Airpark Village November Newsletter     
             

Airpark Village is in the process of amending the E Mulberry Corridor Plan. So far, the surrounding property owners (252) have given this site a basic development structure with two key decisions. They are:
1. The Flood Channel Alignment - The poll on alternatives came to 33 for new western alignment and    in favor of the old eastern alignment -19.  (http://www.airparkvillage.com/Polling/default.htm)
2.  The Road Network - A spine road (Parkway) was chosen by 27 and the loop alternative drew only nine preferences. http://www.airparkvillage.com/Development/Roads.htm
Next Meeting - Wed Nov. 17th at noon in Ramada Inn on Mulberry & I-25. Sandwiches and sodas will be served.  We are getting about 20% participation in the postcard voting and only 10% in the meetings. Do you want this small percentage to speak for you? If you can’t make the meetings, at least send in the prepaid postcard.

Land Use

In 2002, the City & County jointly adopted the East Mulberry Corridor Plan (EMCP).  Some initial analysis was done as part of the EMCP to anticipate what appropriate land use designations would be for the airport, in the event it were to be redeveloped.  The plan designated the southeast 1/3 of the airport as employment uses, and the northwest 2/3 of the airport as industrial uses.  The airport was just a small part of the overall area covered in the Plan, so the analysis of land uses throughout the East Mulberry corridor was rather general in nature.  At the time, there was only speculation as to whether or not the airport would redevelop, and if so, there was no way to know what the developer, the market, and the affected business owners would specifically determine to be the most appropriate mix of uses that would also enhance the existing neighborhood’s vitality.  Now that our development team is proposing to redevelop the airport, the opportunity arises to look much closer at the land uses than the EMCP did.  To determine the appropriate land uses of Airpark Village we feel that the adopted EMCP needs to be viewed as living document that can adapt and evolve based on the specific input of the neighboring business owners and property owners.  To accomplish this, it will require amendments of the EMCP by both the City and the County.

Balancing Growth
Airpark Village comes along at a time when the city is trying to determine a formula for balancing growth with jobs and residential development. Airpark Village is an infill project that fits within the boundaries of the Urban Growth Area.
Most cities grow in spots and over time these spots get larger and more urban. Airpark Village offers an opportunity
for a linear growth along a new parkway that is different than just developing in spots. The appropriate land uses that
grow up along this new parkway are what we want to determine next.

Should We Include Residential and Reduce The Amount of Industrial?
 Providing housing in close proximity to employment and commercial uses, reduces the number of vehicle trips that must
be traveled as a result of the development, because people live close to where they work and shop. There are already four residential neighborhoods nearby on the north side of the runway, so it is already a precedent. Residential use is also the most active market in Colorado. There has not been enough demand to in-fill the existing designated industrial areas in the neighborhood over the past twenty years. More industrial in this redevelopment will keep the values for industrial uses low and will cause much of this redevelopment to remain vacant for some time. The development of Airpark Village should increase the demand for industrial just enough to fill up the vacant parcels and drive up values for existing buildings. Residential is a key component to balanced growth. By adding residential to the mix, Airpark Village can attract three possible types of growth as shown below:

Here are examples of proposed land uses within three categories below:
(See http://www.airparkvillage.com/Development/LandUses/Types.htm for illustrations of uses)
Residential- apartments, condos, townhomes, lodging and nursing homes
Employment/Commercial- office, retail, medical, restaurant, classrooms, entertainment
Industrial -shops, storage, arts, construction yards, assembly, autos repair & shipping

 


Linear

 The MAIN STREET layout is a vertical (one use above another in the same building) and horizontal mix of uses (different uses next to each other) with residential dominating employment/commercial and retail. This “Main Street” example would involve 10 to 30 local developers in competition with one another. It would use a Grid Pattern with multi-story buildings. This land use would be dominated by  employment/commercial (50%) but have significant residential (40%) and marginal industrial uses (10%). It could also accommodate civic and entertainment uses.
   


Spots

CAMPUS
The Campus layout is a horizontal mix of uses by a main sponsor or developer who builds everything for the owners & users. This layout uses a spot pattern of large structures with a unifying internal framework of connecting walkways and landscaped outdoor spaces. This campus example would involve minimal local development participation. Residential and employment/commercial uses would be comprise 50% each with no industrial uses.
   


Organic

VILLAGE
These usually develop around a common theme with such examples as seaports, lumber mills and resorts. Villages are more of an organic pattern like a tree with a common trunk or even an old town plaza. Over time the branch areas are built by several developers but fewer than the main street option. Villages typically have a blend of all uses: residential 45%, employment/commercial 35% and industrial 20%.

   

We recommend that you vote for layout which increase your land values the most.
Cast your vote here: (http://www.projectpolling.com/AirParkVillage/LandUsePoll.asp)