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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board 2022-08-23Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, August 23, 2022 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 23rd day of August, 2022. Present: Also Present: Wendy Koenig, Mayor Scott Webermeier, Mayor Pro Tem Trustees Marie Cenac Kirby Hazelton Barbara MacAlpine Patrick Martchink Cindy Younglund Travis Machalek, Town Administrator Jason Damweber, Assistant Town Administrator Dan Kramer, Town Attorney Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk Bunny Victoria Beers, Deputy Town Clerk Absent: None Mayor Koenig called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so, recited the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA APPROVAL. Trustee Younglund requested the Workforce Housing Regulatory Linkage Fee discussion item be removed from the agenda. Trustee Hazelton requested clarification on public comment on non -agenda and non -actionable items. The Board agreed to allow public comment on the discussion item following approval of the agenda and Trustee Younglund removed her request. It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Webermeier) to approve the Agenda as presented, and it passed unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS. Cato Kraft, Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center (EPNRC) Executive Director introduced Gena Duran, the new Diversity Engagement Coordinator. Director Kraft acknowledged the $12,000 increase in EPNRC base funding request which would help offset the cost of the new position. Gena Duran stated her excitement to collaborate and build trusting relationships with members of the community in her new role. Members of the public spoke in favor of repealing Ordinance 02-22 which established the Workforce Housing Regulatory Linkage Fee including: Bob Fixter/Town citizen, Carissa Streib/Estes Chamber of Commerce Board Chair and William Brown/Town citizen. Comments have been summarized: Concerns for double taxation on vacation home operators; HB22-1117 and the proposed increase to the lodging tax to address workforce housing and childcare initiatives; and lack of community support for the ballot issue to increase the lodging and accommodations tax without repealing Ordinance 02-22. TRUSTEE COMMENTS. Trustee comments have been summarized: Both Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meetings in August were cancelled to allow consultants time to continue work on the comprehensive plan; the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition program on Climate Change and Sustainability was well attended and established climate change as a concern for the community; Trustee Cenac would attend the Colorado Association of Ski Towns August meeting, topics for discussion would include State and Federal Immigration Issues, U.S. Forest Service Regional Recreation Investment Strategy and roundtables related to housing and other issues; Western Heritage would dissolve with funds being transferred over to the Foundation and the event being organized by the Town moving forward; Visit Estes Park would host a roundtable discussion on marketing strategy, ongoing efforts and to allow public input on the upcoming ballot issue; Police Auxiliary September and October training would be focused on defensive tactics and radio communication and have started their school zone monitoring operations to ensure the safety of the students in the upcoming year; the Estes Park Economic Development Board of Trustees — August 23, 2022 — Page 2 Corporation (EDC) reviewed 2022 budget amendments and would hold a series of Fall events; Scott Moulton to join the EDC Board; the Transportation Advisory Board received a mid -summer parking update from The Car Park and discussed Cleave Street Improvement options and encouraged the community provide input through the survey; Downtown Wayfinding survey results can be viewed on the Town's website; the Behavioral Health Committee had selected a number of organizations for 2023 funding and would consider expanding further; and the Mayor announced the Department of Local Affairs awarded a grant in the amount of $1,190,250 to assist with the Estes Park Broadband Planning and Implementation Project. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT. Town Administrator Machalek stated a public meeting would be held on August 25, 2022 regarding conceptual designs and to elicit feedback on the Cleave Street Improvement p roject. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Bills. 2. Town Board Minutes dated August 9, 2022. 3. Family Advisory Board Minutes dated July 7, 2022 (acknowledgment only). 4. Change Order for a Contract Extension of the 2022 Overlay & Patching Program with Coulson Excavating Co. Inc., for $227,042 — Budgeted. 5. Resolution 63-22 First Extension of the Memorandum of Understanding for Workforce Housing Occupancy Certification with the Estes Park Housing Authority. 6. Resolution 64-22 Intergovernmental Agreement for Fleet Services with the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, $43,885 — Budgeted. 7. Resolution 65-22 Amendment to Idlewild Water Lease. It was moved and seconded (Webermeier/Younglund) to approve the Consent Agenda, and it passed unanimously. REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS: (Outside Entities). 1. ESTES PARK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (EDC) UPDATE. EDC Chair Cramer and President/CEO Shake provided an update on EDC efforts, the Business Accelerator Services of Estes Program, and workforce development. He stated approximately 20 businesses would participate in the program in 2022. Key problems identified in the community included: declining and aging workforce, workforce attraction and retention, demand for workforce housing, demand for childcare services, better entrepreneurial ecosystem, frequency/intensity of natural disasters and resulting business recovery challenges. He outlined opportunities for success related to economic development impact, the EDC vision, workforce housing initiatives and housing advocating accomplishments. He elaborated on the missing middle and highlighted the importance of discussing living wage. EDC Chair Cramer provided information on the E-Center formed by the Ecosystem Committee which allows key innovators the ability to tell their story during sessions held throughout Town. The Board requested more information on the metrics utilized to measure success for businesses to which the EDC responded they collect data through program surveys and would have more data after the 2022 BASE program conclusion. ACTION ITEMS: 1. RESOLUTION 66-22 2022 ESTES VALLEY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN (CWPP). Town Administrator Machalek stated the Estes Valley Fire Protection District (EVRPD) collaborated with the Town, Larimer County, the Colorado State Forest Service and the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition to update the 2009 CWPP to address changing conditions and take advantage of fire science breakthroughs. EVFPD Chief Wolf provided a history of eleven wildfires in the valley since 2000. The CWPP would entail four main steps: Community Engagement, Wildfire Risk Analysis, Project Prioritization and On -the Ground Action. The plan was completed by The Ember Alliance. He reviewed a Board of Trustees — August 23, 2022 — Page 3 relative risk mapping which helped identify project priority areas. Highlights of the updates include a wildfire risk analysis, prioritization of mitigation activities, and implementation recommendations. The plan would be utilized as a tool for the Fire District, Town, land managers, residents, communities, and homeowner's associations (HOA's) to prioritize projects to make the Estes Valley a safer and more resilient community against wildfire. Staff recommended adoption of the 2022 CWPP signifying a commitment to work with community partners to implement the recommendations contained in the plan. It was moved and seconded (Webermeier/Hazelton) to approve Resolution 66-22 and it passed unanimously. REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS: 1. WORKFORCE HOUSING REGULATORY LINKAGE FEE. At the Board's request Town Clerk Williamson provided an overview of the history of the fee study, final results and Ordinance 02-22 approved on March 22, 2022. Attorney Kramer stated Ordinance 02-22 was in effect and staff would begin collecting the linkage fee at the beginning of 2023 concurrently with annual renewals of vacation home licenses. Board comments and questions have been summarized: What the total number of short term rental licenses are in valley; whether staff had any information related to County changes currently being discussed; clarification was requested on the residential CAP and the $15,000 increase from March in potential funding; when the linkage fee would be collected, and if approved by voters when would the increased lodging and accommodations tax be collected. Mayor Koenig recommended tabling the discussion until the results of the November election and requested Board comments. Mayor Pro Tem Webermeier requested staff prepare an ordinance to repeal Ordinance 02-22 and supported a decision in advance of the November election. A majority of the Board were in favor of tabling the discussion. Comments have been summarized: HB22-1117 would be an opportunity for substantial funding which should not be contingent upon the repeal of the linkage fee; whether the lodging increase passes in November there have been no funds collected to address workforce housing and childcare needs in the community to date; both the linkage fee and lodging tax increase would provide approximately $5.9 million dollars which could begin to address the issues; the linkage fee if removed would represent approximately 11 of the funding anticipated if both the linkage fee and the lodging tax increase are implemented. The Board was in agreement to schedule a special study session in November 2022 following the November 8, 2022 General Election to further discuss the linkage fee. Whereupon Mayor Koenig adjourned the meeting at 9:03 p ig, Mayor Burlictoria Beers, Deputy Town Clerk