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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2026-07-28Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, July 28, 2026 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 28th day of July, 2026. Present: Gary Hall, Mayor Kirby Hazelton, Mayor Pro Tem Trustees Bill Brown Chris Eshelman Mark Igel Jamie Mieras Also Present: Travis Machalek, Town Administrator Jason Damweber, Deputy Town Administrator Dan Kramer, Town Attorney Sarah Stoddard Cameron, Recording Secretary Absent: Trustee Frank Lancaster Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Recognition. Mayor Hall recognized Estes Park School students who won a drawing and writing contest held by the Estes Park School Environmental Resilience Team in partnership with the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition to celebrate the beauty of Estes Park's natural environment through educational posters. The posters are to be displayed around Estes Park. Proclamation. Mayor Hall proclaimed August 8, 2026, as Estes Park Recycles Day. Proclamation. Mayor Hall proclaimed the month of August, 2026, as Estes Arts Month.. Agenda Approval. It was moved and seconded (Eshelman/Hazelton) to approve the Agenda, and it passed unanimously. Public Comments. Frank Theis/Town Resident thanked Trustee Igel for his acknowledgment of Estes Valley Fire Protection District (EVFPD) funding issues and Town Administrator Machalekfor his clarification that the Board had not discussed removing or decreasing existing EVFPD funding. He then urged the Town to demonstrate budget engineering to the public while funding and building the new public safety facility, and advocated this method would encourage constituents to vote to increase funding for the project. Matt Tschohl/Town Resident requested a meeting with the Town regarding a property he purchased at 450 Hillside Lane, a single-family home that he stated had been occupied as a duplex since 1980, and advocated the property be granted duplex conversion. John Guffey/Town Resident expressed disapproval of visible trash receptacles, reported that Waste Management trash collection vehicles were too loud and disruptive, and contended that the Town should further encourage compliance with dark sky standards to protect nocturnal ecosystems. Trustee Comments. Board comments were heard and have been summarized: Commended Congressman Neguse for his visit to the Town for Congress on the Corner, and noted his attendance at Board of Trustees - July 28,2026 - Page 2 the EVFPD swearing-in ceremony of Fire Chief, Kevin Nunn; attended the EVFPD swearing-in ceremony; provided accolades to Interim Fire Chief Jones for his hard work and commitment to the district, and expressed enthusiasm regarding his appointment; reported fourteen (14) applications were received for three (3) openings on the Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA) Board of Commissioners, the EPHA was struggling with employee recruitment and may consider hiring relatives of current employees at their next board meeting, and EPHA offices would temporarily move into SkyView mid-August; commended the Estes Park Police Department's Police Auxiliary for their dedication and support, including National Night Out; attended Visit Estes Park's (VEP) Board of Directors meeting heard a presentation from Larimer County Commissioner Shadduck- McNalley on Larimer County budget-shortfalls and the Board discussed trends in lodging occupancy rates, sales and lodging tax revenue, and encouraged the public to apply for an upcoming vacancy on the Board;; acknowledged Jamie Palmesano, for her dedication and support for the Global Friends program for J-1 workers, which provided community support to exchange visitors; and Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) Regional Statistical Analysis Project was forwarded to the Board. Town Administrator Report. Town Administrator Machalek recognized the Streets and Parks crews for their work to address runoff related issues which followed recent rains, and commended the Power and Communications for their work in conjunction with the Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) to restore power to the Estes Valley on July 27, 2026. Policy Governance Monitoring Report- Policies 3.3, 3.12, and 3.13. Town Administrator Machalek reported full compliance with exception to Policy 3.13 in which partial compliance was reported. Staff achieves compliance with Policy 3.13 through the publication of the organization chart in the ACFR and through the presentation to the Town Board at the meeting directly following the certification of the results of each biennial Town election. The organizational chart was presented at the second Town Board Meeting following the certification of the election, on May 12, 2026. Consent Agenda: 1. Expenditure Approval List - Bills 2. Town Board Meeting and Study Session Minutes dated July 14,2026 3. Estes Park Planning Commission minutes dated May 19, 2026 and June 16, 2026 (Acknowledgment Only) 4. Resolution 85-26 Intergovernmental Agreement among Owner Communities Tasking Platte River Power Authority with Coordination of Distributed Energy Resource Programs and Projects 5. Resolution 86-26 Intergovernmental Agreements with the Colorado Department of Transportation for NAAPME and MMOF Grant Funds for Moraine Avenue Multimodal Trail Design and Construction, $5,979,039.40, Budgeted 6. Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (LEAF) SFY27 Supplemental Grant Award to Purchase Impaired Driving Enforcement and Education Equipment for the Estes Park Police Department 7. Acceptance of Town Administrator Policy Governance Monitoring Report It was moved and seconded (Eshelman/Brown) to approve the Consent Agenda, and it passed unanimously. Board of Trustees - July 28,2026 - Page 3 Report and Discussion Items (Outside Entities): 1. 2025 Base Funding Report: Salud Family Health. Salud Family Health President and Chief Executive Officer, John Santistevan, presented the 2025 Base Funding Report. Salud Family Health received $30,000 in Base Funding for 2025. Services offered included family medicine and pediatric care, health education, immunizations, pharmacy services, behavioral and psychological assessments and intermediate care, and dental services. During 2025, 1,699 patients were served over 6,194 patient visits. Patient demographics reflected significant economic need: 49% of patients fell at or below the 100% federal poverty level (FPL), 35% between 100% and 200% FPL, and 16% above the 200% FPL threshold. Current challenges faced by the foundation included workforce recruitment and retention, declining Medicaid coverage, changing patient demographics, and stagnant federal grant funding. It was reported that additional funding exceeding $500,000 was secured through community fundraising efforts. Salud Family Health hopes to raise an additional $250,000 for patient programs. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Praised President and CEO Santistevan for his hard work and dedication; and questioned whether behavioral health related visits had increased, decreased, or remained stagnant from 2024 to 2025; what trends in patient demographic changes had been observed; whether Salud Family Health's Estes Park Clinic would achieve financial breakeven in 2026; and whether there was opportunity for financial support from the UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center. Planning Commission Action Items: 1. Resolution 87-26 Fall River Village II Combined Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development Plan, Estes Park Housing Authority, Owner/Applicant. Mayor Hall opened the public hearing. Senior Planner Hornbeck reviewed an application submitted by the EPHA for a combined Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for the upper parcel of the Fall River Village Development. The 3.8-acre parcel contained twenty-four units and an event facility known as SkyView. In a separate application from the PUD, the applicant proposed existing units be subdivided into fourteen (14) townhome lots, one (1) duplex - known as Cliff House, (1) commercial facility, and one (1) eight-plex. Plans for the parcel included sale of the fourteen (14) established townhomes to pay down debt principle on the remaining workforce rental units below, partial conversion of the SkyView to office space and resident storage, and the potential addition of a childcare facility in the duplex adjacent to Skyview. The applicant requested waivers for the required sidewalk along Far View Drive and/or the internal access road connecting and required off-street loading for business and professional offices, warehousing and storage, and daycare. It was noted that the Estes Park Planning Commission had reviewed the application and recommended approval, no disadvantages of approval had been identified, the application complied with all relevant Development Code standards, a special review was not required, no adverse effects to neighboring properties had been identified, and there would be little to no effect on Town finances or resources. It was clarified that Ordinance 11-25 was not applicable, due to state statutes and the fact that the application had been submitted prior to the date Ordinance 11-25 became effective. Public comment ensued and has been summarized: David Shirk/Town Resident disagreed with staff's assessment that there would be no adverse impacts on the adjacent neighborhood and requested the Board require additional landscape buffering on the North border of the property adjacent to Far View Drive as well as exterior lighting compliant with the Development Code. Kristine Poppitz/County Resident argued that Ordinance 11-25 applied to the application and requested the application be resubmitted accordingly. In addition, Ms. Poppitz sought denial of the applicants' request to waive sidewalk requirements, advocated for better pedestrian linkage in accordance with the Estes Valley Trails Plan, and requested a trail connecting Far View Lane to West Wonderview Avenue. Pete Levine/EPHA Director of Real Estate explained that lighting and landscaping improvements were planned, and would occur over the next two (2) to three (3) years Board of Trustees - July 28,2026 - Page 4 to disperse expenses. Said improvements included replacement of outdoor lighting fixtures to obtain compliance with the Development Code and the addition of a landscape buffer between Far View Drive and Sunny Acres Court as originally intended on the previous PUD. The EPHA considered existing sidewalks to be suitably connected and noted the Town Board had previously determined that additional pedestrian connectivity was not required. It was clarified that the EPHA did not intend on using SkyView as a permanent office location and asserted that the EPHA did not seek a use that would maximize economic value. The current loan balance on the property totaled roughly twenty-nine (29) million dollars, at 4.8% interest. Current median average monthly income (AMI) for residents was 62%. It was reiterated that the EPHA would need to sell the fourteen (14) proposed townhomes to obtain financial stability and maintain ownership of the rest of the property. The EPHA planned on retaining the eight (8) unit building, SkyView, and the duplex building known as Cliff House. It was noted that two (2) property valuations had taken place, both property valuations landed within one (1) percent of each other. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Clarified the purpose of a PUD Plan; expressed concern that hearing both the preliminary and final plats would not allow adequate time for necessary changes; that approval of the application would set poor precedence for the future; questioned the necessity of specifying hours of operation, how resident storage facilities would be installed in SkyView, how best use had been determined, how the required home owners association would be structured and maintained, how storage facilities would be added to the SkyView building, and whether the application should be viewed as a new PUD or a PUD amendment; discussed opportunity for a sidewalk connecting Far View Drive to the lower FRV parcel, and noted the current stairs are not ADA accessible; suggested all nonconforming aspects were preexisting and therefore should be waived; noted constituent interest in the use of 6E funding to supplement a greater portion of the EPHA's operating deficit to reduce units sold; noted sold units would be allowed to revert back to short-term rental units; acknowledged the EPHA had a fiduciary and moral responsibility to sustain its properties; and debated what details of the PUD were relevant to the Board's discussion. Mayor Hall closed the public hearing. It was moved and seconded (Igel/Eshelman) to deny Resolution 87-26, and a substitute motion was made. It was then moved and seconded (Hall/Hazelton) to approve Resolution 87-26 with the addition of the following three conditions: Parking shall be managed by the owner's association to ensure parking is provided in accordance with the approved PUD in a safe manner that does not block emergency access and shall include enforcement of event facility occupancy limits as necessary; conformance to the 2018 landscape plan; and compliance to Estes Park Development Code §7.9 Exterior Lighting, and it failed with Trustees Eshelman, Igel and Mieras voting "No". Upon failure of the motion, Trustee Igel withdrew his original motion to deny Resolution 87-26. After further discussion, it was moved and seconded (Hall/Hazelton) to continue Resolution 87-26 to the August 11, 2026, Town Board Meeting, and it passed unanimously. 2. Resolution 88-26 Fall River Village II Combined Preliminary Plat, Estes Park Housing Authority, Owner/Applicant. It was moved and seconded (HaII/Brown) to continue Resolution 88-26 to the August 11,2026, Town Board Meeting, and it passed unanimously. 3. Resolution 89-26 Fall River Village II Combined Final Plat, Estes Park Housing Authority, Owner/Applicant. It was then moved and seconded (Hall/Brown) to continue Resolution 89-26 to the August 11, 2026, Town Board Meeting, and it passed unanimously. Board of Trustees - July 28,2026 - Page 5 Action Items: 1. Resolution 90-26 Supplemental Budget Appropriations #2 to the 2026 Budget Finance Director Zimmerman presented supplemental budget appropriations to provide funding for grant awards, utility capital project closeout, utilization of Police Facility reserve for design costs, interest for Utility deposit refunds, increased expense for write-offs of uncollectible utility accounts, a Fleet utilization study, use of General Fund unassigned fund balance for one-time capital projects, and other mid-year adjustments. The amendment would ensure compliance with budget requirements, maintain reserve balances, and avoid creating ongoing operating costs that exceed revenues. Total appropriations for 2026 increased by $3,752,172. It was noted that a portion of the additional revenue had been generated from stronger than anticipated sales tax revenues. It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Eshelman) to approve Resolution 90-26, and it passed unanimously. 2. Resolution 73-26 Memorandum of Understanding Between the Town of Estes Park and the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District and Change Order to the 2026 Overlay and Patching Contract with Coulson Excavating. Town Engineer Wittwer recommended the Town enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MOD) with the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District (EVRPD) to coordinate and combine paving and infrastructure improvement projects, in order to reduce costs, as well as approve a change order to the 2026 Overlay and Patching Program with Coulson Excavating Inc. to incorporate EVRPD's planned improvements at Stanley Park. Staff reported that approval of the change order would streamline the Stanley Park improvements project, prevent overlapping, save tax dollars, and ensure a uniform finish. EVRPD would fund their portion of the project, totaling $1,183,234.10, with $75,000 for contingency. The project would commence mid-September and reach completion around October 31. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Expressed enthusiasm about the project; and questioned how parking capacity would be affected during construction; and whether EVRPD would bear financial responsibility should costs exceed the $75,000 contingency. It was moved and seconded (Eshelman/Mieras) to approve Resolution 73-26, and it passed unanimously. 3. Rescheduling the June 22, 2027 Town Board Meeting to June 29, 2027. Town Attorney Kramer proposed the June 22, 2027, meeting be rescheduled to June 29, 2027, to allow the Mayor and Board of Trustees the opportunity to attend the 2027 Colorado Municipal League (CML) Annual Conference being held in Keystone, June 22 through June 25. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Trustee Igel expressed concern about rescheduling the meeting for an optional commitment; and Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Hazelton, and Trustee Mieras expressed interest in attending the conference. It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Mieras) to reschedule the June 22, 2027 Town Board Meeting to June 29, 2027,and it passed unanimously. Whereupon Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 9:39 p.m. ^ Gary flsitt-Nayq ^- xJclard^Snmeron, Recording Secretary