The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2025-12-09RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado December 9, 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 9th day of December, 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, Lancaster and Younglund Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator Damweber, Special Counsel White, and Recording Secretary Stoddard Cameron Absent: None Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. 2025 PARKING YEAR-END REVIEW. Manager Klein provided a report on the 2025 Paid Parking Program and presented the Public Works staff recommendations for the 2026 Paid Parking Program. Adopted objectives of the program included encouraging local economic development and the use of public transportation, maintaining adequate turnover and availability of parking spaces, and reducing traffic congestion. During a 150 day period from May 23, 2025, through October 19, 2025, parking fees were charged in 682 spaces, equating to roughly 31% of available spaces, generating $818,458.75 in revenue. Surplus revenue of $85,000 would be added to the Parking Fund. It was reported that peak occupancy for free lots averaged 75% while peak occupancy for paid parking lots averaged 94%. The Events Center Parking Lot's 444 spaces were excluded from the presented dataset as they skewed the down-town occupancy figures. Manager Klein noted that an occupancy rate exceeding 85% creates a psychological perception of a full lot for users, acknowledging the need for additional parking solutions. In 2025, weekday occupancy averaged roughly 68% while weekend occupancy averaged roughly 76%. Paid parking space users paid for two (2) hours or less 72% of the time, with 10% of users staying four (4) hours or longer, and a reported 5% of transactions were made to lengthen parking duration. It was noted that construction caused significant lapses in occupancy, particularly in the Baldwin Parking Lot. Manager Klein acknowledged significant field work had been performed by staff to assist visitors in finding free parking spaces, obtain feedback on the current parking program, and educate through additional signage and facility maps. Constituent and visitor feedback was obtained through several channels, including an end-of-season survey. Of 1,500 respondents, 86% held a "Local 2-Hour Permit", 49% rated their experience with permit registration as "very positive". Improvements requested by respondents included the extension of parking time for locals, further clarification of lot eligibility and signage, improvement to the renewal and registration process, more parking availability, and free or reduced parking opportunities for downtown employees. Public Works staff offered the following recommendations for the 2026 year: implement Phase 3 of the Downtown Parking Management Plan (DPMP); expand the program to all downtown lots; limit the use of "Employee Permits" in the busiest lots on weekends; and implement demand-based pricing on the weekends in the core of downtown. Staff would bring forward the 2026 Paid Parking Program and permit fees on March 10,2026. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Questioned whether users preferred the payment portal, mobile application, or parking lot kiosks for their transactions; what the average duration of stay was for those using paid spots; how stay duration could be increased, and whether the data illustrated peak occupancy times throughout the day; and debated the decision to exclude the Events Center Parking Lot data from the parking statistic figures in the presentation, noting how great the effect on reported averages would be. DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE: RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TYPOLOGIES. Eric Khrongold, Senior Associate with Design Workshop, and Philip Supino of Headwaters Community Planning presented the current challenges, applicability, importance, community feedback and framework regarding code updates for residential housing typologies. Current challenges acknowledged included limited buildable land, steep and rocky terrain, environmental risk factors such as fire and flood, low accessory dwelling unit (ADU) production, seasonal housing demand, aging housing stock, and affordability of housing given limited supply and challenging development conditions. Mr. Khrongold noted that updates to the code addressing some of these challenges could support workforce retention, strengthen property rights for owners, improve the community's walkability, preserve character, reduce development barriers, and encourage incremental context-sensitive solutions. Community and staff input was gathered and demonstrated a broad interest in greater diversity in housing supply, protecting ridgelines and open space, and a strong preference for smaller lots rather than taller buildings. General disinterest in large complexes, and reductions on lot size for estate zones were also expressed. Additionally, a desire for clearer, more flexible development standards and streamlined processes were reported to be expressed by developers. They recommended the addition of both mixed-use and parks to zoning districts as a response to stakeholder's desire for mixed-use development in certain areas. It was noted that code changes would not alter current floor-area ratios as changes in height are not desired. Additionally, the current private open area requirement would not be altered as it was deemed "low" as compared to similar municipalities. Existing minimum required lot standards could be decreased for residential zones allowing lot splits, leading to increased housing stock over time. Direction was requested from the board on whether lowering lot size requirements was favorable. Adjustments to setback requirements were also offered, including a proposed five (5) foot reduction to current standards. Examples of lesser setbacks in Telluride were presented to demonstrate aesthetics. A reduction on required parking spaces was proposed. It was noted that current parking space requirements are standard when compared to similar municipalities, although it was reported that current multi-family standards could allow reduced parking spaces on site to increase the number or size of residential units. The use of planned unit developments (PUDs) was encouraged to introduce mixed-use sites and illustrate flexible zoning-. It was noted that while PUDs incentivize creativity and more efficient land use, they provide little regulatory clarity and can create more work for staff. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Expressed desire for limitations on housing density in combination with decreasing the minimum lot size of estate parcels to help ease Estes Park's wealth inequality gap; noted the communities direct opposition to decreasing minimum estate lot size; acknowledged that survey input likely came from residents living in a diverse range of housing in regards to zoning, lot size, and property value; opposed extreme increases in housing density; concern was raised about the potential increased risk of fire in areas with high building concentration; acknowledged the value in maintaining large estate lots in relation to community character; rejected a reduction on setback requirements for estate zones; expressed a desire to minimize personal vehicle use in favor of public transportation systems; advocated for small incremental changes to the Development Code; approved the implementation of PUDs; questioned whether the use of tiny homes could be applicable and opted to focus on clarifying regulation surrounding accessory dwelling units (ADUs) instead; and acknowledged seasonal housing and affordability concerns. TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS. None. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. It was requested and determined that a study session regarding a proposal to update the wildlife habitat assessment be presented by the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition was approved and scheduled for January 13, 2026, and a Big Horn Parking Lot Update to be presented by Whimsadoodle Inc. was approved, unscheduled. There being no further business, Mayor Hall a^joym^d yie meeting^t 5:58 p.m. Saj^ffi S<bd|daYd C^ameron, Recording Secretary