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HOW DO YOU WANT COMMERCE CITY TO LOOK? BEAUTIFUL MIGHT BE THE ANSWER!
Mark Campbell, the President of Southwestern Investment Group, presented a plan to city council on Monday evening that would certainly be a win win for everyone in Commerce City. Mayor Paul Natale and the council were all in agreement that Mark’s ideas for design standards were exciting and very timely as new growth is happening quickly all over the northern range of the city. Mayor Paul Natale charged staff with getting a plan back to city council immediately that will tell them what they need to do to make this happen and not reasons why they would be kept from doing this. A very refreshing change for all in attendance to hear.
Mark pointed out some very enlightening information that highlighted the differences between attractive and unattractive shopping centers. For a shopper, it translates to feeling comfortable, welcome, relaxed, safe, secure and feeling drawn in, a place to really enjoy yourself, a place you don’t want to leave; as opposed to feeling that you just need to get what you came for and get out of there as soon as you can, not a place you would want to linger and even feeling tense.
When developers are able to spend additional dollars to go beyond the minimum design requirements, they can add visual enhancements through public artwork and landscaping. They can enhance lighting with quality above the minimum requirements and use higher quality materials and architectural enhancements.
Public artwork and landscaping can include sculptures, entry monumentation, park benches and tables, bicycle racks, mature trees, and beautiful flower beds. Lighting that goes above minimum requirements enhances the overall aesthetics of a community. Higher quality materials and architecture encourages the use of brick rather than blocks, and encourages the use of artistic patterns as opposed to just plain walls, as well as the use of cantilevered canopies that add visual pleasure and a welcoming atmosphere.
Businesses benefit through this with long term retail commitment, a greater mix of local and national quality tenants. This translates into fewer and shorter vacancies as well as higher sales tax being generated. This will encourage business expansion and promotes new business development. It will draw more customers to the sites and increases sustainability.
Customer benefits include customer appreciation of a much more pleasant shopping experience, a sense of community pride, a higher quality shopping experience, and a larger selection of merchants to choose from.
Commerce City benefits through higher tax revenue generation, taxes will be retained in Commerce City as opposed to being given to surrounding cities such as Brighton, Denver, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster. Shoppers will shop more at home in Commerce City. This will create expansion of commercial growth as well as satisfying constituents’ expectations and will create sustainability of businesses in Commerce City.
Currently there are successful sales tax rebate programs in several areas in the north metro Denver area and include Thornton, Northglenn, Westminster, and Brighton. All places we go to shop now due to lack of retail in Commerce City. Assistance for developers to upgrade their projects could take several forms. Use tax could be eliminated, rebates could be given on sales tax collections, fees could be reduced, cash incentives could be given, a lump sum payment given, or structured financing up to a predetermined amount over time.
North Range Town Center, a Southwestern Investment Group project, located at 104th Avenue and Chambers Road, is projecting annual sales of over $16,000,000 with sales tax revenue of almost $600,000. To summarize, incentives will help to contribute to development of new businesses and expansion of surrounding businesses. It will result in substantial and long term expansion of new employment and tax base within the city. The program will also encourage the improvement of existing properties and contribute to a diverse mix of business, employment, cultural and retail opportunities.
Right now the northern range is a blank slate, how do you want it to look? We need to listen to the experts such as Mark during this unique timeframe where standards can be set to put the bar higher for our city and make it the greatest place to live and have a business. Thank you Mark for presenting such a common sense approach to a plan that truly will be a win win for everyone involved.
Southwestern Investment Group has been involved in Commerce City since 1999, and has 2,000 acres of land here. They believe in responsible growth while addressing the needs and interests of the neighborhoods and communities that they work in. They are known for their quality work and outstanding service. They are experts in commercial real estate, residential land development, and water procurement and distribution services. |
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Residents Speak, Council Listens, ISC and NASCAR Not Part of the Vision
At the City Council Meeting held on July 16, 2007, the main event was an unprecedented public hearing held before the second reading of Ordinance 1691, which prohibits public funding of motorized sports facilities. The Ordinance passed with a vote of 7 to 2, with Councilman Jaquith and Councilman Lewis voting against it. (The entire copy of Ordinance 1691 is posted at the end of this article.)
During the public hearing several residents from the northern range implored City Council to understand the full impact, the long term impact, and the negative implications and image of a racetrack on Commerce City. City Council and the Mayor listened. (See testimony from three of these residents at the end of this article.)
One attorney representing land owners in the area of the previously proposed track also spoke. David Foster did not think that the ordinance was necessary and was concerned that it was sending the wrong message to those who would want to build here. There were some audience outbursts of pent up emotion after the many months of the former council refusing to hear the residents speak.
The ordinance was explained over and over again by City Attorney Robert Gehler as to what the intention of the ordinance was but still it appeared that Councilmen Jaquith and Lewis, did not understand that it was only about a racetrack, not about any other kind of business. At one point, at this very late stage at second reading, Councilman Jaquith made a motion, seconded by Councilman Lewis, to remove the nine mile limit out of the ordinance to make it citywide. After seconding the motion, Lewis then asked if he could abstain from the vote. The Jaquith amendment was defeated 8 to 1 with Lewis actually voting against the amendment after seconding the motion and asking to abstain from the vote. It was the most confusing vote that I have personally seen as a reporter at city council meetings.
Councilman Johnson said “we have a vision for our community” and “we love our community”. He also pointed out that a developer told him recently that they know they have succeeded with a project when they can come back in twenty years and still be proud of what they have done.
Councilman Drotar profoundly said, “One must use his life and resources to benefit the most people.” She pointed out that the ISC announcement had thrown the city and its residents into complete chaos for months and right through the holidays, not knowing what was going to happen next. She said that a company that handled things the way that ISC had done, they were not a company that she would wish to deal with. Councilman Drotar also took a special moment to express her deepest gratitude to the developers that have been wonderful partners in the city, recognizing their tremendous contributions. She reassured them all that this has nothing to do with any of them.
Now we can all move onto the next issues that will insure that we will be a “Quality Community for a Lifetime”.
On the first reading of Ordinance 1691, Councilman Jaquith was absent so he did not vote. Council Members Snyder, Teter and Lewis voted against it. On second reading, Council Members Snyder and Teter changed their vote and supported the ordinance passing.
Testimony by resident Josh Knight. Sometimes you get up here and you feel important because you are going up in front of City Council but you think to yourself, I wonder if they even hear one word that comes out of my mouth. You see people smiling and you think you are engaging someone, but who knows!
This will be easy, just remember two words, that’s all I ask! The rest can sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher.
City Council Members. Definition of the word BRAVERY: A quality or spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear. With regards to this special ordinance, I ask you to be brave tonight. To not fold under pressure by the special interest. To represent the people who had the confidence in you to do the job that needs to be done.
That leads me to my second word DILIGENCE: Persevering determination to perform a task.
In other words, let’s finish this!
I have heard certain people say that this ordinance is bad for business. I ask the question, what business does this hurt other than that of people benefiting from a racetrack coming to Commerce City. Special interests must understand that the citizens of Commerce City will not rest until ISC has decided to look in a different town.
This City Council seems intelligent enough to figure out that this company is not going to be a great partner, either now or in the future. You can tell this by how they have conducted themselves so far. Make them understand that we have moved on. Make them understand that be it 96th and Tower, or 56th and Pena, or 128th and Picadilly, we do not want a partner like you.
I beg each of you to do the right thing for my children, for my neighbors, for my community. Let us become the city that many thought it could never become. The clean up of the Arsenal, the Prairie Gateway, The Parade of Homes. You are going in the right direction; just have the heart to see this through.
Please be brave and diligent tonight! We fixed the language of the ordinance and it works. The thought behind it works. Now it is time for you to go to work.
Make this a priority, to find something beautiful to replace what was to be ugly, and dirty, and what would have brought lost hope. We can change our image. Tonight we can change our image of a town that has been pushed around and told what to do by special interests and big business. You can change that tonight. It just takes two words. Thank you.
Testimony by Kristi Douglas, resident. Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
I come here tonight to ask that you as a council will see the impact this ordinance will have on our futures. I ask you to put yourselves in our shoes and know that this ordinance has been written simply to protect our future as a new and growing community. So I ask that you please give us a chance to grow the way we were intended. Thank you.
Testimony by Kathy McIntyre, resident Honorable Mayor and City Council Members,
Last September the citizens of Commerce City were first informed about ISC considering the possibility of building a racetrack in Commerce City. With much passion and love for their community, hundreds of residents came forward and let ISC know that they would fight for their quality of life. ISC then announced in a letter to our Mayor that they were now longer considering Commerce City for the racetrack. Tonight you vote on an ordinance regarding this matter. I encourage you to think about the fact that you represent the voters and the residents of Commerce City as you vote and not others outside of our city. I also encourage you to envision the quality community that we all espouse to that would not include a racetrack across the street from a master planned community.
Last Monday night there was a lot of discussion about planning for our future and what that would look like. As we move forward now, and as cabarets, and sexually oriented businesses come before council, please think about how these businesses will actually affect our quality of life. We are not here for short term economic quick fixes, but rather would be part of a long term solid foundation and leave a legacy that we can all be proud of.
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Weeds Out of Control
While driving around the northern range last week, I thought that there had been some new species of trees planted. Lo and behold it was only weeds and they are taller than 6 inches. Willie the Weed and Skylar the Weed want to point out that these weeds are illegals and what part of illegal don’t you understand? Maybe some mowing or baling at this point would be in order. Let’s keep our city beautiful. |
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Ordinance 1691. AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING, WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL, DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUBSIDIES TO A MOTOR SPORTS FACILITY AND USES ACCESSORY TO A MOTOR SPORTS FACILITY WITHIN NINE (9) MILES OF (A) ANY RESIDENTIALLY-ZONED SUBDIVISION, OR (B) ANY PROPERTY ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO. |
