Who Dares to Say the Proposed Midland Avenue “Lofts” Are Smart Growth for Glenwood Springs?
In the December 8 Glenwood Springs Post Independent, my good neighbors Randy Rippy and Julie Wilson wrote an excellent guest opinion that the plan to “plop down a hotel looking apartment building…in the middle of a single-family home neighborhood” on Midland Avenue has many “negative ramifications”.
Randy and Julie are absolutely correct, and the fact is that all of the 263 units presently in Glenwood Spring’s pipeline at Cardiff Glen, The Meadows, and Oasis Creek are smarter growth than would be these newly proposed 71 units at 2225 Midland Avenue. It’s also true that soon there will be 710 units in the pipeline and 3,000 more automobile trips per day in south Glenwood even if City Council wisely disapproves this preposterous 71 unit apartment building.
The developer of this completely out of place apartment building wants us to believe that 2225 Midland Avenue is “closer to most jobs and amenities than almost anywhere else in town” and that it has “easy access to public transportation”.
Horse pucky.
If City Council allows this unwalkable project with its absurd 750% increase in density, the increased traffic snarl at the 27th street bridge will be only one of its many negatives. But it will be a serious negative that impacts virtually all of the citizens of our beautiful town.
Let’s Begin With Two Boring Paragraphs, But Later I Promise to Say “Horse Pucky” Again, Among Other Things
According to our Long Range Transportation Plan the average population density in the City of Glenwood Springs is just 3.2 people per acre (2,049 people/sq. mile). As it happens, 3.2 people/acre is very close to the current density of the acreage north, east and west of 2225 Midland Avenue where developer Craig Helm wants City Council to approve an apartment building called “Midland Avenue Lofts” on 5.95 acres that would have a density of something like 22.8 people (or possibly more) per acre.
Mr. Helm’s proposed apartment building has 95 bedrooms. If only 41 of those 95 bedrooms were occupied by 2 people (and the other 54 by only 1 person), the density would be 22.8 people/acre and the total number of residents would be 136.
It’s Only a 750% Increase in the Neighborhood Population
Here’s a cartoon of a crowd of 136 people.
If you were an animal living on the slopes of Red Mountain west of this project, I’m pretty sure you would notice this crowd.
Especially if these people had 133 cars and lived in a 4 story building dead in the path of your favorite route to and from the Roaring Fork river.
And even if you are only a human being living, driving or walking on Midland Avenue, I think you would notice 136 new neighbors.
Especially if 136 people (or maybe even more) moved into the center of a neighborhood where only about 18 people presently live.
Like the 18 good neighbors who currently live on the perimeter north, south, and east of Mr. Helm’s proposed 4 story 95 bed apartment building.
No-one lives west of it. Only some deer, bears, foxes, coons, bunnies, etc. — but who cares, right? (Here’s where an especially thoughtful few of you will think, “Me!” — -Thanks, fellow wildlife lovers! But I digress.)
The primary point I’m trying to make with these cartoons is that this neighborhood, like most of Glenwood Springs, is presently much less densely populated than will be 2225 Midland Avenue if City Council decides to let Mr. Helm have his way. In point of fact, if City Council permits the construction of his proposed 4 story apartment building at this location, the population of the immediate neighborhood will increase by something like 750%. Can you say “Yowzah!”?
Who wants 7 1/2 times as many people living in their neighborhood? For that matter, who wants twice as many? Not me, although, under the right circumstances, I might be able to live with twice as many (e.g. an additional 18 or so). However, seven and a half times as many (136)? That’s asking way too much of any Glenwood Springs neighborhood, in my opinion. Would you be happy to see an apartment building built in your neighborhood that houses seven and a half times as many people as the number who presently live there? Would any members of our City Council?
I certainly hope that no one on City Council wants that for any part of our town, but I’m also guessing that Mr. Helm wouldn’t even bother to ask them to amend the annexation agreement unless he had reason to believe that some members of City Council might think it wise to approve his request.
Which brings me to the question of why any well meaning City Council member might think it’s a good idea to approve Mr. Helm’s request.
When Is It a Good Idea To Increase Population Density?
Well, first of all, at least some Council members know that many studies have shown that there can be significant benefits to the economy and to the environment by increasing population density in certain locations. But there is a catch. Namely, that those studies all agree that such locations must be within easy walking distance to diverse services, some shopping, and places of employment, as well as frequent, efficient public transportation.
Second of all, some City Council members might think that Glenwood Springs businesses and government agencies will one day have difficulty recruiting competent employees unless more small apartments are available somewhere inside our city limits. And who knows? They might be right. …Some day.
And if they are right, I, for one, applaud their efforts to encourage such new development, so long as they determine that it is in keeping with the character of the existing neighborhood, and that its location is within easy walking distance to diverse services, some shopping, places of employment, and frequent, efficient public transportation.
So let’s put the vicinity of Mr. Helm’s proposed apartment building at 2225 Midland Avenue through those filters.
How Does 2225 Midland Avenue Measure Up?
Here’s a picture of one of the typical properties just across the street from 2225 Midland Avenue.
Nice, huh? Well, at least my wife and I think so; and, I imagine, so do the deer, the bear, the foxes and the raccoons who cross it most days to get to and from the river. But, you know what? Although we do occasionally get out to exercise by walking on the Midland avenue sidewalk, we almost never walk from our Midland Avenue home to do errands, or get to the bus station, or, for that matter, to much of anywhere. That’s in contrast with what we used to do when we lived in a two bedroom condo at 1317 Grand Avenue. From there, we would walk, sometimes with our grandkids, to City Market, to the hot springs, to nearby pizza parlors and downtown restaurants, to Rite Aid, to Comfort Dental, to Crystal Property Management, to the nearby laundromat (when our washer/dryer broke down), to the 14th street bus stop, and even to Amtrack.
But now that we live on Midland Avenue, when we do errands, we almost always drive. I’m pretty sure that’s true of all our neighbors as well, and I know that all of them who still work away from home generally drive to where they work.
The online real estate data analysis site known as Walk Score says: “We believe that walkable neighborhoods with access to public transit, better commutes, and proximity to the people and places you love are the key to a happier, healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.” They sound a little like my doctor, but I’m pretty sure that most young people these days agree with them. Probably even most older people too.
Alas for Mr. Helm, Walk Score also says “2225 Midland Avenue has a Walk Score of 19 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so almost all errands require a car.” I can definitely vouch for that. There are very few places of employment within reasonable walking distance, and there’s virtually no shopping of any sort anywhere close. There’s no public bus service whatsoever on this part of Midland Avenue, and the regional bus station at 27th and Glen is at least a 14 minute walk if you walk fast and catch every light just right, requiring a trip across seven lanes of Highway 82 traffic.
“2225 Midland Avenue has a Walk Score of 19 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so almost all errands require a car.”
Ergo, there is no way Mr. Helm or anyone else can validly argue that the construction of this project at this unwalkable location will decrease traffic in Glenwood Springs. Indeed, the addition of 7 1/2 times as many people to this vicinity will without question significantly increase the number of errands by car. This will affect traffic not only at the 27th street roundabout and the 8th street bridge, but also around town generally. That’s because most of the errands that the changing residents of this 4 story rental apartment building will run will be to locations somewhere in our town (instead of a town closer to wherever it is that hey live now). And with that increased number of errands in our town comes more start and stop bumper to bumper traffic along with more inefficient idle-generated pollution.
But What Does The Developer Claim About the Traffic Impact of This Site, and How Reliable Are His Claims?
Nonetheless, Mr. Helm has illogically claimed that this project will decrease traffic in Glenwood Springs. And he has (innocently?) misrepresented certain key facts about its proximity to “all Glenwood has to offer”.
According to Mr. Helm, the proposed Midland Avenue “Lofts” will be built “in town with easy access to public transportation and all Glenwood has to offer.” He claims that their proposed location on“Midlan Ave” is “1/3 mile north of Sunlight Bridge”. He goes on to say this location is “closer to most jobs and amenities than almost anywhere else in town” and only a “10 minute walk to the City’s main bus terminal”. He also asserts that his proposed 71 unit apartment building with its 133 parking spaces “encourages biking through…its location”, as well as the bike storage he proposes.
Given that there is no dedicated bike path or bike lane on Midland Avenue, and that there is only one sidewalk on Midland Avenue, Mr. Helm’s assertion that the “location” of his project somehow “encourages biking” is inexplicable. …Inexplicable. Really. It’s inexplicable. And, as I will demonstrate, many of his other assertions about this project are (to be generous) …balderdash. (I hope it’s ok to say “balderdash” in the 21st century.)
Balderdash.
First, and least importantly, please forgive me for noting that Midland Avenue “Lofts” may have a nice ring to it; but, it’s also a misleading name. That’s because none of the 71 units Mr. Helm proposes to build there contains a single “loft” (nor do any of them have laundry hook-ups, unlike the very nice two bedroom condo we used to live in over on Grand Avenue which now rents for $1295/month). And, speaking of far more important things that are misleading, Mr. Helm is inaccurately representing the proximity of this development to “public transportation and all Glenwood has to offer.” While it is true that 2225 Midland Avenue is inside our city limits (i.e. “- in town”), it certainly isn’t “closer to most jobs and amenities than almost anywhere else in town” and it most definitely does not have “easy access to public transportation”. Nor is it only a “half mile…to the city’s main bus station on South Grand Avenue” as Mr. Helm claims in his article in the Tuesday, December 13 Glenwood Springs Post Independent. It’s 7/10 of a mile with three street crossings, including the 7 lanes of Highway 82.
I can almost hear what a couple of you may still be thinking. Something like, ‘Hey, Mr. Helm says it’s only a 10 minute walk to the main bus station! Sounds like easy access to me.’ But there’s a couple of problems. For one, it’s not just a 10 minute walk to the “main” bus station from the location of the front door of the proposed new apartment building at 2225 Midland Avenue as Mr. Helm wants us to believe. IF you are reasonably fit (i.e. can walk at 2.5 to 3.1 mph) and don’t have to wait for the traffic lights to change at either South Grand Avenue, and/or at Glen Avenue (aka Highway 82), and/or at 27th Street, you will most likely take somewhere between 14 and 17 minutes to cover that distance. And then, once you arrive at the threshold of the bus station, you will have to safely and quickly dodge the arriving and departing buses in order to reach the island where you can board your bus. And you’ll also need to hope that the weather is good and the sidewalk is not slippery.
Sidewalk? Did I say sidewalk? That brings me to the second problem with the absurd notion that this project offers “easy access to public transportation”. There’s no sidewalk on the side of Midland Avenue where Mr. Helm wants to build his “Lofts”. There’s no dedicated bike path on Midland Avenue either. So, his tenants would have to cross Midland Avenue (on foot or on bike) to get to the only sidewalk that leads to the bus station. Those on foot who are lucky enough to not get run over on the sidewalk by those on bikes on the same sidewalk might even also get lucky with the traffic lights and the weather and arrive to stand at the bus station around 13 to 16 minutes after they dodged Midland Avenue traffic to get to the sidewalk across the street from their apartment building with those 133 parking spaces. Or, they might not be so lucky, and have to wait for one, two or possibly even all three of the walk lights along the way to turn green….all the while thinking, “Will I miss my bus? Maybe I should have driven today….”
So, just for fun, I walked at my usual 2.5 mph pace from 2225 Midland Ave to the 27th street bus station again today (December 11), and this time I had to briefly wait for two of those walk lights. It took me 19 minutes to get there. On the way back, I had to wait longer at the Highway 82 crossing, and it took me 22 minutes to return. But I was lucky in one way. There was no slush on Midland Avenue, or 27th street so I wasn’t splashed by any cars while walking on the sidewalk….The only sidewalk….
And what about that short “1/3 mile” walk to the Sunlight bridge? It would be great if at least some of those “closer” “jobs and amenities” were available to Mr. Helm’s tenants on that first part of their walk to the bus station, wouldn’t it? Yes, it would; but guess what? There are only single family homes and townhomes on that stretch of Midland Avenue and 27th Street (although an assisted living facility is under construction just north of the traffic circle). Furthermore, unless my gps watch has been hacked, Mr. Helm’s so-called “1/3 mile” is closer to half a mile (.46 mile to be exact) than it is to the .33 mile that Mr. Helm wants us to believe. There are no retail shops, apartment buildings, schools, restaurants, or even bus stops along that stretch of Midland Avenue and 27th Street. In fact, there are relatively few such “jobs and amenities” within a mile of his proposed apartment building, quite unlike the situation closer to downtown Glenwood Springs (where I used to live and walk a lot) and along much of Highway 82. So, to the assertions that 2225 Midland Avenue has “Easy access…to all Glenwood has to offer”, and/or that it’s “closer to most jobs and amenities than almost anywhere else in town” I say, “Horse pucky”. And I hope Mr. Helm doesn’t step in it the next time he sets out on a “10 minute” stroll from his proposed project down across the Sunlight bridge and up the hill to cross Highway 82 where it’s 7 lanes wide and then cross 27th street and the bus station lot while dodging buses to wait for a -convenient(?) bus ride to all Glenwood has to offer.
Horse pucky. And I hope Mr. Helm doesn’t step in it….
But, How Does This Project Compare To Others in the Pipeline?
According to city planner Trent Hyatt, our town presently has 263 City Council approved housing units in the pipeline. As it happens, the majority of these approved but not yet built units lie along or near Midland Avenue. 88 of them are sited in walkable distance to The Meadows Shopping Center, and 59 of them are in walkable distance to the Cardiff Glen elementary school. All 147 of these approved units are sited in locations that Walk Score rates as very significantly more walkable than Mr. Craig Helm’s proposed 71 new units at 2225 Midland Avenue. The other 116 units are in the development called “Oasis Creek”. It’s not as close to walkable destinations as are the other two approved projects, but it’s still rated more walkable than 2225 Midland Avenue.
In other words, all of the 263 units presently in our City’s pipeline at Cardiff Glen, The Meadows, and Oasis Creek are smarter growth than would be a 71 unit apartment building at 2225 Midland Avenue. Moreover, 147 of those units already in our pipeline will directly add to the traffic on Midland Avenue once they are built. As will all 291 of the residences already approved by Garfield County for construction on the Four Mile Road corridor. And as will the 84 units already under construction at the 27th Street and Midland Avenue roundabout for the Stoney River Assisted Living residences and memory care facility. That’s 638 already approved new residences in the Glenwood Springs marketplace, some of which are already under construction, and the vast majority of which will increase traffic on Midland Avenue and at the Sunlight bridge.
City Council members should also be aware that the city will soon (or may even now) be in receipt of the Bell Rippy proposal to construct 72 new units in walkable distance to the 27th Street bus station and the Roaring Fork Marketplace. Clearly, that is a far better location for high density housing than is 2225 Midland Avenue, which is nowhere near places of employment, shopping, or bus service, etc.. And just as clearly, the City should be expected to approve this (Bell Rippy) project, because it really is smart growth (in sharp contrast to Mr. Helm’s proposal). Once the City does this, there will be at least 710 new residences approved for the Glenwood Springs marketplace, the vast majority of which will increase traffic on Midland Avenue and at the Sunlight bridge.
And How Will These Projects Impact Traffic on Midland Avenue and at the Sunlight Bridge?
Indeed, City Engineer Terri Partch recently said in a related memo to council members, “When these parcels develop, the vehicular volume will rise by at least 3,000 additional cars per day through our south Glenwood network.” Imagine the traffic jams and accidents that will take place on Midland Avenue once the majority of those 3,000 additional cars start competing to use the traffic circle at 27th street. Now try to visualize emergency services trying to reach some emergency in that corridor during one of those jams/accidents…. Can you hear the sirens? Can you see the people suffering from that emergency? Can you feel even a small amount of the panic of the friends of those who are suffering? Would you like to see even more cars stuck in the way of those emergency vehicles?
Ok, ok. There won’t be an emergency every day, and maybe it’s unfair to dramatize the situation in that manner. Maybe…. So, for a change, let’s consider the possibility that Mr. Helm’s project will barely increase the number of automobile trips across the Sunlight bridge. In round figures, his project might only add something like 300 to 500 trips to the thousands of new ones that our City Engineer anticipates entering and leaving the traffic circle right next to that bridge. So, you might think, no big deal, right?
But you would be wrong; because besides the fact that every single car trip will add to the traffic, trips from points south of town to Mr. Helm’s proposed 133 parking spaces will matter more than you may think. That’s because he’s proposing a left turn north-bound lane into his development that will only accommodate one car. And that’s a problem because even now it’s not easy to turn left anywhere on this section of Midland Avenue while headed north at many times during the day and especially during the afternoon rush hour. Any driver who does so nearly always creates an immediate jam right behind them because there’s presently no left turn lane whatsoever on this stretch. So, the logical question arises as to what will happen when two or more of Mr. Helm’s 133 car driving tenants and visitors want to turn left into the single entrance to his apartments at just about the same time? Answer: a jam will start forming behind them, and it won’t take very long for that jam to reach the 27th street traffic circle. Which, in turn, will jam traffic headed both north and south, as well as east towards that convenient 27th street bus station, Walmart, etc.. And how long would that jam persist while roughly 80% of those 133 cars return home from their occupant’s place of employment which most likely would be up-valley to the south? Think about it.
In Conclusion, We Should Insist that City Council Disapproves Higher Density at 2225 Midland Avenue
Walk Score predicts that nearly everyone who will reside in Mr. Helm’s proposed rental property will be driving for nearly all errands, as well as their daily commutes. Do you use Midland Avenue for your commute, or errands, or simply as an alternative to Grand Avenue? If so, Mr. Helm’s project impacts you directly.
And, with regard to our need for more housing for people who work in Glenwood Springs, what are the chances that some of them might find suitable housing in the 710 new residences I’ve mentioned that are either already or very soon will be in the pipeline? Since that number of new residences could house enough people to increase our population by somewhere between 10 and 15%, I think the chances are pretty good. Don’t you?
To the extent that the errands being driven in our town are conducted by people who live here but commute up-valley to work, we’re just a relatively low cost housing spot to serve the wealthy people up valley. Why should anyone on our City Council want to increase density here just to serve the wealthy people up-valley? Shouldn’t we be just as proud of our unique and beautiful surroundings as are the folks in Aspen? And shouldn’t we also want to preserve them for the future? Why should City Council allow unwise high density development in unwalkable locations? Surely not because someone says it’s “inevitable”. Because it’s not.
Without question, there should be adequate housing in Glenwood Springs for people who work here. But that doesn’t mean there has to be more high density housing in Glenwood Springs for people who don’t work here. Residents and visitors to Glenwood Springs could benefit from smart growth, but we will also regret the consequences of unwise growth.
Clearly, a 4 story apartment building that will increase the population by 750% is not even in the ballpark of being in keeping with the single family home and low density nature of the 2225 Midland Avenue neighborhood. Nor is it in keeping with the present wildlife corridor through the neighborhood. So, these factors alone ought to at least give all Council Members considerable pause before rubber stamping Mr. Helm’s proposal.
Midland Avenue is effectively in nearly all our back yards. Increasing density for this project defies the most basic principles of smart growth, and hence does not make sense for anybody other than the developer. Remember, if City Council allows this absurd increase in density along this stretch of Midland Avenue, the increased traffic snarl at the 27th street bridge will only be part of what affects you, because your neighborhood could be the next one to enjoy all the consequences of rental apartments being built in an unwalkable part of our town.
So, my friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, if you love our town, if you care for the environment, and if you are sick of being told there’s no way to stop developers from getting their way, I urge you to let City Council members know that you oppose Mr. Helm’s request. We need to take a stand against inappropriate and bad development everywhere. So let’s rise up, come together and tell City Council what we think. Thanks very much for hearing me out, and I hope to see you at the City Council meeting this Thursday, December 15.
