LID Holds Annual Meeting with County Commissioners

The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LIDAC or LID) held its annual meeting with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Monday, March 27 in the Left Hand Grange.

The members of the LID are a mix of people from businesses and community plus representatives of the Niwot Business Association (NBA) and Niwot Community Association (NCA). The commissioners serve as directors of the LID while the LIDAC advises the commissioners on ways to benefit the district through expenditures of money raised through a 1% sales tax within the district.

Commissioners Claire Levy (Chair), Marta Loachamin and Ashley Stolzmann attended, all of whom are new since 2021. Members of the LIDAC who attend included (with their affiliation), Scott Firle (Chair, resident), Eric Bergeson (Vice-Chair, NBA), Cornelia Sawle (business), Lisa Rivard (resident), Mary Coonce (Treasurer, business), Jeff Knight (NCA), Heidi Stortz (resident) and Sarah Cioni (business). LIDAC member Keith Waters (business) was unable to attend. Approximately 14 members of the community also attended the meeting, including leadership of the NCA, the Niwot Historical Society and Niwot Community Connection, as well as several former LIDAC members.

Bergeson began with a presentation of the "State of Niwot," saying, "Our most significant metric as far as the business district goes in Niwot is we're well over 95% occupancy rate here in town." The annual revenue in the district is up about 40% from 2019 to 2022, largely from the high occupancy rate.

Bergeson enumerated the many events the NBA sponsors, and noted that the NBA is working toward driving faster redevelopment of key properties, increasing retail foot traffic, better integrating downtown and Cottonwood Square Shopping Center, and improving the safety of the intersection of Niwot Road and CO 119 (the Diagonal). "[We are] trying to keep pace with the growing amount of work going on," Bergeson said. "We all know very well we are unincorporated, we don't really have a town administration. It's virtually all volunteer run. My sense is we're strained a little bit with that."

Commissioner Stolzmann asked if there are any minority businesses in town. Bergeson explained that they have not broken their data down by minority status but would take that as an action item.

Storz described the strategic plan for the next five years that the LID has developed. "We are funders, not doers, and so that is the mantra that we kept in mind in developing the strategic plan," she said. The plan identifies changes for the LID in the future, which include taking on more of an advocacy role beyond their advisory function, and facilitating communications between organizations in Niwot. Storz pointed out, "We haven't always been moving in the same direction... .We see the LID as uniquely situated to provide some leadership...."

The meeting moved into a general discussion between commissioners and LIDAC members. Commissioner Loachamin complimented the town on the holiday parade and asked if it included a student marching band or a Mariachi band or Indigenous People. Firle responded by describing the new murals in Cottonwood Square created by invitation to Indigenous artists. Storz said that students are quite involved in events, especially in the Rock & Rails concerts. Bergeson and others described how the Eddie Running Wolf sculptures and some Sculpture Park pieces honor Indigenous People. Firle made it clear that the LID is open to engagement with the county on these goals.

A significant portion of the meeting was spent discussing how to improve safety at the intersection of Niwot Road and the Diagonal Highway, and the plans for a bikeway down the median of the Diagonal. Bergeson described details of the LID plan for a bicycle and pedestrian underpass under the northbound lane of the Diagonal, with the goal of making it safe and easy for people to get between the town and the Park and Ride.

Sawle distributed her analysis of the accident statistics for the intersection in order to reinforce the safety message. Commissioner Stolzmann spoke for all the commissioners to say that they are concerned about safety, too.

LIDAC members expressed concern that the current design of the bikeway, which does not include an underpass connection to Niwot, was created and money was spent before the Niwot community had a chance to provide input.

Commissioner Loachamin referred to part of the plan regarding economic development and housing and asked for the LID's stand on advocating for affordable housing. Bergeson pointed out, "I think most often when we think about Niwot we think it's filled out. Is that fair?" Loachamin responded that it's fair. Commissioner Levy mentioned meetings with Left Hand Water District in which they discuss limits to water resources and taps for new homes in the area.

Other topics, including signage and an update to the 2012 Transportation study, were also discussed before the meeting adjourned.