Black Hawk opened up streets in the city to all vehicles during a regular meeting of the Black Hawk City Council at 3 p.m. on April 27, 2022, at 211 Church Street in Black Hawk. The Council also presented the Colorado Mountain Bike Association with a $25,000 donation and approved sign plans for Gregory Street and the Isle Horseshoe Casino.

To open the meeting, Mayor David Spellman presented the Colorado Mountain Bike Association with a donation of $25,000. He said it isn’t often that the City Council makes a donation but the Bike Association has contributed to the design, construction, and maintenance of the Hidden Treasure Trailhead and Maryland Mountain trail, and has marketed it. It has seen a lot of traffic, and the parking lot is full.

City Attorney Corey Hoffmann introduced an Ordinance repealing Section 8-111 of the City of Black Hawk Municipal Code. The City Council originally adopted the code based on traffic concerns.

As circumstances have changed, staff recommended the repeal of the section while continuing to monitor bicycle activity including accidents and congestion. Hoffmann said that several years ago, the City was concerned about public safety, motorists, and bicycles, but the City wants to eliminate restricting routes for bicycles and open all roads to all traffic. This is an experiment.

Mayor David Spellman said it is a trial to see if this works with the lights on Black Hawk Boulevard and Highway 119. The Council approved the ordinance.

Public Works Director Tom Isbester introduced an ordinance approving the FTA American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Grant, in an amount not to exceed $166,039, administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation Division of Transit and Rail with the City of Black Hawk and the Black Hawk and Central City Tramway.

Isbester asked, “Do you want to accept the money? It is a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation for operating the tramway.” The Council approved the ordinance.

Vincent Harris with Baseline Corporation introduced a resolution conditionally approving a Certificate of Architectural Compatibility for the Gregory Street Comprehensive Sign Plan Amendment. This request is to update the existing Gregory Street Comprehensive Sign Plan (CSP) to provide additional signs to help identify places and amenities within the History Appreciation Recreation Destination (HARD) District along Gregory Street.

On March 24, 2021, the City of Black Hawk approved the original Gregory Street CSP, which established requirements for all signs within the Gregory Street HARD District and approved a number of signs planned for the Gregory Plaza. Since that approval and the completion of the Gregory Plaza, City staff has determined a need for additional signs to help identify the Gregory Plaza, Gregory Point at Mountain City, the Bobtail Mine, the Livery Lot, and the St. Charles Carriage House.

The original Gregory Street CSP included 28 signs with a total area of 272.88 square feet. The proposed Gregory Street CSP Amendment includes 19 additional signs and 352.93 additional square feet of sign area.

Nine of the additional signs are proposed for the St. Charles Carriage House, which was not included in the original Gregory Street CSP. Two additional signs are proposed for the McAfee House, one sign has been added near the clock tower, and seven signs are proposed for placement on the site walls along Gregory Street as place identifiers.

There are 47 existing and proposed signs, and the total existing and proposed sign area is 625.81 square feet. The total allowed sign area for the Gregory Street HARD District is 4,332.15 square feet.

All signs shown on the St. Charles Carriage House are to be painted onto the brick, just like the painted letters on the Fire Truck display building. All Gregory Plaza, Bobtail Mine, Gregory Point, and The Livery Lot signs will be fabricated as individual letters made of black metal with a gloss powder coat.

Two signs for Gregory Plaza will have ground-mounted up-lights for night time illumination. The other individual letter metal signs will have light from street lights to illuminate them at night. The City has requested that the Crook’s Palace signs also be included with the Gregory Street Comprehensive Sign Plan at this time.

Staff from Baseline Corporation has evaluated the proposed Gregory Street Comprehensive Sign Plan Amendment and finds the proposal in compliance with the HARD District section of the Sign Code and consistent with the Commercial Design Guidelines pertaining to signage.

The proposed CSP Amendment was reviewed by the HARD District Sign Committee and was forwarded to the City Council with a recommendation of approval with three conditions. The Council approved the resolution.

Alyssa Rivas with Baseline Corporation prepared a resolution conditionally approving a Certificate of Architectural Compatibility for an amendment to the Comprehensive Sign Plan for the Isle Horseshoe Casino and Hotel at 401 Main Street. The City of Black Hawk has received an application from Gil Sanchez, YESCO, requesting approval of a Comprehensive Sign Plan for the Isle Horseshoe Casino and Hotel.

The application proposes to remove and replace some illuminated signs and install additional signage for parking, valet and hotel, related to the rebranding of the property from Isle Eldorado. The casino is rebranding from the previously approved name change from the Eldorado Resort to the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel by virtue of a sign plan approved two years ago.

The total allowed sign area for the property is 2,401 square feet. The CSP Amendment proposes 2,228.2 square feet of sign area. The proposed amendment to the existing CSP complies with the total allowed sign area.

Staff from Baseline Corporation reviewed and evaluated the request and found the document to be in compliance with established regulations. Overall, Baseline suggests that the application and proposed amendments to the Isle Horseshoe Casino Comprehensive Sign Plan complies with the intent and character of the Commercial Design Guidelines and for continued development of a successful business in the City of Black Hawk.

Mark Hamilton with the Isle said they are rebranding to Horseshoe, and they look forward to bringing this brand to this market. “Our decision was to go with a national brand, and Horseshoe has a good rewards program. It is truly about the gambler,” Hamilton said.

The Council approved the new sign plan.

The Council also approved an agreement for professional services with Independent Painting, and a Change Order on a time and materials basis with Grapes and Sons for stacking boulder retaining walls and hydroseeding slopes in the amount not to exceed $134,320.75.

City Manager Stephen Cole announced that Gilpin County has received an award for excellence in financial reporting. He congratulated Finance Director Lance Hillis and his department.

The next Black Hawk City Council meeting will be at 211 Church Street in Black Hawk on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 3 p.m. For more information go to https://site.cityofblackhawk.org/.