HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Joint Town Board & Estes Park Planning Commission Study Session 2025-08-26RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado August 7, 2025
Minutes of a Joint Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD and
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 7th day of August, 2025.
Town Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
Planning Commission: Chair Cooper and Commissioner Phares
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Town Attorney Kramer,
Director Careccia, Facilitator Stewart and Deputy Town
Clerk Beers
Absent: Vice Chair Arterburn, Commissioners Mulhern and Pawson
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m.
Introductions were made and the study session was facilitated by Susan Stewart. She
provided an overview of discussions held during the March 18, 2025 joint study session.
REZONING CRITERIA.
Director Careccia and Town Attorney Kramer briefly spoke regarding the rezoning
criteria research from other jurisdictions including references to change in conditions.
Staff requested direction on any proposed code amendments for change in conditions.
Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: importance of determining
evaluation criteria related to change in conditions and consideration of property rights; •
rezoning criteria options such as public benefit, environmental protections and
compatibility with surrounding areas; including code language to allow technical
correction to zoning in special circumstances and impacts if change in conditions was
removed from the code. After additional discussion. Town Administrator Machalek
recommended staff draft text amendments with a broad range of rezoning criteria for
consideration at a future study session.
WORKFORCE, AFFORDABLE, AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING DEFINITIONS.
Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA) Director Scott Moulton presented an overview of
housing terms and definitions. Affordable housing in general are households paying no
more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs. Attainable housing was defined
as available housing matching a community's standard or predominant income levels,
generally attainable for members of the community. The Estes Park Development Code
(EPDC) defines attainable housing as units attainable to households earning 150% of
the Larimer County area median income (AMI) or below, adjusted for household size
which applies to renter and owner-occupied homes. EPDC defines workforce housing
as at least one resident in each unit being employed within the Estes Park School
District R-3 boundary. He reviewed the current housing inventory highlighting the
increase of more than 200 units with recent acquisitions and expanded housing options
added to the community due to the increase funding from 6E. He reviewed the
community workforce qualification income demographics, a snapshot of local job
openings in 2025, deed restricted housing occupancy, private rentals, and home
ownership.
Board comments and questions have been summarized: requested clarification on deed
restricted housing and whether community changes in development can impact
established deed restrictions; homeownership opportunities which are equitable across
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town Board Study Session - August 7,2025 - Page 2
all segments of the community; discussion ensued regarding the lack of options in
previous years for teachers, police, etc., which has improved with recent housing
opportunities throughout the community; density bonuses and focus areas to address
the needs of lower AMI; perceptions of what affordable housing looks like; missing-
middle AMI; the Board was sensitive to the impacts of addressing current needs without
creating or further contributing to any existing gap in the community; how changes in the
economy and transportation improvements, which expand travel opportunities in the
region, could change future considerations; concerns the upper AMI would be saturated
and reflect less options for the lower AMI; and the importance of homeownership
options.
Director Moulton stated the EPHA housing stock provides options in the community with
restricted use to develop balance overtime, and the EPHA focus would change to home
ownership, lower AMI housing, and seasonal housing.
The EPHA and Town staff would bring forward concepts for consideration which
incorporate the elements of the discussion and input from impacted members of the
community, including developers. It was determined the next discussion would occur at
each respective Board or Commission study session due to difficulties scheduling joint
meetings.
FREQUENCY OF FUTURE JOINT MEETINGS.
It was suggested and determined the Town Board and Estes Park Planning
Commission would hold facilitated study sessions in January and August of each year,
and a special joint study session would be scheduled in November or December to
discuss annexation.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.
u.-^. ^
ictoria Beers, Deputy Town Clerk