Wish you could launch your kayak or paddle boat in town?
The Cortez Parks and Recreation Department is trying to make that possible at the new Geer Natural Area and Denny Lake Park, which already has a dock in place.
Currently, municipal code in the city of Cortez doesn’t allow for swimming, wading or boating in any waterway, in any city park without written approval from the director.
A new ordinance up for a first reading at the May 12 Cortez City Council meeting seeks to allow non-motorized boating at both Denny Lake and the Geer Natural Area. Swimming and wading would still be prohibited.
If the first reading of the ordinance is approved, the council would take it up for an official vote on May 26.
Paradise Village bids overbudget
Bids have been received for city’s portion of the major overhaul of Paradise Village’s sewer and water infrastructure replacement project, all of which came in higher than the $1.5 million budgeted for the project.
Redpoint Contracting of Denver is recommended for the contract at the negotiated bid price $2.3 million, which the Cortez City Council will consider awarding at its regular meeting.
The city has budgeted $560,000 for the water portion of the project and $1 million for the streets portion. At its workshop session preceding the regular council meeting a discussion is scheduled on possible solutions to overcome the budgetary shortfall.
The city is working on the project in conjunction with the Cortez Sanitation District, which will be handling the replacement of sewer infrastructure in the first phase through a grant from the Department of Local Affairs.
Phases 2 and 3, which will be taken on by the Cortez’s Public Works department, will involve installing new waterlines and pipes, as well as new rollback gutters, curbs and sidewalks. Upon completion, Public Works will also repave streets that will have been torn up to make way for new infrastructure.
At a neighborhood meeting in March, sanitation district director Phil Starks explained to residents that roughly 40 percent of their sewer infrastructure is outdated and eroding and in dire need of an replacement to reduce sewer backflow. By working in conjunction on the project, installing water line replacements and repaving the roads in one swoop, the both agencies can realize savings by not duplicating work, city officials have said.
Music school permit
The council is also considering the approval of a conditional-use permit for a new music school in Cortez.
Owner Simone Sanchez has plans to turn a vacant gas station, located at 100 N. Pinon Street, into youth-oriented music school.
