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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Valley Planning Commission 2000-05-16Regular Meeting of the Estes Valley Planning Commission May 16, 2000, 1:30 p.m. Board Room (Room 130), Estes Park Municipal Building Commission: Chair Edward Pohl, Commissioners Wendell Amos, Joyce Kitchen, Ed McKinney, Cherie Pettyjohn, and Dominick Taddonio Attending: Chair Pohl, Commissioners Amos, Kitchen, McKinney, Pettyjohn and Taddonio Also Attending: Director Stamey, Town Attorney White, Larimer County Chief Planner Russ Legg, Senior Planner Joseph, Planner Shirk, and Recording Secretary Wheatley Absent: None Chair Pohl called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. and noted six commissioners were present with one commissioner seat vacant. 1. MINUTES of the April 18, 2000 meeting were approved as presented. 2. DEVELOPMENT PLAN Development Plan 00-06, Location & Extent Review, Fall River Hydroelectric Plant Renovation, Applicant: Town of Estes Park. Mike Mangelsen of the Town Light & Power Department was present representing the applicant. Senior Planner Joseph reviewed the staff report. This is a location & extent review for a public facility. This is an historic renovation of the hydro plant for a museum use. One of the two accessory buildings is to be used for restrooms/orientation/storage space and the one north of the plant is to be used for Town employee housing. The restoration is generally consistent with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Site disturbance, as it applies to the Code, will be minimal. Portions of the old drives and paths will be revegetated. Posts and footings will be used to support the corner of the building that extends into the river channel which will prevent further erosion. Parking will be located down the existing driveway to the east. The roadway will be not be paved at this time but the road will be maintained for the low volume of traffic that is expected. Exterior security lighting will be shielded. Staff recommended approval with conditions. Mike Mangelsen commented on the history of the project and answered the Planning Commissioners questions. There has been a two-year process in procuring a grant from the State Historical Society to do the renovation. There is not a planned approach to removing the noxious weeds from the area. The access road (Fish Hatchery Road) can be accessed from two locations off Highway 34. The Sheriff’s Department has this site on their scheduled routes for security checks. Public Comment: Larry Gamble, Rocky Mountain National Park – represented the Park and spoke in favor of the project. The Town has abandoned the water right to divert water that was mentioned in the letter from RMNP. Director Stamey reviewed the comments received from the agencies. Betty Kilsdonk, Museum Director, reviewed some of the history of the power plant. It is listed on the State Historical Registry. It was moved and seconded (McKinney/Amos) that Development Plan 00-06, Estes Valley Planning Commission – May 16, 2000 Page 2 Location & Extent Review, Fall River Hydroelectric Plant Renovation, be approved with the following conditions, and it passed unanimously. 1. The vested rights statement and related signature blocks should be added to the Development Plan sheet. 2. The proposed employee-housing cottage should have one parking space located next to it. 3. A flood plain development permit should be obtained prior to working in the river channel. 4. Any outside trash storage should be secured against bears. 5. The Owner should be responsible for erosion control as required to prevent the discharges of erosion of soil or fill material into the river. 6. Mitigation study and removal of noxious weeds should be included in those areas where revegetation is planned. Chair Pohl welcomed David Shirk as the new Planner II to the Planning Staff. 3. EVDC MODIFICATIONS Chair Pohl opened the Public Hearing regarding the EVDC modifications at 2:00 p.m. Director Stamey reviewed the modifications and noted that some would be continued to next month. 1. Vacation Rentals – Table 5-1 will be corrected to reflect the adopted intent of the Boards. Action recommended. 2. Junk violations enforcement should be added to the Code. The County regulation is included in their Code, but they have just revised their regulations and definition. After a review of the County revision, a proposed change will be recommended. Continue. 3. The legal lot definition will also be revised. Continue. 4. Outdoor storage and sales activities are explained in more detail in Section 7.13 and in Definitions Section 13.2 (33.5). Also a line item of “Outdoor Sales” should be added to Table 4-4. Action recommended. 5. Accessory Buildings should be further reviewed and additional information will be presented. Recent inquiries have revealed the need for clarification in the Code. Continue. 6. A proposed Add-On Agreement provision will be submitted. Continue. Public Comment: Judy Lamy – requested a copy of the proposed changes. A corrected copy of Table 5-1 was reviewed. The correction is necessary to coincide with the approved regulation to allow short-term rentals in the County portion of the Planning Area. Copy attached. It was moved and seconded (Amos/Kitchen) to recommend to the Boards the correction of Table 5-1 (Vacation Rentals) and it passed unanimously. The Commission reviewed a proposed change regarding outdoor sales, prepared by Town Attorney White. Copy attached. Director Stamey summarized the need for clarification in dealing with outdoor sales. The current Code covers outdoor sales only as an accessory use or a temporary use. To deal with outdoor sales as a primary use, Table 4-4 needs to be modified adding outdoor sales as a primary use; Section 7.13 needs additional language; and the definition of “outdoor sales” needs to be added to Chapter 13. The Commissioners requested that outdoor sales should be permitted in C-O district only by Special Review. Public Comment: Estes Valley Planning Commission – May 16, 2000 Page 3 Larry Gamble – commented on the need for parking. Town Attorney White noted that the definition of outdoor sales needs to include “any sales under a permanent canopy.” Commissioner Amos requested that staff complete their reports prior to making their presentation to the Commission. There being no further public comments, Chair Pohl closed the public hearing. It was moved and seconded (Amos/Pettyjohn) to recommend to the Boards the revisions to Table 4-4, Section 7.13 and Chapter 13 regarding Outdoor Sales and it passed unanimously. Junk Enforcement - Chief Planner Legg updated the Commission on the changes adopted by the Board of County Commissioners the previous evening regarding junk regulations. Add-On Agreement and Boundary Line Adjustment – Paul Kochevar from Estes Park Surveyors spoke in favor of the Add-On Agreement provision which is currently in use by the County. The current Code could be simplified by using the County procedures. County does not allow this procedure in a recorded subdivision and only applies to metes and bounds properties. Staff will provide appropriate language for consideration to add this provision to the Code. Modifications to the current Boundary Line Adjustment process may also be recommended. Accessory Buildings – Senior Planner Joseph reported on staff research thus far. The old Town Code limited garage space to a 3-car garage. The new Code limits total garage space to 1,000 square feet. Staff suggests revising this provision to consider a combined total of square footage in relation to the size of the lot or size of the structure. Detached accessory living quarters are not included in this discussion. Some other Codes in the area are as follows: A) Fort Collins sets a total of 2,500 square feet. B) Jefferson County sets 1,000 square feet for garages only like the current Code. C) Steamboat Springs sets limits to 10% of the floor area of the principal use or structure (excluding garage space). D) Larimer County uses a percentage of coverage. Town Attorney White urged the Commissioners to focus on the size and not the use. Use limitations would be difficult to interpret. Commissioners suggested limiting the smaller lot zonings to a percentage of the dwelling and the larger lot zonings to a percentage of lot sizes. Staff will prepare a formal proposal. Commissioner Amos left the meeting at 2:40 p.m. 3. REPORTS There were no other reports. There being no further business, Chair Pohl adjourned the meeting at 2:50 p.m. __________________________________ Edward Pohl, Chair __________________________________ Meribeth Wheatley, Recording Secretary