2016 Cit y of Long mont

Rep ort to
the Communit y

LONGMONTworks

Water
Qualit y
Rep ort
included

PUBLIC WORKS&
NATURAL RESOURCES
city of longmont

PUBLIC WORKS
NATURAL RESOURCES
&
Public Works & Natural Resources (PWNR) is one of the
largest and most diverse departments within the City of
Longmont. It pulls together work in engineering, environmental
$98.8M safety, forestry, parks and trails, open space, solid waste, transportation,
water utilities, and sustainability. The variety of services provided by
the department allows for efficient, effective and economical delivery of
those services to the community.

2 0 1 6 T O TA L P W N R
D E PA R T M E N TA L B U D G E T
Rep orting on Progress
This report describes the major work that was completed by
$48.8M
in operating funds PWNR in 2016 and connects that work to the six principles of
the Envision Longmont Plan and the topic areas in the Citys
$38.6M Sustainability Plan.
in capital improvement projects

Coming S oon!
$11.4M
in bond & loan payments Watch for an online dashboard to be launched later in 2017.
It will allow residents to easily see how the City of Longmont
225.25 as a whole is moving forward under these two plans.
permanent employees

Over $1 Billion OUR MISSION

replacement value of PWNR systems
and assets water, sewer, streets,
storm drainage, open space, parks
and solid waste
To provide life-essential services, infrastructure, and natural resources
management that sustain and advance the health, safety, prosperity and
mobility of the community.

bit.ly/city-budget LongmontColorado.gov/pwnr
 A COMPLETE,
NCED & CONNEC
L A T
BA NSPORTATION SYST ED
A EM
TR H
S, ANOU
OR D SI
ID DS O

N PPO
O R

G R
RH R
O
BO CO

SE TU
RV NI
GH S,
NEI ER

ICE TIES
AND CENT

S, A FOR
MEN ALL
E
LIVABL

ITIES,
Envision Longmont SUSTAINABLE
& RESILIENT

ON T I O N
OR N OV M I C
LONGMONT
Multimodal & Comprehensive Pl an

A DA P
A SA TABL

AB I N O N O
A
In early 2015, the City of how to grow, ways to expand

FE, E

LL UGHD EC
ATI
Longmont initiated a transportation options and

H E CO

CO O A N
AL M
community-wide effort to approaches to balance growth

D HR H
T H MU

N T WT
talk about Longmonts vision and embrace diversity.

Y, N
N

YO
R

A
IT D G
for the future. In 2016, City Y B IT
J OITAL A
RE V
Council officially adopted the
resulting Envision Longmont
SIX GUIDING SPO
N R DS
O F OS I B L E ST E WAC E S
UR RESOUR
HIP

Multimodal and Comprehensive PRINCIPLES

Plan. The plan identifies
Longmonts priorities. It
provides strategic guidance
for the long-term needs and
desires of the community and
describes ways to achieve them.
This includes addressing changes
in our population, where and
The plan is organized around Resiliency:
Anticipating risk, limiting impact and
six guiding principles that bouncing forward rapidly by adapting and
reflect elements of Longmonts learning in the face of disruptive shocks and
desired future. The principles stresses.
and their supporting goals and
policies are intended to promote Sustainability:
Taking care of the needs of the present
a more sustainable and resilient generation without compromising the ability
Longmont. to meet the needs of future generations.

A n engaged Over the course of 18 months, a diverse cross section e n v i s i o n w i n s awa r d

co m munit y of the community was involved in this planning process.

11,300 2,200 3,200

American Planning Association
Silver Level Comprehensive Plan
Standards for Sustaining Places

at community via online at Envision bit.ly/envisionlongmont

events participation events

In 2016, the City of Longmont

adopted its Sustainability Plan. The
sustainability plan plans purpose is to clearly articulate
Longmonts sustainability vision
to pic a re as
and objectives, establish meaningful
Air Quality Economic Vitality Transportation targets, and define actionable strategies
within ten topic areas to support the
Buildings & Energy Waste vision. The plan is a living document
Infrastructure
Food System Water to guide the City and the Longmont
Community community in actions to enhance
Cohesion Natural sustainability at all levels.
& Resilience Environment
bit.ly/sustainability-longmont
 Livable Centers, Corridors,
& Neighborhoods
Moving
FORWARD ON
SOUTH MAIN
In 2016, PWNR significantly completed
Focus on South Main (FOSM), a
Future growth and multi-year effort designed to improve
the southeastern gateway to Longmont.
investment should The project occurred primarily along
enhance the quality South Main Street, from 3rd Avenue to
Ken Pratt Boulevard, which is an area
of life of existing
identified in Envision Longmont for
and future residents, change and potential redevelopment.
meet our long-term Focus on South Main included
intersection safety and capacity
needs and reinforce improvements, reconstruction of
Longmonts identity. deteriorated asphalt pavement with
new long life concrete pavement,
and replacement of the aging and
undersized Main Street Bridge over
St. Vrain Creek. It also incorporated
improvements to sidewalks to enhance
pedestrian and bicycle access. New
landscaping and art, plus an extension of
planters and benches from downtown,
create a welcoming aesthetic in the area.
Focus on South Main was more than
simply replacing aging infrastructure.
It was a forward-looking investment
that contributes to the exciting
changes happening in Longmont. The
completion of Focus on South Main
furthers the safety, revitalization and
resilience of our community.

Total
FOSM
Cost $15.3 M funds provided
by state and
federal agencies $5.2 M
Take a video tour at LongmontColorado.gov/fosm

Its super exciting whats coming in this area. Clara Natasha White,
You feel it bubbling, and in about five years it Owner & Manager at
will just be amazing to see where weve come. Cheese Importers

Sustainability
Topics
Buildings &
Infrastructure

Community Cohesion
& Resilience

Natural Environment
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources
Bringing back
Families & Fun
to City Parks
In early 2012, City Council and City
staff were struggling with a lack of
funding for deteriorating infrastructure
in existing parks. The issue became
evident as many of the Citys parks were
reaching 30, 40 and even 50 years old.
Several facilities like skate parks and
playgrounds were being removed due to
unrepairable safety issues.
To address the problem, City
Council guided staff and the Parks
& Recreation Advisory Board
(PRAB) to develop a Parks,
Recreation & Trails Master Plan.
TAKE Become a volunteer to further contribute to the beauty
ACTION and enjoyment of our parks at bit.ly/parks-volunteer
2016
Pa rk
Renewa l
Projects
Throughout the community
involvement process, City staff and PARKS MAINTAINED
BY THE CITY OF
PRAB heard a resounding take care Parks Maintained
LONGMONT
of what we have.
This is why households now see a
Park & Greenway Maintenance Fee
on their monthly utility bills. The fee
1962
generates approximately $900,000
annually and serves as dedicated
funding for the maintenance and
ACRES
renewal of existing parks, recreation
facilities, and greenway areas.
Since the fees enactment, PWNR
has been hard at work implementing
the Park Renewal Program and bringing 1,499 ACRES: 8 Nature Areas
numerous amenities back to a usable, 259 ACRES: 6 Community Parks
1962
safe and fun condition. 194 ACRES: 25 Neighborhood Parks
10 ACRES: 2 Dog Parks
ACRES
LongmontColorado.gov/parks
HIGHLIGHTS
Replacement Renovation of E d u c at i o n a l N o t e
of playgrounds the shelter/
at Lanyon Park, restroom building The Park & Greenway Maintenance
Spangler Park, and tennis court Fee jumpstarted the Park Renewal
Affolter Park and resurfacing at Program, but it is still not enough
Kanemoto Park Carr Park to fund all needed replacements of
existing park infrastructure. The cost
is estimated at $20 million over the
next 10 years. To help bridge the gap,
A new sand Path lighting
volleyball court at upgrades at the Citys Public Improvement Fund
Spangler Park, as Hover Park and Conservation Trust Fund also
well as restroom contribute to the program at varying
replacement
amounts each year, depending on
other citywide capital improvement
needs.
Stay tuned for more renewal
coming to a park near you!
 COMPLETE, BALANCED&
CONNECTED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
TURNING DESTRUCTION
INTO OPPORTUNITY ON
SUNSET STREET
Massive flooding in 2013 destroyed the
Sunset Street Bridge, cutting off a primary
north-south travel corridor in Longmont.
In the aftermath, an opportunity arose to
approach reconstruction in a way that could
prevent future damage and significantly
improve travel along Sunset Street.
The former bridge was a mere 24-feet
wide and was shared by motorists, cyclists
and pedestrians. The narrow width of
We will continue to the bridge sometimes led to harrowing
invest in a complete, experiences for those trying to share the
road. Design of the new, 50-foot-wide
balanced system Sunset Street Bridge included dedicated
that enhances safety, sidewalks and bicycle lanes in each
direction, along with single vehicular traffic
mobility, accessibility lanes each way. These improvements benefit
and convenience for all travelers using the Sunset Street Bridge
whether driving, biking or walking.
all modes.
SU N S E T B R I DG E W I N S AWA R DS
American Public Works Association
Colorado Chapter | Disaster/Emergency
Construction, Large Communities
Engineering News Record Mountain States
Best Project, Small Project Class
MORE INFO
Ever wonder how a bridge is actually built?
Check out the project blog for stories with
pictures and videos produced along the way.
sunsetbridge.wordpress.com
Sustainability
Topics
Air Quality
Transportation
The addition of sidewalks and bike
lanes also improves non-motorized access
between the residential neighborhoods
north of the bridge to businesses and
restaurants along Boston Avenue and Ken
Pratt Boulevard. Safer pedestrian and
cycling access to Izaak Walton Park and
the St. Vrain Greenway trail also resulted
from completion of the new bridge, which
further enhances functionality of the
citywide bicycle and pedestrian network.
Beyond increasing the bridge width for
better transportation access, the new Sunset
Street Bridge was also built longer to safely
accommodate a widened St. Vrain Creek
channel. This wider channel is part of the
efforts of Resilient St. Vrain, Longmonts
extensive, multi-year project to reduce the
size of the floodplain through Longmont
and fully restore the St. Vrain Greenway
trail. The bigger and better Sunset Street
Bridge over St. Vrain Creek opened to all
travelers on May 19, 2016.
Sunset Bridge
TOTAL COST OF
SUNSET BRIDGE
83%
Funded by the
Federal Highway
$3.4 M
Administration
17%
Funded in partnership
among State of Colorado, Boulder
County and City of Longmont
Ri
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources

nset Bridge
Offering Longmont FA ST FAC TS
Travelers a Free Ride
In 2016, the City of Longmont extended
the Ride Free Longmont program through
2017 due to its proven success for the
community. Ride Free Longmont provides
342 MILES
of city-maintained roadway
in Longmont
unlimited trips on Longmonts local buses
at no charge to riders and a $2.60 transfer
credit to RTD regional bus routes. No
cards, passes, or ID of any kind are needed
to ride the four local routes. The program is
paid for through the Citys Street Fund.
Taking the bus can be a smart choice
for many reasons including avoiding traffic
or limited parking, saving gas money, and
57 MILES
of roadway with
reducing carbon emissions. For some, its dedicated bike lanes
also a primary means of transportation.

151 MILES
2016 Cost of According to surveys, 79% of Longmont
ride Ride
freeFree Longmont
long mont transit riders dont have access to a car,
and 62% have a total annual household
income of less than $25,000. This means of snow plowed roadway
the people that can most benefit from

$250,487
60% Funded by Boulder County
40% Funded by City of Longmont
The City of Longmont assumed full
responsibility to fund the programs
extension through 2017. $265,000 has
been budgeted.
RIDERSHIP DOUBLES
the transit system are the ones least able S N OW & I C E P R O G R A M
to afford the fare ($2.60/trip). Ride W I N S AWA R D
Free Longmont alleviates this burden by
American Public Works Association
covering the cost of local transit service Excellence in Snow & Ice Control
so people can get to work, medical
appointments, personal business,
shopping and school. It also encourages
those with other transportation options to
give the bus a second look.
Feedback from local bus riders to
City staff has been very positive. Many
people report that they previously had
to bike, or more typically, walk across
town for groceries, jobs, appointments, E d u c at i o n a l N o t e
etc. One appreciative rider relayed her
The Street Fund Sales & Use Tax

600 1,200
story of having to walk to the hospital
adds 3/4 of a cent onto every dollar
while in active labor before Ride Free
purchase in Longmont. This voter-
Longmont started! This program provides
approved tax funds a variety of
a valuable benefit for Longmont residents
City transportation improvements
trips per day trips per day now and commuters, and for many it is life-
including street and sidewalk
prior to Ride changing.
Free Longmont maintenance and repair, as well as
Transit has a lot to offer, whether it transportation system safety and
be vital transportation, monetary savings, efficiency. The tax is in effect until
longmontbus.com stress reduction, environmental benefits December 31, 2026.
or simply convenience. If you have never
taken the bus before, or its been a while,
now is a great time to get onboard. LongmontColorado.gov/
Lets all enjoy a free ride, Longmont! transportation
 RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS
OF OUR RESOURCES

Working Behind Public Works & Natural Resources

the Scenes
The Citys Public Works & Natural
We will continue Resources department owns, operates
to ensure our and maintains a diverse portfolio of
natural, historic, infrastructure valued at over one billion
dollars. That infrastructure supports life-
cultural, agricultural, essential services such as water and sewer
environmental, and utilities, storm control, and solid waste
management, as well as transportation. It
financial resources
also includes community-essential assets
are preserved such as parks and open space.
and enhanced for On many days, these services and
assets function quietly in the background
current and future to support the economic and social
generations. wellbeing of the Longmont community.
employees work diligently, and in some
cases 24/7, to ensure their continuing
and safe operation.
Like many things in this world,
public work services are not static. They
are subject to emerging community
needs and national trends. Department
planning is ongoing to address evolving
factors that range from the influx of
new industry in Longmont to national
regulatory policy that drives standards
and operations practices. Longmont
residents can count on a dedicated,
highly trained and efficient group of
employees who serve the community
and step up to meet new challenges.

201 6
data 5.5 billion gallons of
water produced
Explore Longmonts Water
Quality Report for details

Sustainability
Topics
2.6 billion gallons of
wastewater treated 3.5 million square feet of road
maintenance/repair treatments

Air Quality
700 inspections for
stormwater compliance 30,191 tons of trash
collected

Buildings &
Infrastructure

Energy

Food System

Natural
Environment

Waste

Water

TAKE ACTION
In 2016, Longmont residents kept 35% of waste out of landfills by recycling and
composting. Find recycling tips and learn about curbside composting service at
LongmontColorado.gov/solidwaste
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources
Honoring Natures
Beauty & Function
Button Rock Preserve, St. Vrain
Greenway, Union Reservoir, and
Sandstone Ranch are just a handful of
Longmonts natural areas recognized
by name. From mountain lakes high in
Boulder County to the junction of St.
Vrain and Boulder creeks on the plains
of Weld County, Longmont is rich in
natural resources and environmental
diversity. While the grandeur of this
backdrop is visible to anyone who
drives the I-25 corridor, those who call
Longmont home know that, beyond
its beauty, Longmont also provides a
unique place to live, work, recreate
and relax.
Many of the features residents value
and enjoy also provide a wide variety
of ecosystem services. Trees that line
streets and beautify parks also cool and
purify the air. Wetlands add diversity
around lakes and streams while cleaning
the water returning to rivers. Reservoirs
Over
2,500
acres of
open space
Conservation
easements
23
that offer fun and sport also store water
later treated for drinking, cleaning and
irrigation. Native soils allow agriculture
to thrive, creating pastoral views, while
at the same time producing food, fiber
and forage for Longmont and beyond.
Such features also create ideal habitat
for native pollinators, mink, elk, white-
tail deer, mountain lions, Bald Eagles,
white pelicans, and a multitude of other
species that call Longmont home.
Public Works & Natural Resources
is tasked with acquiring, maintaining
and preserving these precious resources.
Whether it is the purchase of Open
Space to provide wildlife habitat and
buffers between communities, a new Longmont tree canopy
park to increase the urban forest and
enhance recreational opportunities, or
a greenway to protect waterways and
expand multimodal transportation, the
1,478 ACRES
8% of total city area
goal is to integrate nature and human
activity. Through continued foresight Carbon sequestered per year
and science-based management,
Longmont will remain a special place
now and into the future. 489.5 TONS
E d u c at i o n a l N o t e
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was
discovered in Longmont in 2016.
The non-native, wood-boring beetle
can attack all ash tree species and
poses a serious threat to the urban
forest. EAB is responsible for the
death of millions of ash trees in the
United States. Longmont has an ash
tree population of approximately
43,000. Learn more about what the
City is doing and important actions
residents can take.
LongmontColorado.gov/forestry
 HOUSING, SERVICE, AMENITIES
& OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Restoring
Kanemoto Park
In 2016, Kanemoto Park began a
new chapter in its long life as a valued
community amenity. The park was
significantly damaged during the flood
that ripped through Longmont in
2013. After much work and community
involvement, a ceremony was held Aug. 8,
2016 to officially celebrate the reopening
of this treasured neighborhood park.

Total cost of flood-related

repair & Improvements
$2.05 M 2.05M
2.05M
$1.5 M $460 K $90 K
All residents provided by provided by state provided by
insurance & federal agencies City of Longmont
should have access
to essential and
Total cost to restore
non-essential tower
169K of compassion
services, amenities,
opportunities and
$169 K 169K

$154 K $15 K
provided by provided by grants
prosperity. City of Longmont and donations

Kanemoto Park and the Southmoor Park neighborhood were Dennis

hit hard during the floods. The formal reopening of the park Coombs,
was symbolic of the progress we have made as a city and as a Longmont
community in the past few years. Mayor

Sustainability
Topics
Buildings &
Infrastructure

Community Cohesion
& Resilience

Kanemoto Park is located

at 1151 South Pratt Parkway
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources

H I G H L I G H T S o f wo r k co m p l e t e d

A new playground was designed and

constructed to accommodate the
new location of the activity pool. The
playground incorporates the Japanese
influences of Kanemoto Park with
natural stepping stones and seating
boulders, plus a koi pond designed
into the playground safety surfacing.
Erecting Little
Free Libraries

The Longmont Public Library and

Public Works & Natural Resources
teamed up in 2016 to spread the seeds of
A reimagined
literacy and love of reading throughout
and relocated
Longmont in the form of Little Free
activity pool was
Libraries, a worldwide program.
built for young
children. The
Small, house-like cases decorated
heated outdoor with the colors of the Librarys
pool features a logo were installed at Affolter Park,
zero depth entry, Rothrock Dell Park and the Sandstone
water slide and a Ranch Visitors Center. They are
4-foot deep end stocked with books for children, teens
for jumping and and adults that the Library has culled
swimming. from its collection. Neighbors can
take and leave books of their own, as
well. These Little Free Libraries further
the Citys goal of making books and
The turf and accompanying irrigation system was learning accessible to all residents.
repaired throughout the park. Crews installed over 600
linear feet of PVC mainline, eight irrigation control littlefreelibrary.org
valves, over 200 feet of lateral lines, and thousands of
feet of control wires before laying new grass sod.

Although not damaged in the flood, the parks Tower E d u c at i o n a l N o t e

of Compassion, a structure built in the style of a The houses were built by City
traditional Japanese temple, received a long-overdue Councilmember, Jeff Moore, at the
restoration. The pagoda was donated to the people of Longmont Tinkermill. Tinkermill, a
Longmont by the Kanemoto family as an expression of City of Longmont economic partner,
gratitude. In 1966, the family also donated the land on is the largest makerspace in Colorado
which the park sits. supporting the concepts of a
community workshop.
Follow our journey of flood recovery and resilience tinkermill.org
at LongmontColorado.gov/flood-info
 SAFE, HEALTHY&
ADAPTABLE COMMUNITY

Supporting underpasses many local partners are

Human-Powered
TransportatioN
The City looks at how to move people
of all ages and abilities within the
transportation system. One aim is to
ensure residents, employees and visitors
can use active modes of transportation,
like biking and walking (or other
human-powered means) to get around
We will partner Longmont. Active transportation can
and collaborate to help people incorporate exercise into
increase awareness their daily lives, reduce congestion on
city roadways and bring environmental
about healthy, benefits like improved air quality.
active lifestyles and As Public Works & Natural Resources
expands and enhances infrastructure
will create a safe,
to support active transportation
resilient, self-sufficient improving and developing trails, building
community. sidewalk connections, and constructing
also working to increase awareness for
the benefits of active transportation.
The City, Boulder County and the St.
Vrain Valley School District are working
with several schools in Longmont to
increase the number of students walking,
riding and rolling to school. This is
being done by providing maps of
safe routes to Longmonts schools,
conducting audits of schools to identify
improvements that could make active
transportation safer and easier, and
supporting programs like Trip Tracker
that reward students for biking, walking,
skating or scooting to school.
The City and community
partners continue to focus on active
transportation as a way to help improve
health, increase safety and enhance
overall quality of life in Longmont.

194 miles of
g r e e n way s , t r a i l s
& b i k e way s 26 pedestrian
u n d e r pa s s e s

Discover Longmonts multi-use trail system at LongmontColorado.gov/trail-status

Find the Longmont Bike Map & additional resources at bit.ly/longmont-bicycling

Sustainability
Topics

Air Quality

Community Cohesion
& Resilience

Food System

Transportation

TAKE ACTION
Help reduce motor vehicle traffic around schools and get your student safely
walking or rolling. Find tips & maps at bit.ly/longmont-safe-routes. Then, track trips
and earn rewards at bocotriptracker.com
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources
Preserving Land
to Produce Food
One of the many goals of the Open
Space program within Natural
Resources is to preserve land for local
agriculture. Crops grown on City Open
Space play an important role in both
local and regional food production.
Rather than a direct-to-consumer
model, such as farmers markets or
Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA), the Open Space Agricultural
Program centers on a direct-to-retail
model. The vast majority of Longmonts
program yields are delivered to local and
regional food service industries.
Numerous tons of corn silage are
sold to local dairies such as Docheff
Dairy and Front Range Dairy to
Crop Yields (TONS)
15,892
TO N S
8,285
Corn Silage
5,280
Sugar Beets
provide feed for their cows, which
yield milk and dairy products for the
local market. Shelled corn is sold to
Morning Fresh Farms for their chickens,
which lay eggs sold locally in stores
under the brand name Egglands Best.
Sugar beets grown on City Open
Space are taken to Fort Morgan and
processed into GW Sugar. Barley
sold to Coors, plus Rocky Mountain
waters, produce Colorados famous
Banquet Beer.
Agricultural tenants provide
quality land stewardship and contribute
to sustainable food systems for
Longmont and beyond. By supporting
local agriculture and preserving land
for its long-term continuation,
Longmont is able to foster a more
self-sufficient community.
139
Wheat Straw
1,640
Hay (alfalfa, new
seeding, grass)
136
Barley
409 3 Resilience Fair in the fall of 2017.
Winter Wheat Corn, shelled
I n 2016, t h e
Op en Spac e
p r ogr a m
m an aged 9
agr i c u lt u r al
le ases on 9 01
ac r es t h at
gen er at ed
$61,511
Strengthening
Community via
Connections
On September 14, 2016, Longmont
held its first PreparAthon & Resilience
Fair. The idea came from community
members and others involved in the
BoCo Strong Resilience Leadership
Program. The primary goal of the fair
was to make sure residents know how
to access resources in times of stress,
including mental health support,
emergency information during a natural
disaster, and basic needs such as food or
rent assistance.
Diverse, inclusive outreach was a
priority of the Resilience Fair. More than
20 groups were represented, including
Longmonts Office of Emergency
Management, Public Works & Natural
Resources, BoCo Strong, a local ham
radio group, Scouting troops, a weather-
chaser RV, and area financial institutions.
Watch for another PreparAthon &
If every member Carmen
of our community Ramirez,
Community &
is resilient,
Neighborhood
were a stronger Resources
community Manager, City
as a whole. of Longmont
MORE INFO
BoCo Strong | bocostrong.org
Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT) | bit.ly/longmont-cert
Be Ready Longmont
bit.ly/be-ready-longmont
 JOB GROWTH & ECONOMIC VITALITY
THROUGH INNOVATION & COLLABORATION

Attracting Jobs investments and locate new or

by Way of Water
The City of Longmonts Water Utility
has a long history of providing residents
and businesses with high-quality,
Through partnerships,
high-value service dating all the way
we will continue to back to 1882. Water has always been a
position ourselves for major part of Longmonts legacy, and it
continues to contribute to community
continued economic prosperity today.
growth and expanded Affordability and reliability of
job opportunities. utilities have a significant influence
on where businesses choose to make
expanding facilities. For large facilities,
utility costs are important factors in
their up-front development costs and
long-term operating costs.
In 2016, the Citys very high
quality water, robust supplies, reliable
delivery network and affordable rates
played a significant role in the decision
of several companies to locate their new
or expanded facilities in Longmont.
The business advantage to Longmont
is well paying, primary jobs for the
community.

229 Primary
Employers in
Longmont Area 14,845 Total
Primary
Jobs 582 New
Primary
Jobs in 2016

MORE INFO
Check out the Longmont Economic Development Partnerships 2016 Annual
Report for details on new investments and job creation at longmont.org

When proposing the benefits of locating in Longmont, Jessica Erickson,

we commonly point to the Citys extensive portfolio of President/CEO
water supplies to meet business needs over the long-term. Longmont Economic
We also focus on the fact that Longmont enjoys some of Development
the highest quality water in the state and nation. Partnership

Sustainability
Topics
Community Cohesion
& Resilience

Economic Vitality
 City of Longmont
Public Works & Natural Resources

Creating Alleys Downtown Development Authority

of Welcome
From its origin, downtown Longmont
grew and developed around Main Street.
These days, the majority of downtown
parking is located in blocks to the
east and west of Main often making
building backsides and alleys the first
impression for visitors walking to Main
Street businesses. An opportunity for
change arose when the City looked at
the need to rehabilitate and improve
deteriorating infrastructure in the alleys.
By partnering with the Longmont
(LDDA), the City re-examined what
an alley could really be in downtown
Longmont, and how it could contribute
to the areas identity and vitality.
The resulting Alleyscape
Construction Project focused on six
alley segments located between 3rd
Avenue and 6th Avenue on both sides
of Main Street. The overall goal was
to make needed improvements to
infrastructure that also enhanced access
by foot or bicycle, brought aesthetic
beauty and provided new opportunities
for downtown properties.

HIGHLIGHTS

Deteriorated asphalt Overhead utilities were The LDDA provided

pavement and drainage
in the alleys was replaced
with permeable pavers that
provide both aesthetic and
environmental benefits.
The pavers add an attractive
surface feature and allow
water to infiltrate into
underlying sand and gravel
layers, which removes
pollutants.
upgraded and placed
underground to enhance the
appearance of the alleys and
make them more pedestrian
and bicycle friendly;
visitors, either parking in
adjacent lots or walking or
biking from surrounding
neighborhoods, can more
easily move through
downtown.
enhanced lighting, E d u c at i o n a l N o t e
decorative banner poles,
shared trash enclosures, As part of the Alleyscape
parking screen walls and Construction Project, the Longmont
other improvements; these Downtown Development Authority
features in the alleys and offered a grant program for
updated breezeways help
downtown businesses to undertake
create gathering spaces
for downtown events their own alley-facing faade
and activities, as well as restoration or renovation projects.
business access.

Businesses participating in the

Alleyscape Incentive Grant

Construction
on the east
side alleys was
32 21 on the east side
and 11 on the west
side of Main Street

completed in
Total investment
2012. After a
on private property
delay due to
Longmonts
2013 flood
recovery work,
the west side
$499,749
alleys were
completed in
2016.
DISCOVER
Events, shopping and dining easily
accessible from the new alleys at
downtownlongmont.com
 CITY OF LONGMONT
Public Works & Natural Resources
Presorted Standard
1100 S Sherman Street
U.S. Postage
Longmont, CO 80501
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit No. 909

POSTAL PATRON

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