There are many issues with amending the GV Comprehensive Plan and the massive 3.3 million square foot development that Alberta Development Partners proposed last summer. However, the biggest is density (no pun intended) because it will bring: 1) large increases in traffic (potentially 27,000 incremental car trips per day – twice a sold out Nuggets game) and 2) significant increases in building height (max of 5 stories today vs. 200 feet (the height of the Landmark) under the proposed Orchard Station Subarea.

I have heard people argue that the developer needs the increased density to generate an acceptable rate of return. The current zoning and Comp Plan governing Orchard Station already provide for significantly more development opportunity than Alberta has required in its other developments; suggesting there is more than enough opportunity to generate a reasonable return.

Alberta can currently develop just under 1.2 million of mixed-use square feet on its 24 acres in Orchard Station. That works out to current development capacity of 48,708 sqft per acre.

The HIGHEST DENSITY mall that Alberta has developed is the Simi Valley Town Center in California (based on information I found on its website). The Simi Valley Town Center is 637,728 square feet on 27.1 acres, which works out to 23,532 sqft per acre.

The current Comp Plan and Orchard Station zoning ALREADY allow for twice the density of Alberta’s highest density mall. Isn’t this enough?

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Last week, eleven members of Greenwood Village City Council and Planning & Zoning stated in The Villager that:

“The Orchard Station area can be improved without involving the federal government. This is because capacity can be gained without I-25 bridge reconstruction.”

However, the Greenwood Village 2011 traffic study completely contradicts this statement about Orchard/I-25:

“Improvements needed for intersection capacity would require extensive bridge reconstruction and right-of-way acquisition. Improvements would need to be part of a coordinated interchange reconstruction with the Colorado Department of Transportation. “

The traffic study also explains that Orchard/Quebec and Orchard/Yosemite will be challenging intersections to improve (see pages v, 25 & 32 for reference to “Challenging Intersections”).

Finally, keep in mind the 2011 study did not include any new development in Orchard Station.

Please look at the two pictures below of eastbound and westbound Orchard under I-25.  Does it look like there is an easy way to add capacity under this bridge?

It just doesn’t make sense that you can potentially add 27,000 vehicle trips per day and somehow reduce congestion 35-40%.

Just VOTE NO on June 6.