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Board approves conveyance for Highway 7 improvements, asks CDOT and Xcel to explore undergrounding
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Summary
Trustees voted 4–0 to recommend conveyance of open-space parcels and temporary construction easements to the Colorado Department of Transportation for Highway 7 intersection improvements, and added a recommendation that CDOT work with Xcel to explore undergrounding the existing overhead electric line in the project area.
The Open Space Board of Trustees on Jan. 14 voted to recommend that City Council approve disposal of three fee parcels (presented in staff materials as totaling approximately 0.42 acres) and two temporary construction easements to the Colorado Department of Transportation to support the Highway 7 intersection improvements project.
Mark Perducci, senior property agent with real estate services, told trustees CDOT's improvements include added left-turn lanes and other roadway changes at intersections on Highway 7 and that the requested city property pertains to the Willow Creek Drive area. Staff said CDOT will pay appraised value for the permanent and temporary interests and will restore temporary-easement areas following construction; appraisals were pending but staff estimated total land/easement value in the $20,000'to'$25,000 range (SEG 1278'SEG 1280).
During deliberation trustees debated language asking for undergrounding of overhead electric lines in the project area. Trustee John Carroll moved to approve the disposal and included language asking that CDOT work with Xcel Energy to underground the existing electric line in the easement area; the board also discussed wording to clarify feasibility and avoid conditioning approval on a technical outcome. The motion was seconded and passed in a roll-call vote, 4'to'0 (Robinson absent).
Noted discrepancy: staff presentation earlier described the permanent right-of-way requests as totaling approximately 0.42 acres (SEG 1259'SEG 1260), but the motion used the figure "approximately 0.2 acres" when read aloud (SEG 1484'SEG 1486). Appraisals are pending and staff described the $20,000'to'$25,000 estimate as preliminary.
Why it matters: the disposal facilitates CDOT safety and congestion improvements along Highway 7 (left-turn lanes, a second through lane at 95th Street and a dedicated bus lane) that staff said will reduce congestion and improve safety. The board's added recommendation to ask CDOT and Xcel to explore undergrounding signals the board's interest in reducing visual impacts and improving resilience where feasible.
What's next: the board's recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action; staff will coordinate with CDOT and Xcel and return to the board with any follow-up as needed.
Provenance: presentation and maps (SEG 1221'SEG 1263); discussion, amended motion and roll-call vote (SEG 1482'SEG 1657).
