HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Joint Study Session 2022-08-19Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado August 19, 2022
Minutes of a Joint Study Session meeting of the ESTES PARK TOWN
BOARD and LARIMER COUNTY COMMISSION of the Town of Estes
Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in said Town of Estes Park
on the 19th day of August 2022.
Town Board: Mayor Koenig, Mayor Pro Tem Webermeier, Trustees
Cenac, Hazelton, MacAlpine, Martchink and Younglund
County Commission: Chair Kefalas, Commissioners Shadduck-McNally and
Stephens
Also Attending: Assistant Town Administrator Damweber, Attorney Kramer,
County Manager Volker, County Community Planning
Director Kadrich, Public Works Director Muhonen and
Deputy Town Clerk Beers
Absent: Trustee Cenac and Town Administrator Machalek.
STORMWATER AUTHORITY DISCUSSION. Director Muhonen stated the stormwater
utility concepts had been researched and discussed for the last four years. Building
encroachment toward streams has increased over time further increasing the risk of
repetitive flood damage in the Estes Valley. The Estes Valley Stormwater Management
Programs implementation relies on decisions about scope, service area, and funding.
Director Muhonen anticipated funding from three sources: grants at 20%, ($28 million),
user fees at 30% ($40 million), and sales tax at 50% ($70 million) for a total program
cost of $138 million by the year 2050. Coordinating a sales tax ballot question would be
complex due to the expansive area of the program. The Elected Boards agreed the
program area should be defined as the watershed and acknowledged adjustments can
be made over time. Discussion ensued and has been summarized regarding program
funding, imposing a new user fee or sales tax and formation of a special district:
questioned the relationship between neighboring communities within the watershed
which are not in the Estes Valley Development Area and Rocky Mountain National Park;
whether the analyzed area includes vacant lots; questioning the comparison between
the watershed and utility service area for the Town; associating the fee with impervious
area in a fair way for land which would eventually be built to contribute to the
administrative fee of the program; reviewing uninhabited land which contains impervious
area; imposing a fee on developed property and not including vacant property; benefits
of tying a rate solely to impervious area and its complexities; clarification was requested
regarding the process of referring the item to the voters, timing and past community
outreach efforts; concerns were stated for back to back tax questions posed to the
voters; comparison between a fee and a sales tax; whether staff has generated a map
reflecting the shrinkage of the floodplain after program completion; safety concerns
were heard related to the decrease in time between catastrophic events; interest in
pursuing funding from the infrastructure and climate bills; contingency plans if funding
sources do not reach anticipated percentages; and the prioritization. Discussion ensued
regarding property tax and implications of creating a special district. It was noted the
stormwater authority would be voted on by the Planning Commission for the County.
Consensus was reached to draft an intergovernmental agreement, direct staff to
research cost models and grant funding opportunities and bring information back to the
Board in approximately three months.
There being no further business, Mayor Koenig adjourned the meeting at 3:25 p.m.
Bunn ctoria Beers, Deputy Town Clerk