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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2015-02-10 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, February 10, 2015 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD STUDY SESSION of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in Rooms 202/203 in said Town of Estes Park on the 10th day of February, 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: Finance Officer McFarland, Town Attorney White, and Deputy Town Clerk Deats Absent: None Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. TRUSTEE COMMENTS & QUESTIONS. Trustee Norris noted that the Colorado Municipal League (CML) annual conference is coming up in June with topics that include broadband and economic development. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. Trustee Phipps requested that a presentation from Estes Valley Recreation and Park District (EVRPD) Executive Director Skyler Rorabaugh be scheduled for the February 24th Town Board Study Session to provide a status update on the community center and fundraising plans. Trustee Ericson requested a discussion about a process to add an executive session to an agenda be held at the March 24, 2015, Study Session. On behalf of the Community Development Director, Finance Officer McFarland requested a discussion of an amendment to the Estes Valley Development Code related to animal retail sales and animal grooming in the CD zone district be added to the February 24, 2015, study session agenda. SIGN CODE 101 & DISCUSSION OF CODE REVISIONS. Code Enforcement Officer Reichardt introduced sign consultant Randy Morrison who has been selected to assist with updating the sign code. Mr. Morrison provided the Board with a presentation called Sign Law 101 as an introduction to sign law and signs as a form of free speech. The presentation focused on what constitutes a sign; the historical importance of signs; the need for a sign code to contain a broad definition of a sign; exclusions and exceptions that may potentially be considered; on- and off-site signs; mobile signs; commercial speech vs. non-commercial speech, and first amendment rights. He said municipalities traditionally adopt a sign code to control visual clutter in order to preserve aesthetics and to enhance public safety by reducing distractions to drivers and pedestrians. He recommended that the sign code regulate the medium, not the message and be content neutral, and that the code utilize the Time, Place, Manner (TPM) formula when considering size, height, illumination, separation, and setbacks. He also recommended using clear, simple, enforceable rules in the code, rather than guidelines that are statements of preference and not enforceable. He noted that sign code litigation usually ends up as a civil rights case in federal court and stated the sign code needs to be defensible. Additionally, Mr. Morrison addressed the portion of the current sign code which requires that a permit be obtained when changing text on a sign. He recommended immediate action be taken to remove this requirement. Staff noted that this can be accomplished through administrative policy. Town Board Study Session – February 10, 2015 – Page 2 Code Compliance Officer Reichardt said the code revision will make the sign code simpler and easier to understand, but will not change the basic intent of the code. He said that staff has identified several areas of the code to focus on during the revision and provided a tentative schedule that would result in the revisions being completed by June or July 2015. Mr. Morrison proposed using a citizens committee to help with the revisions and to provide the committee with clear expectations at the beginning of the process. The Board directed staff to move forward with the revisions and the schedule as presented. Mayor Pinkham recessed the meeting at 5:33 p.m. for a dinner break. The meeting resumed at 5:53 p.m. ADOPTION TIMELINE & PROCESS FOR 2015 INTERNATONAL BUILDING CODES. Chief Building Official (CBO) Birchfield requested the Board provide direction related to the adoption of the 2015 International Building Codes. The Town is currently operating under the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) which was adopted by the Board in 2012, and Larimer County is operating under the 2012 IBC. A disadvantage of adopting the 2015 edition of the Codes is that regulations drive up building costs. Advantages include more consistency between neighboring jurisdictions, and the use of newer standards, technologies and information. Staff is proposing that the Estes Park Board of Appeals (EPBOA) facilitate the adoption process. The membership of the EPBOA is made up of individuals who are actively involved in the building trade and will bring their expertise to the process and discussions. Monthly meetings of the EPBOA will be held on the first Thursday of each month with a specific portion of the Code scheduled for review at each meeting. Potentially significant changes will be identified, reviewed by the CBO, and public comment will be solicited. The CBO will propose local amendments to the Codes when appropriate for our community’s needs. CBO Birchfield will report to the Town Board on a monthly basis regarding the progress of the adoption process. Staff proposes a timeline that will result in the adoption of the 2015 Codes in November 2015, to become effective on January 1, 2016. He noted that there are ten codes with the International Building Code and the International Residential Code being the primary codes, and all other secondary codes being adopted by reference. Staff recommends including discussions of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) during the 2015 Code adoption process, as the IPMC was not adopted by the Board in 2012. Related to fees, CBO Birchfield said the fee schedule currently being used by staff is from 1997. He said at the present time, approximately 50 percent of the department’s expenses are recouped through fees, so raising the fees to cover costs is a goal. He recommended making the fees simpler to calculate, more equitable and consistent. A survey will be done to gather information on fees in jurisdictions in northern Colorado. In addition, the policies and procedures of the Building Division will be incorporated into the Code as local amendments. The Board commented that the process is clear and understandable and directed staff to proceed with the adoption process on the proposed schedule and timeline. 2015 PRIDE AWARDS. Trustee Phipps started a discussion as to whether the Pride Awards as they currently exist should be continued, revised, or eliminated. Due to time constraints the discussion was brief and is summarized: there has been little interest and a lack of nominations in recent years; awarding a Volunteer of the Year Award is better suited to the Town than are the Teacher of the Year and Business Person of the Year awards; other organizations now exist that can provide recognition as well; the intent of the awards is great, but they may have run their course; and Town-wide recognition is Town Board Study Session – February 10, 2015 – Page 3 important. Trustees Phipps and Nelson will provide the Board with information related to the Pride Awards so that discussion can continue at the February 24, 2015, Town Board Study Session. There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m. Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk