HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2025-02-11RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado February 11, 2025
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 11th day of February, 2025.
Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
Attending: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, and Lancaster
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Attorney Kramer, Manager
Klein and Town Clerk Williamson
Absent: Trustee Younglund and Deputy Town Administrator
Damweber
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 4:21 p.m.
DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW. Manager Klein provided an
overview of the plan adopted by the Town Board on January 23, 2018 which contained
four implementation phases. The four primary goals included enhancing the ease of
visitor access to downtown by encouraging parking turnover, encourage the use of
parking lots outside of downtown, improve the use of multimodal transportation options,
and identify cost effective options for expanding parking supply in downtown. He
reviewed each phase assumptions, recommendations and action completed by staff.
Phase 1 highlights consisted of performing 19 public outreach meetings and collected
195 comments from the public, hired a staff manager to implement the Phase 1
recommendations in 2018, 2019, 2020, and updated time-limited signage, expanded
wayfinding signage, and mobilized a License Plate Recognition vehicle. Phase 2
consisted of hiring a contractor, The Car Park, to implement a paid parking rate of
$2/hour in 682 parking spaces in 2021-2025 with program revenue covering expenses
each year and contributed to transit operational costs in 2024, installed 15 pay stations,
one mobile LPR unit, one stationary LPR unit, and 5 hand-held ticketing units, and
revised residential permit from 1 hour to 2 hours free per day. Phase 3 and 4 have not
been operationalized by staff. Staff stated a recent question was posed on the impacts
of a year-round parking plan that was free. Staff stated the impact would likely result in
the downtown parking spaces being occupied by long term parkers, especially during
the 150 peak visitor days; individuals would overstay the parking limits and accept the
parking tickets creating less turnover; comments from business owner and visitors on
where to park and businesses owners voicing concern on available parking for
customers without time limited spots; and how to fund parking enforcement without the
associated revenues from paid parking.
Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: questioned with the Loop
completed if paid parking would assist with traffic flow and turnover; it remains difficult to
isolate the impacts of paid parking on the congestion; how are parking enforcement and
monetizing parking impacting parking management downtown; the Town has an
opportunity to pause paid parking to determine the impact of the Loop and timed entry
has on congestion; paid parking cultivates a negative impression of the community;
would suggest a review of the plan and evaluate next steps by taking a holistic view of
parking as there are different issues to address throughout the year; questioned if there
are enough parking ambassadors; commented there are a number of factors impacting
the downtown experience with parking as one factor; concern was raised on
jeopardizing the progress that has been made with parking and traffic improvements by
eliminating paid parking, even for one year; paid parking has become a norm in
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Town Board Study Session - February 11, 2025 - Page 2
comparable communities; the cost of implementing year-round parking management
would be cost prohibitive; and the parking plan was adopted as a cost neutral plan.
Staff comments were summarized: a travel time analysis was conducted in the past
years and demonstrated the year after implementation of paid parking there was a
reduction in travel time; reverting to free parking would come at a cost to parking space
availability and the turnover rate; and demand base pricing would assist with the
turnover rate during certain times of the year or during event specific days.
BIG HORN PARKING STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION FUNDING. Manager Klein
provided a brief history on previous discussion with the Town Board on the concept,
design, and construction of the parking structure located at the corner of Big Horn and
Cleave. At the May 14, 2024 study session, the Town Board directed staff to issue a
formal request for proposals for the design of a 3-level parking structure with
approximately 136 parking spaces, and an alternative to include costs for designing the
structural and utility components for a future additional level for housing. Proposals
were received in August 2024 and the second ranked fee proposal of approximately
$461,000 exceeded the funds available. Staff has identified additional funds from the
savings realized with the completion of the Community Drive roundabout that could be
reallocated to the project. The Board directed staff to come forward early in 2025 to
discuss available General Fund revenue to supplement the Parking Fund and discuss
financing and debt service options for the design. Staff outlined recommended steps to
be taken in 2025 if the Board agreed to move forward with the project, including seeking
a budget amendment to identify required funds to complete the design work and enter
into a contract with the second ranked fee proposal, inform the community of the need
to fund the annual debt service for the parking structure construction loan, outline the
parking fee and/or scope changes needed in 2026 to service the construction debt
beginning in 2026 through 2046, and the Town Board to consider a loan or
lease/purchase agreement sufficient to pay for the construction and financing of the
parking structure. Staff further laid out options to pay for the debt services on the
construction of a parking structure in 2026, noting a number of options are available
including increasing the hourly parking rate from $2 to $2.75 or adding additional
downtown paid parking spaces.
Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: questioned how the businesses
along West Elkhorn Avenue viewed the proposed parking structure; may be the perfect
location for employee parking; what other options are available to expand parking
downtown; this project needs to be reviewed with other Town priorities; supports the
need for accessible parking downtown, for those living in the area, and for those
accessing businesses on Cleave Street; concerned with the long term potential in the
area as there may be a higher potential for the area than a parking garage; and
concerned that additional funds are being spent on another parking garage when the
current parking garage remains underutilized during the peak season. Board consensus
was to move forward with the design cost for the project and bring forward a budget
amendment as identified by staff. After further conversation on how to pay for the
construction of the project, the Board's general direction was to increase the number of
paid parking spaces downtown rather than increasing the cost to park downtown.
Staff noted there are six additional locations identified to expand downtown parking;
however, this location was noted as the highest priority due to the removal of parking
spaces during the Cleave Street construction.
Mayor Hall called a 15 minute break for dinner at 5:26 pm and reconvened the meeting
at 5:42 p.m.
DISCUSS REVIEW OF TOWN PROCESS FOR APPROVING HIGH-IMPACT
PROJECTS. Trustee Igel requested a review of Town processes, specifically around
the consideration and approval of high-impact projects. If the Board would like to
proceed with a review two options would be available: 1) Deputy Town Administrator
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Town Board Study Session - February 11, 2025 - Page 3
Damweber would complete an in-house review of processes, or 2) the Board may direct
staff to complete a Request for Proposal (RFP) to hire a consultant to complete the
review. A refined scope would need to be developed with specific elements outlined for
a consultant before issuing the RFP.
Board discussion was heard and summarized: commented on the need to review
projects from a priority perspective and then look for grants rather than finding projects
for available grants; developing a review process for projects on what the Town may do
differently and how to improve implementation on future projects; concerned that staff
may perceive direction from the Board during discussions that has not be directly
provided; stated large capital projects can span different Boards and are carryover from
previous Boards; the strategic plan should drive projects in a cooperative process with
the staff and the Board; the Town has a workable process and the review could be an
educational opportunity for the public; and a standard flowchart should be developed on
how the Town makes decisions for major projects. The Board consensus was to have
Deputy Town Administrator Damweber review the process that would include
recommendations on what may require an after-action process for projects.
FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.
It was requested and determined to add a discussion on the vacation home waitlist and
the State Wildfire Code to the approved and unscheduled list.
Trustee Lancaster suggested a joint study session with the Planning Commission to
discuss rezoning, the criteria for rezoning, and definition of workforce housing and
associated bonuses for density. Trustee Brown agreed and suggested the use of a
facilitator.
COMMENTS & QUESTIONS.
None.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 6:22 p.m.
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J^ie Williamson, Town Clerk