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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Community Development & Community Services Committee 2013-11-21RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, November 21,2013 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT / COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 21st day of November, 2013. Committee: Attending: Also Attending: Absent: Chair Ericson, Trustees Elrod and Norris Chair Ericson, Trustees Elrod and Norris Finance Officer McFarland, Manager Salerno, Special Event Coordinator Jacobson, Code Compliance Officer/Planner Kleisler, CBO Birchfield, and Deputy Town Clerk Deats Town Administrator Lancaster, Directors Chilcott and Winslow Chair Ericson called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT. None. COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT. REPORTS. Reports provided for informational purposes and made a part of the proceedings. • Visitor Center Quarterly Report - Manager Salerno reported that traffic during July and August of 2013 was up 19% over the same period in 2012. However, the decrease in traffic after the flood was so significant that totals for the third quarter ended up 5.59% lower than the same period in 2012. She noted that the number of telephone calls received in September increased over last year, and noted that calls were received from people all over the country wanting to check on the well-being of the Estes Park community and businesses after the flood. She noted that retail sales at the Visitor Center are also down and that sales projections for 2013 will not be met., • November/December Fairgrounds & Events Report - Special Event Coordinator Jacobson said several new events have been scheduled during the holiday season, in addition to the traditional holiday events. Upcoming events include: the Lighting Ceremony on November 23rd, the Catch the Glow Parade on November 29th, Family Fun Holiday Weekend December 6th-8th, Dasher 5K and Tinsel Tavern Tour on December 14th, Last Minute Holiday Shop-A-Thon on December 20th-22nd, and a New Year’s Eve Celebration on December 31st. These new events have been planned in collaboration with the Town of Estes Park, the Estes Area Lodging Association, Visit Estes Park, the Wedding Association, and local business leaders. She noted that local heroes who served or made a difference during the flood, as well as'Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) road crews, will be recognized during the Lighting Ceremony this year. It was also reported that the November 21st opening of the ice rink has been delayed. Public Works staff is working to meet a new proposed opening date of November 29th. • Verbal Updates - o Budget - Finance Officer McFarland said budget reports are scheduled to be available on Friday, November 22nd. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. REPORTS. Reports provided for informational purposes and made a part of the proceedings. • Code Compliance Program Update - Code Compliance Officer Kleisler reported RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development / Community Services - November 21, 2013 - Page 2 on the process that is being utilized to design policies, establish daily operations, and create a Code Compliance Program. A mission statement was created and an effective code compliance program was defined using input from community meetings. He said six code compliance issues that were identified by the community during outreach programs have been designated as high priority and will be addressed by staff on a proactive basis. They are: ■ Animals (to ensure safe animal-human interactions) ■ Dark Sky Lighting (to address light pollution) ■ Noxious Weeds (management of noxious weeds in the Estes Valley) ■ Vacation Home Rentals (ensure they are operating in a manner consistent with local codes) ■ Junk Accumulation ■ Wildfire Mitigation Staff will continue with community outreach and education and will provide a Code Compliance Report to the Committee on a regular basis, either monthly or quarterly. The Committee requested that Code Compliance Officer Kleisler bring this information forward to the full Town Board at an upcoming Town Board meeting. In addition, the Committee asked that a discussion of the municipal court fine schedule, both in general and as it relates to code compliance enforcement, be added to a future Town Board Study Session agenda. Courtyard Shoos Update - Staff has been working with the owner of the Courtyard to address life safety concerns at the property. Progress slowed this summer when the general contractor and the property owner had a parting of the ways. A meeting was held on November 14, 2013, to communicate the Town’s position, at which time the owner was notified that work on the required sprinkler system must begin by January 1, 2014, and a portion of the sprinkler system must be operational by May 1, 2014, or the Town will initiate an eviction process for the 12 residential units located on the property. Town staff is working in conjunction with Fire Marshal Robinson and the Estes Valley Fire Protection District on this matter. Flood Recovery Update: Floodplain Management and Stream/River Corridor Protection - o Floodplain regulations adopted at the November 12, 2013, Town Board meeting brought the Town into compliance with new state regulations. In addition, a temporary ordinance was passed that will allow construction to take place on properties adjacent to drainages. CBO Birchfield and Planner Kleisler inspected properties at the Stone Bridge Estates development on Fish Creek Road and determined that all but one unit will be able to continue or commence construction and be in compliance with the new regulations. One unit in the development is severely damaged and will likely be demolished; the owners of the unit are undecided whether or not to rebuild. CBO Birchfield stated that staff is working with property owners and engineers along Fall River and Fish Creek, o Community Development staff has applied for two separate grants for a master planning process in the Fall River area. One was to the Community Foundation of North Carolina for $50,000, and the second was to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for $50,000 - $70,000. The funds would be used to hire a consultant and coordinate a master planning process in the Fall River Corridor with a goal of having the master plan completed by April 2014, with critical safety steps taken prior to the spring runoff. The master plan would address how to minimize the impact of future flooding on homes and businesses, business disruption and resulting economic loss, and steps to restore Fall River’s ecological health. o The Town has expressed interest in becoming a sponsor in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) Emergency Watershed Program. The Town would administer the program which provides state and/or federal money, typically at a 75%/25% split, to property owners rebuilding after a flood. If approved, staff will contact property owners who could potentially benefit from this type of program. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development / Community Services - November 21, 2013 - Page 3 o Town Administrator Lancaster, Director Chilcott, and CBO Birchfield will attend a flood recovery symposium in Loveland on November 22, 2013, hosted by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. o Code compliance complaints have been received related to work being done in the floodways without permits, or work that exceeds the scope of the permit. Staff is proactively addressing these issues. CBO Birchfield said approximately a dozen properties are still red-tagged, with the majority of the properties located in the Fall River corridor. MISCELLANEOUS. Chair Ericson said that recent conversations with local business owners indicate that the flood negatively affected their September business, however, October and November have met their expectations. He noted that the opening of Highway 34 later today should promote more daytrips to Estes from Front Range communities. He encouraged participation in the Tree Lighting festivities to be held in George Hix Riverside Plaza on Saturday, November 23, 2013. There being no further business. Chair Ericson adjourned the meeting at 8:55 a.m. piLU^ Cyhthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk approved DEC 1 0 2013 TOWN OF ESTES PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEF.S