BJAD budget proposal includes $300,000 for digital wayfinding; commissioners press staff for details on garage renovations and options to boost district visits

City budget staff on July 23 presented a 2026 budget submission that asks the Boulder Junction Access District to set aside $300,000 for electronic wayfinding signage and $500,000 over five years for district capital improvements, and described a larger $25 million construction-management/general-contractor (CM/GC) program to renovate downtown parking garages.

The presentation, given by Chris Scott, budget analyst for Community Vitality, outlined the citywide budget schedule and said the executive budget team will review department proposals next week before the city manager nd ultimately city council take up a final budget in October. "We are asking for $300,000 in 2026 for the electronic signage updates in BJAD coming from BJAD parking," Scott said during the meeting.

Why it matters: the request would draw from BJAD parking funds that pay for district maintenance and capital improvements; commissioners said they need project specifications and cost estimates before supporting the request, and some asked whether funds might be used instead to temporarily subsidize parking to encourage visits to local businesses.

City staff summary and key budget requests - Digital signage: Scott said the 2026 submission includes a $300,000 placeholder for new electronic wayfinding signs in the district, paid from BJAD parking funds. Staff described the request as a preliminary line item that would require a separate specification and procurement process if council or staff decide to proceed. - District capital improvements: the submission also requested $500,000 over five years beginning in 2027 (roughly $100,000 per year) to support "general capital enhancements, maintenance and wayfinding" across the district, again funded from BJAD parking. Scott confirmed the $500,000 is a multi-year ask and that specifics on projects would follow. - Garage renovations and CM/GC procurement: Scott said most of the department—apital increase comes from a CM/GC program budgeted at about $25 million over six years to address deferred maintenance at downtown garages, prioritizing the Spruce Garage and later 1500 Pearl, St. Julien, RTD and Randolph garages. Scott said the project will include structural, mechanical/electrical/plumbing and security work and that staff are working with a third-party engineering firm to develop design documents and permit packages. - Federal and regional grants: Scott said Community Vitality has been awarded DRCOG (Denver Regional Council of Governments) funding to study and potentially implement mobility hubs in garages, and that the department has included a $3 million request over multiple years for that work.

Commissioner concerns and follow-up directions Commissioners asked for more granular cost estimates and environmental/neighbor impacts for digital signage. "What size would that be? What kind of light pollution might that be at night?" Commissioner Rebecca Dumaschel asked. City staff acknowledged those are open questions that would be defined in a later specification process and suggested the commission could advise staff on desired information and trade-offs during the fall review cycle.

Some commissioners pushed staff to consider alternatives to capital spending that might increase district activity sooner. Commissioner Daniel Eisenman proposed a temporary parking subsidy to draw more visitors into the district and suggested pausing or delaying capital work to support short-term marketing and patronage incentives. "Would it be possible to subsidize parking for a while and bring people to the district?" Eisenman asked. Staff said the city operates on annual budget cycles and short-term changes can be operationally difficult, but they welcomed the commission dvice and said staff would investigate options.

On timing and process, Scott said the executive budget team meetings are next week, commission review of district budget requests is expected in September, and the city council will take a first look at the overall budget on Aug. 29 with final adoption in October.

What was not decided No procurement, design specifications, or allocations for the digital signage or the five-year district capital fund were approved at the meeting. Scott described the $300,000 signage line as a placeholder in the 2026 submission and said the project would require further scoping, budgeting and council approval before work begins.

Quotes from the meeting "My name is Chris Scott, and I am the budget analyst for Community Vitality," Scott said, introducing the budget materials. "We are asking for $300,000 in 2026 for the electronic signage updates in BJAD coming from BJAD parking." "Would it be possible to subsidize parking for a while and bring people to the district?" Commissioner Daniel Eisenman asked during the discussion.

Next steps and what commissioners asked staff to provide Commissioners asked staff to bring back: - Detailed scopes, quotes and site-specific designs for the proposed digital signage, including potential light and power impacts and whether signs would be single- or double-sided; - A clearer list of proposed capital projects covered by the five-year $500,000 request (the submission described the funding as for general improvements, maintenance and wayfinding); - Revenue projections for the district garages and permit program, and an analysis of short-term subsidy options and operational implications for altering parking pricing mid-year.

Speakers Chris Scott, budget analyst, Community Vitality (staff) Rebecca Dumaschel, BJAD chair (commissioner) Daniel Eisenman, commissioner Christine (staff member, parking/garages) Matt (staff member) Kevin Krause, commissioner (elected vice chair during the meeting)

Authorities [{"type":"policy","name":"City budget process and Executive Budget Team (EBT) review","referenced_by":["Chris Scott"]},{"type":"policy","name":"City Council budget review and adoption process","referenced_by":["Chris Scott"]},{"type":"grant","name":"Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) grant to study mobility hubs","referenced_by":["Chris Scott"]}]

Discussion vs. decision - Discussion: scope and necessity of digital signage; priority and schedule for garage renovations; alternatives (temporary subsidies) to increase district visitation; funding sources and reserve use. - Direction: staff agreed to collect further specifications and cost estimates and to return with more detail before the commission—ormally advises council in September. - Formal action: none on project authorizations; commission approved an amended agenda and later elected a vice chair (separate action items recorded).