arapahoe County Transportation Plan and, according to Brasel, will help “inform” future transportation-related decisions made by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). “This is really our business plan for future investments in our transportation system,” said Brasel. “Other than public safety, our transportation system is the greatest investment we make with our public funds.” The TMP will allow city officials to “identify and prioritize” needed transportation improvements, Brasel said. The city started the TMP project in 2009. Its first phase was the development of the Centennial Short Term Transportation Plan, which identified existing transportation “deficiencies and needs.” Completed in 2011, the short-term plan was crafted following input received from an interactive website and at eight different public meetings where comments were sought from community members. The final phase of the project, the Long Term Transportation Plan, uses a 2035-planning horizon and includes “projected future development and the development of a community-accepted transportation system to serve the future needs of Centennial,” Brasel told city council members. Andrea Suhaka, a former city council
Improvements to Arapahoe Road are among the many future transportation needs outlined in the city’s new Transportation Master Plan, adopted by the city council on Dec. 9. Photo by George Lurie member who now sits on the planning and zoning commission and was one of 18 community members to serve on the city’s TMP Citizen Advisory Committee, said: “We’ve done a tremendous amount of work on this document. It’s an important plan and I think we should move forward with it.” The city will spend about $333,000
THE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
overall on the TMP, which was prepared by Centennial-based firm Felsburg Holt & Ullevig in association with Fehr & Peers UrbanTrans TwoHundered. The long-term transportation master plan is organized into five chapters and Plan continues on Page 9
Council OKs controversial annexation Centennial East Corporate Center plan opposed by partnership group By George Lurie
glurie@ourcoloradonews.com
Sebastian Perez, 2, expresses fascination with Santa Claus as his brother Manuel, 8, watches with a smile during Santa’s annual visit to Arapahoe Community College on Dec. 6. Dozens of children donned in attire for a long winter’s nap turned out to Arapahoe Community College Dec. 6 to visit with Santa. The jolly old elf was on campus to read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Families enjoyed a holiday meal with all the fixings, and the kids enjoyed making picture frames to hold their photos with Santa. Every child got a few moments to cuddle up with St. Nick, and he listened intently as each one of them whispered their Christmas wishes.
Jimmy Torres helps 2-year-old Lauren Pierce piece together a festive picture frame for Lauren’s photo with Santa Claus Dec. 6 at Arapahoe Community College.
There were plenty of fireworks at the city council’s last regular meeting of 2013. More than 50 people packed council chambers on Dec. 9 — and most came to protest the council’s plan to annex 58 acres in east Centennial as part of the so-called Centennial East Corporate Center Annexation No. 1 and No. 2. After listening to nearly two hours of public comment on the plan, with the majority of speakers urging the council not to move forward, the city council voted unanimously to approve the annexation and establish an initial zoning of the area as “light industrial.” The annexation, totaling 58.66 acres, involves 19 parcels of land and associated public right-of-way in unincorporated Arapahoe County. The land is located north of the intersection of E. Fremont Avenue and S. Atchison St./S. Blackhawk St. near Dove Valley and the Arapahoe County Justice Center. The petition to annex the parcel and then maintain the area’s zoning as “light industrial” was initiated by more than 50 percent of the property owners representing 12 of the 19 parcels within the proposed annexation area. When the annexation plan went before the city’s Planning and Zoning CommisCouncil continues on Page 9
PHOTOS BY JENNIFER SMITH Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.