Posted on: April 2, 2018
Adams County has received the Gold 2018 National Planning Achievement Award for Economic Development Planning from the American Planning Association (APA). The award recognizes the initiative, A Return to Past Prosperity: The ASARCO Redevelopment Project, for transforming a toxic industrial plant into a vibrant, economic center. The ASARCO Redevelopment Project is one of 16 APA Achievement Award recipients this year.
“We are thrilled this project is being recognized by the APA,” said Mary Hodge, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “It took tenacity, innovative partnerships, and relentless optimism to see it through. The goal was always to bring jobs and vitality back to this neighborhood.”
The ASARCO Redevelopment Project is a joint effort of private and public entities to clean up and redevelop a distressed 77-acre industrial site in Globeville, located north of Denver. When the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), which managed the site, shut its doors in 2006, the pollution and environmental waste it left behind was so toxic that many residents underwent frequent cancer screenings. During ensuing bankruptcy proceedings, a custodial trust was formed to oversee the property and was given $14.4 million for remediation efforts.
The redevelopment project plan called for a finance package that included a $10 million Section 108 HUD loan from Adams County, $750,000 from Denver’s Community Development Block Grant Program, and Tax Increment Financing funds. New legislation modified the state’s urban renewal law, which allowed counties to participate in urban renewal projects, and made the financing package possible. The collaborative effort transformed a dangerous brownfield site into a vibrant, economic center that will ultimately bring approximately 1,000 new jobs into the area.
“The community overcame challenging environmental obstacles,” said W. Shedrick Coleman, AIA, 2018 Awards Jury chair. “The county’s work is an outstanding example of leveraging funding and partnerships to provide the area much-needed employment opportunities.”
Each year, APA recognizes outstanding efforts in planning and planning leadership through its National Planning Excellence and Achievement Awards. The two-tier awards are selected through a juried process. Excellence Award recipients are the highest honor, and Achievement Awards recognize accomplishments in areas of specialization within the planning profession.
The 2018 National Planning Award recipients will be honored at a special luncheon during APA’s National Planning Conference in New Orleans on April 23. The recipients will also be featured in the April issue of Planning magazine. For a complete list and summary of all the APA 2018 National Planning Excellence and Achievement Award recipients, visit planning.org.
Posted on: August 2, 2023
Adams County Confirms First Human Case of West Nile Virus for 2023
Adams County Health Department (ACHD) officials confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus within the county this year. Additionally, West Nile virus has been found in mosquitoes within the county.
West Nile virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. In Colorado, most human cases are reported in August and September. In 2021, Colorado had 175 reported human cases of West Nile virus, including 11 deaths.
Posted on: August 1, 2023
Adams County Commissioners Award More Than $800,000 in Community Enrichment Grants
On Tuesday, Aug. 1, the Adams County Board of Commissioners (BoCC) awarded more than $800,000 in Community Enrichment Grants to 30 nonprofit organizations working in the county. These grants support programs to assist county residents with their basic needs and to help them become self-sufficient.
Posted on: August 1, 2023
Adams County Enhances Emergency Management Efforts Through Collaborative Transition
Adams County is proud to announce a significant transition in its emergency management efforts, which will further strengthen public safety measures and reinforce the county's commitment to safeguarding its residents and visitors. After thorough consideration and in-depth collaborative discussions between the Adams County Manager's Office and the Adams County Sheriff's Office, it has been decided to shift the oversight of the Emergency Management Office from the Community Safety & Well-Being Department to the Sheriff's Office.
Posted on: July 12, 2023
Adams County Partnering with Other Local Governments to Launch Solar Group Buying Program
Posted on: June 27, 2023
Adams County Commissioners Award More Than $9 Million in Open Space Grants
On Tuesday, June 27, the Adams County Board of Commissioners (BoCC) awarded more than $9 million in open space grants for 21 projects thanks to the voter-approved Open Space Sales Tax. Funding for the spring 2023 grant cycle came from revenues from the second half of the 2022 Adams County Open Space Sales Tax, which was passed by Adams County voters in 1999, and in perpetuity in 2020.
Posted on: June 13, 2023
County Road Closures
Current roadway closures and detour routes due t
Posted on: June 8, 2023
Adams County Students Awarded More Than $1 Million in Scholarships
Fifty-eight Adams County high school students were awarded scholarships totaling more than $1 million on Wednesday, June 7, through the Adams County Scholarship Fund. Adams County Commissioners introduced the Scholarship Fund in 2016, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, making this the eighth group of recipients.
Posted on: June 6, 2023
New Adams County Veterans Service Officer Appointed
Today at public hearing, the Adams County Board of Commissioners appointed Andrew “Drew” Dixon as the new Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for the county.
Posted on: June 1, 2023
Annual Stars & Stripes Event to Feature Singer Thomas Mac
The annual pre-Independence Day celebration at Riverdale Regional Park is back! Mark your calendars for the third of July celebration. Ward Electric presents a free evening in the park with country singer, Thomas Mac, and a festive display of fireworks.
Food and beverage vendors will begin serving at 4 p.m. Enjoy live music followed by the 9:30 p.m. fireworks show.
Posted on: May 31, 2023
I Voted Sticker Design Contest Winners Announced
The Adams County Elections Department received 36 entries for the I Voted Sticker Design Contest from both students and residents. Four winners were chosen, and the winning designs will be used throughout the 2023 Coordinated, 2024 Presidential Primary, 2024 Primary, and 2024 General Elections. The Adams County Elections Department received 36 entries for the I Voted Sticker Design Contest from both students and residents. Four winners were chosen, and the winning designs will be used throughout the 2023 Coordinated, 2024 Presidential Primary, 2024 Primary, and 2024 General Elections.
