HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2025-03-25Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, March 25, 2025
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes
Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall in said Town
of Estes Park on the 25th day of March, 2025.
Present: Gary Hall, Mayor
Marie Cenac, Mayor Pro Tem
Trustees Bill Brown
Kirby Hazelton
Mark Igel
Frank Lancaster
Cindy Younglund
Also Present: Travis Machalek, Town Administrator
Jason Damweber, Deputy Town Administrator
Dan Kramer, Town Attorney
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk
Absent: None
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so, recited the
Pledge of Allegiance.
PROCLAMATION. Mayor Hall proclaimed April 25, 2025 as Arbor Day and announce the
winners of the poster contest.
PROCLAMATION. Mayor Hall proclaimed May 3, 2025 as The Great Estes Park Duck
Race.
GRADUATIQ^ CEREMONY: 2025 COMMUNITY INFORMATION ACADEMY (CIA)
PARTICIPANTS. Mayor Hall, Town Administrator Machalek, and Public Information
Officer Miller present participation certificates to all particants in this year's program.
AGENDA APPROVAL.
It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Brown) to approve the Agenda, and it passed
unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
Rut Miller/EVICS Executive Director and daughter Isabell invited the Board and the
community to recognize April as the month of the child with a celebration on April 7, 2025
at the Mountainview Bible Church.
John Guffey/Town resident stated concern with the roundabout at MacGregor Avenue
and Wonderview Avenue due to the speed cars enter the intersection. He commented
the community should do all it can to maintain the speeds on roadway such at Devil's
Gulch due to bike traffic and a lack of bike lanes.
Nick Thomas/Town resident thanked the Board and the staff for the Community
Information Academy and requested the Board continue to support the program.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS.
Board comments were heard and have been summarized: Sister Cities sent high school
students to Costa Rica Monteverde during spring break, with a presentation by the
students in April; Restorative Justice facilitated the joint study session between the Town
Board and the Estes Park Planning Commission on March 18, 2025; welcomed Megan
Graperthe new Restorative Justice Coordinator; Visit Estes Park CEO search committee
would reconvene to determine the next steps in the search for a new CEO; encouraged
participation in the Community Police Academy; the Estes Park Housing Authority would
purchase software to streamline the maintenance of 355 units; proposed consideration of
Board of Trustees - March 25, 2025 - Page 2
an amendment to the Estes Park Development Code to address the use of a carousel in
the CD Commercial Downtown zoning district at the April 8, 2025 meeting; and the
Rooftop Rodeo parade would be held on July 7, 2025 on Elkhorn Avenue and encouraged
businesses and clubs to get involved.
TOWN ADM^^^^^^
Town Administrator Machalek questioned the addition of the code amendment to address
the allowed use of a carousel in the CD Commercial Downtown zoning district and Board
consensus was to add the item to the April 8, 2025 meeting.
Town Administrator Machalek reviewed his policy governance report and stated full
compliance with policies 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11.
Staff has submitted an application to rename the Post Office Parking Lot to the Baldwin
Parking Lot and per policy the item was brought forward to the Board. Board consensus
was to add the item to the April 8, 2025 meeting for consideration.
CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Bills.
2. Town Board Meeting and Study Session Minutes dated March 11,2025.
3. Town Board Strategic Planning Study Session #1 Minutes dated March 13, 2025.
4. Estes Park Planning Commission Minutes dated February 18, 2025.
5. Resolution 21-25 Larimer County Contract Amendment for the Fish Hatchery Housing
Project to remove restrictive American Rescue Plan (ARPA) language/requirements
and extend the timeline to December 31, 2027.
6. Revisions to Town Board Policy 101 - Board Assignments.
7. Appointment to the Estes Park Housing Authority Board of Commissioners of Stacy
Ciolli to complete a term expiring April 30, 2027.
8. Acceptance of Town Administrator Policy Governance Monitoring Report.
It was moved and seconded (Igel/Younglund) to approve the Consent Agenda,and it
passed unanimously.
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS: (Outside Entities).
1. BASE FUNDING REPORT - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & WORKFORCE
COUNCIL (EDWC). Director DePasquale/Estes Park Chamber of Commerce
President and Christina Kraft/EDWC Chair provided a presentation to review the
council, the importance of economic development, and the highlights for 2024 and
upcoming items for 2025. A few of the key highlights for 2024 included the
development and redesign of training opportuinities, a monthly newsletter, business
surveys to determine needs, and conducted site selection visit with Larimer County.
The Council would develop an operating plan in 2025, develop additional traininings,
develop case work process and goals for 2025, and hired an Operations Manager.
Board comments and questions were heard and summarized: questioned the impact
to the organization if base funding was not provided; recongized the importance of the
programming provided by the organization; stated BASE2 programming should be
considered; and an exit strategy on how to exit your business and welcome the new
owners should be considered.
PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS:
1. ACTION ITEMS:
A. RESOLUTION 22-25 REGARDING ELKHORN PLAZA CONDOMINIUMS
AMENDED PLAT, ELKHORN PLAZA CONDOMINIUM HOA,
OWNER/APPLICANT. Mayor Hall opened the public hearing. Senior Planner
Hornbeck presented an application for an amended subdivision plat to combine
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three individual lots into one, amend the limited and general common elements to
accommodate larger decks on the 15 existing condominiums, and vacate an
access easement. The current lots are zoned CO Outlying Commercial and
contain two condominium buildings at 540 and 550 W. Elkhorn Avenue. The
amended plat would vacate a road easement to access the northern lot, which
would no longer be needed with the unified ownership. Mayor Hall closed the
public hearing. It was moved and seconded (Igel/Hazelton) to approve
Resolution 22-25, and it passed unanimously.
B. ORDINANCE 03-25. ZONING MAP AMENDMENT. 1895 FALL RIVER RD,
K1NLEY BUILT LLC, OWNER/APPLICANT. Mayor Hall opened the public
hearing. Senior Planner Hornbeck reviewed a request to rezone the property from
CO Outlying Commercial to A Accommodations. The current property, 2.29 acres,
contains an office building built in 1975 and was the former location of the Rocky
Mountain Conservancy in the unincorporated Larimer County. The applicant has
submitted an application for a development plan for a new three story hotel with
26 accommodation units and two staff housing units as a concurrent review with
the rezoning request. The Estes Park Planning Commission approved the
development plan, with conditions, on February 18, 2025 and contingent on the
Town Board approval of the rezoning. If the rezoning should be denied the
development plan would be nullified. Staff reviewed the rezoning criteria and found
the rezoning to A would allow future development in alignment with the existing
character of the area; the request would further align with the 2022 Estes Forward
Comprehensive Plan for a mixed-use centers and corridors for this property; and
adequate public services would be available as required by the providers.
Town Board comments and questions were heard and have been summarized:
the level of site disturbance with the proposed development was questioned;
concerned with the number of parking spaces included in the development plan
with the inclusion of the spa and meeting room; and commented on the current
zoning being an outlyer for the area that contains mainly A and A-1 zoned
properties.
Mayor Hall closed the public hearing. It was moved and seconded
(Igel/Hazelton) to approve Ordinance 03-25, and it passed unanimously.
ACTIONITEMS:
1. RESOLUTION 23-25 INTERGOVERNMENTAL GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE
COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE F^^ HARDENING, BUDGETED. Director
Bergsten and Line Superintendent Lockhart stated the Town was notified the utility
received a $538,262 grant combined with an in-kind labor match of $184,633 from the
Colorado Energy Office to increase the resilency to the electric system through grid
hardening. The improvements would increase reliabitlity and allow the lines to handle
future load capacity. The project would further the use of a PRPA utility-scale battery
required to support the transition. Katlyn Reeves/County resident stated support for
the project. It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Hazelton) to approve
Resolution 23-25, and it passed unanimously.
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. ANNEXATION REFERRAL- ELKHORN LODGE PHASE II. Senior Planner
Hornbeck provided an overview of the annexation petition as required by the Colorado
Revised Statutes stating the applicant has requested a 40-acre tract of land southwest
of the historic Elkhorn Lodge be annexed for the development of two 110 room hotels,
55-65 treehouse cabins, a 8-10 relocated historic cabins from the current lodge
property. A development plan would be required to be submitted for consideration but
has not be submitted with the current referral. A Planned Unit Development (PUD)
zoning overlay may also be considered with any development. The subject property
does include steep slopes of up to 20-30%, subject to the ridgeline protection
standards of the Development Code, located within two mapped hazard areas: wildfire
and geologic, and within a mapped wildlife habitat area. Sections of the Development
Board of Trustees - March 25,2025 - Page 4
Code would apply to the review of a development plan and would require items such
as a wildfire mitigation plan, geologic hazard mitigation plan, limited fencing, lighting,
and non-native landscaping to mention a few. Larimer County has zoned the property
as EV RE which allows low-density single-family residential development, with a
maximum density of 1 unit per 2.5-acres. The Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan
has designated the propety as low-density accommodations, including rustic lodges,
resorts, and cabins that are developed in rural areas at a lower density and intensity
than urban hotel or motel lodging. A-1 Accommodations/Low-lntensity zoning district
would most closely align with the Comprehensive Plan. The applicant has requested
A Accommodations/Highway Corridor zoning with the annexation petition, which
would allow hotels and resort lodges/cabins at a higher density of units per square
feet. Utilities and services would be available or can be provided through
improvements. The Estes Valley Fire Protection District has indicated a minimum of
two points of access would be require to the site, as well as fire sprinklers in all
buildings. A traffic study has been completed and contemplates three access points
to the site: Elm Road, Elkhorn Avenue via an extension of the private drive through
the historic lodge site, and an emergency-only access to Old Man Mountain Lane. A
western bypass has been recommended in the past with alternatives traversing the
subject property to provide a connection between Moraine Avenue and Wonderview
Drive. The draft 2045 Transportation Plan has recognized the challenges with
construction of a bypass, and therefore, has a reduced scope option of providing a
local street connection from Elm Road to Old Ranger Drive, which continues to be
supported by Public Works for future disaster events and inclusion in the the proposed
annexation. No formal action was requested by the Board, rather a general level of
support for the annexation, requested accommodation development, and density.
John Romero/Galloway and Justin Maby/East Avenue provided an overview of the
proposed annexation and development stating the intent would be to preserve the site
by integrating the development into the landscape with dense building to avoid
additional roads thereby reducing impact on the property, maintain horse trails, and to
provide sustainable tourism. They noted the area would be considered urbanized due
to the proximity to downtown and the adjacent commercial use. It was noted the
annexation would allow greater flexibilty for the Town to direct development of the
property, be subject to Town requirements, the Town could require the property owner
to meet site specific development standards, provide additional measures to mitigate
development impacts, the Town would receive tax revenue, and the development
could facilitate a roadway connection between Moraine Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue
to serve as an important emergency access route.
Public comment opposing the development were heard from Joan Hooper/County
resident, Kathlyn Reeves/County resident, Jim Fisherkeller/Town resident, Gerardo
Rojas/Town resident, Max Burkhalter/County resident, Gina Stine/County resident
and Kristine Poppitz/County resident and included concerns on the wildlife corridor
through the property; the need to complete a new wildlife study; the current zoning
has been in place to protect the area; concern with the impact on the environment;
requested the Board protect the current zoning; concern with the wildfire risk and the
increase insurance costs; the development would negatively impact the local economy
due to the impact on the wildlife; opposed the the road over the top of Elm Road;
concern with the completion of the traffic study during the winter and not during the
busiest time of the year; the difficulty traffic has turing out of Elm Road onto Moraine
Avenue today without additional traffic flow; and the need to see the impact of Phase
I of the development before adding additional accommodation units to the
development.
Trustee comments and questions have been summarized: questioned if the road over
Elm Road would be a public road or specifically for emergency access; stated a new
traffic study should be considered with the completion of Phase I; additional revenue
from the development would be needed to replace lost revenue from other projects;
annexation of the property provides Town control of the land use and other issues; a
light would be needed at the Moraine Avenue and Elm Road intersection regardless
of the proposed development; and the development raises many questions that could
Board of Trustees - March 25,2025 - Page 5
be addressed if the Board moves forward with considering the annexation. Board
consensus was to move the annexation process forward.
It was moved and seconded (Cenac/Hazelton) to extend the meeting past 10:00 p.m.,
and it passed with Mayor Pro Tem Cenac voting "No".
REQUEST TO ENTEREXECUTIVE SESSION:
It was moved and seconded (Brown/Hazelton) to enter into executive session for the
purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to
negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and/or instructing negotiators -
Section 24-6-402(4)(e) C.R.S; and for a conference with an attorney for the Board
for the purposes of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions - Section 24-
6-402(4)(b) C.R.S. - SpringhiII Suites Hotel (Olympus Lodge) Annexation
Agreement, and it passed unanimously.
Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 10:00 p.m. to enter executive session.
The Board concluded Executive Session at 10:46 p.m.
Whereupon Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 10:47 p.m.
Gary Hall ,xayor
^ ^ A."^ j C^> Q ^t—Ct—t^
(JSpkie Williamson, Town Clerk