Preparing for Transit Preparing for Transit in Arvada Coloradoin Arvada Colorado

Presented ByPresented ByKevin NicholsKevin NicholsSenior PlannerSenior Planner

City of Arvada ColoradoCity of Arvada Colorado

So, Where Is Arvada?So, Where Is Arvada?

10 miles west of Denver

A first tier suburb

Arvada FactsArvada Facts

Founded in 1870; incorporated 1904Founded in 1870; incorporated 1904

Once the “Celery Capital” of USOnce the “Celery Capital” of US

Site of first Colorado gold discoverySite of first Colorado gold discovery

Latest population estimate- 107,500 with most of Latest population estimate- 107,500 with most of growth coming after WWIIgrowth coming after WWII

25% work in city; 75% commute elsewhere 25% work in city; 75% commute elsewhere

Regional Transportation Regional Transportation DistrictDistrict

FasTracks PlanFasTracks Plan Region wide transit planRegion wide transit plan

122 miles rail122 miles rail 18 miles BRT18 miles BRT 57 new stations57 new stations

Denver votes approved Denver votes approved sales tax increase in sales tax increase in 2004 to fund2004 to fund

New budget challenges New budget challenges create need for create need for additional revenue additional revenue (2010 vote planned for (2010 vote planned for more sales tax)more sales tax)

Gold Line CorridorGold Line Corridor

Links Northwest Denver, Links Northwest Denver, western suburbs to western suburbs to Denver Union StationDenver Union Station

Three stations in ArvadaThree stations in Arvada One of two FasTracks One of two FasTracks

corridors that qualifies corridors that qualifies for New Starts fundingfor New Starts funding

Part of PPP pilot project Part of PPP pilot project with East Corridor to DIAwith East Corridor to DIA

Arvada’s Position in SystemArvada’s Position in System Gold Line is inherently Gold Line is inherently

a commuter oriented a commuter oriented corridorcorridor

Challenge is how to Challenge is how to create community in create community in face of market face of market pressure toward pressure toward commutercommuter

Not all stations are Not all stations are equal in terms of equal in terms of capacity to create capacity to create communitycommunity

Arvada Station Planning Arvada Station Planning ProcessProcess

Community based Community based processprocess

Plan adopted in Plan adopted in August, 2007August, 2007

Conscious effort to Conscious effort to plan plan beforebefore Gold Gold Line EISLine EIS

Not All Stations Are EqualNot All Stations Are Equal

Stations play different rolesStations play different roles Not always possible to create Not always possible to create

community, TOD at each stationcommunity, TOD at each station Important to focus your efforts, Important to focus your efforts,

understand role of stations, how they understand role of stations, how they support each other.support each other.

Sheridan StationSheridan Station

Existing industrial area- short term market wants more low rise industrial

Major chemical processing plantlimits residential potential

Substantial part of transit influence area located in Clear Creek floodway

Sheridan Station PlanSheridan Station PlanFocus on employment, but more intensity

Residential is subordinate

Use part of transit influence area for large scale retail (sacrificing some TOD for sales tax revenue)

Olde Town StationOlde Town Station

Olde Town Olde Town already has already has good bonesgood bones

Challenge is how Challenge is how to allow greater to allow greater intensity and intensity and preserve historic preserve historic charactercharacter

Olde Town Station PlanOlde Town Station PlanOur best opportunity for goodtransit-oriented development

Selective intensificationof Olde Town proper- upto four stories

Greater scale south of trackswhere grade drops off

Preserve “Grand View”

Allow high density east of Wadsworth now zoned forIndustrial

Kipling StationKipling Station

Substantially vacant

One owner of vacant land

Mainly residential potentialand limited office/retail

Red Rocks Community College nearby

Realizing TOD potential requires cooperation withCity of Wheat Ridge

Kipling Station PlanKipling Station Plan

Mainly residential- supportsthe employment role of Sheridanand mixed-use role of Olde Town

Encourage Red Rocks College togrow toward station to connect transit and education

How Stations Support Each How Stations Support Each OtherOther

Olde Town is our heart, our focus. It Olde Town is our heart, our focus. It provides support to other stations provides support to other stations and receives support from themand receives support from them

Sheridan and Kipling are the arteries Sheridan and Kipling are the arteries to the heartto the heart

Issues/ChallengesIssues/Challenges

Maintaining our vision over timeMaintaining our vision over time Developing acceptance for increased Developing acceptance for increased

densitydensity FinancingFinancing Dealing with development in interim- short Dealing with development in interim- short

term market forces often conflict with long term market forces often conflict with long term goalsterm goals

Marketing our TOD opportunities-having Marketing our TOD opportunities-having people see Arvada in a new waypeople see Arvada in a new way

Arvada’s Strategy for Transit Arvada’s Strategy for Transit Oriented DevelopmentOriented Development

Be clear on what is most important- Olde TownBe clear on what is most important- Olde Town

Continued work on placemaking- nice Continued work on placemaking- nice streetscapes, public spacesstreetscapes, public spaces

Regulatory changes- mixed-use zoning and Olde Regulatory changes- mixed-use zoning and Olde Town Design Guidelines, new street standards Town Design Guidelines, new street standards more equitable park and school feesmore equitable park and school fees

Connect community with stations- bike and Connect community with stations- bike and pedestrian connectionspedestrian connections

Arvada’s Strategy for Transit Arvada’s Strategy for Transit Oriented DevelopmentOriented Development

Parking/transportation demand strategy for Olde Parking/transportation demand strategy for Olde TownTown

Olde Town Market Demand and Infrastructure Olde Town Market Demand and Infrastructure Finance StrategyFinance Strategy

Market our opportunities Market our opportunities

For More InformationFor More Information

Kevin NicholsKevin NicholsSenior PlannerSenior Planner

City of Arvada ColoradoCity of Arvada ColoradoEmail: Email: knichols@arvada.orgknichols@arvada.org

Phone: 720-898-7464Phone: 720-898-7464

www.arvada.orgGo to “Transportation”, then “Projects”

then “Arvada Transit Station Framework Plan”

Or Contact: