Willow Creek 1 & 2 General Improvement District

Latest News – Fence Replacement Project

Demolition of the old fence and construction of the new wall are underway and expected to be completed in November or December 2022.

Crews are currently working just north of the intersection of E Jamison Dr. and Quebec St. and will proceed in a clockwise direction, first northward to Dry Creek Rd., then east to Yosemite St., and then south to County Line Rd., before completing the fence just east of where Willow Creek drainageway crosses under County Line Rd. The map below provides an overview of the construction schedule. These dates are approximate and subject to change. The contractor will notify affected homeowners about two weeks in advance of construction occurring on or near their property.

Willow Creek Wall Construction Schedule

 

Willow Creek GID –Overview

Petitions to form the Willow Creek 1 & 2 General Improvement District (WCGID) were submitted to the City by neighborhood residents on April 16, 2019. The primary purpose of the District is to replace the neighborhood’s existing cedar fence with Allan Block, to be financed through the issuance of bonds with a 30-year payback (see table below for financing details).

On November 5, 2019, voters within Centennial’s Willow Creek 1 and 2 neighborhoods approved Ballot Issues 6C and 6D, authorizing the formation of the WCGID. The WCGID was officially formed by the Centennial City Council on January 8, 2020 with the approval of Ordinance 2019-O-33.

The WCGID is funded through property taxes paid by the residents of the neighborhood and is a separate entity from the Willow Creek 1 and Willow Creek 2 Homeowner's Associations.

Willow Creek GID – Fence Replacement Project

The fence replacement project will remove existing deteriorated fencing and related brick pillars, along the perimeter of the Willow Creek subdivision and install new Allan Block mortarless masonry fencing. The base scope includes installing vehicular and pedestrian access gates, repairing/restoring damaged irrigation and turf areas, and relocating electrical boxes and services to irrigation meters.

The contractor for the fence construction is Split Rail Fencing and the project will be overseen by City Staff, the WCGID representatives, and employees from Alfred Benesch & Co.

While there are many factors that can impact construction, Split Rail is projecting that the project, over 11,200 feet of masonry block fence, will be completed in December of this year.

What does this mean for homeowners/residents? The following information is intended to answer your most pressing questions.

When will construction start along your property fence line:  We are too early in the project to predict this accurately. Construction will occur in sections of approximately 500 foot increments that will take approximately two weeks to complete before the next 500 foot section is opened. As construction progresses, we’ll gain a much better understanding of production rates and what the timing is likely to be for construction activity to reach your property.

What advanced notice will you receive before construction reaches your property:  Split Rail personnel will be dropping off “door knockers” at least two weeks prior to the date that construction will start along your lot line. In addition, the GID representative listed below will attempt to reach you via e-mail and/or phone. To ensure that you are not surprised by construction, we encourage you to register your email address and phone number with you GID representative listed below if you haven’t already.

In addition, regular progress updates will be provided on your HOA’s website, as well in your monthly HOA newsletter, Willow Wisp or Willow Talk.

Pre-construction activities:  Access to your property will be necessary in advance of actual construction. This may include, but not be limited to, construction personnel access for: utility locating and marking, inspection of conditions within the eight-foot fence easement, and survey staking.

How long might your property be in the construction zone:  Split Rail anticipates that the construction period at any location will be on the order of 10 work days. The initial work will involve the demolition and removal of the existing cedar fence and the brick pillars. This will be followed by these tasks, in succession:

  • Pruning, and possible removal, of trees and shrubs
  • Excavation for Allan Block post foundations (2’ diameter x 5’ deep shafts at 10 to 14 foot spacing)
  • excavation of a continuous, shallow (6” deep) and narrow (12” wide) trench between piers to place compacted aggregate (leveling pads) on which the masonry block fence panels will rest.
  • Placement of reinforced concrete foundations (piers) into the excavated shafts
  • Installation of Allan Block bond beams and Allan Block fence posts (filled with reinforced concrete)
  • Installation of Allan Block wall panels and top bond beam
  • Placement of cap blocks along top of posts and wall panels

Outside of work hours, temporary fencing (orange plastic fence) will be placed along the fence line.

How might your property be affected by fence construction:  While Split Rail is dedicated to minimizing disturbances on HOA maintained areas and on homeowners’ property as best they can, fence construction will require equipment to drill foundation shafts, remove spoils, place concrete, and excavate the leveling pad trench.  This work will require adequate space for small equipment (likely skid steers) to maneuver along the fence line.  Unfortunately, providing for this space may require trimming of trees and shrubs that lie close to the fence line that prevent access for the necessary equipment.  It is possible that pruning will be insufficient and tree/shrub removal may be necessary.  Other impacts could include collateral damage to: sprinkler heads and lines, landscaping features, and any other improvements that cannot be reasonably removed and restored during construction that are within the actual work zone.  Split Rail fully understands that they are confined to work within the eight-foot wide fence easement on your property, and they will do their utmost to impact as little of that easement as is reasonable.

Importantly, construction access will be from the street side of the fence, not through your property. 

Split Rail’s responsibilities while working on your property:  Split Rail’s responsibilities include the following:

  • Limiting activities to within the eight-foot fence easement granted by you for this project.
  • Minimizing impacts and damages within that easement to the extent that is practical and reasonable
  • Repairing all damage that may occur outside the easement.(None should occur)
  • Pruning or removing trees, shrubs, and other vegetation in the easement that prevent access needed to construct the fence.
  • Removing and replacing portable landscape items in the easement not removed by the homeowner (e.g. flagstone, bird feeders, etc.) that could be damaged by the work
  • Temporarily removing and then restoring homeowner side fencing within the work zone.
  • Providing temporary fencing along the perimeter during non-working hours

Homeowner/resident responsibilities for fence construction along their property:  Homeowner/resident responsibilities include:

  • Notifying the GID as soon as possible of any special concerns regarding construction in the eight-foot construction easement.
  • Protecting and controlling pets while the old cedar fence is removed and while construction crews are working
  • Temporarily removing items and landscape improvements within the eight-foot easement that the homeowner/resident wants to preserve undamaged.
  • Pruning and/or removing any vegetation in the easement that homeowner/resident prefers doing themselves.
  • Repairing sprinkler damage as may occur by the construction.
  • Exhibiting patience and cooperation with construction crews to allow work to progress as quickly and smoothly as possible.

On behalf of the GID, the City of Centennial, Split Rail Fence Co., and your neighbors in Willow Creek 1 and 2, we thank you for working cooperatively with us to construct this important, long-awaited project that will benefit us all for many years to come.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact:

Tony Escobar, Willow Creek 1 GID Advisory Board Representative:  tony.escobar@comcast.net,  720-320-5209

Dave Jackson, Willow Creek 2 GID Advisory Board Representative:  djackso9@aol.com,  303-770-6247

 

If you have any questions or concerns for the City of Centennial or the WCGID, please contact Patrick Fleming at (303) 754-3319 or pfleming@centennialco.gov.

 

Fence Replacement - Estimated Cost (rounded)

Construction (Split Rail Contract)
$3,707,500
Design, Engineering, Construction Management $567,570
Project Administration Fee (City Staff Time) $90,00
Bond Financing Costs $105,830

Total Expenses

$4,470,900

 

City Staff worked with municipal financial advisors to secure bond financing for the WCGID. The sale closed on October 7, 2020. The details of the financing are listed in the table below.

Financing Details

Principal Amount: $4,340,000
Reoffering Premium: $841,490

Total Funds Received:

$5,181,490
True Interest Cost (TIC):

2.9979%

 Yield: 0.82% - 2.54%

 Total Principal and Interest:

$7,799,375
 Bond Maturity (Final Payback) Date:
 December 1, 2050