Niwot LID discusses flowers and charging stations

The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) met on Tue., April 5 to discuss a funding request for flowers and the issue of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Niwot.

The only funding request for the night was for flowers, with the Niwot Business Association (NBA) submitting an $18,000 application. Carrie Wise presented the request for funds on behalf of NBA Streetscapes Chair Chuck Klueber, who couldn’t be at the meeting.

Last year the LID funded the NBA request for $13,000 for the flowers along Second Avenue and Cottonwood Square, and some LID members were concerned with the $5,000 increase this year. “The 34 percent increase is a little stressful,” Laura Skaggs said, adding she wants to make sure she sees the results they’re paying for.

Broken down, the $18,000 will go toward planters, hanging pots, fertilizer, replacing a damaged wheelbarrow, new hanging pots and the labor that goes along with planting, watering, maintenance and taking everything down.

Wise, who usually plants and waters the flowers, said she just can’t do the maintenance anymore, but she still wants it to continue. She will still be planting the flowers starting in mid-May.

This year there will be at least three people watering the flowers throughout the summer, who will be paid for their work. Watering in Cottonwood Square will be taken care of by the business owners.

Most LID members agreed they wanted to see the flowers continue, they just didn’t understand why it was more expensive. After going over the LID’s financial situation and discussing the budget further, the members decided they would be able to afford the cost of the flowers based on anticipated revenues and funding requests.

The LID advisory committee recommended approval of the funding request for the flowers.

The next topic was an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, which the Boulder County Land Use Department recommended should be required in Anne Postle’s plans to renovate the Link building.

At the hearing on Postle’s application for changing an office use to a restaurant use, county commissioners decided this burden was unfair to place on Postle and only required her to provide a connection panel, which she could do at no additional cost. They did, however, think the LID should discuss where a future charging station should go within the community.

LID advisory committee members had differing views on the subject, but all agreed that three major questions needed to be addressed: Is a charging station needed in Niwot? Where should it go? and, How should it be paid for? The LID isn’t necessarily being tasked with actually installing a charging station, but was asked to weigh in on the issues.

Some members didn’t think Niwot was ready for a charging station, and that the county needs to do more research before requiring one. “I don’t think we’re there yet,” Wise said.

Others thought that somewhere in Cottonwood Square would be the most reasonable place for a charging station, because it has the biggest parking area in town.

“Facts don’t matter,” Tony Santelli said. “Boulder County is committed to getting a charging station. I’d like to find a way where it’s a win-win situation.” Santelli suggested putting one in a county right-of-way area along Niwot Road which could also provide additional parking.

Bruce Warren suggested setting up a meeting with the commissioners to discuss the issue and get more information before making any decisions. “We’re on the beginning of electric cars,” he said. “It seems like a charging station [would be] for people outside of Niwot. The business community should be the ones to say it’s a good idea and will improve business.”

Other LID members agreed with Warren. The LID meets with Boulder County Commissioners once a year and is currently working on setting up a meeting during the summer.

They plan to pass their desires to discuss charging stations onto the commissioners, and request further information and research on charging stations in the City of Boulder.

LID Members Re-appointed

On April 8, the Boulder County Commissioners announced the re-appointment of LID Advisory Committee members Harris Faberman, who serves as treasurer, Jim Eastman, who serves as a community representative, and Bruce Warren, who serves as a business representative, to five-year terms.

The LID advisory committee meets next on Tue., May 3 at 7 p.m. at the Niwot fire station.