HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Study Session EP Planning Commission 2022-10-18Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado October 18, 2022
Minutes of a Joint Study Session of the PLANNING COMMISSION of Estes Park and
the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, Larimer County, Colorado. The meeting
was held in the Town Board Room, 170 MacGregor Avenue in said town.
Commission: Chair Matt Comstock, Vice-Chair Matthew Heiser,
Commissioners Joe Elkins, Howard Hanson
Attending: Comstock, Hanson, Heiser, Elkins
CompPac members
Attending: Chuck Cooper, Frank Theis, Karen Thompson, Dave Shirk,
John Schnipkoweit
Also Attending: Director Jessica Garner, Senior Planner Jeff Woeber, Town
Attorney Dan Kramer, Town Board Liaison Barbara
MacAlpine, Recording Secretary Karin Swanlund
Absent: none
Chair Comstock called the meeting to order at 11:30 a.m.
The purpose of this joint Study Session was to review the final draft version of the
Comprehensive Plan. Miriam McGilvray, lead project manager from Logan Simpson,
was in attendance for the review.
Director Garner noted that public comments received earlier today were related to the
Missing Middle memo included in the meeting packet, not associated with the
Comprehensive Plan.
McGilvray reviewed the highlights of the plan process over the past 18 months and the
four chapters that make up the draft Comprehensive Plan. Also reviewed were the
public comments received, both online and from the four in-person meetings that were
held.
A 30-minute lunch break was taken.
CompPac chair Matt Heiser thanked the committee, Town and County Staff, and the
public for their hard work and input during the process. He asked for comments from
the CompPac committee.
No CompPac members commented when given the opportunity.
Planning Commission Study Session October 18, 2022 – Page 2
Frank Theis relayed a comment from a community member over the frustration at the
lack of opportunity for undocumented community members to participate. Elkins asked
if there was a way to include those people in the 11th hour.
Commissioner Hanson asked about the process going forward, i.e., what happens with
all of the comments, and how the document gets edited when the need arises. Director
Garner stated that public comment closes on October 23 and will be incorporated into
the draft document as necessary. The final draft will be brought before the Planning
Commission on November 15, followed by the Town Board adoption in December.
Larimer County will also review and adopt the Plan.
Dave Shirk, CompPac member, stated that putting more weight on the public comments
that show up last minute does a disservice to the longevity of the work that has been
done. He thanked Chair Heiser for all his time and work keeping order and level head
through this process.
Frank Theis, a member of the Estes Valley Planning Advisory Committee and
CompPac, noted that areas in the County should be looked at for Future Land Use.
For clarification, it was noted that the appendices are adopted with the Plan. Other
documents, i.e., wildlife protection and housing needs study that come along later, will
be adopted as they are ready.
Director Garner mentioned that the Missing Middle study, being worked on by Ayres
Associates, is looking at maximizing density and exploring options on how to make this
happen. The memo included in the packet was intended to update the Planning
Commission and will be brought back for discussion in the future.
Chair Comstock adjourned the Study Session at 1:45 p.m.
Karin Swanlund, Recording Secretary