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Home My WebLink AboutTB Study Session 2015-11-24 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, November 24, 2015 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD STUDY SESSION of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at the Town Hall in Rooms 202/203 in said Town of Estes Park on the 24th day of November, 2015. Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson, Holcomb, Nelson, Norris and Phipps Attending: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson, Holcomb, Nelson, Norris and Phipps Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Assistant Town Administrator Machalek, Attorney White, Deputy Town Clerk Deats Absent: None Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:45 p.m. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEE STRUCTURE. A stakeholders meeting was held on November 12, 2015, to discuss and receive input on Community Development fee schedules. Attendance at the meeting was low, however, those who did participate provided beneficial feedback to staff and agreed that the Town’s development review fees are, in most cases, too low. Mallory Baker, Planning Consultant, was prepared to present three fee schedules to the Board based on the three fee structure options discussed at the September 8th Town Board Study Session. However, based on information provided at the September study session, the Trustees selected Option 3 to focus on and discuss. Option 3: Combination Cost Recovery Model, would require a cost reimbursement structure for complex applications such as development plans, minor and major subdivisions, code amendments and annexations, with simpler applications continuing to be charged a flat fee. Staff asked the Board for direction related to the level of cost recovery desired for the Community Development Department. Discussion is summarized: staff proposes a 25% to 45% increase in fees, staying closer to a 25% increase in the first year, to bring cost recovery to the 43% to 50% level; start with 50% level of cost recovery and work towards 100% cost recovery on a shorter rather than longer timeline; suggest being at 100% recovery level in five years; the Town should operate like a business and recover its costs; fees should be reviewed on an annual basis to eliminate large increases; incremental increases each year are preferable to large jumps in fees; cost reimbursement option encourages strong applications and complete submittals; suggest discussions take place regarding ways to use fees to benefit the community, such as to address workforce housing needs; impact fees are not part of the Town’s current fee schedule nor are they included in the proposed schedule; implementation of impact fees related to development’s impact on utility infrastructure would require additional research and study; it is a philosophical decision whether to use the fees to balance and maintain the general fund or put funds into workforce housing; initially fees should stabilize general fund and as cost recovery escalates perhaps divert monies to workforce housing; need to look at goals and projects that are unfunded and research mechanisms and methods to fund these goals; and need discussion on funding mechanisms. The desired cost recovery level for Planning is 50% with incremental increases annually (10% increases over the next five years – 2016 through 2021) until 100% cost recovery is achieved. For Building Division fees, the Board’s preference was Option 2: Locally-based Assessment Model and Standardized Audit Procedures. This method will provide a more realistic valuation assessment by utilizing local construction costs. The current fee for floodplain permits is $50 which is way below the average permit review cost of $500 to $1000, depending on the complexity of the project. The Board proposed billing at cost and questioned whether floodplain permit fees are covered by insurance or whether they are the expense of the property owner. The Trustees suggested cost Town Board Study Session – November 24, 2015 – Page 2 recovery of 50% if property owner’s responsibility and 100% if a pass through cost to insurance. A second stakeholders meeting is scheduled to be held on December 10, 2015, at which time staff will present the Board’s fee schedule recommendations for both the Planning Division and the Building Division to the public. Mayor Pinkham recessed the meeting at 5:25 p.m. for a dinner break and resumed the meeting at 5:35 p.m. TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD PARKING STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS. Belle Morris and Kimberly Campbell, representing the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB), presented the Trustees with a proposed parking strategy. The document identifies strategies and priorities based on input from TAB members and, if adopted by the Board, could guide the Town in decisions related to strategies, and the implementation thereof, to help mitigate parking issues in Estes Park. Utilizing guiding principles such as: protecting the natural environment; designing a family friendly downtown; building in harmony with nature; and avoiding vehicles becoming the dominant characteristic of downtown; as well as incorporating the Town Board’s objectives and goals, the TAB identified nine broad, key points to parking strategy. They are as follows:  Strategically increase the parking supply  Simplify parking  Provide exceptional directional signage  Reduce parking demand through alternate modes  Implement a pay-to-park program  Encourage business owners and employees to park remotely  Redirect oversized vehicles to remote parking areas  Protect residential neighborhoods adjacent to downtown  Develop a special event management plan Ms. Morris and Ms. Campbell noted that all of the strategies are interrelated, and somewhat dependent upon each other and the timing of specific projects, in regard to implementation. The TAB identified their top five strategies and requested that the Town Board give consideration to directing staff to pursue implementation within the next two years. The top ranking strategies are:  Pay-to-Park program – Strongly supported by the TAB, this would influence behavior and potentially increase the usage of the visitor center parking structure and the shuttle system  Increase parking supply – Pursue funding for Phase 2 of the visitor center parking structure  Employee parking – Develop an employee parking initiative and work with the business community to incentivize parking outside of the downtown area  Alternate Modes – Remain committed to the shuttle system and expand bike lanes and bike racks  Oversized Vehicles – Direct oversized vehicles around downtown and provide additional oversized parking spaces at the Fairgrounds parking lot It was noted that these types of strategies will likely illicit strong opinions from the public and that input would be solicited when and if implementation comes before the Board for action. The Trustees asked that the reference to specific downtown neighborhoods be removed from the document. The draft Proposed Parking Strategy will be posted to the Town’s website as a general strategy that the Town is considering to allow for public review and comment. The Town Board will consider adopting the strategy at a January 2016 Town Board meeting. TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS.  Additional work on Lot 4 was discovered by the building inspector prior to the work being brought to the Town’s attention.  The “take-rate” study for Broadband service is being conducted by contacting a large sampling of residents using mailing lists acquired from the Economic Town Board Study Session – November 24, 2015 – Page 3 Development Corporation (EDC), Estes Valley Partners for Commerce (EVPC), Estes Area Lodging Association (EALA) and subscribers to Town utilities.  Visit Estes Park’s (VEP) request for $95,000 for marketing of Town events has been withdrawn. Town events will continue to be listed on the VEP website calendars and promoted as part of destination marketing activities. Town Administrator Lancaster reported that there are no funds in the 2016 budget for marketing of individual Town events, however, marketing of the Event Center facility is budgeted and will continue in order to rent and fill the facility.  In regard to filling the Special Event Director position, Town Administrator Lancaster reported that two candidates will be participating in a second round of interviews in early December. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.  Trustee Phipps requested a discussion of Vacation Home Enforcement and Fees be included as an agenda item for the study session scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, 2016.  Trustee Ericson requested a philosophical discussion related to Fund Balance Policy be held at the study session scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2016.  Updated Long Range Pavement Improvement Program will be discussed at the January 26, 2016, study session, as well as a short discussion on Agenda Policy.  The following items will be moved to “Items Approved – Unscheduled” status: Policy on Naming of Town Facilities; Update on Consideration of Transit Going Year ‘Round in Order to Qualify for Federal Funding; and How the Board Handles Off Cycle Requests for Funding from Outside Organizations.  Update and Report on Public Engagement Regarding International Maintenance Code is duplicated and will be removed from the list.  Fish Hatchery Property Discussion will remain unscheduled pending discussions between the Town of Estes Park, the Estes Park Housing Authority, and the Estes Valley Land Trust. There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:46 p.m. Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk