HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Planning Commission 2021-06-15Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado,June 15,2021
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the ESTES PARK PLANNING
COMMISSION of the Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado.
Meeting held VIRTUALLY in said Town of Estes Park on the 15 day of June
2021.
Committee:Chair Malt Comstock,Vice-Chair Maffhew Heiser,
Commissioners Joe Elkins,Howard Hanson,Janene
Cent urione.
Mending:Chair Comstock,Vice-Chair Heiser.Commissioner
Centurione,Commissioner Elkins.Commissioner Hanson,
Director Randy Hunt,Senior Planner Jeff Woeber,Planner II
Alex Bergeron,Planning Technician Charlie Rugaber,
Recording Secretary Karin Swanlund,Town Attorney Dan
Kramer,Town Board Liaison Barbara MacAlpine,Pavement
Manager Ryan Barr,Public Works Director Greg Muhonen
Absent:none
Chair Comstock called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.Also attending were Matt Ashby
and Mike Scholl,Ayres Associates consultants.
AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Hanson)to approve the agenda.The motion
passed 5-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT.
None
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Elkins)to approve the consent agenda.The
motion passed 5-0.
ACTION ITEMS
1.CODE AMENDMENT:WIRELESS TELECOM FACILITIES
Senior Planner Woeber
Staff requested this item be continued to the July 20,2021 meeting.
It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Hanson)to continue the Code Amendment to
July 20,2021.The motion passed 5-0.
2.LOCATION AND EXTENT:BIG THOMPSON RECREATION AREA
Planner II Bergeron
The Town of Estes Park Public Works Department,through its Parks division,
proposes to install three new picnic shelters (each with a table and benches),a
-climbing boulder with a safety pad,a garden,a new walkway,and some rock steps
(for river access)at the Big Thompson Recreational &Picnic Area.The Town’s
Public Works Department pursued and was awarded a Great Outdoors Colorado
(GOCO)grant.The Parking Structure,which went through a development plan
review and approval process (along with a variance process)in 2014,received a
formal Location and Extent (L&E)Review.For that reason is included in this review.
No further improvements are proposed in this L&E Review or modified Development
Plan for the completed Parking Structure.Staff recommended approval of the
location and extent of the public improvements and the associated revised
Development Plan.
Vice-Chair Heiser asked if the Town has authority to regulate the Bureau of
Reclamation property.Planner Bergeron confirmed that the federal government
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gave authorization through a Special Use Permit,which is understood as the
controlling document.Attorney Kramer stated that any property in town limits could
be regulated under our development code,with some special exemptions.
The internal review produced a staff comment noting that an underground power line
runs through the site.Pavement Manager Barr confirmed that the location is known
and structures will not be built over the buried power line.Attorney Kramer noted
that this review is to make sure there is no impact on the neighborhood or anything
missed in the study by staff.In response to a question on the matter,Public Works
Director Muhonen stated that separation between the west driveway and the
proposed park area is unnecessary as there is no active traffic on that driveway.It is
only used by the Bureau of Land Management during the dredging of the river.
Heiser asked for clarification on prior conditions of approval from the former
Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment were met and Director Hunt
confirmed that the Parking Garage does have a Certificate of Occupancy.
PUBLIC COMMENT:none
It was moved and seconded (Hanson/Centurione)to APPROVE the described
Location and Extent Review and the associated modified Development Plan.The
motion passed 5-0.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
DOWNTOWN BUILDING HEIGHT:
Constultants from Ayres Associates Mike Scholl and Man Ashby reviewed the
why/what/how of the Code amendment under consideration to allow a greater building
height in the CD (Downtown Commercial)Zone District.This includes 42 feet as use-by-
right,and the review of proposed design guidelines for buildings above 30 feet,all
exclusive to the CD zone district.In addition,stepbacks.building articulation,building
materials and transparency were discussed.It was questioned if articulation and
materials need to be regulated as they could be a mailer of style preference.
There was considerable discussion on developers’needs,floodplains and the
fundamental goal of increasing building height.Expanding downtown inventory with
economic development and financial incentives are needed.In conclusion,there is
some desire for simple articulation and transparency and no desire to regulate the use
of building materials.A final discussion can take place in the July meeting,with a
possible public hearing in August.
WILDFIRE MITIGATION:
A Memorandum of Understanding between Headwaters Economics,Inc.and the Town
hasa been agreed upon to guide the Town’s participation in the latter’s Community
Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW)program.
This includes strategic communication,practical assistance with code rewrites,and
partnerships development (RMNP,USFS).Director Hunt also thanked the Estes Park
Middle School 6th graders for their thoughtful letter regarding wildfire mitigation.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE:
Meetings are scheduled on the 2’and 4th Thursdays at 9:00 a.m.Matt Heiser is the
Chair of CompPAC,and Bob Leavitt is the Vice-Chair.The Planning Commission will
be sent links to the CompPAC meeting materials.Public engagement strategies and
large-scale public meetings are planned,with smaller focus groups and individualized
outreach meetings looking for one-on-one ideas.On August 26,the CompPAC meeting
will be a joint meeting with EPPC and LCPAC.
Voluntary homework for Planning Commission:two issues you think are most important
for the Comp Plan to address and two keywords you would like to see in the Vision
Statement.
BYLAWS UPDATE:
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Attorney Kramer and Town Clerk Williamson have updated the template.One change
is the numbers used for a quorum.There were no outstanding concerns from the
Planning Commission.
REPORTS:
June 24 will be a meet-and-greet
candidates from 5:30-6:30 at the
for the four Community Development Director
Museum.
There being no further business,Chair Comstock adjou
‘*6rin Swanlund,Recording Secretary
at 4:05 p.m.
M att
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