BRIGHTON — Village Square Shopping Center will be making a few improvements over the next five years.
City council last month unanimously approved a planned unit of development that would allow for the expansion of the shopping center’s main tenant, Bomgaars, as well as improvements to the parking lot and landscape.
“There is a PUD amendment that allows the outdoor sales and storage area that is currently there. However, the current store Bomgaars needs additional outdoor storage and sales area,” planning technician Cathy Sexton said, adding the store has been applying for temporary use permits which are only good for 90 days. “In order to accommodate their outdoor storage and sales needs, we recommended they apply for a PUD amendment.”
According to Sexton, the first phase of the amendment will include the reconfiguring the parking lot and access off of South 22nd Avenue and will be completed by Sept. 1, 2013. She said the second phase includes landscape parking islands, landscaping along Bridge Street as well as along South 27th Avenue and the resurfacing of the parking lot which is to be completed no later than June 1, 2017.
The third phase would allow for the expansion of the existing building occupied by Bomgaars by up to 10,000 square feet and the reconfiguration of the outdoor sales and storage area. No deadline was given for the completion of the third phase.
Councilman Rex Bell said he is comfortable with the first phase of the project but expressed his dismay about the second phase as it is five years down the road. He said he would really like the date to move forward if at all possible.
Property manager Brian Pesch said one of the problems in this economy is generating enough investment dollars to reinvest into properties of this type.
“We’ve invested over a half of a million in the last two years in this center, and we’re doing it out of cash flow,” he said. “We don’t really have the ability to go borrow more money. The partnership doesn’t have the desire to overly leverage and put more debt on the asset.”
According to Pesch, a new 10 year lease has just been negotiated with Bomgaars, and he is working with them to make improvements. He said management has continued to reinvest in the property and added six new rooftop units within the last year.
In other business:
— Council unanimously decided to amend the purchase and sale agreement with H.C. Brighton Libretto to extend the closing date for the sale of lot 2 of the Campbell Park Subdivision to Sept. 30;
— Council unanimously approved a resolution adopting an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Thornton regarding a growth area boundary.
According to Community Development Director Marv Falconburg, the city’s existing agreement expired. The new agreement expands Brighton’s boundary north along Yosemite Street from Weld County Road 2 to Weld County Road 6.
The new intergovernmental agreement ends December 31, 2022;
— The recreation center will be getting some new equipment. A $41,368 budget re-appropriation from the parks and recreation capital improvement fund was approved unanimously by city council. The recreation center will be receiving a jungle gym, six treadmills and one Arc trainer to replace worn out and outdated equipment, city documents show;
— Council unanimously approved a second grant to be submitted for the renovation of Benedict Park. The city is asking for $250,000 in funding from Great Outdoors Colorado for the first phase of renovations. The first phase of renovation will include improved parking, new restrooms, a splash pad, new skating facility, new picnic shelter and an Olympic size volleyball court; and
— Amendments to the city sign code were approved unanimously as amended by council.
— Council unanimously approved a special study session at 6 p.m. Sept. 18, prior to its regular 7 p.m. meeting to discuss the lodging tax.