HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2026-02-10RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado February 10, 2026
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 10th day of February, 2026.
Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown, Hazelton,
Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
Attending: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown, Hazelton,
and Igel
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator
Damweber, Attorney Kramer, and Recording Secretary Bramwell
Absent: Trustees Lancaster and Younglund
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 4:31 p.m.
Mayor Hall introduced Dennis Hoshiko who observed the meeting as guest "Mayor for
the Day", an activity awarded through a silent auction donation to the Estes Valley
Investment in Childhood Success Family Resource Center at the EVICS Annual Fall
Gala. Hoshiko serves as a Chaplain of the Estes Park Police Department.
PARKS MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
Senior Associate Hejtmanek and Project Principal Laybourn with Design Workshop
presented a summary of community engagement held for the Parks and Open Spaces
Master Plan thus far and anticipated next steps. The Parks and Open Spaces Master
Plan would create a shared vision and focus for the Town's parks and open spaces and
clearly define the role of the Parks Division for the next twenty years. The plan includes
all parks within Town limits, excluding the Stanley Park Sports Complex and the Estes
Golf Course which are managed by the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District
(EVRPD). Design Workshop presented an inventory assessment of the Town's parks
and open spaces and community feedback from focus groups, farmer's market and
event pop-ups, and a survey from September 1 through November 3, 2026. The
inventory assessment identified existing infrastructure in each park and found 76% of
households are within a 15-minute walk of a park or open space. Key takeaways
included connecting neighborhoods to downtown and parks via trails and expanding
pocket parks outside of downtown to support neighborhoods. Survey respondents
valued open spaces and expressed a desire for more parks within walking or hiking
distance of neighborhoods. Principal Laybourn outlined the draft plan which included the
following themes: The Downtown Experience, Co-existence of Visitors and Wildlife,
Parks Engaging Everyone, Natural Areas and Open Spaces, and Maintenance and
Operations.
Board discussion and questions were heard and summarized: noted survey results
reflect existing park infrastructure remain in good condition; questioned how visitor
safety may be considered when selecting new park locations; questioned if play
features and artwork distract from the natural surroundings or enhance the parks; noted
the importance of engaging youth to understand their needs for parks; questioned why
Stanley Park Sports Complex was excluded in the update, staff and consultants noted
EVPRD manages the complex in which Design Workshop has been consulting on a
plan with the District; expressed support for more benches and picnic tables, but
concern over shade structures; questioned if number of staff in the Parks Division was
considered in the plan, staff and Design Works confirmed they were considered; and
noted community desire for more bicycle and pedestrian paths connecting parks to
downtown as well as community concern about location of specific proposed paths.
Design Works would bring a draft plan forward for review by the Board in May.
Mayor Hall called for a break at 5:13 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 5:30 p.m.
WATER MASTER PLAN.
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town Board Study Session Minutes dated February 10, 2026 - Page 2
Director of Utilities Bergsten, Utilities Project Manager Wesley, and Water
Superintendent Fredricks presented the current state of the in-development Water
Master Plan. Staff shared the inventory of existing infrastructure and predictions of
future water needs based on population estimates and anticipated regulation changes.
The highest priorities of infrastructure improvements are public health and regulatory
requirements with the level of service, planning for the future, conservation, and impact
to customers being secondary needs. The draft Water Master Plan addresses high-level
infrastructure updates including water treatment plants and storage and distribution
infrastructure. Staff identified five options for the Estes Park water treatment plants: 1.
Perform only required improvements on Mary's Lake Water Treatment Plant (MLWTP)
and Glacier Creek Water Treatment Plant (GCWTP), 2. Upgrade MLWTP to operate
year-round and decommission GCWTP, 3. Upgrade GCWTP to operate year-round and
improve MLWTP, 4. Replace GCWTP with a new plant that operates year round and
decommission MLWTP at the end of its useful life, and 5. Build a new year-round water
treatment plant, improve MLWTP, and decommission GCWTP. Option five (5) would be
the preferred alternative identified by staff during the treatment scenario planning,
considering cost, ease of implementation, operations and maintenance impacts, social
and environmental impacts, and integration with the existing distribution system. The
current draft of the Water Master Plan includes the following near-term (0-3 years)
recommendations: planning for a new water treatment plant and raw water supply,
upgrade MLWTP, repair GCWTP as needed, replace the Thunder Mountain Storage
Tank and Big Thompson Tank (Phase 1), and relocate the Fall River Estates Pump
Station treatment plant, as well as mid-term (3+ years) recommendations: constructing
a new water treatment plant and raw water supply, Phase 2 of the Big Thompson Tank
replacement, and replacing pipes. Planning level costs at 2026 prices were presented.
Staff noted these estimates would adjust as plans are finalized. Options for funding
these projects were discussed including grants, bonds, and rate increases. Specific
recommendations had yet to be determined; however it was noted consultants were
conducting a rate study which would be presented to the Board later in the year. The
draft plan would be available for public review and feedback before presenting the draft
Water Master Plan to the Town Board for consideration.
Board discussion and questions were heard and summarized: questioned the pipe
replacements in Carriage Hills, staff reported the pipe conditions were worse than
anticipated and the project, when complete, would significantly reduce water leakage for
the water system; questioned where a new plant may be located, to which staff stated
this would be discussed later in the planning and design phase; questioned why the
proposed upgrades to GSWTP in previous plans did not occur, staff noted the cost of
upgrades increased and continued investment in the project was not pursued;
expressed concern that previous Water Master Plans were not fully executed; the
benefits of redundancies in system infrastructure and multiple water sources were
discussed; the Board encouraged staff to engage the public in the Water Master Plan as
thoroughly as the Parks Division engaged the public in the Parks Master Plan design;
and encouraged staff to focus on public education on the value of water infrastructure.
FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.
It was requested and determined to add a discussion on Administrative Regulations
Enforcement Process and a short conversation on the location of EPK Adventure
Rentals, although the Trustees expressed concern about hearing zoning concerns on
an individual case-by-case basis.
It was requested and determined to add Town funding for Salud as a report and
discussion item in a regular Town Board meeting.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 6:37 p.m.
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Stephanie Bramwell, Recording Secretary