Longmont City Council
On Nov. 19, council:
• Fielded complaints from residents about noise levels and emissions from flight operations at Vance Brand Municipal Airport. The airport is largely under FAA control, and the city is limited in its capacity to impose its own regulations, according to attorney Peter Kirsch, who presented possible solutions at the meeting.
Council voted to add further discussions of solutions for airport concerns to the agenda for an executive session.
• Approved an ordinance that will bring traffic enforcement cameras to the city as a part of Longmont’s Vision Zero strategy.
The city plans to use the cameras, which will monitor speed and traffic signal violations, in school zones, construction areas, streets bordering city parks, residential neighborhoods and an additional 10 corridors that it has identified as high-risk due to frequent crashes and complaints from residents.
These streets are: Hover Road/N. 95th Street, Airport Road/N. 87th Street, 17th Avenue, Mountain View Avenue, 11th Avenue, 9th Avenue, 3rd Avenue, Pike Road, 21st Avenue and 23rd Avenue.
Speeding fines will range from $40-$80 depending on the severity and number of previous violations and no more than $75 for running red lights.
These cameras are an initial step toward Longmont’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injury by 2040. The automated system is expected to debut in 2025.
• Held a discussion on proposed new urban design standards, which would change the Public Infrastructure Design Standards in an effort to eliminate cost barriers for affordable housing developments.
Proposed changes could include allowing for more compact utility corridors, reducing the required width for streets and alleyways, and adjustments to stormwater management that would allow for increased housing density.
The hope is the new standards would allow for higher density developments and increased land-use efficiency, creating incentives for developers to build more affordable housing.
Council asked staff to draft an ordinance to adopt the new standards, to be voted on at a future meeting.
Louisville City Council
On Nov. 19, council:
• Swore in Joshua Cooperman as the new Ward 1 representative. Election results are still unofficial, and Cooperman leads challenger Joshua Sroge by just 19 votes.
Read more about election results, including multiple recounts for local candidates and issues.
• Approved an eight-year, $14 million Downtown Vision Plan that includes redeveloping Front Street; adding trees for shade; raised pedestrian crossings; a revamped Steinbaugh Plaza; new signage to help navigation; new and extended bicycle lanes and other enhancements.
Lafayette City Council
On. Nov. 19, council:
• Approved $650,000 in grant funding to 18 organizations for mental health and human services. An advisory committee of appointed residents suggested how to distribute the funds, which come from a dedicated sales tax that voters approved in 2021; 45 groups requested funding of over $1.6 million.
• Discussed improving safety on Baseline Road, where two children were injured by cars in September. Possible interventions include enhanced police enforcement and signs displaying motorist speed. A discussion on photo enforcement options is planned for early 2025. The city also plans to pursue grant funding to study the Baseline corridor.
Officials will continue to work with Boulder Valley School District and RTD on improving student safety, they said, and information about the recent crashes will be incorporated into the development of a "high-risk network" that will be prioritized for improvement as part of the city's Vision Zero goal of eliminating severe car crashes.
• Appointed 19 new or returning members to boards, commissions and committees following the new recruitment process adopted earlier this year.
All agenda items are subject to change. Karen Norback and Mark Cathcart contributed reporting.