City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

Raw Water Line Construction – 5th Street Bridge

• Expect delays northbound over the 5th Street Bridge
• Reduce speed limit of 35 MPH will be enforced
• Short delays can be expected
• Anticipated completion – Late March

31 Road between D ½ Road and E Road, Utility Construction

• 31 Road closed to thru traffic
• Access for residents will be provided
• Detour route is in place
• Anticipated completion – March.

Court Road between Orchard Avenue and Bookcliff Avenue, Utility Construction

• Court Road between Orchard Avenue and Bookcliff Avenue will be closed to thru traffic
• Access for local residents will be provided
• Detour route will be in place
• Anticipated completion – Early April

Non-City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

22 Road between J Road and K Road, Bridge Replacement Project – Mesa County Project

• 22 Road is closed to through traffic
• Work hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.
• Access will be provided for local residents at all times
• A well-marked detour will be in place
• Anticipated completion – April.

16 Road Bridge Replacement at Highline Canal – Mesa County Project

• Traffic will be detoured around bridge construction
• Anticipated Completion – May.

The City of Grand Junction Parks and Recreation summer camp season is gearing up and we want to make sure parents have all of the necessary information in advance. The first day of summer camp will be on Tuesday, May 26. That may seem like a long way away, but our Summer Camp Activity Guide is online now and available to customers at gjcity.org/camps.  We understand it is important for parents to have information in advance of this coming summer in order to make necessary plans. Summer Camp Registration will be open on Tuesday, March 10.

New this summer is two additional Little Sunshine Camp locations. These additional camps will allow for an increase in available participation spots for 5 and 6-year-old’s.  STARS Camp will be offered again at Bookcliff Middle School, East Middle School, Orchard Mesa Middle School and West Middle School. The popular SCORE camp, which focuses on athletics, will be held at Chipeta Elementary School with the TWEEN Camp, designed for 11-15-year-old’s set again to keep tweens active all summer long.

From STARS and SCORE Camp to our new Little Sunshines Camp, we have a camp to fit your child’s needs. Offered all summer long, Summer Camp is the cool place to be! If you have questions about which camp is right for your child, give our Parks and Recreation office a call at (970)254-3866.

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For more information, please contact:
Contact: Emily Krause, Recreation Supervisor, emilyk@gjcity.org or 970-254-3875

The City of Grand Junction recently proposed the concept of a 900-foot long bicycle and pedestrian bridge directly linking the Downtown area and Riverfront District. The City would like to emphasize that this project is still in its conceptual phase as we continue to work with stakeholders and the community on the final alignment of the bridge and other project details.

Last fall, the City applied for grant funds from the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Multi-modal Options Fund as well as the Transportation Alternative Program. The pedestrian bridge was not selected for funding under the Multi-Modal Options Fund. Because the bridge project is heavily reliant on grant funds, City staff proposes to postpone the project while continuing development of the plans and railroad approval through 2020 and looking for alternative funding sources.

As a part of this revitalization of its riverfront properties, the City of Grand Junction is committed to providing a multi-modal transportation system, which is critical to meeting our vision as laid out in the Comprehensive Plan and the Downtown Development Authority’s Plan of Development adopted in 2019. Union Pacific Railroad infrastructure bisects much of the Grand Valley, which creates a significant barrier from the north side to the south side. Although adjacent as the crow flies, the downtown area is currently cut off from River District and the Colorado River by the numerous railroad tracks in the Union Pacific Railroad’s West Yard.

This bridge would enhance mobility for all users, including persons with disabilities, between the downtown area and River District. The proposed bridge would also allow safe connection to the Grand Valley-wide trails network along the Colorado River and would tie into the development of the River District and 2^nd Street’s conversion into a pedestrian-oriented promenade.

The City looks forward to continued discussion in the near future with the community on the topic.

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Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org

For more detailed information on any of these items, read the full agendas and/or staff reports here: http://www.gjcity.org/city-government/agendas-and-minutes/  City Council meeting videos can also be found at the same link.

City Council will discuss the following items at this week’s meetings:

Monday, 2/17/20 – CANCELLED for Presidents’ Day holiday

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Wednesday, 2/19/20 – 6:00 p.m.    City Council Meeting City Hall Auditorium, 250 N. 5^th Street

Proclamations

Proclaiming February 22, 2020 as National TRiO Day in the City of Grand Junction

Proclaiming March 17, 2020 as National Peace Corps Week in the City of Grand
Junction

Appointments

To the Commission on Arts and Culture

To the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

REGULAR AGENDA

Public Hearings

a. Quasi-­judicial

i. An Ordinance Rezoning the Mays Rental Property from PD
(Planned Development) to C­1 (Light Commercial) Located at 2389
Riverside Parkway

b. Legislative

i. An Ordinance Amending Various Sections of the Zoning and
Development Code to Increase the Height Limit in the C­1 and C­2
Zone Districts from 40 to 65 Feet

ii. An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 4830 in Part Regarding the
Effective Date of International Fire Code Provisions Pertaining to
Mobile Food Preparation Trucks

iii. An Ordinance Amending Grand Junction Municipal Code Pertaining
to Liquor License Occupational Tax and Business License
Classifications, Distance Requirements Near College/University
Campuses and the Tasting of Alcoholic Beverages

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Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org

City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

Sandra Avenue between 29 Road and 29 ½ Road, Utility Construction

• Sandra Avenue will be closed to thru traffic one more week
• Access for residents will be provided
• Detour route is in place
• Anticipated completion, except for asphalt patching – Friday, February 21st, 2020

31 Road between D ½ Road and E Road, Utility Construction

• 31 Road closed to thru traffic
• Access for residents will be provided
• Detour route is in place
• Anticipated completion – March.

Court Road between Orchard Avenue and Bookcliff Avenue, Utility Construction

This week only: Orchard Avenue east of 28 Road will be alternating one lane traffic

• Court Road between Orchard Avenue and Bookcliff Avenue will be closed to thru traffic
• Access for local residents will be provided
• Detour route will be in place
• Anticipated completion – Early April

 

Non-City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

22 Road between J Road and K Road, Bridge Replacement Project – Mesa County Project

• 22 Road is closed to through traffic
• Work hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.
• Access will be provided for local residents at all times
• A well-marked detour will be in place
• Anticipated completion – April.

16 Road Bridge Replacement at Highline Canal – Mesa County Project

• Traffic will be detoured around bridge construction
• Anticipated Completion – May.

The City of Grand Junction and Colorado West Land Trust, along with many other partners, are celebrating a “Chain Breaking Event” for the Lunch Loop Connector Trail on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. The dedication event will take place in the Lunch Loop Trailhead Parking Lot off of Monument Road, 2457 Monument Road.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend to celebrate this significant improvement.

This project now links some of the Grand Valley’s most popular amenities and neighborhoods to the world renown and community favorite Lunch Loop and Three Sisters trail system. The construction of the 1.5-mile, paved, off street/pedestrian trail began in 2019. With the recent completion, outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities will enjoy a safe and almost seamless outdoor linear park that connects Las Colonias, the Audubon Trail, Connected Lakes, downtown Grand Junction, the Lunch Loops and Three Sisters open space.

The project budget was $2.5 million, with the vast majority of this cost covered by grant dollars.  A $1,500,000 grant was secured in 2018 from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), which distributes competitive grants from proceeds from the Colorado Lottery.  Additionally, the Colorado West Land Trust, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Bacon Family Foundation, the Goodwin Foundation, One Riverfront, El Pomar, the Gates Family Foundation, contributed over a collective $550,000.  The equates to over 80% of the project being grant funded or fundraised locally.  The balance was covered by $225,000 each from the City of Grand Junction and Mesa County.

The completion of the Lunch Loop Connector Trail signifies our commitment to quality of life by the City of Grand Junction, along with our partners.  This furthers our area as a premiere outdoor recreation destination for residents and visitors to the Western Slope.

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For more information, please contact:

Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org

Libby Collins, Colorado West Land Trust, libby@cowestlandtrust.org, 970-263-5443

2019 was another busy year for development in the City of Grand Junction. Activity in new residential development set a new all-time high, while commercial development saw a healthy upward trend.

The City’s growth has been bolstered by a near-tripling in size of Mesa County since 1970, with the Grand Junction area attracting significant in-migration from California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Illinois. As a result, subdivision construction and infrastructure has nearly doubled over the last three years, as subdivision lot approval numbers rose from 363 in 2017 to 688 lots in 2019.

Healthy Growth Continues for Commercial Activity

Commercial building growth within the City of Grand Junction saw a consistent, steady rise in 2019.

The City issued land-use planning clearances for approximately 529,801 square feet of new commercial space, of which 23,775 square feet was in additions/expansion and 505,066 square feet was new construction. New square footage approvals are as follows:

• 155,631 sq. ft. – Industrial Development
• 123,570 sq. ft. – Retail Development
• 114,120 sq. ft. – School/Institutional Development
• 104,666 sq. ft. – Office Development
• 31,814 sq. ft. – Other Development

Additionally, there was a 14% increase in non-residential permits for new construction (73 permits in 2018 to 83 permits in 2019). Residential valuations are up 8.3% for new and remodeled residential buildings while commercial valuations are up 4.8% from 2018.

Residential Building Permit Numbers Hold Strong

Single-family residential permits issued through Mesa County within City limits stayed steady in 2019. Last year, 515 permits were issued, down from 516 in 2018. Overall, residential building permits in the City are up 10% since 2017.

2019 also brought a resurgence in multi-family units, as the City issued Planning Clearances for 343 new multi-family units. Together with single-family, the City’s new dwelling unit clearances exceeded the previous high in 2006 of 807 units, reaching an all-time high of 871 units. Large multi-family units include the Railyard at Baserock Apartments, Village Park Apartments, and the Plaza Apartments.

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Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org