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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Planning Commission 2020-05-19RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Planning Commission May 19,2020 Board Room,Estes Park Town Hall Commission:Acting Chair Matt Comstock,Commissioners Steve Murphree,Joe Elkins,Matthew Heiser,Howard Hanson Attending:Acting Chair Comstock,Commissioners Murphree,Elkins,Heiser, Hanson Also Attending:Director Randy Hunt,Senior Planner Jeff Woeber,Planner II Alex Bergeron,Recording Secretary Karin Swanlund,Town Board Liasion Barbara MacAlpine,Town Attorney Dan Kramer Absent:None OPEN MEETING Acting Chair Comstock called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.The three new Planning Commission members (Elkins,Hanson,Heiser)introduced themselves.Director Hunt explained how the session would work for public comment in its virtual format.Attorney Kramer read the Emergency Rule 06-20 regarding public hearings.Acting Chair Comstock thanked the new Commission members and staff for stepping up during this difficult time. The meeting was held virtually via Google Meet and live-streamed on YouTube and Viebit. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Heiser suggested voting on officer positions.Director Hunt thought that the June meeting would be a more appropriate time to do this. It was moved and seconded (Elkins/Heiser)to approve the agenda and the motion passed 5-0. PUBLIC COMMENT: None CONSENT AGENDA 1.Study Session Minutes dated February 18,2020 2.Meeting Minutes dated February 18,2020 3.Meeting Minutes dated February 25,2020 Commissioner Heiser questioned approving minutes from the previous,now defunct Planning Commission meetings,which mostly encompassed different Commission members.Attorney Kramer advised that under the circumstances, this body is the only body that can plausibly approve them,and although not common,is allowed.Acting Chair Comstock,who was in attendance at those meetings,stated that the minutes were accurate. It was moved and seconded (Hanson/Heiser)to approve the consent agenda as presented and the motion passed 5-0 ACTION ITEMS REZONE REQUEST,1230 Big Thompson Avenue,Rocky Mountain Health Club,David and Alix LaSalle,owners Planner Bergeron Director Hunt reviewed the staff report for the rezone request.This request proposes to return the subject property to CO (Commercial Outlying)zoning, from A (Accommodations)zoning,a designation for which the site has been designed and has functioned for at least six decades.It was stated that this would relieve the site of the burdens caused by Code technicalities and allow current and future property owners to expand the existing functional uses of the site within the permissions of the law,including privately-operated office space. Spot-zoning was defined as one type of zone surrounded by different zoning 1 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Planning Commission May 19,2020 Board Room,Estes Park Town Hall districts.Staff feels that this is an occasion where it is appropriate.A development plan,when and if submitted (it was waived with this application), could come to this Commission.Staff recommended approval of the request. Commission Comments/Questions: Commissioner Elkins asked what the waived fee was for.Director Hunt answered that permit fees go into the Town’s general revenue fund to offset the costs in processing applications.Given what the proposed use for this property is,Comstock questioned why Commercial and not Office zoning was applied for and if it would have been easier to have a code amendment allowing Health Clubs in Accommodations zoning.Hunt answered that Health Clubs are not allowed in Office zoning and that code amendments are more complex and are all-encompassing,altering the Development Code principle for uses in that zone district.Rezonings are organic and need to be carefully considered.Comstock raised the concern of how the public will feel about this being the first post-IGA decision.Hunt felt that since this was a corrective rezoning it does not open up the welcome mat for all rezonings.Attorney Kramer stated that the decision, whether approved or denied,should be based on the review criteria for this and all projects going forward.Hanson wondered if there was an alternative way to accomplish the same result making the planned uses legal,preventing CO zoning abuse in the future.Hunt answered that there aren’t too many alternatives in a case like this.Variances are not allowed for Uses.Heiser wanted to make sure the applicant was aware of the landscape buffer requirements in the Development Code and how the neighboring properties feel about this.Hunt answered that there are flexible choices for this.Many development plans have landscaping alternatives that can be approved at a Staff level.The Planning Commission can waive requirements.As a footnote, Hunt added that he is hoping to do a code amendment for landscaping requirements in the future.Heiser and Hanson both expressed favorability for the request and planned use of the property,especially in light of the current pandemic.Having the property occupied and not vacant is a good thing. Applicant response: David LaSalle,1237 Timber Mountain Lane,thanked the Commission for hearing their request.He explained that the building became nonconforming with the 2000 rezoning.Rocky Mountain Health Club (RMHC)was grandfathered in at that time and allowed to continue operating.With the opening of the Estes Park Community Center,RMHC membership went from 600 to 25 members.A-Zoning was very limited on allowed uses causing a dilemma in filling the space.Plans for the future include a flexible workspace and,with the onset of COVID 19,some designs are changing,sometimes daily. An exterior deck is planned,redoing the parking lot and repainting of the outside of the building.The current footprint of the fitness and wellness facilities would stay the same at about 4,000 square feet of the 15,00 total square footage of the building.Accessibility is an issue on the inside,with the possibility of a lift or elevator installation.An on-site commercial mail processing site is also being considered,with the approval of the USPS. A five-minute recess was taken at 2:58 for any additional public comments to come in.There were none.The meeting resumed at 3:05. It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Hanson)to recommend approval of the request by AdEstes LLC to rezone 1230 Big Thompson Avenue from A (Accommodations)to CO (Commercial Outlying),in accordance with the findings as presented.The motion passed 5-0. 2 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Planning Commission May 19,2020 Board Room,Estes Park Town Hall REPORTS Voluntary DOLA training on Thursday,May 21,2020,for all Commissioners. Thanks for bearing with us in this first virtual quasi-judicial post-pandemic meeting. ADJOURN ier business Chair Comstock adjourned the meeting at 3:12 p.m. Matt Cfrstoc Krin SaEiindecoring Secretry There 3