HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2012-06-12Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, June 12, 2012
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 12`h day of June, 2012. Meeting called to
order by Mayor Pinkham.
Present:
Also Present:
William C. Pinkham, Mayor
Eric Blackhurst, Mayor Pro Tem
Trustees Mark Elrod
John Ericson
Wendy Koenig
Ron Norris
John Phipps
Greg White, Town Attorney
Frank Lancaster, Town Administrator
Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk
Absent: Lowell Richardson, Assistant Town Administrator
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so,
recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
Charley Dickey, Town resident, updated the Board on activities of the Estes Valley
Partners for Commerce (EVPC) including: EVPC membership continues to increase;
May "Business After Hours" was well attended and was co -hosted by a dozen
businesses; the next "Business After Hours" will be held in September; EVPC dinner
will be held on June 21st at the Twin Owls Steakhouse at which time a local business
will be honored for contributions to the community; and educational offerings include
workshops on effective advocacy, strategic planning, and utilizing social media.
Dick Spielman, Town resident, urged the Board to address traffic congestion and
transportation issues. He suggested the Board set priorities and look at changes to
signage that could be done quickly and have a positive impact on congestion.
TOWN BOARD COMMENTS 1 LIAISON REPORTS.
Trustee Ericson said the assistance of Community Service Officers is helping to keep
busy weekend traffic moving at the intersection of Moraine and Elkhorn Avenues; the
shuttle system will be operating soon to help with traffic congestion; and that programs
are being planned with community organizations to present the recommendations of the
Transportation Visioning Committee. He noted that the percentage of sales tax
collected by Larimer County will decrease from .8% to .6% on July 1, 2012; the Town's
Audit Committee will meet on Thursday, June 14th to review the Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report (CAFR) which will be brought to the Board for adoption on June 26,
2012; and said that Trustee Phipps will be the Town's representative on the Larimer
County Open Lands Advisory Board.
Trustee Phipps read an announcement related to the closure of open space lands due
to the High Park Fire; and said he is looking forward to serving on the Open Lands
Advisory Board and working with its small grants program.
Board of Trustees — June 12, 2012 — Page 2
Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst reminded the public of the regular Estes Park Housing
Authority meeting to be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2012; and the Public Safety,
Utilities, and Public Works Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 14, 2012.
Trustee Koenig said that preparations are underway for the Rooftop Rodeo Parade and
said information about rodeo events can be found on the Town's website. She said the
Sister Cities group will have a booth at the fairgrounds during the Geoblitz in August.
Trustee Norris reported that the Visit Estes Park Board met on June 5th and discussed
the budget cycle, updating board governance policies, and strategic planning; and
received an update from Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) Public Information
Officer Kyle Patterson about plans for the 100th anniversary celebration of RMNP in
2015. Trustee Norris will be attending the Colorado Municipal League (CML) Annual
Conference in Breckenridge June 19th through June 22nd
Mayor Pinkham reported that fire danger is extremely high and in light of the High Park
Fire urged everyone to be exercise caution. In addition, he noted that he recently
spoke with a resident who gave accolades to Town departments and thanked staff for
their efforts to provide service to the citizens of the Estes Valley.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
• The Town of Estes Park provided four staff members and portable stalls to The
Ranch to help with the large number of animals that have been evacuated from
the High Park Fire area.
• Estes Park is not being threatened by the High Park Fire, air quality remains
good, and guests are encouraged to visit.
• The CML Annual Conference will be held in Breckenridge next week with Town
Administrator Lancaster, and Trustees Ericson and Norris attending.
• The Broncos Caravan will be in Estes Park on Wednesday, June 13th and Ride
the Rockies on Thursday, June 14th
1. CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Town Board Minutes dated May 22, 2012, and Town Board Study Session
Minutes dated May 22, 2012.
2. Bills.
3. Committee Minutes:
a. Community Development/Community Services, May 24, 2012.
4. Resolution #06-12 Setting Monthly Wireless Communication Services
Stipend for the Town Administrator.
Trustee Ericson requested that Item #1 — Town Board Meeting and Study Session
Minutes dated May 22, 2012, be removed from the consent agenda.
Trustee Elrod requested that Item #4 — Resolution #06-12, be removed from the
consent agenda.
It was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Koenig) to approve Consent Agenda Items
#2 and #3, and it passed unanimously.
Trustee Ericson requested the Town Board Meeting minutes related to Action Item #2 —
Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) Water Lease to Oil and Gas Industry, be amended
to include a statement clarifying that the Town is not an official shareholder nor does it
have any ownership in PRPA. The Trustees' discussion of the water lease was to
Board of Trustees — June 12, 2012 — Page 3
provide the Town's representatives on the PRPA Board, Mayor Pinkham and Director
Bergsten, with their opinions regarding the lease, and was not intended to instruct them
as to how to vote on the issue. It was moved and seconded (Ericson/Koenig) to
amend the minutes to reflect the addition as discussed, and it passed unanimously.
Trustee Elrod stated that he had no objections related to Resolution #06-12, but
preferred the item be handled as an action item. As there was no discussion, it was
moved and seconded (Norris/Ericson) to approve Resolution #06-12 Setting
Monthly Wireless Communication Services Stipend for the Town Administrator,
and it passed unanimously.
Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst requested that the First Quarter Financial Report be heard
prior to addressing the action items on the agenda.
2. ACTION ITEMS.
1. PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE #06-12 ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE
MODEL TRAFFIC CODE FOR COLORADO, REVISED 2010 AND
APPENDIX.
In 2003 the Town Board adopted the Model Traffic Code which has been used
by Town staff for regulation and enforcement purposes. A newer, revised
version of the Code has been published by the Colorado Department of
Transportation (CDOT) and staff is recommending that the Model Traffic Code,
Revised 2010 be adopted, along with an appendix to the Code. Chief Kufeld
stated that the Code is widely used by Colorado municipalities for parking,
speed regulation, and traffic control regulation; and said that the appendix
contains regulations specific to Estes Park. The proposed appendix is easier
to follow and more consistent with existing signage and current practices in
Estes Park related to parking and speed limits. Chief Kufeld noted that in
order for regulations to be enforceable, they must be included in the appendix.
Attorney White is familiar with the Model Traffic Code and has reviewed the
proposed changes to the appendix. Trustee Elrod asked that the list of parking
lots be updated to include all of the parking lots mentioned in the appendix,
and that the names of the lots be consistent throughout the document. Staff
will make the requested changes and ensure consistency throughout the
document. Attorney White read Ordinance #06-12 into the record. It was
moved and seconded (Norris/Koenig) to approve Ordinance #06-12
adopting by reference the Model Traffic Code for Colorado, Revised 2010
and Appendix, and it passed unanimously.
Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst noted that a box for parking maps is located in each
designated parking lot, however, there are no maps in the boxes. Chief Kufeld
said he would look into obtaining more maps and making sure the boxes are
full.
2. ORDINANCE #07-12 AMENDING MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 9.10 —
FIREWORKS.
An amendment to the Municipal Code related to fireworks was brought forward
by Fire Marshal Tim Spears. In 2011, the Estes Valley Fire Protection District
(EVFPD) adopted the 2009 International Fire Code which authorizes the fire
code official to issue operational permits for fireworks. Currently, the Town
Board of Trustees may grant permits for public displays of fireworks. The
proposed change to the code includes amending Section 9.10.0101
Definitions, and makes the Estes Valley Fire Protection District responsible for
granting permits within the Town for supervised public displays of fireworks.
Trustee Koenig requested that the address of the Fire Station be included in
the ordinance so that people know where to go to obtain an application for a
permit. Attorney White noted that the purpose of the ordinance is to transfer
responsibility to EVFPD, however, the section remains in the Municipal Code
Board of Trustees — June 12, 2012 — Page 4
for enforcement purposes which allows for violations to be heard in Municipal
Court rather than District Court. Attorney White read Ordinance #07-12 into
the record. It was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Phipps) to approve
Ordinance #07-12 amending Municipal Code Chapter 9.10 — Fireworks,
adding the Fire Station address as discussed, and it passed unanimously.
In response to a question about a possible fire ban to be announced by
Governor Hickenlooper, Chief Dorman said it will be up to the Governor to
determine what type of ban to put in place. He said at this time, there are no
plans to cancel public municipal firework displays in Estes Park or other
Colorado communities. He said the media continues to report on the High
Park Fire which is approximately 5% contained.
3. STALL BARN DESIGN AND FAIRGROUND MASTER PLAN FOR THE
NORTHWEST QUADRANT.
The Town received four responses to a Request for Proposal (RFP) that was
issued for the design of a 100-stall facility at Stanley Park. The scope of work
in the RFP included programming uses and master planning for the northwest
quadrant of the fairgrounds which, based on potential uses, may include
additional infrastructure, buildings, additional stalls and integration of
temporary tent structures in the complex. A consultant selection committee
reviewed the submissions, and based on its evaluation of the proposals is
recommending a contract with high -bidder Norris Design due to the firm's
equestrian knowledge and expertise, and background in land planning.
Manager Winslow said the scope of the work is more than designing a stall
barn, it is designing the NW corner of the property, and in order to do that it is
necessary to understand how the entire property will be developed and
utilized. He said the 2005 Master Plan for the fairgrounds was an overview,
and said it is time to get down to ground -level details related to buildings,
grades, elevations, and infrastructure so that, for example, electric and water
service will be correctly positioned and appropriate for future construction
projects on the property.
Discussion is summarized: need to work out the basis of the design first and
return to the Board for approval before a detailed design is started; a stall barn
is necessary due to liability issues but other needs of the facility are not as
clear; immediate need is for 100-stall barn, how close are we to meeting that
need?; is this becoming a mini -Multi -Purpose Event Center (MPEC) in a
different location?; this is not an MPEC, however, auxiliary uses should be
considered; it is important at this stage to know all the pieces of the puzzle so
proper planning for the property can be done; it would be short-sighted not to
support a plan for this portion of the property and look at all potential uses of
the facility; the contract contains a defined scope of service which includes
guiding the Board through the decision -making process, and community
involvement in a public process to come up with a project the Board can
support; stakeholders group will include show managers and users of the
facility, as well as community members and staff; the contract is for the scope
of work only and does not include a promise of further work; and Norris Design
can start work as soon as contract is signed and is willing to work with staff to
accommodate the Town's schedule.
Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst said if this is a master plan for the NW quadrant it
should not be presented as a design for a 100-stall barn. He said he supports
building new horse barns, but perceives this as project creep, going from a
$600,000 stall barn project to a building with ventilation, heat, lighting, and
bathrooms that may cost over $1 million to construct. He said a "Yes" vote
would be voting for project creep and a "No" vote would be voting against long-
range planning. He said the Board has been talking about the same project for
six years and without continuity from one Board to the next, long-range
planning does not make sense. He said if a master plan is needed, call it what
Board of Trustees — June 12, 2012 — Page 5
it is and budget for it, and consider the needs of the Museum and the Senior
Center as well.
Town Administrator Lancaster said it is important to make the facility as flexible
as possible and to look at function and design the form around it. He said with
planning the needs of the community can be met, mistakes related to traffic
patterns and flow can be eliminated, and said the experience of Norris Design
can accomplish this for the Town.
It was moved and seconded (Koenig/Norris) to award a contract for work
on the design of a stall barn and master plan of the NW quadrant of the
Fairgrounds at Stanley Park to Norris Design at a cost of $154,920 from
the Community Reinvestment Fund, and it passed. Those voting "Yes"
Trustees Elrod, Ericson, Koenig, Norris, and Phipps. Mayor Pro Tem
Blackhurst abstained.
4. ESTES VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
Two vacant positions on the seven -member Estes Valley Planning Commission
(EVPC) were advertised in the Estes Park Trail -Gazette resulting in four
applications being received. Interviews of the candidates were performed by a
four -member interview team made up of Trustee Norris, EVPC Chair Klink,
Community Development Director Chilcott, and Planner Shirk. The team
recommends appointing Tom Gresslin to complete the term vacated by Alan
Fraundorf which will expire December 31, 2012; and Kathryn Bowers to
complete the term vacated by Ron Norris which will expire on December 31,
2014. Dir. Chilcott said that both candidates have had previous board
experience and said that during their interviews, they spoke about long range
ideas and planning for the future. It was moved and seconded
(Blackhurst/Phipps) to appoint Tom Gresslin to complete the term of
former commissioner Alan Fraundorf expiring December 31, 2012; and
Kathryn Bowers to complete the term vacated by Ron Norris expiring on
December 31, 2014, and it passed unanimously.
5. ESTES VALLEY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT APPOINTMENT.
The alternate member position on the Estes Valley Board of Adjustment
(EVBOA) is jointly appointed by the Town Board and the Larimer County Board
of Commissioners. This position was previously held by Jeff Moreau, who
became a regular member of the EVBOA in March 2012. An interview team
consisting of Trustee Elrod, EVBOA Chair Lynch, Creative Sign Design Board
Chair Blume, and Director Chilcott interviewed three candidates and is
recommending the appointment of Robert (Chris) Christian as alternate
member for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2012, and expiring June 30,
2015. It was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Koenig) to approve the
appointment of Robert Christian as alternate member to the Estes Valley
Board of Adjustment for a three-year term expiring June 30, 2015, and it
passed unanimously.
3. REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS.
1. FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT.
Assistant Finance Officer McDougall reported that expenditures in the
General Fund are within budgeted parameters coming in at 25.7% of
budget expended with 33% of the year completed. First quarter sales
tax is 9.2% ahead of budget for 2012 and 12.1% ahead of 1st quarter
2011, however, January through March sales tax historically
represents only 13% of the total for the fiscal year. The Food category
accounts for 38% of the sales tax revenue, with lodging, retail, and
construction sectors beginning to rise. Enterprise Fund expenditures
are also within budgeted parameters, however, expenditures will
Board of Trustees — June 12, 2012 — Page 6
increase as capital projects get underway during the spring/summer
month. Light and Power revenues are currently less than expected,
with warm winter weather resulting in lower demand. Due to recent
legislation, municipalities are once again allowed to invest in
government -backed securities that were prohibited when the US
Government rating was downgraded in 2010. The Town has
increased its investment in US instrumentalities for the short-term.
Staff is in the process of completing the 2011 CAFR which will be
presented to the Board at the June 26, 2012, Town Board meeting.
Whereupon Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 9:22 p.m.
Za?----
illiamC. Pinkham, Mayor
Cynthia A. Deats, Deputy Town Clerk