Timberline Special Improvement District

Timberline Special Improvement District and Masonry Wall Project

History Summary

In 1994, a petition to create a Special Improvement District (SID) for the Timberline Orchard neighborhood was received by Greenwood Village. The purpose of the SID was to construct a seven (7) foot noise attenuating wall of single-width brick masonry with brick columns along the Dayton Street frontage for the Timberline and Orchard subdivisions. A wood fence with brick columns existed at the time. After determination the petition was in compliance with City Code and State Statutes, Resolution #24-1994 was adopted declaring the intent to create the SID. Through the Public Hearing process, Ordinance #11-1994 was passed in July 1994 creating the SID for the erection of a private seven-foot masonry wall with brick columns at an estimated cost of $113,217.50 and included 81 properties in the Timberline Heights and Orchard at Cherry Creek subdivisions.

Construction bids were received by Greenwood Village and the low bid ($149,980.00) was in excess of the estimated cost for the masonry wall. A new ordinance was passed (Ordinance #28-1994) that amended Ordinance #11-1994 to 1) reflect a majority of property owners signed the petition verses 100%; and 2) remove the requirement for the neighborhood to “front” costs above the estimate prior to award of a contract and to include additional in the assessments. With the passage of Ordinance #28-1994, the project was awarded to Toby Construction in October 1994.

At the SID’s request as a cost-saving measure, the existing columns were kept, and stamped engineering plans were submitted to the City reflecting this. Toward the end of construction, the contractor defaulted on the contract and the bonding company became responsible for completion, which occurred in 1995. City staff managed the project and provided field observations.

Later in 1995, Greenwood Village passed Ordinance #41-1995 which codified a program for the construction, financing and maintenance of noise attenuating structures.

Ordinance #39-1997 was passed for levying assessment for the Timberline SID. Due to the creation of the SID and City participation in the construction and maintenance of noise structures through Ordinance #41-1995, neighborhood representatives of the SID requested the City to consider their project in that program. As part of the City’s consideration, an engineering firm (Atkinson-Noland) was retained to evaluate the construction of the wall to see that it met with the standards adopted by Ordinance #41-1995. A report was provided to the City indicating areas of concern with the pre-existing columns and the connection of the wall panels to the pre-existing columns. After discussions with neighborhood representatives, City Council considered and approved the request in October 1999 to qualify for City participation with the wall remaining private. Ordinance #46-1999 was passed reducing the assessment of the SID from $1,739.37 per parcel to $500.76 per parcel. The reduced assessment included the City making minor repairs to the private wall in an amount not to exceed $15,000.

The minor repairs consisted of fixing (3) existing columns showing signs of cracking and other maintenance items. The work started in late 2000 and was completed in 2003 by USA Masonry through a contract with the City.

As far as the City knows, no maintenance has been done on the wall since 2003. Due to current condition of the wall, the City initiated a neighborhood meeting on October 22, 2018, to discuss the history and next steps. A field survey has been completed to verify the location of the wall on private property and a structural engineer has provided additional information on the conceptual repairs and costs. Please note that this information is based on a review of the wall condition from the street side and did not include inspection on the private property side.

The City will be scheduling another meeting with the neighborhood to share information on needed repairs, costs estimates, and ongoing maintenance responsibilities.