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Home My WebLink AboutPACKET Town Board Study Session 2015-07-14 Tuesday, July 14, 2015 TOWN BOARD 4:30 p.m. – 6:40 p.m. STUDY SESSION Rooms 202/203 4:30 p.m. Trustee Comments & Questions. 1. Representation on the LMD Destination Leadership Team 2. Possible Change of Liaisons for LMD 3. Make Up of Audit Committee 4:45 p.m. Future Study Session Agenda Items. (Board Discussion) 5:00 p.m. Dinner Served. 5:15 p.m. EVRPD Update on Community Center. 6:00 p.m. RFP for Downtown Neighborhood Plan. (Director Chilcott) 6:40 p.m. Adjourn for Town Board Meeting. “Informal discussion among Trustees concerning agenda items or other Town matters may occur before this meeting at approximately 4:15 p.m.” AGENDA July 28, 2015 See Items for Consideration August 11, 2015  Session on Zoning Basics  Update on the Town of Estes Park Financial Policies October 19, 2015  Final Avalanche Economic Development Strategy Report Items Approved – Unscheduled: (Items are not in order of priority)  International Property Maintenance Code (Dangerous Buildings Code) and Adoption of New International Building Code Draft Reviews  Discussion of Noise Ordinance  Fish Hatchery Property Discussion  Local Preference Purchasing Policy  Briefing on Storm Drainage and Flood Management Issues and Management Options  Update on Environmental Assessment NEPA Process Draft Concerning the Loop Study Session Items for Board Consideration:  2016 Budget Discussion – July 28th  Final Draft of NeoFiber Broadband Strategy Report – July 28th  Special Study Session – Final Avalanche Economic Development Strategy Report – October 19th Future Town Board Study Session Agenda Items July 14, 2015 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Memo To: Honorable Mayor Pinkham Board of Trustees Town Administrator Lancaster From: Alison Chilcott, Director Philip Kleisler, Planner II Date: July 14, 2015 RE: RFP for Downtown Neighborhood Plan Objective: Town Board review and input on the draft Downtown Plan Request for Proposals (RPF) to determine if the Scope of Work and timeframe for Plan completion is acceptable. If acceptable, the RRP will be advertised and proposals will be solicited. If not, revisions will be made for further consideration. Review advantages and disadvantages of included the Stanley Village and/or Virginia/Big Horn Drive neighborhood in the plan. Obtain direction from the Board on the plan boundary, or postpone decision on plan boundary to a later date and obtain technical expertise of the selected consultant on the plan boundary. Present Situation: Planning Process and Plan Purpose Neighborhood planning is the process whereby members of the community take part in a visioning process to guide future growth and development in their neighborhood. In addition to providing sound, community-informed guidance to a neighborhood’s growth, neighborhood planning also plays a vital role in1: • Further developing relationships among Town staff, neighborhood residents and other stakeholders; • Improving Town services in a neighborhood in concert with residents and other stakeholders; • Increasing the Town’s knowledge of neighborhood issues and opportunities; and • Highlighting issues that cut across multiple focus areas and agencies to address systematic barriers. 1 The items cited below are the general goals of the City of Madison’s Neighborhood Resource Teams. These teams, comprised of City staff from multiple disciplines, play a vital role in coordinating and improving local government services throughout their roughly 120 neighborhoods (many of which have neighborhood plans). This Plan will create an overall vision for the commercial core of Estes Park, developed by the community as a whole, for downtown development over the next 20 years. Throughout the planning process business owners and residents will examine key issues in the downtown such as: • Economic competitiveness; • Flood mitigation; • Stormwater management; • Environmental resiliency;, • Commercial mix; • Housing options; • Redevelopment and building height; • Transit and shuttles; • Congestion; • Parking; • Pedestrian and bicycle connections; • Public amenities; • Infrastructure needs; and • Zoning regulations. The Plan will guide decisions about how the Town allocates resources in Downtown Estes Park over the next 20 years. The Plan will provide specific strategies, through a detailed action plan, to achieve the goals and vision created through this planning process. Timeline of Events January 13, 2015 During a study session, the Board heard a presentation from Community Development staff a grant opportunity for a Downtown Neighborhood Plan. January 20, 2015 The Estes Valley Planning Commission held a special study session to discuss this grant opportunity. The Commission came to a consensus to move forward with the grant submittal January 27, 2015 During a regularly scheduled meeting, the Board received an overview of the grant application process, general project scope and public outreach. The Board voted unanimously to authorize staff to submit the grant application for the Downtown Neighborhood Plan. January 30, 2015 The Town submits grant application for Downtown Neighborhood Plan. April 3, 2015 The Town is awarded $190,000 to fund the Downtown Neighborhood Plan June 23, 2015 The Board holds a brief discussion about the boundary of the Downtown Plan, specifically if the multi-family area to the north or Stanley Village should be included. The Board requests this discussion be continued at a study session. July 7, 2015 Town seeks public input on the draft Request for Proposals. July 14, 2015 Town Board reviews the draft Request for Proposals. TBD Request for proposals released for bidding. TBD Consultant interviews with community stakeholder group. TBD Town Board selects consultant. TBD Citizen and Technical Advisory Committees form. Public Outreach Prior to the Planning Commission study session noted above, the Town published a press release, created a project webpage (www.estes.org/downtownplan) and mailed notice to approximately 880 affected property and business owners. Approximately a dozen members of the public attended that study session. A brief article on the Downtown Neighborhood Plan is included within this summer’s Town Bugle mailing. Staff reached out to numerous stakeholders requesting comments on the draft RFP. Stakeholders included, but were not limited to: • Association for Responsible Development • Board of Realtors • Colorado Department of Local Affairs • Downtown business owners • Estes Park Economic Development Corporation • Estes Park Sanitation District • Estes Valley Planning Commission • Town Departments • Upper Thompson Sanitation District • Visit Estes Park Most comments received were supportive of the overall information conveyed in the RPF. While there were varying and in some cases conflicting opinions, the key areas of improvement identified included: • The need to ensure background information was presented accurately and concisely with equal "time" given to the all issues downtown. • That the scope of work led one to believe that traffic improvements downtown were a "done deal." • That the public process and end product needed to be more clearly described. Staff has revised the draft RFP to address these comments. Proposal: Town staff is providing the draft the RFP for review and comment to the Board prior to posting for proposals. Staff has identified the following key issues in an attempt to help guide Board discussion: Should the area to the north of downtown, predominantly zoned Multi-family be included in the Downtown Neighborhood Plan? As currently written, the RFP requests that the consultant recommend whether this area should be included within the Plan boundary and the reasons for that recommendation. If it were to be included, the consultant would need to include how an analysis and recommendations about this area would be included in the Plan, along with any associated cost adjustments to include this area. Staff offers the following comments for the Board to consider during this discussion: • There are advantages and disadvantages to including this area within the Plan boundary. Including this area will allow for the development of a clear vision for a unique area of Town. However, including it would be straying from a strict focus on the downtown core. • Staff does not anticipate commercial zoning extending into this area. The area is included in the Fall River Neighborhood of the Comprehensive Plan, which recommends that the Town “provide zoning standards and districts that encourage redevelopment of the area between downtown and the By-Pass. In some cases, this area should redevelop as high-intensity housing- small lot single family and high density multi-family.” This section of the Comprehensive Plan also states that there is “potential for the downtown commercial district to expand to the west”, which would likely not impact this area. • There is no clear vision for this unique area. For example, should this area be planned to promote workforce housing, vacation rentals or a mix of both? Should existing connectivity to downtown be expanded through trails and updated infrastructure? What is the appropriate density for this area and what are the barriers to redevelopment? These are a few of the questions that could be addressed if included in the Plan boundary. Should Stanley Village be included in the Downtown Neighborhood Plan? During the June 23, 2015 meeting, the Board briefly discussed including Stanley Village into the Plan boundary. This area is currently included in the Downtown Neighborhood of the Comprehensive Plan. Staff offers the following comments for the Board to consider during this discussion: • Similar to the note above, including this area would be straying from an approach strictly focused on the downtown core. • Should the Board opt to include this area in the project boundary, staff suggests additional discussion about desired outcomes of including this area in the plan. For example, with Stanley Village being generally built out, should there be a lesser focus on redevelopment and greater attention on connectivity and compatibility with the Commercial Downtown district? Stanley Village is currently zoned CO Commercial Outlying, which significantly differs from the CD Commercial Downtown district (e.g. setback, parking, Floor Area Ratio, etc.). Is the timeline and general approach to the project acceptable? Advantages: • The concepts and objectives have been vetted through multiple agencies and community stakeholders, as noted above. Disadvantages: • Physical Plan Boundary is not yet confirmed. However, staff has presented initial language in the draft RFP for Board consideration. • Care will need to be taken to distinguish this process from “downtown loop” NEPA process. Action Recommended: N/A Budget: The plan is to be fully funded through a $190,000 State Energy and Mineral Assistance Fund grant awarded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to prepare a Downtown Plan. If Town Board decides to include Stanley Village and/or the Virginia Drive/Big Horn Drive neighborhoods in the plan, separate costs will be requested for these components. If costs exceed the grant funding, staff will return to the Town Board and request for a decision whether to scale back the scope of work or allocate Town funds to the project. The Downtown Plan will include an action plan for specific objectives and possible funding sources. The Plan will aid in securing future during the implementation phase. Level of Public Interest: High. Downtown business and property owners and other stakeholders such as Visit Estes Park, the Economic Development Corporation, Estes Valley Partners for Commerce Downtown Business Partners have reviewed the draft RFP and will continue to be heavily engaged throughout the planning process. Attachments: 1. Draft Request for Proposals 2. Possible area maps Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 1 of 13 SOLICITATION OVERVIEW The Town of Estes Park, Colorado (the “Town”) is soliciting written Proposals from firms for Consulting Services for a DOWNTOWN PLAN. This project will be financed with State Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Funds managed through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The Town received a grant award of $190,000 to prepare the downtown plan. The proposal and resulting plan will need to be coordinated with the Department of Local Affairs to ensure compliance with the terms of the grant. SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITY Purpose The purpose of this Solicitation is to establish a contract with a Third Party Contractor/Applicant (“Consultant”) for the development of a Downtown Plan. Expected Result The Town of Estes Park seeks to acquire consultant services and expertize that best meet the Town of Estes Park’s needs and offers the best value. Award Only one successful Consultant will be identified via this procurement and only one Contract will be awarded. PROJECT DESCRIPTION – SCOPE OF WORK REQUIRED This Scope of Work is intended to be a general outline of the work and not an all‐inclusive description of the professional and technical services that may be required to undertake the project. General Through a public planning process, a Downtown Plan will be developed that will:  Be a long‐range, conceptual plan that defines a vision of the downtown in 2035, describes what the downtown will look like socially, economically and physically, and identifies a clear set of strategies to achieve the 2035 vision.  Serve as a blueprint for future development and infrastructure improvements downtown.  Integrate hazard and climate change, land use (including housing), transportation, parking, infrastructure, urban design, and economic competitiveness into a unified conceptual plan.  Be developed with extensive and regular communication with, and input from, the public and the technical expertise of the consulting team and Town staff.  Become a portion of the Estes Valley Comprehensive Plan and will update and replace the existing and outdated 1996 downtown subarea plan currently in the Comprehensive Plan. This plan for the future is necessary for the community to:  Sustain a thriving economy;  Sustain and improve the high‐quality of life for residents;  Improve the capacity of the Town to remain a competitive guest destination; Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 2 of 13  Quickly recover from catastrophic events whether natural or economic. Process At a minimum the public planning process and final plan shall include the following: Identification of the Plan Boundary The plan will cover the downtown core, entry nodes to downtown such as Piccadilly Square, and may also include:  The residential area zoned R‐M, Multi‐Family Residential north of the commercial core of downtown; and/or  Stanley Village Shopping Center. The proposal should recommend:  Whether the RM zone and the Stanley Village Shopping Center should be included in the downtown plan  Reasons for that recommendation; and  If included, how those areas should be considered in the downtown planning process. A location map showing the preliminary boundary of the possible Downtown Plan area is attached as Attachment A. Public Outreach and Engagement The process of developing the Downtown Plan is as important as the document that is produced. The Town of Estes Park desires a plan that is developed with public and stakeholder input. Public outreach and engagement will reach all sectors of the community, including downtown property and business owners, downtown workers, residents and minority communities. The Public Engagement Strategy will include, but not be limited to: 1. A kick‐off meeting to explain the Downtown Plan process and invite participation in the process. 2. Include tools to engage community interest and input. 3. Public meetings and workshops, online participation, meetings with a Town appointed Ad Hoc Task Force Opportunities for all sectors of the community to be involved in and comment on the Downtown Plan. 4. Methods for regular communication about the project, maintaining contact lists and tracking public comments and responses to comments. 5. The public process will follow the Town Protocol working with the Town Public Information Officer. 6. Continually engage and work with Town staff, stakeholders, decision‐makers, citizens and government agencies. 7. Organize, facilitate, and participate in meetings with the Downtown Plan Ad Hoc Task Force (to be appointed by Town Board), a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Planning Commission and Town Board as well as Community Development Department and Public Works staff. 8. Provide presentations on the Downtown Plan for input from stakeholders, including but not limited to, Visit Estes Park, the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation, Estes Park Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 3 of 13 Housing Authority, Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, and Estes Valley Partners for Commerce Downtown Business Partners. 9. Coordinate and incorporate technical data from ongoing related planning efforts into the downtown plan. Downtown Plan Contents A Downtown Plan will be provided to the Town of Estes Park for its use and shall include the following elements:  Vision  Existing Conditions and Key Issues o Market and Housing Analysis  Economic Competiveness  Resiliency to Natural Hazards and Climate Change  Land Use Alternatives  Public Amenities  Downtown Character/Design  Transportation (Pedestrian, Transit, Vehicular)  Infrastructure  Implementation and Monitoring  Public Outreach Engagement Order is not intended to convey that one element is a higher priority than another. All elements will be integrated into a unified, multi‐objective plan. Each element is anticipated to include an:  Introduction  Analysis of facts  Key issues  Vision  Policies  Goals  Objectives  Action/Implementation Steps  Illustrative designs, photos, images, and maps Vision A vision for Downtown Estes Park will be created that integrates all elements of downtown. Existing Conditions and Key Issues Inventory of existing conditions will be limited given that the Town has numerous studies and plans that inventory existing conditions. To the maximum extent feasible, the consultant shall re‐use the information in these studies and plans to compile an inventory existing conditions. Regulatory Analysis An analysis of existing Town regulations will be prepared to identify regulatory barriers to private development in downtown and changes necessary to achieve the vision for downtown developed Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 4 of 13 through this planning process. This review will recommend zoning code changes that will remove regulatory barriers and guide both private and public sector improvements to support downtown goals. Mapping A series of downtown plan maps will be prepared to support downtown plan and how elements are integrated in a unified multi‐objective plan. Maps will be prepared used existing Town GIS layers to the maximum extent feasible. Market Analysis A market analysis specific to downtown will be prepared that addresses current market conditions, challenges in renewal or re‐positioning of existing land uses, issues with the commercial building stock and potential for land assembly, public infrastructure needs and funding, and identify a market position and market area for the downtown, and identify opportunities for commercial development downtown. Housing Analysis The housing analysis will address housing conditions in the downtown plan area including availability of work force housing, with special attention will paid to the opportunity to encourage 2nd story work force housing. Housing affordability, condition and type of existing housing stock and opportunities, constraints for new housing in the downtown and an analysis of existing and anticipated demand for downtown housing will be completed. The analysis will complement, not replicate, the Housing Needs Study currently being developed by the Estes Park Housing Authority. The roles, both public and private sector, and implementation steps needed to increase the supply of housing in the downtown is to be identified. Economic Competitiveness Recommendations for economic competitiveness will be identified. Such strategies will be informed by best practices across a broad range of resort communities and in concert with local stakeholders such as the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation. Resiliency to Natural Hazards and Climate Change Element Recommendations for flood mitigation specific to enhancing the downtown attractiveness, public spaces, business growth and housing options will be identified. Mitigation techniques such as, but not limited to, managing flood water flows on Elkhorn Ave or selective channel widening with riverwalk improvements are to be evaluated. Illustrative designs for recommended flood mitigation techniques will be included. Optimal flood mitigation solutions will be identified. Land Use Alternatives Three (3) illustrated alternative land uses plans for downtown will be developed. Some examples of topics include opportunities for development, areas for infill development, changes in building height and floor area ratio, options for housing (attainable, workforce, and market), pedestrian and bicycle flow through downtown, connectivity to downtown, transit and shuttle stops and hubs, parking, opportunities Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 5 of 13 for infrastructure improvements and public spaces and amenities for downtown will be depicted in each scenario. Public Amenities Concepts for expanding and improving the riverwalk, creating a sense of discovery in the pedestrian experience and directional signage, including opportunity for history and points of interest walking tours through signage or art are to be included. An assessment of public amenities downtown will be developed, such as public restrooms, seating and rest areas, parks, art, cultural and gathering places. Include recommendations for enhancement of existing amenities, key new public features to be developed, improvements to informational signage including information advertising public events, free public Wi‐Fi, how to improve connections between public spaces and utilize natural features, such as Fall River, as public amenities. Concepts for introducing interactive public amenities, such as a kayak course along Fall River, interactive water fountains, interactive art, or recreational features such as climbing boulders are to be explored. Downtown Character/Design Create a vision for the character, form, and activities that defines the downtown as a unique destination and downtown area for guests and residents. A character study detailing building and public space attributes will be prepared. Key architectural features, building design and public space amenities that are important to maintaining the unique character of downtown will be developed. Concepts for key opportunity sites will be developed. Form base code and/or urban design guidelines for new and infill development may be considered along with design themes that will unify public infrastructure improvements, such as materials, color, features and style. Transportation (Pedestrian, Transit, Vehicular) This element will identify and recommend:  Congestion management techniques to address traffic flow in downtown and access to and from RMNP.  Evaluate the relationship of vehicular, bicycle, transit, shuttle systems, tour bus operations, tourist rides (i.e., horse carriage rides) and emergency vehicle access in downtown.  Methods to incorporate alternative modes of transportation into downtown (e.g. bicycles and associated bicycle routes, pedestrians and pedestrian routes, transit and shuttle stops).  Identify ways to reduce conflicts between alternative modes of transportation (e.g. vehicular and pedestrian conflicts.  Recommendations for vehicular directional signage in keeping with the downtown character and Visit Estes Park Branding. Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 6 of 13 Parking Recommendations for parking regulations and management of public parking are to be included, and downtown employee parking are to be included as is connectivity of parking to downtown destinations and relationship to shuttle and transit systems. Streetscape The plan will recommend strategic streetscape options, recognizing that streets are places where people engage in various activities, including but not limited to motor vehicle travel. Visual elements of a street, including the road, adjoining buildings, sidewalks, street furniture, trees, and interactive amenities all combine to form the downtown character. Consideration will also be given to creating characteristics that visibly distinguish residential streets from the downtown corridor via decorative medians, landscape or circular planters to uniquely signify the neighborhood entry. Pedestrian Way Finding and Connectivity Identify key pedestrian connections including connectivity to parking, downtown destinations, nearby trails, and adjacent neighborhoods. Evaluate riverwalk and alley “makeover” projects to enhance pedestrian connectivity. Identify necessary way finding improvements, including but not limited to signage improvements. Infrastructure Identify public infrastructure improvements (e.g., water, sewer, and communication system improvements) necessary to support infill development and business growth in the downtown. Implementation and Monitoring The downtown plan will include an implementation and monitoring element. This will include:  Recommend priority projects  Timeframes for implementation.  Coordination of public and private sector improvements.  Identify the entity responsible for implementation.  Provide generalized cost estimates  Potential funding mechanisms and sources.  And a regularly process for evaluating plan implementation progress. Public Outreach and Engagement Include a summary of the public outreach and engagement process, summary of public comment and explanation of how the comment was incorporated. Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 7 of 13 BACKGROUND AND KEY ISSUES The Estes Valley is home to about 8,600 residents per the 2010 Census. Estes Park is a classic Colorado mountain resort community adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), the fifth most visited national park in the county, with approximately 3.4 million annual visitors. The Town, in particular downtown, serves as the economic hub of this unique mountain area. The Town’s economy is fueled by guests visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, the vast majority of who also visit Estes Park. In addition, downtown Estes Park’s unique mountain setting, wildlife, and growing arts and culture scene makes it a popular destination in its own right. Location Map Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 8 of 13 Town officials, business owners and residents recognize that Downtown Estes Park is at a critical juncture with many pressing issues requiring action converging at the same time. All of which are important issues behind the desire to prepare a Downtown Plan. These include, but are not limited to:  Increased awareness of flood risk  Increased awareness of climate change  Ongoing traffic congestion and parking issues  Shifting lifestyle values  Changing demographics  Changing guest demands and increasing competition for guest dollars All of these issues have an impact on the unique character, vitality and economic competitiveness of downtown Estes Park. Downtown has an eclectic mountain atmosphere that reflects its historic development pattern. The attributes that make downtown special to locals and unique to guests may be in jeopardy as new outside economic pressures draw revenues, workers and private investment away from Estes Park. Vision for the Future Many residents and business owners have expressed concern that there is not a comprehensive vision for downtown. No one document integrates all the policies, goals, programs and projects that affect downtown Estes Park. A clearly articulated vision for downtown is needed along with implementation actions for downtown to achieve the vision. The now almost twenty‐year old Estes Valley Comprehensive Plan is an adopted guiding document developed through a public process that establishes a vision and goals for downtown. However, the vision, goals, and policies need to be revisited and updated through this downtown planning effort given the issues currently facing downtown. The comprehensive plan contains several vision/policy statements related to downtown:  Serve as a key economic engine for the Town of Estes Park and the Valley.  Maintain the downtown’s function as the Estes Valley’s focal point of guest shopping and entertainment activity.  Develop as an exciting, mixed‐use, urban core with open space along the rivers and an intimate pedestrian scale.  Develop in ways that integrate and even enhance the qualities of the streams, rivers, topography and other natural assets of the area.  Have a predominance of compact and pedestrian‐scale retail, service and office uses.  Provide a wide variety and relatively high intensity of retail and commercial services for both residents and visitors.  Provide alternative housing choices for the Valley’s workforce, especially employee housing and housing mixed with commercial or retail uses. Economic Competiveness Several factors undermine the Town’s future ability to remain competitive and economically vibrant Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 9 of 13 destination. These include, but are not limited to:  High risk of recurrent flood damage;  Increased cost to businesses of purchasing flood insurance if flood risk is not mitigated and properties are placed in FEMA regulatory Special Flood Hazard Areas;  Increasing traffic congestion downtown;  Insufficient downtown parking to accommodate peak visitation;  Inadequate directional signage for vehicles;  Limited way finding for pedestrians;  Insufficient and outdated public infrastructure;  Aging infrastructure;  An aging building stock;  Broadband opportunities; and  Destination products are not evolving as quickly to keep up with the market. Destination products and attractions that successfully draw guests to mountain towns are quickly evolving. The products and services in Estes Park must compete with other mountain destinations, which are aggressively making investments in infrastructure to attract guests away from Estes Park on a year‐ round basis. The character of downtown is an important asset that needs to be integrated with the Visit Estes Park marketing strategy for the Estes Valley. The current marketing strategy and vision for the Estes Valley is deeply compromised due to the current constraints of downtown detailed within this report. Hazard Mitigation and Climate Change Flood Risk Mountain communities, such as Estes Park, live side‐by‐side with nature. Downtown Estes Park is a located at the confluence of Fall and Big Thompson Rivers. The confluence of Black Canyon Creek with the Big Thompson River also occurs downtown, approximately 1,500 feet downstream from the Fall River/Big Thompson River confluence. Estimated/Draft Floodplain Map Based on Best Available Data Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 10 of 13 Floods are a part of the environmental history of Estes Park. The impacts of climate change may result in intense and frequent storm events, increased winter precipitation, and increased spring temperatures resulting in rapid snowmelt, and ultimately a faster spring runoff causing additional flooding. Downtown is intensively developed close to these rivers with approximately half the buildings in the commercial downtown corridor located less than fifty feet from the river channel and many approximately fifteen ‐ twenty feet from the river banks. This development pattern, combined with highly constrained river channels and undersized bridges, puts downtown at a high risk for future flooding and associated repetitive property damages and losses. Flood models show flood waters being conveyed on Elkhorn Avenue, the main street through the heart of downtown. Loss of road access creates increased emergency response times, creating safety and welfare issues for residents and guests in the surrounding area. Town Hall, a critical facility, which houses 911 emergency dispatch, police, and internet, phone and cell services to the Estes Valley and outlying areas, is located downtown and is at risk of flooding that could result in loss damage to Town Hall and loss of critical services during a time of greatest need. The 2013 flood caused significant economic damage to the Town, the region and state. While Fish Creek experienced closer to a 500 year (0.2% annual event), the Big Thompson River was estimated to be approximately a 40‐year event and Fall River was estimated to be approximately a 50‐year event (2% annual event). The inability of the river channel and bridges in the downtown area to convey even these floodwaters resulted in widespread flooding throughout the downtown corridor. Downtown businesses sustained significant property damage and economic losses. Based on Town analysis, the estimated loss of income for downtown businesses post‐flood in September through December 2013 is $7 million. Structure and content damages are estimated at $3.2 million. DRAFT Based on Best Available Data Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 11 of 13 Post‐flood analysis, which so far has not accounted for impacts of climate change, has revealed that downtown is expected to flood with more frequency and severity than previously predicted. Initial estimates for the cost of improvements needed to mitigate flood risk and avoid the vast majority of downtown being placed in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area are roughly estimated at $20 million. Hazard mitigation improvements that protect business and infrastructure investments, protect water quality, increase economic diversity and provide interaction with the natural environment, are central to keeping Estes Park an attractive and economically successful mountain community. Fire Many of the commercial buildings in the downtown were constructed in the 1950s and do not meet current building and fire codes, and some are not handicapped accessible. The threat of widespread fire damage is a concern in downtown because of this. The Park Theater Mall fire in 2009 could have spread and caused significant fire damage if wind and environmental conditions had been different. Many commercial buildings downtown pre‐date current building and fire codes. Modernizing the commercial building infrastructure in the downtown is important for fire risk management. Transportation Transit There is no year‐round public transit system at this time. The Town does offer free shuttle service primarily during the peak summer season, a twelve week period from late‐June to mid‐September each year, with additional services for special events. Current and projected transit needs for downtown will critical, particularly given the seasonal traffic congestion, shortage of parking, and goal to increase in attainable housing downtown over the coming years. Vehicular Traffic and Parking With primary access to the Town and its neighbor RMNP being by vehicle; traffic circulation, congestion, and parking are concerns to residents, guests and business owners alike. Traffic and traffic delays have increased as visitation to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park has burgeoned making this a key issue. The Town of Estes Park was awarded $17.2 in state and federal funding to improve access through downtown Estes Park to RMNP. A NEPA Environmental Assessment is currently underway and includes evaluating the impact of design options. Moving traffic through downtown is an extremely high profile issue with strong public opinion. A decision on the selected alternative will be documented in the decision document in the Fall/Winter of 2015/2016. Alternatives include, but are not limited to a one‐ way couplet or returning the awarded funding. The downtown plan project will be informed by decisions regarding this project. However, the downtown plan is a separate project and will not be used to inform decisions about the awarded funds. A key issue is how and where to move people through the Town of Estes Park to and from RMNP. Parking downtown is frequently at capacity in the summer months, creating additional traffic delays as guests search for parking in the heart of downtown. The Town is in the process of development a parking structure south of the Visitors Center. While this will alleviate some of the parking issues downtown, additional parking improvements are needed. Pedestrian Flow Lack of way finding signage directing guests to nearby amenities, including those along the rivers such as the riverwalk, diminishes the “village” or “old town” experience of guests and residents alike. Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 12 of 13 Public Amenities/Placemaking The Town does not have a conceptual plan that coordinates public space downtown, how that space is used and managed or what amenities are needed. While there is great opportunity to create wonderful pedestrian experiences along the rivers, the combination of flooding, storm water control and historic development patterns make it difficult for downtown to take full advantage of the river amenities. In order for people to linger downtown there needs to be convenient and appealing public amenities, such as benches and seating, scenic rest areas, parks, interactive art and music, cultural centers, public restrooms etc. Current public spaces and amenities may no longer be appealing or work as gathering spots. Estes Park Urban Renewal Authority (EPURA), which was dissolved in 2009, served as the catalyst to transform downtown following the Lawn Lake Flood of 1982. EPURA developed, implemented, and financed placemaking and public amenity improvements. Public amenity/placemaking improvements downtown are now primarily the responsibility of the Town. The Town has made bench, public art, and park improvements since EPURA was dissolved; however, the guiding visions for these improvements is lacking and funding mechanisms are more limited. Public Infrastructure The population of Larimer County has more than doubled, and annual visitation to RMNP has increased by over 500,000 visitors in the past 25 to 30 years. The number of guests visiting Estes Park throughout the year has also increased significantly. As population and visitation increase, more demands are placed on downtown Estes Park’s infrastructure. This infrastructure is aging and is comprised of, in some cases, clay sewer mains that may be undersized and insufficient to accommodate business growth in downtown as are water mains serving those businesses. The undersized water mains also compromise the ability to fight fires downtown. Aging infrastructure is a barrier to development downtown. Land Use and Housing Choices The downtown core is zoned CD, Downtown Commercial, which promotes downtown as the main focal point of guest shopping, dining and entertainment activity for the Estes Valley. It is intended to encourage predominance of compact and pedestrian‐scale retail, service and office uses in the downtown core. Residential uses, especially employee housing are encouraged to provide alternative housing choices for the workforce. The post office is considering moving out of its downtown location. If this occurs, future use of this land is a key issue. There are also significant opportunities for redevelopment downtown and development of underutilized public and private land. However, downtown zoning regulations have not been re‐examined since adoption in 2000 to assess if they are achieving the goals for downtown. Almost no workforce housing has been developed during this time period. The height and floor area ratio (FAR) requirements in this zone district may be constraining redevelopment. These zoning constraints also impact the ability to provide housing choices in the Downtown Plan: Draft Scope of Work, Background and Key Issues Page 13 of 13 downtown for workers and residents alike. Lack of attainable and workforce housing negatively affects the ability of businesses to grow and offer services to residents and guests. Demographics are changing. There is a continual increase in the retired population and the housing preferences of retired baby boomers and the workforce millennials differ greatly. The Estes Park Economic Development Corporation preliminary market assessment identifies both affordable housing and an aging and more temporary population as critical concerns for the area. Elkhorn Lodge StanleyVillageShoppingCenter TheKnoll Visitor Center Town Hall &Library IV Y ST W ELKH O R N AVE CLEAVE ST E ELKHORN A V E W E L K HORNAVE WIEST D RSUNNYLN WRIVERSIDEDRBIGTHOMPSONAVEERIVERSIDEDRMORAINEAVEPARKLNFall RiverBlackCanyonCreek F allR i ver FallRi ver BigThompsonRiverE W O N D E R V I E W AVE E ELKHORN A V E W ELKHORN AVE MA C G R E G O R A V E WWONDERVIEWAVE M O R A I N E AVE [0 ½¼Miles Commercial Outlying (CO)Commercial Downtown (CD)Commercial Heavy (CH)Office (O) Commercial Multi-Family ResidentalTwo Family: 27,000 sqft min. (R-2)Multi-Family: 3-8 du/acre (RM) Residential: 1/4 acre min. (R)Residential: 5000 sqft min. (R-1) Single Family ResidentalRural Estate: 10 acre min. (RE-1)Rural Estate: 2 1/2 acre min. (RE)Estate: 1 acre min. (E-1)Estate: 1/2 acre min. (E) Accomodations IndustrialRestricted Industrial (I-1) Accomodations (A)Accomodations (A-1) Downtown Plan: Excludes Multi-Family Area North of Downtown Elkhorn Lodge StanleyVillageShoppingCenter TheKnoll Visitor Center Town Hall &LibraryFall RiverBig T h o m p s o n R iverBlackCanyonCreek BigThompsonRiverFallRiver Bi gThompsonRiver E W O N D E R V IE W AVE E ELKHORN A V EMACGREGOR AVE W ELK H O RN AVE W WONDERVIEW AVE M O R AI N E AVE [0 ½¼Miles Commercial Outlying (CO)Commercial Downtown (CD)Commercial Heavy (CH)Office (O) Commercial Multi-Family ResidentalTwo Family: 27,000 sqft min. (R-2)Multi-Family: 3-8 du/acre (RM) Residential: 1/4 acre min. (R)Residential: 5000 sqft min. (R-1) Single Family ResidentalRural Estate: 10 acre min. (RE-1)Rural Estate: 2 1/2 acre min. (RE)Estate: 1 acre min. (E-1)Estate: 1/2 acre min. (E) Accomodations IndustrialRestricted Industrial (I-1) ROCKY MOUNTAINNATIONAL PARK Accomodations (A)Accomodations (A-1) Downtown Plan: Possible Plan Boundary Multi-Family Residential Area North of Downtown RFP Attachment A Elkhorn Lodge Stanley VillageShoppingCenter TheKnoll Visitor Center Town Hall &Library E WONDERVIEWAV E IV Y ST R O C KWELLST W ELKH O R N AVE CLEAVE ST E E L K H O R N A V E W E L K HORNAVE WIEST D RSUNNYLN WRIVERSIDEDRBIGTHOMPSONAVEERIVERSIDEDRMORAINEAVEPARKLNFall RiverBlackCanyonCreek Bi gThompso n R i verF allR i ver FallRi ver B ig ThompsonRiverE E L K H O R N A V E W ELKHORN AVE MA C G R E G O R A V E E W O NDERVIEWAVE M O R A I N E AVE [0 ½¼Miles Commercial Outlying (CO)Commercial Downtown (CD)Commercial Heavy (CH)Office (O) Commercial Multi-Family ResidentalTwo Family: 27,000 sqft min. (R-2)Multi-Family: 3-8 du/acre (RM) Residential: 1/4 acre min. (R)Residential: 5000 sqft min. (R-1) Single Family ResidentalRural Estate: 10 acre min. (RE-1)Rural Estate: 2 1/2 acre min. (RE)Estate: 1 acre min. (E-1)Estate: 1/2 acre min. (E) Accomodations IndustrialRestricted Industrial (I-1) Accomodations (A)Accomodations (A-1) Downtown Neighborhood Plan *Includes Stanley Village