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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Valley Planning Commission 2014-11-18c RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Planning Commission November 18, 2014 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Commission: Attending: Also Attending: Chair Betty Hull, Commissioners Doug Klink, Charley Dickey, Kathy Bowers, Nancy Hills, Steve Murphree, Wendye Sykes Chair Hull, Commissioners Klink, Bowers, Dickey, Sykes, Hills, and Murphree Community Development Director Alison Chilcott, Planner Phil Kleisler, Town Board Liaison John Phipps, Larimer County Liaison Michael Whitley, Town Attorney Greg White, and Recording Secretary Karen Thompson Absent:None Chair Hull called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. There were nine people in attendance. Each Commissioner was introduced. Chair Hull explained the process for accepting public comment at today's meeting. The following minutes reflect the order of the agenda and not necessarily the chronological sequence. 1. RECOGNITION OF COMMISSIONER BOWERS' SERVICE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION Director Chilcott stated today was Commissioner Bowers' last meeting. Her term expires in December, and she will not be seeking reappointment. She stated her appreciation for Commissioner Bowers' time spent on the Commission. Commissioner Bowers expressed her appreciation to staff and the Commission. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT Jamie Prochno, National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), spoke to the Commission to seek support for the watershed Master Plans. The CWCB thinks the plans are very important to guide long-term flood recovery as well as long-term land use planning and capital improvements. All those involved have worked very hard on the Master Plans. Community support and participation is critical, and as the coalitions obtain funding and begin to implement some of the projects, having the support of the Planning Commission will put the Estes Valley in a good position for implementation. 3. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of minutes, October 21, 2014 Planning Commission meeting. It was moved and seconded (Dickey/Sykes) to approve the consent agenda as presented and the motion passed 6-1 with Commissioner Hills abstaining. 4 DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2014-04; YMCA OF THE ROCKIES, MOUNTAIN CENTER, 2515 Tunnel Road Planner Kleisler reviewed the staff report. This development is part of a long-range vision known as the YMCA Master Plan, created in 2007. The owner/applicant is the YMCA, with Basis Architecture and Cornerstone Engineering & Surveying being the architects and engineers, respectively. He stated the proposed development plan includes a 5,400 square foot building, 6,200 square foot walkout area, and a 55-space parking lot. This LEED Certified building will be constructed in one phase, though the construction date is not yet confirmed. The proposed location is near the Lower Cookout Area. The proposed building will have an open floor plan that will accommodate a variety of recreational uses by on-site guests. There will be a mix of uses - office sjDace, presentation room, climbing wall, nature center, equipment rooms, classrooms, etc. The goal is to be a well-rounded recreation center. Planner Kleisler stated the application has two components, the Development Plan and a request for a height variance. Planning Commission is the decision-making body for the Developrnent Plan and the Board of Adjustment will consider the height variance at their December mee ii^. Planner Kleisler stated the application was routed to all affected agencies and adjacent prope y owners. No written comments from property owners were received. One nearby property owner came to the Community Development office to view the plans. The property 15 z°^ne Accommodations, and the proposed recreational use is allowed. In accordance with the Estes c RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Planning Commission 2 November 18, 2014 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Valley Development Code, the height variance will be considered following all other reviews, prior to submission of construction plans. Planner Kleisler stated the architects have been discussing with staff the possibility of adding exterior lighting in the parking area, which is not shown on these plans. A condition of approval has been added to accommodate this revision. By doing so, the applicant would not need to come back to the Planning Commission for a modification to the Development Plan. He assured the Commission any revisions would comply with the EVDC. Planner Kleisler stated the applicant requested one minor modification for driveway width, which was approved by the Larimer County Engineering Department. The drainage report was submitted and refers to the original drainage approvals. The County Engineer will review the final construction plans to ensure compliance. Planner Kleisler stated the applicant will need to make a few minor changes to the landscape plan, regarding specific types of landscaping. The existing landscaping and trees will need to be protected during construction. Planner Kleisler stated the proposed parking area complies with the EVDC. The number of parking spaces proposed is what triggered the Development Plan requirement. In order to determine the minimum number of parking spaces required, the architect pulled out each type of proposed use and combined the minimum number of spaces per use to obtain a total number required. Overall, the parking exceeds the requirements. He stated the Fire Marshall reviewed the plans and made comments the applicant will need to address during the construction plan phase. Planner Kleisler stated staff reviewed the application for consistency with the Estes Valley Comprehensive Plan, and found the proposed development will advance several community-wide policies. Staff has recommended approval, with conditions of approval listed below. The additional condition concerning the parking lot lighting has been added to the end of the list. Staff Findings Based on the foregoing, staff finds: 1. The Development Plan application complies with EVDC Section 3.8.D Development Plan Standards for Review, provided that the application is revised to comply with recommended conditions of approval by staff and affected agencies. The Development Plan is consistent with the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Master Plan, approved by the Town Board and County Commissioners in 2007. The Planning Commission is the Decision-Making Body for the proposed Development Plan. This Development Plan (2014-04) requires a height variance, in which the Board of Adjustment is the decision-making body. Should the requested height variance be denied, the applicant shall amend the development plan to comply with the EVDC height limitations. 2. 3. 4. Staff and Commission Discussion None. Public Comment Steve Lane/Basis Architecture stated the proposed building is the one you would visit when staying at the YMCA and participating in outdoor activities. The proposal includes a climbing wall, which is considered an important asset during inclement weather. The proposed nature center will allow first-time visitors to gain an understanding about the surrounding environment; what to expect, and how to behave. He explained the reason for the height variance request, stating the building will exceed 30 feet in a small area where the ground slopes downward. The parking lot lighting revision came about after discussions concerning guest safety when entering or leaving the parking area in darkness. Long day-trips could begin before sunrise or end after sunset. Minimum lighting is planned. Mr. Lane stated they were working hard to construct the building to be qualified for LEED certification. Several models were being run to determine the level of certification, and he was confident the building would qualify at some level. Public comment closed. c RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Planning Commission 3 November 18, 2014 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Conditions of Approval 1. Compliance with the following affected agency comments: a. Memo from Upper Thompson Sanitation District dated October 1, 2014 b. Memo from Estes Valley Fire Protection District dated October 1, 2014 c. Email from Larimer County Engineering Department dated October 15, 2014 d. Memo from Town of Estes Park Community Development Department dated October 24, 2014. 2. Any future exterior parking lot lighting shall require compliance with the 2107 Master Plan conditions of approval, including a photometric study and pole height limitation of fifteen (15) feet. It was moved and seconded (Bowers/Murphree) to approve Development Plan 2014-04 with the findings and conditions recommended by staff and the motion passed unanimously. REPORTS 1. Director Chilcott reported on the process for interviewing applicants for the upcoming vacancy on the Planning Commission. The interview team will consist of Trustee Phipps, Mayor Pro-tem Koenig, Chair Hull, and Director Chilcott. A recommendation will be made by the team to the Town Board. Prior to the new appointee's first meeting, he/she will receive training and will be introduced to the Commission via a detailed email containing background information the Commission may find worth noting. 2. Director Chilcott distributed to each Commissioner the book titled Citizens Guide to Planning Commissions, and encouraged everyone to read it by the end of the year. Beginning the first of the year, the Commission will be discussing the book at various study sessions. 3. Planner Kleisler reported on the modernization of the Estes Valley Comprehensive Plan, stating he has been working through a lot of the statistical numbers in the economic section. Many formulas needed to be recreated, which was time-consuming. Some existing tables will be eliminated (e.g. Bank Deposits, Water Meters, etc.). Staff will be reaching out to the Economic Development Corporation for comments and suggestions. Additional research has been conducted concerning housing values and comparisons with other similar communities regarding second homes. He encouraged the Commission to look at the maps page on the state's Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) website, as many are interactive and very interesting. He is hoping to incorporate similar interactive features into many of the new charts. Director Chilcott added the interactive feature on the maps will also be available when the new Town website goes live in the next month or so. 4. Town Board Reviews: Planner Kleisler reported the Falcon Ridge Amended Plat and a Stone Bridge Estates Supplemental Condominium Map will be reviewed on November 25, 2014. 5. County Commission Reviews: Planner Kleisler reported the Amended Planning Commission Bylaws and the Hayden's Resubdivision Amended Plat were approved November 17, 2014. 6. Board of Adjustment Reviews: Planner Kleisler reported two setback variances were granted in November; one for a deck addition and the other to add an addition to an existing home where the setback requirements exceeded the width of the lot. 7. Staff-Level Variances: Planner Kleisler reported two variances were approved by staff, as the request for encroachment into the setback was 10% or less than the requirement. In both cases, adjacent property owners were notified and no comments or concerns were received by staff. If there were neighbor concerns, the application would have been reviewed by the Board of Adjustment. 8. Flood Recovery: Director Chilcott report the Town received a grant from DOLA to hire an Environmental Planner for two years, to focus solely on flood recovery. Interviews were conducted on November 17th, and she was going to offer the position to one of the candidates. The new planner will be working closely with the watershed coalition on the Master Plans, doing research for the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System (CRS), which provides reduced rates depending on participation and qualifying factors, and other flood-related topics. She reported the Fall River and Fish Creek Master Plans are moving along nicely and encouraged Commissioners to look at their websites. A meeting was held this morning to prioritize projects along both corridors. Revisions are still being made, as a result of the public open houses last week. Walsh Environmental has been conducting one- on-one interviews to obtain additional public input. Not all proposed plans have been well <I RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Planning Commission 4 November 18, 2014 Board Room, Estes Park Town Haii received. Some will be removed from the plans, others will require additional discussion. In some cases, more than one option will be included on the plan. Director Chilcott reported a match grant was received through the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). Discussions will need to occur to determine how the funds can be used. 9. Director Chilcott reported the Town Board Study Session on January 13, 2015 will include a preliminary discussion for the vision of the downtown area, and how all the various projects will fit together (FLAP, Master Plan, Wayfinding, etc.). She encouraged the Planning Commission to attend. Please check the Town website for meeting start time. 10. Town Attorney White reported on discussion at the study session, it was determined there was no need for a Planning Commission meeting in December. However, in order to accommodate some major developments, staff would like to hold a special Planning Commission meeting on January 6, 2015, at 1:30. A study session would preclude this meeting at a time to be determined. This meeting would be in lieu of the regularly scheduled January meeting. Officers would be elected at the January meeting. Town Attorney White stated as discussed in the study session, right now there appears to be no need for the December meeting, but in order to accommodate some major developments we would like to have the board set a special meeting for the January Planning Commission meeting for January 6th at 1:30 p.m., with a study session at whatever time is appropriate. In order to set that special meeting, the Planning Commission needs to do that by a motion. Director Chilcott added it would be a cancellation of the December and January meetings and setting a special meeting. Chair Hull stated the motion would state that the December Planning Commission meeting and the January 20th (regularly scheduled) Planning Commission meeting would be cancelled. In place of that, there would be a January 6th Planning Commission meeting. It was moved and seconded (Hull/Murphree) and the motion passed unanimously. Director Chilcott added the January 6th meeting would be when the election of officers would take place. Chair Hull commented affirmative. There being no further business. Chair Hull adjourned the meeting at 2:27 p.m. Betty HifHTChair Karen Thompson,ing Secretary