HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2021-05-11Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado,May 11,2021
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes
Park,Larimer County,Colorado.Meeting held in the Town Hall and Virtually in
said Town of Estes Park on the 11th day of May,2021.
Present:Wendy Koenig,Mayor
Patrick Martchink,Mayor Pro Tem
Trustees Carlie Bangs
Marie Cenac
Barbara MacAlpine
Scott Webermeler
Cindy Younglund
Also Present:Travis Machalek,Town Administrator
Jason Damweber,Assistant Town Administrator
Dan Kramer,Town Attorney
Jackie Williamson,Town Clerk
Absent:None
Mayor Koenig called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
REQUEST TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION:
It was moved and seconded (MacAlpine/Younglund)to enter Executive Session for
discussion of a personnel matter per Section 24-6-402(4)(f),C.R.S.and not
involving any specific employees who have requested discussion of the matter in
open session;any member of the Town Board (or body);the appointment of any
person to fill an office of the Town Board (or body);or personnel policies that do
not require discussion of matters personal to particular employees —Town
Attorney Annual Review,and it passed unanimously.
The Board entered Executive Session at 6:06 p.m.and concluded at 6:55 p.m.
Mayor Koeing called the regular meeting to order at 7:12 p.m.and all desiring to do so,
recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
PROCLAMATION.
Mayor Koenig proclaimed May 2—8,2021 Small Business Community week.
AGENDA APPROVAL.
It was moved and seconded (Webermeier/Cenac)to approve the Agenda,and it
passed unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
None.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS.
Trustee Cenac provided an update from the Visit Estes Park meeting stating a report was
heard from the Rocky Mountain National Park on the 2021 timed entry to address
increased visitation and lack of employee housing due to COVID,and a report from the
new CEO Kara Franker.
Trustee Younglund stated she attended the media skills workshop by Rockford Gray.
Mayor Pro Tern Martchink brought forward a discussion to consider a Board Resolution
against the Rocky Mountain National Park timed entry.The Board reached consensus
not to consider a Resolution stating Park management has the expertise and land
management skills to address park visitation and timed entry system.
Board of Trustees —May Ii,2021 —Page 2
Mayor Koenig recognized Municipal Clerk’s Week and National Police Week and thanked
staff in each department for their service and dedication to the Town.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
Town Administrator Machalek recognized the Clerk’s staff in honor of Municipal Clerk’s
Week May 2 —8,2021.He also stated appreciation for the sworn police officers in honor
of National Police Week May 9 —15,2021.
1.CONSENT AGENDA:
1.Bills.
2.Town Board Minutes dated April 27,2021 and Town Board Study Session Minutes
dated April 27,2021.
3.Transportation Advisory Board Minutes dated March 17,2021 (acknowledgement
only).
4.Letter of Support for CDOT Revitalizing Main Street Grant Application for US
Highway 36 and Community Drive Roundabout Project.
5.Resolution 38-21 Setting the Public Hearing date of May 25,2021 for a New Beer
&Wine Liquor License filed by CMT2,Inc.dba You Need Pie!Diner,590 Big
Thompson Avenue #300,Estes Park,CO 80517.
6.Resolution 39-21 Selling the Public Hearing date of May 25,2021 for a New Hotel
&Restaurant Liquor License filed by The Post Brewing Company Estes Park LLC
dba Post Chicken and Beer,333D E.Wonderview Avenue,Estes Park,CO 80517.
7.Reappointment of Brad Klein to the Estes Park Board of Appeals fora term expiring
May 1,2026.
8.Reappointment of Guy Wayne Newsom to the Estes Park Board of Adjustment for
a term expiring March 31,2022.
9.Reappointment of Nancy Almond and Michael Moon to the Community and Family
Advisory Board for terms expiring April 30,2024.
10.Reappointment of John Gordon Slack to the Transportation Advisory Board for a
term expiring March 31,2024.
It was moved and seconded (Webermeier/Martchink)to approve the Consent
Agenda,and it passed unanimously.
2.LIQUOR ITEMS:
NEW LODGING &ENTERTAINMENT LIQUOR LICENSE FILED BY TRINITY
HOSPITALITY LLC DBA ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOTEL &CONFERENCE CENTER,
1701 N LAKE AVENUE,ESTES PARK,CO 80517.Mayor Koenig opened the public
hearing.Town Clerk Williamson reviewed the application for the new Lodging and
Entertainment liquor license,stating all paperwork and fees have been submitted.The
applicant held the same liquor license through October 12,2020,which was not
renewed.The liquor license was surrendered in March 2021 in lieu of renewing the
expired liquor license.The Liquor Enforcement Division waived all fees related to new
on-premise liquor licenses through December 7,2021,thereby making a new liquor
license cost effective over paying the late fees associated with renewing the expired
liquor license.Mayor Koenig closed the public hearing and it was moved and
seconded (Younglund/Martchink)to approve the Lodging and Entertainment
Liquor License Application for Trinity Hospitality LLC dba Rocky Mountain
Hotel &Conference Center,1701 N Lake Avenue,and it passed unanimously.
3.PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS:Items reviewed by Planning Commission or staff
for Town Board Final Action.
1.ACTION ITEMS:
A.ORDINANCE 05-21 AMENDING CHAPTER 4 AND 13 OF THE ESTES
PARK DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING LOT COVERAGE.Mayor
Board of Trustees —May 11,2021 —Page 3
Koenig opened the public hearing.Planner Woeber stated the proposed
change would increase the maximum lot coverage in three nonresidential
zoning districts (A —Accommodations,CO —Outlying Commercial,0 —Office)
to 80%.The amendment would revise the lot coverage definition to eliminate
porous pavement and gravel areas,along with no longer including porous
pavement and graveled areas in the definition of impervious surfaces.The
decreased lot coverage percentages,and definitions for lot coverage and
impervious surface had rendered a significant number of existing commercial
properties as legally nonconforming.The proposed changes would bring a
number of propeties back into compliance with zoning standards and would
provide flexibility in future site development or redevelopment.After further
discussion on the timing of the code changes because of the upcoming
Comprehensive Plan development,Mayor Koenig closed the public hearing.
It was moved and seconded (Martchink/Webermeier)to approve
Ordinance 05-21,and it passed unanimously.
4.ACTION ITEMS:
1.RESOLUTION 40-21 APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING ADMINISTRATION WITH
THE ESTES PARK HOUSING AUTHORITY (EPHA).Assistant Town
Administrator Damweber presented a Memorandum of Understanding between
the Town of Estes Park and the Estes Park Housing Authority to provide annual
verification of workforce housing units.The MOU states the Authority would send
annual certification letters,verify the information provided to ensure the residents
remain eligible,and enforce the stipulations of the covenants.The Town would
compensate EPHA $150 per unit verified annually.Staff anticipates 32 workforce
housing units would require verification between September 1,2021 and the end
of 2021.A budget amendment would include $5,000 to cover the 2021 verification
costs.After further discussion,it was moved and seconded
(WebermeierlYounglund)to approve Resolution 40-21,and it passed
unanimously.
2.ESTES PARK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
APPOINTMENTS.Town Clerk Williamson stated staff advertised the newly
created positions through the Town’s public information office,the website,through
direct contact with community members within the LatinX community,and
contacted the High School in and effort to meet the demographics outlined in the
bylaws for the committee.The application contained a self-reporting anonymous
tool to indicate which of the nine demographic areas each applicant would belong
to.The Town received applications from all demographics with the exception of
an individual from the LatinX community and a member of the community 25 or
younger.The interview committee of Mayor Koenig and Trustee MacAlpine
conducted interviews of all 27 applicants and stated they found the applicants to
be very engaged in the process,presented a high level of interest,a stake in the
community,a number of individuals with development experience,and a wide
diversity of experience and knowledge.The proposed non-voting members of the
committee include a member from the Estes Park Planning Commission and a
member from the Estes Valley Planning Advisory Committee.It was moved and
seconded (Bangs/Martchink)to approve the appointments to the
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee to include voting members:Dave
Shirk,David Bangs,David Wolf,Rosemary Truman,Bob Leavitt,John
Schnipkoweit,Charles Cooper,Matthew Heiser,Karen Thompson,Kirby
Hazelton and Eric Blackhurst and non-voting members:Matt Comstock and
Mike Kennedy for terms expiring upon the adoption of the Comprehensive
Plan,and it passed unanimously.
5.REPORT ITEMS:
1.US34 CORRIDOR STUDY.Director Muhonen provided an overview of the current
vehicular traffic and pedestrian patterns along US34 from just east of the Town’s
Visitor Center through the intersection of US34 and US36.The area has continued
Board of Trustees —May 11,2021 —Page 4
to experience an increase in roadway user frustration,uncontrolled pedestrian
crossings,traffic congestion,and growing transit travel times.The Town’s 2020
Strategic Plan contained an objective to commission a transportation plan for US34
form Wonderview Avenue to Steamer Drive to review these issues and develop
options for direct access from US34 to the parking structure.This was not funded
in the 2020 budget.The Board requested further discussion regarding potential
funding and acceleration of a corridor study at their Town Board Study Session
meeting on April 13,2021.Staff reviewed observed pedestrian,motorist,and
transit deficiencies within the corridor and has developed a number of solutions for
consideration by the Town Board,including a pedestrian underpass,a pedestrian
median,roundabouts,an elevated roundabout to allow multi-modal directional
pedestrian and bicyclist crossings below the intersection,a long bus pullout lane
on US34 along the Visitor Center,install a new river bridge connecting the Visitor
Center and parking garage,traffic signal timing changes,consider turn lane
modifications,and a possible driveway extension from the Visitor Center to the
new traffic light at Steamer Drive.Staff estimated a corridor study could range
from $100,000 to $200,000 with design and construction costs up to $10 million
depending on mitigation measures selected.
James Usher/CDOT stated current funding options through the Faster Safety
program would not be an option to fund the study or mitigation measures as the
corridor has a low accident rate.An upcoming transportation bill,Senate Bill 260,
may provided funding for projects in the next few years.He stated projects which
have already been identified through a study and have high level sketches
completed could assist the Town and make the project competitive for funding.
CDOT identifed approximately $75,000 in cost sharing funds to complete the
study.
Board discussion was heard and has been summarized:concern with spending
funds on a corridor study due to continued uncertainty with the pandemic;a need
to review the Strategic Plan priority list prior to committing to a particular project;
what impact would the new light at Steamer Drive/US34 have on the traffic this
summer;the issue continues to be critical and a study with CDOT cost sharing
would be favorable versus the Town addressing a State highway issue without
their support;concern raised on spending Town funds to address a State issue;a
need to address other capital projects;and questioned how the mitigation projects
would be funded.
After further discussion,the Board directed staff to bring forward a priority list for
review prior to considering next steps.
Whereupon Mayor Koenig adjourned the meeting at 9:35 p.m.
Wendy etii,M,r
J ie Williamson,Town Clerk