HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Joint Town Board and Estes Park School District 2025-09-09RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, September 9, 2025
Minutes of a Joint meeting of the ESTES PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD and the TOWN BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer
County, Colorado. Meeting in the Board Room in said Town of Estes Park
on the 9th day of September, 2025.
Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
School Board: President Ferree, Vice President Kendall, Directors Davis,
Shochat, and Wyss
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator
Damweber, Town Attorney Kramer, Police Chief Stewart
(virtual), Director Featherston, and Town Clerk Williamson
School Board Superintendent Bode
Absent: Trustees Lancaster and Younglund
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.
DISCUSSION ON A PROPOSAL FOR A LAND EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE TOWN FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSTRUCTING A
NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT FACILITY. Deputy Town Administrator Damweber
reviewed the deficiencies of the current police facility located in Town Hall which
included the lack of secure parking segregated from tourists, inadequate physical
controls for safely transferring arrestees from vehicles to holding cells (sally port),
inadequate secure and integrated evidence storage, lack of emergency operations
center integration, and a lack of communications center integration. The Town
established site review criteria for a new facility: central location to optimize response,
safe and secure facility, operational suitability, site and environmental characteristics,
public access, and financial and logistical feasibility.
The Town and the School District had been engaged in discussions through the Long
Range Planning Committee over the past year on the potential of shared space for
other municipal and school functions due to the declining enrollment. It was determined
through the established site review criteria that "Top Field" would be a viable site for a
new police facility. The Town proposed to the school administration a land swap of three
(3) acres of Town owned land adjacent to the school property which currently houses
the school CTE building through a lease between the entities for approximately three (3)
acres known as "Top Field". The land swap would require a vote of the citizens of Estes
Park. Deputy Town Administrator Damweber further noted the Town staff had reviewed
over 16 properties, including property owned by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) next
to the fire station and Town owned properties, and continues to review options that
include both properties on and off the market. The proposal would allow the School
District to relocate a playground closer to the school, enhance security for the students,
faculty, and staff through reduced response time and deterrence; provide an opportunity
to address traffic issues that exist with school access and improve drop off and pick up
at the elementary; and increase relationship building opportunities. The proposal has
garnered concerns and questions from the School Board and the community including
the School District's need to complete a Master Planning process before considering
the proposal; the existence of leases for the CTE building and the bike track; deed
restrictions on the Stanley property; liability for bike track property for the School
District; traffic during drop-off and pick-up; other possible uses for "Top Field" such as
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town Board & School Board Joint Session - September 9, 2025 - Page 2
housing for teachers; noise from police sirens; and safety concerns related to arrests,
sex offenders registry, and emergency vehicles responding to calls.
Town Board discussion was heard and summarized: commented that a previous facility
needs assessment determined an approximately 30,000 square footage building would
be needed to accommodate the current and future police facility needs for the next 10 to
15 years; questioned if the School District's facilities master planning, strategic planning
and feasibility study could be conducted concurrently to continue to move the land swap
discussions forward; questioned if the minimum acreage needed for the facility could be
decreased; questioned if parking could be placed on top of the building or below grade;
comment on the emotional reaction by the public to the location and suggested as the
facts are know that the public would come to understand the location would in fact be
reasonable; and commented the proposal needs to be reviewed by the School District
before further negotiations can be considered.
School Board discussion was heard and summarized: questioned why the new police
facility would require three (3) acres; questioned the construction timeline; noted it
would be difficult to move forward until the master plan has been completed; stated it
would be good to determine if the proposal would be within the realm of possibility or
not; stated it would be good for the community to understand why the other locations
would not meet the search criteria or where not available; suggested the architects for
the District's master plan could evaluate the police station proposal; and questioned
why the police facility could not be co-located next to the fire station on BOR land.
Director Featherston noted the proposed police facility would be a one-story building to
reduce construction cost, contain 75 parking spaces, and require additional setbacks
from rights of ways for safety issues and site distances. He stated a two-story building
could be built on a smaller parcel; however, the construction costs would increase. The
construction cost has been estimated at $30 million with an 18-month construction.
Town Administrator Machalek stated the Town would provide a list of Town owned
parcels reviewed and why they are not suitable, such as deed restrictions. He further
noted the BOR has a long process to establish a special use permit, and commented on
the current infrastructure on the BOR land that would need to be relocated and the cost
associated would be cost prohibitive.
School Superintendent Bode stated concern with making a recommendation to the
School Board on entering negotiations until the School District understands how the
school facilities and grounds would be managed moving forward. The development of a
20-to-30-year master plan would determine the funding needed for the maintenance of
facilities and how it would integrate with the academic plan. She noted the master plan
should be completed by the end of the school year, providing the School Board and the
Long Range Planning Committee the opportunity to further review the proposal. The
School Board would provide direction on next steps on the proposal and encourage
multiple opportunities for the community to engage in discussion if the proposal moves
forward.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 4:34 p.m.
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ie Williamson, Town Clerk