All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Boulder County is now accepting applications for two openings on the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee, a nine-member independent board that “prioritizes expenditures of the LID sales tax revenue,” and makes recommendations to the county commissioners. The Niwot LID was formed in 1992 and authorized to collect a half-percent sales tax to pay for street, drainage and other improvements in Old Town. In 2007 following a successful Niwot effort to change state law, vot...
Just over 20 years from now, already congested traffic conditions are expected to increase by 25 percent along Highway 119 (the Diagonal.) According to RTD’s website statistics, 45,000 cars, buses, trucks, and bikes use sections of Highway 119 on a daily basis. By the year 2040, some 56,000 vehicles will be a realistic number. Acknowledging the current aggravation of traveling along the corridor and wanting to prevent worsening conditions, the Boulder County Transportation Department and the R...
Since Michael Tomich and Patty Machen opened the door of Old Oak Coffeehouse a little over a year ago, it has lived up the symbolism of its namesake – it’s become a thriving and solid part of the community. So, when a smash and grab burglar made the cafe one of the victims of a string of small businesses robbed in the last two weeks, Tomich said the tree was a bit shaken. “To see someone in my shop, with a mask and gloves destroying and stealing,” Tomich said of the video footage he reviewe...
With most of its business for 2018 concluded, the Niwot LID advisory committee turned its gaze to 2019 at its regular monthly meeting on Nov. 13. Up first was newly-elected LID treasurer Bruce Rabeler with details about his recent meeting with liaison Mark Ruzzin and officials from the Boulder County finance department. Starting next year, the county will be implementing new rules concerning procurement, which may mean changes to current LID funding processes. Among the most significant changes...
More than two dozen people stepped up to the microphone in the Boulder County Commissioners’ hearing room on Oct. 30 regarding a temporary halt of development in downtown Niwot. The commissioners could vote to maintain, modify or rescind the moratorium they initially approved on Sept. 20. Dale Case, Boulder County Land Use Director said his department’s recommendation was to uphold the six-month moratorium on development in the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD), but with the exclusion of...
On Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee welcomed county commissioners Cindy Domenico, Deb Gardner, and Elise Jones to the Left Hand Grange for a “very timely” discussion of the state of local affairs during the past 12 (or so) months. Ordinarily used as an opportunity to showcase the town’s recent successes, this year’s presentation to the commissioners was fraught with anxiety about the county’s development moratorium, which was scheduled for a public hearing on Oct. 30. Ackno...
Owing to a surprise six-month development moratorium imposed on Sept. 20 by the Boulder County Commissioners for the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD), Bradford Heap, owner of Colterra Restaurant, a mainstay in the Old Town commercial area, stated, “The moratorium is preventing me from reopening [Colterra] and that’s what I know. That’s a fact. I can’t go into the particulars, but there are a lot of things.” Colterra, which opened in 2005, suffered fire damage to the kitchen in early mor...
In the wake of the Boulder County Commissioners’ temporary moratorium on new development applications in the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD), the Niwot LID advisory committee welcomed Land Use director Dale Case and his staffers, Jose Ruano and Denise Grimm, to the Oct. 2 meeting to discuss the wider implications of such a ban, as well as the next steps in the process. They also considered a funding request, elected a new slate of officers, and discussed the agenda for the upcoming m...
At their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 4, members of the Niwot LID advisory committee considered just a single funding request, but members had plenty of new business on their minds, including funding alternatives for future capital projects and upcoming development projects in Old Town. Boulder County liaison Mark Ruzzin presented the monthly financials to lead off the meeting. As of Aug. 31, the LID has approved $155,105 in disbursements, about $22,000 over the budget, which is...
The agenda may have been light, but the concerns were weighty at the Aug. 7 meeting of the Niwot LID Advisory Board. Facing a supplement budget allocation in order to continue funding activities for the remainder of the year, the board discussed its finances and, more broadly, setting priorities for upcoming expenditures. Board members also considered a funding proposal from the Niwot Business Association (NBA), and heard about some upcoming transportation projects slated for the area. Boulder...
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee got a taste of winter at its July 3 meeting, and not just because it was a bracing 56 degrees in the conference room at the Mountain View Fire Station. Though Christmas is still half a year away, a twin bill of holiday-themed funding requests topped the evening’s agenda, giving the committee a preview of some changes in store for the traditional kick-off to the town’s holiday shopping season. Boulder County liaison Mark Ruzzin kicked off the meeting with a rec...
The abundance of vibrant, carefully-maintained flower pots that has long been a signature of the summer season in Niwot was devastated by the midday hail storm that roared through town on June 19. “Almost every single container suffered some kind of damage,” Chuck Klueber of the Niwot Business Association Streetscapes Committee said. “Some weren’t damaged as badly as others, because they were protected by trees or posts or flags. It just depended on where they were.” Using funds furnished...
At its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 5, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee considered funding requests for the eighth annual Jazz on 2nd Avenue festival, as well for mowing of the future parking lot west of Old Town. Before hearing the evening’s applications, members reviewed Treasurer Harris Faberman’s report through the end of May. So far, the LID has committed to $109,314 in expenses in 2018, leaving $23,686 from the budget to spend for the remainder of the year. However, the report...
At the regular monthly meeting on May 1, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee got a sneak peek at the Niwot Business Association’s new branding campaign, and heard about some important changes in store for this year’s Rock & Rails Summer concert series. Boulder County liaison Mark Ruzzin kicked off the meeting with a brief discussion about officer elections, a subject curiously left out of the Committee’s bylaws. Leadership of the nine-member Committee consists of a Chair, who conducts the meeti...
On Tuesday April 3, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its first monthly meeting since the appointment of Scott Firle, Anne Postle, and Bruce Rabeler to the board by the Boulder County Commissioners late last month. On hand to welcome them were current members Bruce Warren, Jim Eastman, Harris Faberman, Carrie Wise, Jay Champion, and Laura Skaggs, who was also reappointed to board for a second five-year term. “It’s great to have new individuals and faces on the board,” Boulder County liais...
The Boulder County Commissioners picked several new members for the Niwot Local Improvement District last week. Current Co-Chair Laura Skaggs was re-appointed as the Niwot Community Association representative for her second five-year term. Anne Postle was nominated by the Niwot Business Association to replace term-limited Tony Santelli, and the commissioners confirmed her as the Niwot Business Association representative for a five-year term. Postle is an architect and owner of Osmosis Art & Architecture in Niwot, and is also a resident of...
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on March 6, despite the fact that the Boulder County Commissioners have yet to fill the four vacancies that opened when five-year terms for four of the board’s nine members expired. Boulder County staff liaison Mark Ruzzin cited unexpected travel commitments and illnesses for the delay by the commissioners, and invited the departing members—Satir DeMarco, co-Chair Laura Skaggs, Tony Santelli, and Howard Tre...
Current officers of the Niwot Business Association were re-elected at the February 13 NBA meeting, hosted by the Niwot Inn and Treppeda’s Italian Restaurant. In the only contested rate, incumbent vice-president Deborah Fowler was re-elected as vice-president over Jim Ditzel. Tony Santelli will continue as president, Linda Klueber will return as secretary, and Dayna Roane was re-elected as treasurer. The NBA officers also serve as the board of directors. Santelli thanked Ditzel for his interest in serving the NBA and welcomed his continued i...
On Feb. 6, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee considered five funding requests, got a sneak preview of the NBA’s 2018 budget and heard after-action reports for two popular events from last year. They also said goodbye to AC members Tony Santelli and Howard Treppeda, who will be stepping down at the end of the month when their latest five-year terms expire. Treasurer Harris Faberman led off with an update on the District’s 2017 finances. The LID collected $13,253.70 in sales tax revenue for Nov...
After a short thank you by Chuck Klueber, Niwot Business Association Streetscapes Coordinator, a few key people grabbed shovels on this brisk day, and moved some dirt for an official groundbreaking to start the Connectivity Project, which covers about 5000 square feet at the corner of Niwot Road and 79th Street. Aiming for an end of March completion of the dirt moving, rock placement, and infrastructure, Outdoor Craftsmen owner Scott Deemer said his workers were ready to start work as soon as...
The Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) held its first meeting of 2018 on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Treasurer Harris Faberman led off with his report on the District’s 2017 finances. Through October 2017, the LID collected $149,474 in sales tax revenue, up 8.4 percent from the same point last year. If this trend continues for November and December, the LID is on pace to collect about $182,500 for the year, roughly $12,000 more than in 2016. On the other side of the ledger, t...
The Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) held its first meeting of 2018 on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Treasurer Harris Faberman led off with his report on the District’s 2017 finances. Through October 2017, the LID collected $149,474 in sales tax revenue, up 8.4 percent from the same point last year. If this trend continues for November and December, the LID is on pace to collect about $182,500 for the year, roughly $12,000 more than in 2016. On the other side of the ledger, t...
The Niwot Business Association’s plans to create a visitor attraction connecting Old Town and Cottonwood Square received a big boost late last year when local businessman Scott Deemer of landscape design firm Outdoor Craftsmen, Ltd., agreed to donate both labor and materials towards the creation of a public art space on the northeast corner of the Cottonwood Park West neighborhood. Construction of the park-like area could begin as soon as late January, according to NBA’s Chuck Klueber, who has b...
Boulder County is now accepting applications for open positions on the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee. The nine-member LID Advisory Committee “is an independent board that provides the Boulder County Commissioners with recommendations for improvements to the LID,” according to Boulder County. The committee is primarily responsible for overseeing expenditures of the town’s sales tax revenue, which is generated by business retail sales within Niwot’s business district, i...
Plans for a public parking lot west of Old Town Niwot moved forward last week after Boulder County officials cleared some administrative hurdles. At a public hearing held on Nov. 15, the Boulder County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of amendments to the Boulder County Land Use Code that will allow for “offsite parking in areas where onsite parking is constrained and where the allowance of offsite parking facilities would help maintain the character and function of the a...
Plans for a public parking lot west of Old Town Niwot moved forward last week after Boulder County officials cleared some administrative hurdles. At a public hearing held on Nov. 15, the Boulder County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of amendments to the Boulder County Land Use Code that will allow for “offsite parking in areas where onsite parking is constrained and where the allowance of offsite parking facilities would help maintain the character and function of the a...
Niwot will soon be home to a new business that has been over 3 years in the works. Callie Craumer and daughter Caitlin will be opening a Starbuds Dispensary at 6924 N. 79th Street in Cottonwood Square Shopping Center that is close to completion. Callie said that they initially purchased the property in 2014 as a real estate investment and to relocate their family to Colorado which was part of their long-term plan. “We’re hoping we’ll have a successful business and be a contributor to the commu...
To The Editor: I am opposed to the parking lot, which will be located along Murray Street, on the strip of land currently owned by BNSF railroad. Reasons for my opposition: The parking lot will change Murray Street from a rural setting to a city setting. Traffic will increase in the neighborhood. According to the Sept. 2016 traffic study done in Niwot (Fox, Tuttle and Hernandez), ten spaces were removed from downtown parking for striped parking spaces and bumper blocks between 2014 and 2016. The study recommended that employees be encouraged...
At its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 3, the Niwot LID Advisory Committee formally met new Niwot Economic Development director Catherine McHale, considered one funding request, and discussed proposed Boulder County land use changes that could impact tentative plans for a parking lot north of old town Niwot. McHale introduced herself and spoke briefly of her plans going forward, especially as they relate to use of social media to promote Niwot businesses. She also indicated that she would be...
Howard Treppeda, founder and chief organizer of Niwot’s Jazz on 2nd Ave, was more than pleased with the seventh edition of the event, held in downtown Niwot, Sept. 16. “Fantastic, fantastic,” was Treppeda’s quick response when asked how the event was going. The day opened with cloudy skies and cool weather, but Treppeda was not worried. “I feel confident with the tents and the fanbase. There’s a jazz family, and they’re going to come out rain or shine.” As the day warmed up, so did the music....
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5, where members considered funding requests for the upcoming holiday events, as well as an outdoor community seating area in on the west end of 2nd Avenue. The committee also heard an update on the search for Niwot’s new economic development director. The committee heard first from Mike Hagerty, Suzanne Jurgens, and Adam Sirois, representatives of Powder Keg Brewing Company at 101 2nd Ave. in Niwot. They requested $...
Letter to Left Hand Valley Courier We are writing in reference to the article in the August 16th edition of the Left Hand Valley Courier titled: “Niwot LID approves funding for Cottonwood Park West open space”. The headline should have read: “Niwot LID approves funding for community area”. The headline as it was published suggests that the property is not private and could be misleading. There is no “open space” in Cottonwood Park West, only private common areas that belong to and are reserved for the residents of CPW and their guests. The prop...
On Aug. 30 at the Left Hand Grange, residents from Old Town and other interested Niwot residents met with members of the Niwot Futures League (NFL) and the Niwot Business Association (NBA) to discuss details of a proposed 50-spot public parking lot along the railroad tracks west of town. The 2-acre parcel, which is approximately 80 feet wide by 1,100 feet long, is under contract with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad for $170,000. The parking lot would be located on the southernmost 306 feet...
Several years ago the Niwot Local Improvement District had a transportation and connectivity study done through Boulder County that identified a need for a dedicated parking lot in or near the business district downtown. Bruce Warren, who participated in the study, said that when parking usage downtown exceeds 74 percent of the available spaces open to the public, it’s time to explore options for a parking facility, and when it reaches 85%, it’s time to act. Anyone who frequents downtown Niwot can attest that often times it is hard to find par...
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, and reviewed the budget reports prepared by county liaison Pete Salas and LID treasurer Harris Faberman. According to their figures, the LID has disbursed just over $41,753 in expenses so far this year and has committed to spend another $64,839, not counting the pending application, leaving about $26,408 in the budget for the year. This does not include the $192,025 recommended for approval last month for the purchase...
On Monday, Aug. 7, the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee held its annual joint meeting with the Boulder County Commissioners to provide them with a first-hand account of the state of affairs in Niwot. Commissioners Cindy Domenico and Deb Garder (Elise Jones was out of town) along with County staff Peter Salas, Michelle Krezek and Mark Ruzzin were joined by LID Co-Chairs Laura Skaggs, and Carrie Wise, Vice-Chair Jim Eastman, Treasurer Harris Faberman, and members Tony Sant...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 11, with several large expenditures on the agenda. Before hearing funding requests, members reviewed the July budget reports prepared by county liaison Pete Salas and LID treasurer Harris Faberman. According to their figures, the LID has disbursed just over $25,500 so far this year and has committed to spend another $39,806, not counting the pending applications, leaving just under $68,000 in the...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 6 at the Niwot Fire Station. After the meeting was called to order, members reviewed the June budget reports prepared by county liaison Pete Salas and LID treasurer Harris Faberman. According to their figures, the LID has committed to just over $66,000 in expenses so far this year, including about $11,000 in pending requests, and has nearly the same amount remaining in the 2017 budget. The...
At its May 2 meeting the Niwot LID Advisory Committee heard a preview at what’s shaping up to be another busy summer around town. Before considering the four funding requests on the agenda, the Co-chair Laura Skaggs reviewed the February 2017 revenue report. According to figures from Boulder County, LID sales tax collections for that month were $15,898, which is nearly 40 percent higher than the same period last year ($11,390). Members were surprised and pleased by the sharp increase, but m...
This month’s First Friday Art Walk kicked off a juried art show spread throughout various businesses. Michelle Henzel, with Osmosis and other Niwot Cultural Arts Association board members, launched the Why Not Niwot Juried Art Show in eight different businesses for the May art walk. There are a total of 22 pieces — all have to feature Niwot in some way — displayed in eight different businesses around town. Those businesses are ShopGirl, Pebble Art Jewelry, Painted Primrose, Niwot Inn, Niwot Jewe...
When we first started the Courier I had the distinct impression that we were like one of those 1940s Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney movies, where the kids put on a show in a barn and then decide to take it to Broadway. We were seven people with diverse backgrounds – a lawyer, an architect, a paralegal, a photographer, a teacher, a banker and a FDA investigator. Not quite the butcher, baker and candlestick maker, but close. Our main goal was to highlight the academic and athletic accomplishments of area students that the two local dailies t...
*Editor's note: The survey is already live and running at www.niwot.com/survey. Residents do not have to wait for the reminder card that will be sent next month. The planning survey is to get feedback from the public on ways to spend LID funds allocated to Niwot. We apologize for the confusion. Everyone living in Niwot will soon be receiving a survey card in the mail regarding downtown planning. Julie Ankenbrandt, Niwot economic development director and marketing director for the Niwot Business...
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 7, and once again, sales tax drove the discussion. Through two months of 2017, the LID has committed to $19,687 in expenses, including half of the Economic Development Director’s salary ($11,250), according to Treasurer Harris Faberman. His report also included an estimate of the LID’s current capital purchases reserve balance ($265,945), based on his calculation of net revenues over the past nine years. The com...
The Link Building at 7916 Niwot Road in Niwot is now an official link between Cottonwood Square and Old Town. The Boulder County Commissioners approved a petition by owners Anne and Jim Postle to add the property to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID), which collects a one percent sales tax on retail sales in the Niwot business district. Bruce Warren, representing the property owners, told the commissioners that the Link Building was an office building back in 1992 when voters approved creation of the LID, and no one seemed to know why...
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) got a preview of the expense side of the 2017 ledger when the Niwot Business Association (NBA) unveiled its budget for the year. Members also reviewed the final treasurer’s report for 2016, considered two funding requests, and heard updates on a new LID merchant and Jazz on 2nd Avenue. The meeting was called to order by co-chair Laura Skaggs. The committee heard from LID treasurer Harris Faberman who p...
The Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) held its first meeting of 2017 on Tuesday, Jan. 3. District revenues dominated the discussion, as members welcomed representatives from the State of Colorado Department of Revenue to respond to several concerns related to sales tax collection in Niwot. They also reviewed budget projections for 2017, and considered three funding requests for upcoming streetscape expenses. Co-Chair Laura Skaggs called the meeting to order...
In its final meeting of 2016, the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) turned its attention to administrative matters, including a look at the final 2016 budget figures and revisions to the Niwot Strategic Plan. The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Carrie Wise. After approving the minutes from last month’s meeting, the committee reviewed the final financial figures for the year. In total, the LID approved 22 funding requests for more than $130,000 during 2016, e...
Several transportation projects are on tap for the Niwot area in 2017, and additional downtown parking may be one step closer to reality. That’s what the Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) heard from George Gerstle, Boulder County’s Director of Transportation, who spoke at the Committee’s Nov. 1 meeting. The LID also approved funding for two projects, got an update on negotiations with BNSF, and finalized details of an upcoming Strategic Plan Update meeting sched...
On Oct. 4th, the Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) met to consider funding requests for the town’s upcoming holiday events, as well as urgent repairs to Spear Lodge Man in the Tree Sculpture Park. The committee also got a look at the preliminary results of a recent parking utilization study, and heard a report from Howard Treppeda on this year’s Jazz on 2nd Ave event. After dispensing with various housekeeping matters, the committee heard first from Sarah Cioni, ow...
Halloween is the one day of the year children and adults can be anything or anyone else they want to be. Niwot has embraced this holiday for over two decades by hosting the Great Pumpkin Party, giving families the opportunity to dress up and walk in a parade; children can trick or treat at local businesses, take hayrides and visit a petting zoo. Pat Murphy of Niwot Real Estate has been organizing this event, put on by the Niwot Business Association, for nearly 25 years. Since its beginning as a...
