Council approves grant application for greenway

Kayne Pyatt, Herald Reporter
Posted 8/24/22

City would have to pony up match of $116,000

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Council approves grant application for greenway

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EVANSTON — It was a short meeting for the Evanston City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 16, with only three resolutions and six consent items on the agenda.

The final business for the evening’s meeting was perhaps the most interesting, involving a nearly $500,000 grant request which, if approved, would require more than $100,000 of city funds for an ongoing project.

The request came from Evanston Community Development Director Rocco O’Neill, asking the council to authorize the submission of an application for a Wyoming Outdoor Recreation grant for the Bear River Greenway Phase 5 Project.

“In an earlier meeting with the council, Meike Madrid discussed the Phase 5 Project which will add more walking tracks around the Bear Ponds, a bird watching station and interpretive improvements,” O’Neill said. “We estimate this project will cost a little under $600,000 and we will ask for $484,000 from the grant, with a match of $116,000 from the city.”

The council approved submittal of the request to Wyoming Outdoor Recreation.

Three open container and street closure permits were approved at the meeting, including for Downtown Evanston Promotions for the annual Amazing Race, held Friday, Aug. 19; for the Cowboy Block Party scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 27; and for Kate’s Cowboy Game After Party that same night.

The Evanston Chamber of Commerce requested a street closure permit to close the road to the Bear Ponds for the Water Lantern Festival to be held at the Bear Ponds on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 4-10 p.m. They also requested a limited malt beverage permit for the same event. Both requests for permits were approved.

A limited malt beverage permit requested by The Arts Inc. was also approved for the Evanston Bluegrass Festival, to be held at the Roundhouse & Railyards Complex on Sat., Aug. 27.

Evanston Director of Engineering and Planning Dean Barker asked the council to approve an agreement with Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) for funding for the construction of a 16-inch water transmission line from the Evanston water treatment plant to the Twin Ridge water tank. 

Barker explained that the feasibility study that was recently completed found that significant water distribution problems would be alleviated if a new water transmission line was constructed from the water treatment plant to the Twin Ridge water tank. The WWDC had awarded the city a grant for what’s known as the Evanston Transmission Pipeline 2022 Project to partially fund the construction of a 16-inch water transmission line.

“This is a good program with WWDC,” Barker said. “The grant provides two-thirds of the funds needed and the city is responsible for a one-third match. The 16” line will alleviate any problems with the water coming in and going out the transmission line.”

The council approved the agreement for the grant with the WWDC to fund the construction of the transmission line.

Senior Planner DuWayne Jacobsen asked the council to approve the final plat for the Comanche subdivision in the Uinta Meadows IV. Jacobsen said the subdivision was approved in 2005 but never completed. The subdividers, Todd and Kristin Nichols, are applying to subdivide lots 11 and 12 in order to sell the lots. Jacobsen said there were no problems with utilities or access.

The council approved the final plat for the Comanche subdivision.