HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board & Estes Park Planning Commission Study Session 2025-03-18RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado March 18, 2025
Minutes of a Joint Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD & ESTES
PARK PLANNING COMMISSION 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 18th day of March, 2025.
Town Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
Planning Commission: Chair Cooper, Vice Chair Arterburn, Commissioners Mulhern
and Pawson
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Attorney Kramer, Director
Careccia, Facilitator Stewart and Deputy Town Clerk Beers
Absent: Trustee Younglund and Commissioner Pawson
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 2:40 p.m.
The study session was facilitated by Susan Stewart who began the session with
meeting guidelines for productive conversations.
FREQUENCY OF FUTURE JOINT MEETINGS, It was determined the Town Board and
Estes Park Planning Commission would hold regular study sessions quarterly. Staff
requested feedback on whether the meetings would be facilitated, meeting location, set
up, and content for agendas. Town Administrator Machalek recommended updates on
the joint sessions at Town Board Study Sessions.
REZONING CRITERIA. Discussion ensued on Estes Park Development Code Section
3.3. D. 1 "changes in conditions" and opportunities to provide clarity on the reference in
the code. Common questions related to "changes in conditions" identified by Facilitator
Stewart from the Town Board and Planning Commission included: area/boundaries,
time frame, connections to the Comprehensive Plan, housing studies, wildlife migration,
number of changes in conditions, and identifying an importance value for items
identified. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: pros and cons for
changing the language from "changes in conditions" to other options including
"compatibility with the neighborhood"; the importance of utilizing the Comprehensive
Plan and community input therein; it was mentioned and determined there would not be
value in directing staff to research other municipalities rezoning criteria and the group
would review the Department of Local Affairs criteria for rezoning at a future meeting.
Director Careccia requested direction on the level of public engagement, desired
settings for the Town Board and Planning Commission to hear options for updates to
the rezoning criteria. The Town Board and Planning Commission agreed no changes
would be made to Section 3.3.D.3 for the rezoning statement and requested flexibility
on scheduling the next joint session due to staff workload.
After additional discussion on values and the correlation between the rezoning criteria
and community needs, it was determined the Town Board and Planning Commission
would review and discuss the Comprehensive Plan guiding principles and would define
mixed-use zoning at a future meeting.
WORKFORCE. AFFORDABLE. AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING DEFINITIONS.
Facilitator Stewart stated the existing code contains a definition for attainable housing
while no definition exists for affordable housing. Discussion ensued regarding items for
the next meeting including: clarifying the definition of workforce housing; define
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town Board Study Session - March 18, 2025 - Page 2
affordable housing while balancing community needs; identify incentives; discuss how
the current code language incentivizes density bonuses to achieve affordable housing;
and discuss potential modifications to accessory dwelling units (ADD) to further
increase housing opportunities. Current market data on year-round and seasonal
housing needs, housing availability and other local data was requested to be presented
at a future meeting.
Agreement was heard for facilitated meetings and an invitation was extended to Estes
Park Housing Authority Director Moulton to provide information around the current
housing data requested.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 4:34 p.m.
nny~Victoria Beers, Deputy Town Clerk