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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Valley Board of Adjustment 2017-02-07RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Board of Adjustment February 7, 2017, 2016 9:00 a.m. Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Board: Chair Wayne Newsom, Vice-Chair John Lynch, Pete Smith, Jeff Moreau, Rex Poggenpohl Attending: Members Lynch, Smith, Moreau, and Poggenpohl Also Attending: Community Development Director Randy Hunt, Planner Audem Gonzales, Planner Carrie McCool, Recording Secretary Thompson Absent: Member Newsom Vice-Chair Lynch called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. There were three people in attendance. He introduced the Board members and staff. The following minutes reflect the order of the agenda and not necessarily the chronological sequence. 1. PUBLIC COMMENT 2. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of minutes dated January 10, 2017. It was moved and seconded (Smith/Poggenpohl) to approve the minutes as presented and the motion passed 3-0 with Moreau abstaining and Newsom absent. 3. LOT 31A, AMENDED PLAT OF LOTS 32-35, AND PORTIONS OF LOTS 1, 31, & 37; WHITE MEADOW VIEW PLACE, LESS 200032927; 455 STANLEY AVENUE; DOLLAR GENERAL Planner Gonzales reviewed the staff report. The applicant, Vaquero Estes Park Partners, LP requests three variances, as follows: (1) Variance from Estes Valley Development Code (EVDC) Section 7.11.N.2.b which states loading areas shall not be located in a required setback, and street side loading docks shall be set back at least 70 feet from the street property line or 110 feet from the street center line, whichever is greater. Request is to locate the loading area approximately 54 feet from the center of Stanley Avenue. (2) Variance from EVDC Section 4.4.D.2.a which requires building main entrances in the CO–Commercial Outlying zone district be located facing the arterial. Request to have the building front on Stanley Avenue, a non-arterial street. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Board of Adjustment 2 February 7, 2017 (3) Variance from EVDC Appendix D.B.7.a which requires a driveway width of no more than 30 feet. Request to allow a driveway width of approximately 49.5 feet at the property line, which relates to approximately 62 feet at the street line. Planner Gonzales stated a legal notice was published in the local newspaper and adjacent property owners were notified by mail. Two public comments in opposition to the project were received. No major comments or concerns were received from reviewing agencies. Staff findings can be viewed in the staff report. Staff and Member Discussion Comments from members were in favor of the project, but concerned about the building frontage and access on Stanley Avenue. There was no information from the applicant showing all options to access the property from Highway 7 had been requested and exhausted. The general consensus from the Board was to continue the meeting to allow the applicant more time to come up with alternatives. Public Comment Devan Pharis/applicant stated the submitted design was the seventh iteration due to the slope of the lot and the requirements of an on-site detention pond. There was a CDOT approved access point, but it was at the lowest point on the lot where the detention pond should be located. Rick Houser/town resident requested additional information regarding the loading area and the general layout of the proposed project. There was lengthy discussion regarding the location and size of the building, location of the driveway, and the height of a retaining wall. Additional information requested by the Board included: x Other options for the building location to reduce the setback issues with the loading area x Report on discussions with CDOT regarding the access location x Any other design variations to the location of the building on the site x Submit a grading plan so the Board can see the topography/slope of the area x Report on the possibility of sharing a driveway with the property to the north x Report on possibly locating the detention pond underneath the driveway Director Hunt stated the Dollar General Development Plan was scheduled to go before the Estes Valley Planning Commission on February 21, 2017. If the variance item was to be continued, it would be appropriate to also continue the Development Plan to the March RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Valley Board of Adjustment 3 February 7, 2017 21, 2017 Planning Commission meeting. The applicant was agreeable to the revised schedule. It was moved and seconded (Poggenpohl/Smith) to continue the variance requests to the March 7, 2017 meeting and the motion passed 4-0 with one absent. 7. REPORTS A. Director Hunt stated staff is proceeding with processing the applications for vacation homes with occupancies of eight and under. In order to maintain transparency, there is a scheduled Town Board agenda item to provide a formal statement that the new regulations will not interfere with vacation homeowner’s contractual arrangements through 2017. This will allow vacation homes with existing reservations for nine or more to fulfill their contractual obligations to their guests in 2017. B. Director Hunt stated there was some difficulty with county records and vacation home registrations, one of which is the ability to define the number of bedrooms with the assessor records. Staff is considering changing deadlines in order for Town and County staff to complete reconciliations with the county regarding number of bedrooms. There will be a code amendment to allow this process to occur. C. Director Hunt stated Board training is still in the planning stages. It would be beneficial to have both the Board of Adjustment members and the Planning Commissioners in attendance. D. Director Hunt reported Bob Leavitt was recently appointed by the County Commissioners to the Planning Commission. E. It was noted there would not be a quorum for a meeting on April 4, 2017. Staff should keep this in mind during conversations with customers. There being no other business before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 10:08 a.m. ___________________________________ John Lynch, Vice-Chair __________________________________ Karen Thompson, Recording Secretary