John Scarffe

Black Hawk

The Black Hawk City Council approved Canyon Casino’s request for a Comprehensive Sign Plan during a regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at 211 Church Street. Vince Harris, with Baseline Corporation, presented the resolution conditionally approving a certificate of appropriateness to amend the comprehensive sign plan for the Canyon Casino at 131 Main Street. Harris said the applicant would like to take down existing signage, and on street level windows they would like to put in black and white images from Black Hawk history. The building now has 318 square feet of signage with window wraps about 550 square feet, but it’s not actually advertising, Harris said. This would be a temporary fix until they come back with a new sign plan and a new name.

On September 25, 2017, Black Hawk received an application request for a Certificate of Appropriateness from J.J. Garcia representing the Canyon Casino. The request is for the update of the existing Comprehensive Sign Plan at the Canyon Casino, according to the request for Council action. The applicant proposes to remove all existing Canyon Casino signs from the building and install window wraps that will cover 100 percent of the street level windows. “The Canyon Casino is currently closed for business, and the applicant wishes to block public view into the building during vacancy and future renovation,” states the request. The covering of the street level windows will be more attractive and relevant to the historic nature of the downtown gaming district. The applicant has indicated that the interior space will occasionally be used to have staff meetings during the ongoing excavation projects on this property. On the adjacent Dakota property, the interior is currently being used as a construction office for the owner and contractor. Harris pointed out one condition of note. The Casino would like to use the Black Hawk logo on the peak top of the building. It is up to the City Council whether the logo is allowed. Staff recommended approval with five conditions: proper building, electrical and sign permits shall be applied for and approved prior to the installation of any new sign, if required; all existing signs shown in the existing Comprehensive Sign Plan approved on July 24, 2014, shall be removed prior to installation of any new sign; the City of Black Hawk logo is allowed only in the location shown for this temporary sign plan approval; window wraps shall be removed and a Comprehensive Sign Plan Amendment shall be reviewed and approved prior to the re-opening of the Casino to the public; the applicant shall submit a request for a license agreement to allow the existing projecting sign, which is over the Main Street Right-of- Way on the north-east corner of the building, within 30 days of the approval of a certificate of appropriateness. Mayor David Spellman asked J.J. Garcia, general manager of Lodge Casino, to discuss the fifth condition. The sign protrudes over the Casino and the owners want to remove the lettering. Garcia said all electronics are no longer serviceable on the sign, so they would like to remove the entire sign. Spellman said that at that point the condition would be removed, and Harris agreed. Councilman Hal Midcap asked if the photographs shown were actual historic Black Hawk photos. Garcia said that they are. The Aldermen said they loved it and it is a good treatment going forward. Alderman Paul Bennett said the Council will take all this into consideration and accept it with the logo on top of the building and deleting condition five. The Council unanimously approved the motion.

The Council continued resolutions conditionally approving a certificate of appropriateness for construction and a site development plan for the canyon parking garage and lot and variances to zoning standards for a canyon parking garage and lot.

Chief Stephen Cole presented the annual renewal approving the service agreements for vehicle towing. In the future these will stop renewing. The City currently enters into annual agreements with authorized towing companies who provide towing and related services for City-owned vehicles and police tows. This year’s agreement has been modified from previous agreements to allow the City to automatically renew the agreements for one-year periods beginning January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018, according to the request for Council action.

The Black Hawk Police Department uses three towing contractors (Black Hawk Towing, Help Towing and D&J Towing) on a rotational basis, but does not limit the number of contractors who may provide service to the City. In fact, Scorpion Towing and Recovery will be added to our rotation list in 2018. The Council approved the service agreements. The next regular meeting of the Black Hawk City Council will be at 3 p.m. on January 24, 2018, at 211 Church Street.