HomeMy WebLinkAboutEPPC Study Session Minutes 2020-07-21Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado July 21, 2020
Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the PLANNING COMMISSION of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held virtually on Google Meet.
Commission: Chair Matt Comstock, Vice-Chair Matthew Heiser, Commissioners Joe Elkins, Howard Hanson, Steve Murphree
Attending: Comstock, Elkins, Heiser, Hanson
Also Attending: Director Hunt, Senior Planner Woeber, Planner II Bergeron, Recording Secretary Swanlund, Town Attorney Kramer
Absent: Murphree
Vice-Chair Heiser called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. This study session was held virtually via Google Meet and was streamed and recorded on the Town of Estes Park YouTube channel.
Director Hunt reviewed the subject of this study session, which was wholly devoted to Estes Park Development Code issues and concerns. In May of 2017, a master list of amendments needed
was presented to the Town Board and was approved. An outline list (approximately 50 items) was presented for overall scope. Specific goals would be to shorten the Code by 25%, update
language and procedures to 21st Century standards and have clear and understandable regulations. The Community Development staff hopes that pressing amendments can be moved on with
“all deliberate speed.” Attorney Kramer stated that the Code needs to be updated from scratch, but intermittent fixes will be necessary. Director Hunt is submitting grant proposal
for a comprehensive plan rewrite and is hoping for a 50% match from the State. Ideally, a comprehensive plan should precede the code amendment rewrite. If the grant is not received,
the comp plan updating will be delayed, but code amendment rewrites will still need to be done. An important question is how much more development we can accomodate without overly degrading
the quality of life that citizens value.
Vice-Chair Heiser remarked that moving forward, redevelopment incentives and finding ways to make investing money in older properties worthwhile should be a priority. Director Hunt agreed
and noted that Building Code and Development Code updates should overlap with a comp plan rewrite, and that is often overlooked. He recognized that redevelopment is our economic future.
Landscaping requirements and parking standards are also high-priority, as are essential processes to address and update.
If no rewrite happens, Commissioner Hanson suggested making a clear list of priorities and moving ahead with some urgency, having a benign effect on the Comp Plan. Perhaps using another
community’s code and modifying it to Estes Park could be an option rather than reinventing the wheel. Attorney Kramer responded that a lot of the problems with our Code are nuts and
bolts problems about processes and getting everyone on board and understanding the ‘what’ and ‘why’ is a process in its own right. Comstock wondered how to “eat the elephant”. Noting
that the Commission is compiled of new members and the upcoming schedule is light, he asked if it would it be possible to do two amendments per meeting. Heiser suggested that staff
reach out to local design professionals and ask what they see as hurdles and what could help their process. It would be useful to streamline the time frame and process. Residents in
the county feel disenfranchised, and the Planning Commission will be scrutinized.
Attorney Kramer noted that the Planning Commission’s role is to make recommendations and review processes to the Town Board of Trustees. Code Amendments are ordinances and would be
action items for the Board of Trustees.
Possible steps to take:
Prioritize most urgent
Look at another community’s Code
Refer to an older version of Codes from Estes Park and find a middle ground
Amendments to get started on in September-October:
Parking
Downtown Building Height
Chair Comstock adjourned the study session at 12:55 p.m.
Karin Swanlund, Recording Secretary
Planning Commission Study Session July 21, 2020 – Page 2
Planning Commission Study Session August 20, 2019– Page 3