HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Planning Commission 2021-04-20Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado,April 20,2021
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the ESTES PARK PLANNING
COMMISSION of the Town of Estes Park,Larimer County,Colorado.
Meeting held VIRTUALLY in said Town of Estes Park on the 20 day of April
2021.
Committee:Chair Matt Comstock,Vice-Chair Matthew Heiser,
Commissioners Joe Elkins,Howard Hanson,Janene
Centurione,
Attending:Chair Comstock,Vice Chair Heiser,Commissioner
Centurione,Commissioner Hanson,Director Randy Hunt,
Senior Planner Jeff Woeber,Planner II Alex Bergeron,
-Planning Technician Charlie Rugaber,Recording Secretary
Karin Swanlund,Town Attorney Dan Kramer,Town Board
Liaison Barbara MacAlpine
Absent:Commissioner Elkins
Chair Comstock called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.Also attending were MattAshby
and Mike Scholl,Ayres Associates consultants and Jeffrey Boring,Director of the Estes
Valley Land Trust.
New Commissioner Janene Centurione was introduced and welcomed to the Planning
Commission.She is taking the place of Steve Murphree,who resigned in January.
AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Hanson)to approve the agenda.The motion
passed 4-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT.
None
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL
It was moved and seconded (Hanson/Heiser)to approve the consent agenda.The
motion passed 4-0.
LARGE VACATION HOME REVIEW
Director Hunt reviewed the staff report for 925 Elk Ridge Court.The applicant has only
recently purchased the property.The previous owners seemingly were satisfied with the
8-and-under limits for a standard Vacation Home (VH).The property does have four
bedrooms.Per Code (Secs 5.1.B.2.a and 5.1.B.2.b),occupancy of a Vacation Home is
limited to two persons per bedroom plus two additional,all within the overall limitation of
S persons for a standard VH or more than 8 for a Large Vacation Home (LVH).In the
proposed case here,the four bedrooms would allow a maximum of 10 occupants at a
time.According to the Larimer County Assessor’s records,the subject parcel is less
than one acre,measuring only 0.45 acres.Staff judges that the screening and
buffering,in this case,are adequate.Since the request is in accord with all other Code
requirements for an LVH,and since the single substandard element —lot size —has
compensatory elements that meet the qualifications for a smaller lot in Code,staff
recommends approval of this LVH request.
Discussion:
In answer to Chair Comstock,Hunt responded that one-acre-lot houses are more
centered and separated from the neighbors,thus the code requirement.If the property
were an acre,it would have been a consent agenda item,not an action item.
Commissioner Hanson asked what the process was when a Vacation
home adds a bedroom.Hunt answered that it would need to go through another
Planning Commission meeting approval if that were to happen.
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Vice-Chair Heiser noted that approving this would be increasing the use of an already
non-conforming property.Afforney Kramer stated that the interpretation rests with the
Community Development Director,and the Commission can make their
recommendation based on that.Kramer added that extending a non-conforming use
does not apply to a non-conforming lot.This process is not a public hearing process;
therefore,no neighbor notifications were sent.
Applicant Response:
Lowell Richardson,property manager,stated that there have been no compliance
issues.The home is a four-bedroom house,which is the reason for asking for
additional occupancy.Maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood will not be a
problem.
Owners Dana Parcher and Nathan Warner thanked the Commission for reviewing the
application and stated they are excited to allow the property to meet its capacity.They
are confident that parking and noise will not be an issue.
It was moved and seconded (Heiser/Hanson)to deny the Large Vacation Home
application for 925 Elk Ridge Court finding that adequate buffering and screening
to adjacent properties has not been demonstrated for a Large Vacation Home use
on less than one acre.The motion to deny the request passed 4-0.
OTHER:
Jeffrey Boring,Estes Valley Land Trust (EVLT),discussed the Estes Valley Open
Space Plan.The EVLT led a community planning effort to identify the highest
remaining conservation and recreation priorities located near Estes Park,Colorado.The
Estes Valley Land Trust will use the Plan to pursue conservation easements with willing
landowners.The EVLT has conserved nearly 10,000 acres in over 30 years.The
primary goal of this Plan is to increase the pace of conservation and save another 5,000
acres in the next decade.The EVLT would like the see the Town of Estes adopt this
Plan in the future,preferably in the new Camp Ptan.Director Hunt agreed that now is a
good time for adoption.Commissioner Centurioine stated that this should be a
foundational document,not a guiding document.Boring noted that when presented to
the Larimer County Planning Advisory Group,this Plan was well received and
endorsed.The Plan was also presented to the Larimer County Commissioners in
December.
Ayres Associates consultants Mall Ashby and Mike Scholl continued sharing their
findings regarding Downtown Building Height Limits.A new,revised PowerPoint
presentation was given,taking into account the conversations and ideas from the March
2021 meeting.Discussion on what the “right height is and how many stories were the
central points of conversation.
Director Hunt gave an update on the Comprehensive Plan rewrite.The contract with
Logan Simpson was approved at the Town Board meeting on April 13.There have
been 25 applicants for the committee.Interviews will begin later this week.
There being no further business,Chair Comstack a rhe meeting at 4:35 p.m.
Mall Co oDk,
rin Swanlund,Recor g cretary
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