HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Planning Commission 2024-05-21Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, May 21, 2024
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the ESTES PARK PLANNING COMMISSION of the
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in said Town of Estes Park
on May 21, 2024.
Commission: Chair Matt Comstock, Charles Cooper, Chris Pawson
Attending: Chair Comstock, Commissioners Cooper, Pawson,
Community Development Steve Careccia, Senior Planner
Paul Hornbeck, Recording Secretary Karin Swanlund, Town
Attorney Dan Kramer, Town Board Liaison Frank Lancaster
Absent:
Chair Comstock called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. There were five people in
attendance.
AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Pawson/Cooper) to approve the agenda. The motion
passed 3-0.
INTRODUCTIONS
PUBLIC COMMENT: none
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Pawson/Cooper) to approve the consent agenda. The
motion passed 3-0.
ACTION ITEMS
Election of Officers:
It was moved and seconded (Cooper/Pawson) to nominate Matt Comstock as chair.
The motion passed 3-0. (verbal)
It was moved and seconded (Pawson/Comstock) to nominate Chuck Cooper as Vice
Chair. The motion passed 3-0. (verbal)
Rezone Request 540-550 W Elkhorn Ave Senior Planner Hornbeck
Elkhorn Plaza Association, owner / Van Horn Engineering, applicant
Planner Hornbeck reviewed the staff report. 540 and 550 West Elkhorn Avenue is a
0.84-acre site currently zoned RM (Multi-Family Residential), containing fifteen
residential condominium units in two buildings. In 2000, the property was rezoned from
C-O to R-M as a part of the larger valley-wide update to land use regulations and the
zoning map. There is no record as to why this particular property was rezoned at that
time, but one possible explanation is that commercial zoning did not match the
residential use of the property. Staff recommended the Planning Commission forward a
recommendation of denial to the Town Board of Trustees, including the following
findings: not compatible or consistent with the policies and intent of the comprehensive
plan, mainly housing opportunities sufficient to support a multigenerational, year-round
community and limiting of short-term rentals.
Discussion:
Split zoning is when a single lot has more than two zone districts.
Spot zoning is when a rezoning is done to ensure a specific use can be done on the
property in an irrational way and without regard to the Comprehensive Plan to allow a
development to go through.
Planning Commission – May 21, 2024 – Page 2
Joe Coop, Van Horn Engineering, reiterated the history of the condominiums. Internal lot
conditions drive this request, which is not a major change. This area has always been a
spot for nightly rentals. The Comprehensive Plan calls for this type of use close to
downtown.
Public Comment: summarized
Gerald Mayo, 265 Lookout Street. His family has owned one of the Condos since 1972.
Units have been used as rentals off and on for decades. The property is surrounded by
CO zoning, and giving CO zoning back to the apartments will not change the world.
Jim Doctor, 521 Grand Estates Dr, there is a greater return on investment and wear and
tear on property far less with short-term rentals.
Discussion:
A moratorium exists on applying for a short-term rental in residential zone districts.
Commercial districts have no waitlist.
Pawson had concerns with the nonconforming use change and “jumping the STR line,”
stating that he believes short-term rentals are hampering long-term rentals.
Comstock had questions about the order of rezoning and requested variances for the
three separate lots. Combining the lots first would not affect staff recommendations.
It was moved and seconded (Pawson/Cooper) to forward a recommendation of denial
to the Town Board of Trustees of the Zoning Map Amendment application, according to
findings of fact recommended by Staff. The motion passed 3-0.
REPORTS:
A green light has been given to issue the RFP for the Development Code rewrite. Once
a consultant has been hired, the anticipated completion is 18-24 months.
Applications are still being taken to fill the two open positions on the Planning
Commission.
There being no further business, Chair Comstock adjourned the meeting at 2:30 p.m.
_______________________________
Chair Comstock
Karin Swanlund, Recording Secretary