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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board 2026-09-08Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, September 8, 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 8th day of September, 2026. Present: Gary Hall, Mayor Kirby Hazelton, Mayor Pro Tem Trustees Bill Brown Chris Eshelman Mark Igel Frank Lancaster Jamie Mieras Also Present: Travis Machalek, Town Administrator Jason Damweber, Deputy Town Administrator Dan Kramer, Town Attorney Sarah Stoddard Cameron, Recording Secretary Absent: None Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so, recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Proclamation - Constitution Week Mayor Hall proclaimed September 17, 2026 through September 23, 2026, as Constitution Week. Proclamation - Hispanic Heritage Month Mayor Hall proclaimed September 15, 2026 through October 15, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month. Agenda Approval. It was moved and seconded (Eshelman/Igel) to approve the Agenda, and it passed unanimously. Public Comments. Terry Rustin/Town resident commended Trustee Lancaster for his foresight to add two (2) additional stories to the Visitor Center Parking Garage during his tenure as Town Administrator. David Thomas/Town resident and president of the Estes Park Sister Cities Association encouraged the public, the Town Board, and Town staff to attend Estes Park Sister Cities Association's annual meeting on September 11,2026, and noted a free class teaching dances local to Estes Park's sister city, Monteverde, Costa Rica, would be provided. Trustee Comments. Board comments were heard and have been summarized: Commended Visit Estes Park (VEP) for a successful Tourism Summit; noted the event was well attended, had informative panelists and speakers, and that the inaugural annual tourism awards had been presented; acknowledged Bruce Davies, winner of the Nick Molle Tourism Legacy Award, Poppy's Pizza and Grill and Mama Rose's Restaurant, winners of the Tourism Dream Team Award, and the Estes Park Police Auxiliary, winner of the Visitor Champion Volunteer Award; reported ten (10) applications had been received for the VEP Board of Directors; noted inten/iews for the VEP Board of Directors opening as well as three (3) vacant seats on the Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA) Board of Commissioners would be conducted; attended a meeting of the Colorado Association of Ski Town's (CAST) in Carbondale, CO; reported notes from the CAST meeting would be forthcoming; encouraged constituents to attend the Estes Park Sister Cities Association's annual meeting; attended Estes Park High School Teacher Angela Barberi's Leadership and Board of Trustees - September 8,2026 - Page 2 Organizational Development Class to assist with repairs and cleanup of the High School's greenhouse; summarized the work and history of the Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership (EVRPJ) and acknowledged its value to the community; noted the EVRJP Board would be engaging in a Strategic Plan; encouraged the public to attend the Longs Peak Scottish and Irish Highland Festival; recognized the 25th anniversary of the incredible heroism displayed by first responders on September 11 , 2001; and encouraged the public to participate in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Annual Remembrance Event. Town Administrator Report. None. Consent Agenda: 1. Expenditure Approval List - Bills 2. Town Board Meeting and Study Session Minutes dated August 25,2026 3. Resolution 94-26 Water Lease Agreement with Trout Haven 4. Resolution 96-26 Setting Water Rates Public Hearing Dates It was moved and seconded (Eshelman/Mieras) to approve the Consent Agenda, and it passed unanimously. Report and Discussion: 1. Proposed Amendments to Estes Park Development Code Section 3.3 - Code Amendments Per the request of the Town Board at the Joint Study Session with the Estes Park Planning Commission (EPPC) on August 7, 2025, Director Careccia reviewed proposed amendments to Estes Park Development Code (EPDC) Section 3.3 regarding review criteria for rezonings. The draft proposed two (2) new review criteria be added and one (1) existing criterion be modified. Proposed Review Criteria 1 was drafted to ensure consistency with the Future Land Use (FLU) Plan of the Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan and replace the "change in conditions" criteria per the Town Board's request. It would further allow rezonings to correct a technical error in the text of the Official Zoning Map of the Development Code. Proposed Review Criteria 2 had been drafted to ensure developmental consistency with surrounding properties, mitigate adverse impacts to development such as environmental, wildlife, traffic, and safety externalities, and add conditions of approval. Proposed Review Criteria 3 had been modified to replace "application" with "amendment which did not alter the intent of the criteria. Advantages identified with amendment approval included increased procedural clarity for staff and stakeholders. It was noted that an update to Section 3.3 would not adversely affect the Development Code update process or schedule. Upon direction to proceed from the Town Board, staff would hold public hearings before the Estes Park Planning Commission on September 15, 2026, and the Town Board on October 27, 2026. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Confirmed Proposed Review Criteria 2 (a.) language would be changed from "reduction" to "modification;" questioned advantages to hearing Section 3.3 outside of the Development Code update hearings; agreed a conversation separate from the Development Code update would allow for greater discussion and public comment; and confirmed the presented language was ready for Planning Commission review. 2. 2027 Annual 6E Workforce Housing and Childcare Funding Plan Draft Review Manager Speedlin presented the 2026 funding plan for 6E lodging tax revenue as required by the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Larimer County and the Town of Estes Park, reviewed outcomes of the 2025 funding plan, and requested feedback on 2027 objectives. Projected revenue for the Workforce Housing and Childcare Lodging Tax account had been estimated to total $6,300,000 for 2027. Staff proposed maintaining the 2026 allocation between workforce housing and childcare initiatives through 2027 with 80% of sales tax revenue generated transferred to the Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA) and Board of Trustees - September 8,2026 - Page 3 dedicated to workforce housing initiatives, the remaining 20% would be retained by the Town to address local childcare needs. Childcare priority objectives included tuition assistance, childcare workforce stability and retention, out-of-school programming, and facility expansion. Tuition assistance of $450,000 would be provided in coordination with the Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS) Family Resource Center and Larimer County's 1B Early Childhood Sales Tax through Northern Colorado Kids Thrive. Childcare workforce would be supported through the expansion of access to benefits and professional development opportunities as well as through increased wages. The Childcare Stability Initiative (CSI) 2027 award recommendation totaled $325,500 and would be distributed to nine (9) organizations as large operational subsidies. Out-of- school programming grants of $20,000 would continue to support reoccurring programs providing supervision and recreation or enrichment activities. Facility expansion investment would be focused toward the creation of additional infant and toddler classrooms at Mountaintop Child Care Inc. This expenditure would be requested during the Town Board's annual budget review. Additional 6E funded childcare assistance programs and grants included a new license incentive of $1,000, friends, family, and neighbor (FFN) support, professional development and training grants, and workforce rental assistance for early childhood educators. Housing priority objectives included land banking, development, support for assistance programs, and administration. The primary priority for the land banking objective was to maintain and steward previously obtained properties to assure long-term affordability and stability, rather than pursuit of new acquisitions. Funding directed to development would be focused towards pre-development and planning of new workforce rentals and homes. It was noted that investment in pre- development and planning would reduce project risk as well as strengthen state and federal grant applications. Funding for assistance programs would be directed towards established programs which improve housing affordability for both renters, homebuyers, and seasonal workers. Remaining workforce housing funds would be allocated towards staffing, compliance, fiscal and asset management, and administrative functions at the EPHA. Staff noted the consideration of allocating 6E funds to a portion of the Grant Specialist's salary due to the position's vital role in obtaining additional funding for the childcare and the workforce. A final draft of the 6E Funding Plan must be approved by the Town Board, Local Marketing District (Visit Estes Park), and Larimer County Board of Commissioners, and filed with Larimer County by November 1, 2026. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Commended Manager Speedlin for her efforts; questioned whether Estes Park's investment in childcare and workforce housing would cause the County to prioritize grant investment in other municipalities, and whether childcare facility and capital improvement funding was being accumulated across years; and noted the importance of addressing seasonal housing issues. Whereupon Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m. •V,--^-"^L,.. Gary R'srti-^-Mayor Sar^h Sto^daj^d C^neron, Recording Secretary