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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2024-05-14RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado May 14, 2024 Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in the Board Room in said Town of Estes Park on the 14th day of May, 2024. Board: Mayor Hall, Trustees Brown, Cenac, Hazelton, 'gel, Lancaster, and Younglund Attending: All Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator Damweber, Town Attorney Kramer, and Town Clerk Williamson Absent: None. Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. BIG HORN PARKING STRUCTURE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR 3RD AND 4TH LEVEL. Director Muhonen presented three options for the construction of a parking structure at the corner of Cleave Street and Big Horn Avenue. Option 1 proposed a two - level microstructure consisting of ground level parking accessed from Cleave Street, an additional level accessible from Big Horn Drive with an estimated 40-45 new parking spaces and $2 million to construct. Option 2 would create a three -level structure with an additional level accessible from Big Horn Drive, an additional 40-45 spaces on the third level and an estimated $4 million to construct. Option 3 would consist of design only for a future fourth level to accommodate residential housing units with no additional parking, elevator design, foundation and structural elements for housing, and a construction cost element of $8 million. Increased flexibility would allow staff to implement construction in phases and adapt to changing needs for parking and/or housing. Financing for the project would be dependent on the option supported; however, Town parking revenues consist of $190,000 that could be used for design. Additional funding would be needed to pay for the design of Options 2 and 3. The annual operational costs would increase by $15,000 for Facilities to maintain the structure. Staff requested input on a preferred option to be incorporated into a Request for Proposal for the design of the parking structure and future budget requests. Board discussion was heard and has been summarized: questioned if the number of housing units had been identified; the need for ADA accessible parking located on the first level of the parking structure due to the slope of Big Horn Drive; use of the parking garage by residents and businesses; questioned the clearance for ADA vans in the lower -level; structural design capable of converting into future housing; neighborhood impact concerns; and interest in an RFP with additional alternates to provide information on other costs associated with Option 3. Staff would issue an RFP for Option 2 with an additional alternate to consider design costs for Option 3. RELIEF FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPACTS FROM CONSTRUCTION. Town Administrator Machalek provided a brief review of the $42 million "Downtown Estes Loop" project which leverages a Town investment of $5.71 million to improve access to Rocky Mountain National Park by reducing traffic congestion in downtown Estes Park. Construction by partner agencies, Central Federal Lands Highway Division and the Colorado Department of Transportation, began in the spring of 2023 with completion estimated by January 2025. With construction at its most impactful phase and with widespread disruption to traffic, businesses in the downtown core have reported financial losses attributed to the construction activities. Sales tax receipts for RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town Board Study Session — May 14, 2024 — Page 2 the first two months of the year have been down 8.71% from the same period in 2023. Staff presented options for the Board's consideration to provide relief to downtown businesses, including direct financial aid payments similar to relief provided during COVID-19, sales tax rebate program, Town utility assistance, marketing match, and a one-time moratorium on paid parking in 2024. It was noted that any program developed would not fully compensate businesses for losses during the construction. Board discussion followed and has been summarized: the impacts to the local businesses are greater than the downtown businesses due to the totality of the construction within and around Estes Park; questioned if businesses downtown pay utilities; could relief be provided by other partner agencies such as CDOT; concern was raised on the loss of future year visitation and how to encourage return visits; marketing the community through VEP and reminding visitors the construction would be temporary; utilizing criteria to evaluate the business loss was successful during COVID and could be developed for the construction impact; marketing that the Town remains open would benefit the entire community; a moratorium on paid parking for 2024 may have the opposite impact with employees rather than visitors using the parking spaces; a moratorium on parking would increase frustration of visitors circling for open spaces; questioned what the threshold should be for providing support to businesses in the current circumstances and future situations; the Town created the impact and negative situation and should consider a one-year moratorium on paid parking for 2024 as a good will offer to the visitors; would support the development of talking points for businesses and staff to assist in addressing the issue in a positive manner; potential sales tax relief with a cap for individual businesses would be the fiduciarily responsible option; validating parking could assist with the paid parking element; marketing takes time and may not be impactful for the 2024 season; Public comment was heard from Chuck Scott/Coffee on the Rocks, Colleen DePasquale/Estes Park Chamber of Commerce, John Meissner/Town citizen, and Val Thompson/You Need Pie stating concern with the lack of urgency to complete construction especially the Moraine Avenue wall; daily comments have been received by the Chamber regarding the impact to revenues; efforts to identify grant funding for additional marketing continue; the impacts to businesses are significant and well exceed what the Town could support; commented the Town should have had the forethought to set aside funds to support the businesses during construction; and visitors to the community state Estes Park has become unfriendly due to paid parking, the Park reservation system, construction, etc. Additional comments included the need to encourage use of the trolley and other outlying parking options versus parking downtown; request the support of the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce for any distribution of the direct payments to businesses; requested a review of the sales tax numbers for the Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) communities to determine how the current economy and construction are impacting similar communities; a moratorium on paid parking would make a large news impact; and service industry businesses do not collect sales tax. Board conversation was heard to provide the staff direction on next steps and included a consensus against a moratorium on paid parking, support for additional marketing of the community, provide relief funding to businesses similar to the efforts used during COVID, continue outreach with partner agencies to complete necessary construction before Memorial Day and support the Mayor in writing a letter to Governor Polis. GOVERNANCE ORIENTATION. The Board requested the item be moved to the regular session. TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS Trustee Lancaster requested a future discussion on licensing arborist within town limits and requiring certification and worker's compensation. With insurance companies requiring the removal of trees within 30 feet of homes, it would benefit the community to RECORD OF PRVcEEcnmoe Town Board Study Session — May 14,2024—Page 3 have trained, certified, and oN||ed individuals performing the work. He stated other communities in Colorado require certification for licensing. Mayor Hsd| requested a discussion on reorganizing Trustee Talks to include the Mayor attending each with one other Trustee in lieu of a separate Mayor Talk. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. It was determined to add Mayor/Trustee Talk and Bed & Breakfast and Vacation Homo Cap discussions for May 28, 2024, Guiding Policy for the Implementation of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Readiness Plan and Occupancy Limit Code Changes to Comply with New State Law unJune 11.2O24.next steps for the Town -owned parcel at Elm Rd and Moraine Ave on Juno 25, 2024. Capacity Improvements along the Big Thompson and Fall River for September 10. 2024. and Arboriet Lioonaing, Liquor Licensing Process and Curb and Gutter Philosophy toAppmved/Unoohoduled. There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 6:49 p.m. ~'__*� 01P. —