HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Special Study Session 2021-12-01RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado,December 1,2021
Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD of the Town
of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado.Meeting held at Town Hall in
said Town of Estes Park on the 1st day of December,2021.
Board:Mayor Koenig,Trustees Bangs,Cenac,MacAlpine,
Martchink,Webermeier and Younglund
Attending:Mayor Koenig,Trustees Bangs,Cenac,MacAlpine,
Marichink,and Webermeier
Also Attending:Town Administrator Machalek,Assistant Town
Administrator Damweber,Attorney Kramer,Director/Town
Clerk Williamson
Absent:Trustee Younglund
Mayor Pro Tem Martchink called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.and Mayor Koenig
joined the meeting at 5:40 p.m.
VACATION HOME FEE STUDY
Mollie Fitzpatrick/Root Policy stated the study would quantify the relationship between
the operation of vacation homes in Town and the cost and availability of workforce
housing.The scope of work would include background research to review the shifts in
housing stock,prices,and affordability;vacation homes and second home ownership
trends;the number of vacation homes;and the socioeconomic trends.The impact (fee)
analysis would include a review in price escalation in the housing market triggered by
vacation home activity;and the displacement of permanent resident housing stock
(long-term rentals and resident owner-occupied units)for the use as vacation home
rental inventory.The approach quantifies both of these impacts at the Town level and
then distributes that impact over the total number of vacation homes to determine the
per vacation home “cost”to the Town.She reviewed the typical methodologies used to
analyze the impact of vacation homes on the local housing market,including the survey
responses on displacement,descriptive statistics,demand analysis,and supply
analysis.She recommended the Town’s study utilize the descriptive statistics to review
the historical housing market and economic trends in Estes Park and supply analysis.
Root Policy would propose designing an econometric model to analyze and develop a
nexus calculation,and depending on the analysis,a fee calculation would be determine
using an affordability gap method.
Discussion was heard and summarized:questioned if the fee study would be
approached to develop a fee outcome;questioned if the impact would be correlated in
the tee;supported the methodology presented;clarified the Town Board has not
approved a fee to date and would use the study to determine if a future fee would be
assessed;determine how the funds could be used effectively to address the housing
issue if a fee is adopted;and could the demand analysis be used in the methodology.
Ms.Fitzpatrick stated if an impact can be determined a fee would be presented for the
Board’s consideration and would be legally defensible.She noted approval to collect a
fee would be at the Board’s discretion.She further clarified the study may conclude no
direct impact;therefore,no fee could be assessed.Attorney Kramer further clarified the
philosophy of the study would be to quantify the impact of vacation homes on workforce
housing.It would be a policy decision of the Board to determine how much of a fee to
charge to offset the impact.
There being no further business,Mayor Koenig adjourned the meetingat 6:16 p.m.
3kie Williamson,Town Clerk