HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Planning Commission 2024-10-15Town ofEstesPark, Larimer County, Colorado, October 15, 2024
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the ESTES PARK PLANNING COMMISSION of the
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting was held in said Town of Estes
Park on October 15, 2024.
Commission: Chair Charles Cooper, Vice Chair David Arterburn, Dick
Mulhern, Chris Pawson, Jeff Robbins
Attending: Commissioners Cooper, Arterburn, Pawson, Mulhern,
Robbins, Senior Planner Hornbeck, Recording Secretary
Karin Swanlund, Community Development Director Steve
Careccia
Absent: None
Chair Cooper called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.
INTRODUCTIONS
AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Arterburn/Robbins) to approve the agenda. The motion
passed 5-0.
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Robbins/Mulhern) to approve the consent agenda. The
motion passed 5-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT: none
ACTION ITEM
1. Large Vacation Home 1850 Fall River Road #5 Senior Planner Hornbeck
Planner Hornbeck reviewed the staff report. The owners recently purchased the
property and are seeking approval to operate it as a Large Vacation Home. The
property has three bedrooms currently. Per Code (Sees 5.1.B.2.a and 5.1.B.2.b),
occupancy of a Vacation Home is limited to two persons per bedroom plus two
additional persons, all within the overall limitation of 8 people for a standard
Vacation Home or more than 8 people for a Large Vacation Home. The
applicants propose to remodel the home, within its existing footprint, to add a
fourth bedroom. This would be accomplished by dividing a large existing
bedroom into two smaller bedrooms. In this case, the four bedrooms would allow
a maximum of 10 occupants. Staff recommended approval of the request.
Owners of the other four units on the property submitted letters of approval.
DISCUSSION:
The items discussed were the distance of the lot line to the river, guests vs.
overnight guests, parking on the street vs. property, and why a Life Safety
Inspection was not needed. The background of large vacation homes was also
discussed. Pawson expressed concerns that approving this request could result
in a "free-for-all" of new applications. Arterburn noted that Codes are written for
situations like this, and public hearings give the applicant a way forward.
Applicants Gary and Sally Meyers were present for questions. They
thanked the Commission for their consideration and explained the buying
process for the property.
It was moved and seconded (Arterburn/Robbins) to approve the Large Vacation
Home application as presented, subject to the following:
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Planning Commission - October 15, 2024 - Page 2
1. Occupancy is limited to 10 vacation home occupants per stay.
2. The Planning Commission finds that this Large Vacation Home's location
on a lot of less than one acre and building setback of less than 25 feet are
offset by adequate screening and/or buffering measures currently in place.
3. Applicant shall obtain a building permit prior to construction of the fourth
bedroom. A certificate of occupancy or completion shall be obtained
before using the fourth bedroom or operation as Large Vacation Home.
4. Applicant shall update the Town business license and associated fees
prior to operation as a Large Vacation Home, including a new in-home
posting with updated occupancy and maximum number of parked cars
allowed.
5. Applicant shall set up a site visit with the Sewer District and be subject to
System Development Fee prior to operation as Large Vacation Home.
The motion passed 4-1, with Pawson voting against.
DISCUSSION:
Director Careccia discussed the request to change the day and time of the Planning
Commission meetings. The bylaws state that the meetings shall be on third Tuesdays at
1:30 p.m. To make this change, an action item would be brought to the Planning
Commission to be adopted, then to the Town Board for a final decision.
Finding new members due to time constraints has not been an issue; however, the
former Chair resigned due to work conflicts.
The Chair or Community Development Director could change the day on an ad hoc
basis. It was noted that this should be the exception, not the rule.
Arterburn favored keeping the day and time as is, and Robbins and Mulhern agreed.
Therefore, it was decided not to pursue a change.
Director Careccia reviewed the Development Code update. Five staff members held
three consultant interviews. Evaluations are in progress, and a decision is expected by
the end of the week.
The Commission requested information on the Wildlife Corridor Map Survey be
presented at the next meeting.
There being no further business, Chair Cooper adjourned the meeting at 2:20 p.m.
^/ice Chair David Arterburn
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Karin Swanlund, Recording Secretary